Good things in small packages

What makes people make Bibles like this, anyway?  They are so small there seems to be no practical value in them, but nonetheless, from time to time I continue to see things like this.  My best guess is that they are really just symbols (because the print is often too small to read without a powerful magnifier) and their real value is that they remind the owner of what they already know of the Bible.  So, the real importance of Bibles like this becomes a matter of faith.  That God can work though even such a small thing has a parallel in the Gospels and the passage I chose comes from the book of Mark.

Mark 4:26-32 (WEB)
26) He said, “The Kingdom of God is as if a man should cast seed on the earth,
27) and should sleep and rise night and day, and the seed should spring up and grow, he doesn’t know how.
28) For the earth bears fruit: first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear.
29) But when the fruit is ripe, immediately he puts forth the sickle, because the harvest has come.”
30) He said, “How will we liken the Kingdom of God? Or with what parable will we illustrate it?
31) It’s like a grain of mustard seed, which, when it is sown in the earth, though it is less than all the seeds that are on the earth,
32) yet when it is sown, grows up, and becomes greater than all the herbs, and puts out great branches, so that the birds of the sky can lodge under its shadow.”
 (Mark 4:26-32, WEB)

The Kingdom of God is a recurring theme in the Gospels.  I like to think of it a the reign or domain of God's power. The power of the kingdom is God's word and whether the word be large or extremely small, it is of great power.  When coupled with faith within the human heart it becomes a very great thing indeed.  So, its not the size of the seed (The Bible) that counts, but its power.   While the Bible in the picture is cute and quite intriguing, I still prefer to use one that has print big enough to read; I am just funny that way.

Invisible visibility

When I looked at the NASA website today, I was a bit surprised to see this picture.  This three band infared picture showed at band of Aurora Borealis at the bottom.  Frankly, even though I have been collecting pictures of the universe for a few years now, I never even thought of something like this.  Somehow, I had the impression that the Northern Lights occurred only on Earth.  Surprise!!!  Consider the following passage from the book of Hebrews and I think you will see how it relates to the picture.

Hebrews 11:3 (WEB)

3) By faith, we understand that the universe has been framed by the word of God, so that what is seen has not been made out of things which are visible.

We live in an age of science, where understanding everything seems inevitable.  Its just, that I have to ask the question: Do we even know what questions to ask?  If this Cassinni picture of Saturn is a surprise, then what other wonders await us?  And that is only in astronomy!  Consider all the new things that have come into being over the past 50 years: calculators, computers, DNA testing, envitro fertilation, stem cell research, to name just a few.  Its a brave new world out there, BUT, one created by God and NOT by man.  Faith is still an essential part of a healthy spiritual life and nothing can replace that.  Some may not agree with that statement, but they will, whether tomorrow, next year or perhaps in the next decade or so. Even those who look to science for the answer to EVERYTHING will be eventually be forced to look inward and upward; I know this because sooner or later we will all attend funerals, even if it is only our own.  Oh, I forgot to mention... these Northern lights are at the bottom.  What next?

What could be more beautiful?

The beauty of this picture caught my eye; something about the clouds, something soothing, something that said "home" to me.  Then, I asked myself; is it photo-shopped?  The answer was a resounding NO, because I obtained it from the NASA site.  Imagine, all these elements just happened at the same time by accident; I don't think so.  Then I remembered what an old friend of mine used to say: Gary, timing is EVERYTHING!!  And so it is!!!  If you do a little walk down memory lane, think of all the things that you did at the "right time" and the effect these had on your life, it will amaze you.  This little concept led me to the book of Galatians, where the apostle Paul writes..

Galatians 4:1-6 (WEB)
1) But I say that so long as the heir is a child, he is no different from a bondservant, though he is lord of all;
2) but is under guardians and stewards until the day appointed by the father.
3) So we also, when we were children, were held in bondage under the elemental principles of the world.
4) But when the fullness of the time came, God sent out his Son, born to a woman, born under the law,
5) that he might redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of children.
6) And because you are children, God sent out the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, “Abba, Father!”
 (Galatians 4:1-6, WEB)

It may have been just circumstance that led to the beautiful composition of the picture, but with God, nothing happens by accident.  He chose Jesus, and Jesus did what he had to do and the outcome of that has had consequences far beyond those of the century in which he was born.  What could be more beautiful than that?

The light, the light, its all about the light!

One beautiful picture! I especially like the reflections on the water which range from a yellow green (top right) to a light blue (bottom middle). I saw a movie last week based on the life of Thomas Kinkade (A Christmas Cottage) in which Thomas' mentor urges him to focus on "the light" in his paintings. Today, Thomas is known as the painter of light, so I guess he listened.
Sometimes, the indirect things of life bring in new meanings and depth of understanding, which of course made me think of John the Baptist. Here is an excerpt from one of my favorite chapters in the New Testament.

John 1:6-16 (WEB)
6) There came a man, sent from God, whose name was John.
7) The same came as a witness, that he might testify about the light, that all might believe through him.
8) He was not the light, but was sent that he might testify about the light.
9) The true light that enlightens everyone was coming into the world.
10) He was in the world, and the world was made through him, and the world didn’t recognize him.
11) He came to his own, and those who were his own didn’t receive him.
12) But as many as received him, to them he gave the right to become God’s children, to those who believe in his name:
13) who were born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
14) The Word became flesh, and lived among us. We saw his glory, such glory as of the one and only Son of the Father, full of grace and truth.
15) John testified about him. He cried out, saying, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me has surpassed me, for he was before me.’”
16) From his fullness we all received grace upon grace.
(John 1:6-16, WEB)

John was an unusual character, something like Elijah of the Old Testament. He got through to many, many people and pointed them in the right direction (to Jesus). Like the shadows and highlights in the picture, he added color to the overall scene. Not a bad job for someone who ate Locusts and wild honey. It occured to me that we can be something like a Baptist ourselves, as long as we point people in the right direction. Just eat a little differently, that's all.

Golden

If this picture is manipulated, somebody really knows what they are doing because the shadows on the water look real to me. And its the shadows that make the picture because they are GOLD. If this picture is unaltered, the gold must be a reflection of a golden sunset. Gold has always fascinated me, not just because of its color, but due to the way it reflects light. Ask most people and they will tell you they like gold because of its beauty and ITS WORTH! However, gold is NOT the most important thing in life, because life itself is. Read on for more...

1 Peter 1:15-19 (WEB)
15) but just as he who called you is holy, you yourselves also be holy in all of your behavior;
16) because it is written, “You shall be holy; for I am holy.”
17) If you call on him as Father, who without respect of persons judges according to each man’s work, pass the time of your living as foreigners here in reverent fear:
18) knowing that you were redeemed, not with corruptible things, with silver or gold, from the useless way of life handed down from your fathers,
19) but with precious blood, as of a faultless and pure lamb, the blood of Christ;
(1 Peter 1:15-19, WEB)

We measure value in terms of longevity, for gold is worth more than straw and diamonds worth much more than lawnmower shavings. So, if this life is valuable, how much more will the life that is everlasting be worth? To obtain that which is eternal, a better, more valuable sacrifice is needed and The Christ of God has paid the bill for everyone. Every time I think of that, I feel like the richest man on Earth and a wave of joy overflows in my being. You know... I feel golden!!!

Plain and simple might cut it?

Interesting: a sign from God. Actually, there are billboards all over the country with messages like these. I first encountered them at cracker barrel. Some enterprising person had the idea of taking pieces of slate, painting them blue with a few clouds thrown in and putting a message from God on it. Bought several, keep them in my study and look at them every so often. I find its good for me and always puts me in a spiritual mood. But, what if God actually did give you a sign, would you listen or understand. He has and some will and some will not get it. Here is one.

John 2:13-22 (WEB)
13) The Passover of the Jews was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.
14) He found in the temple those who sold oxen, sheep, and doves, and the changers of money sitting.
15) He made a whip of cords, and threw all out of the temple, both the sheep and the oxen; and he poured out the changers’ money, and overthrew their tables.
16) To those who sold the doves, he said, “Take these things out of here! Don’t make my Father’s house a marketplace!”
17) His disciples remembered that it was written, “Zeal for your house will eat me up.”
18) The Jews therefore answered him, “What sign do you show us, seeing that you do these things?”
19) Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.”
20) The Jews therefore said, “It took forty-six years to build this temple! Will you raise it up in three days?”
21) But he spoke of the temple of his body.
22) When therefore he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he said this, and they believed the Scripture, and the word which Jesus had said.
(John 2:13-22, WEB)

For some, Jesus scourging the temple was quite a radical thing to do. So, the Jews questioned his authority (in the guise of sign-giving). Jesus pointed to his own temple resurrection but the Jews just didn't get it. I can't help but wonder if they ever could get it, even if Jesus spoke even more plainly. Maybe even as plain as putting his message in simple terms might have helped, I don't know. Perhaps a black and white sign might have worked.... naw!

The cake eaters

At first glance you see a spotted dog, but when you look at the shadow, the photoshop holes are obvious. No this isn't a holy dog and a spotted dog is what it is. Don't get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with a spotted dog, its just the shadow makes him to be something he may not be. Today, my wife and I watched a movie called "The cake eaters". When the credits came on, neither one of us could seem to relate the title to the content of the movie. Later, I came up with an answer; I still don't know if it was right, but it did make me think of the book of Jude.

Jude 1:1-25 (WEB)

1) Jude, a servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, to those who are called, sanctified by God the Father, and kept for Jesus Christ:
2) Mercy to you and peace and love be multiplied.
3) Beloved, while I was very eager to write to you about our common salvation, I was constrained to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints.
4) For there are certain men who crept in secretly, even those who were long ago written about for this condemnation: ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into indecency, and denying our only Master, God, and Lord, Jesus Christ.
5) Now I desire to remind you, though you already know this, that the Lord, having saved a people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed those who didn’t believe.
6) Angels who didn’t keep their first domain, but deserted their own dwelling place, he has kept in everlasting bonds under darkness for the judgment of the great day.
7) Even as Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities around them, having, in the same way as these, given themselves over to sexual immorality and gone after strange flesh, are set forth as an example, suffering the punishment of eternal fire.
8) Yet in the same way, these also in their dreaming defile the flesh, despise authority, and slander celestial beings.
9) But Michael, the archangel, when contending with the devil and arguing about the body of Moses, dared not bring against him an abusive condemnation, but said, “May the Lord rebuke you!”
10) But these speak evil of whatever things they don’t know. What they understand naturally, like the creatures without reason, they are destroyed in these things.
11) Woe to them! For they went in the way of Cain, and ran riotously in the error of Balaam for hire, and perished in Korah’s rebellion.
12) These are hidden rocky reefs in your love feasts when they feast with you, shepherds who without fear feed themselves; clouds without water, carried along by winds; autumn leaves without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots;
13) wild waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame; wandering stars, for whom the blackness of darkness has been reserved forever.
14) About these also Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied, saying, “Behold, the Lord came with ten thousands of his holy ones,
15) to execute judgment on all, and to convict all the ungodly of all their works of ungodliness which they have done in an ungodly way, and of all the hard things which ungodly sinners have spoken against him.”
16) These are murmurers and complainers, walking after their lusts (and their mouth speaks proud things), showing respect of persons to gain advantage.
17) But you, beloved, remember the words which have been spoken before by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ.
18) They said to you that “In the last time there will be mockers, walking after their own ungodly lusts.”
19) These are they who cause divisions, and are sensual, not having the Spirit.
20) But you, beloved, keep building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit.
21) Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to eternal life.
22) On some have compassion, making a distinction,
23) and some save, snatching them out of the fire with fear, hating even the clothing stained by the flesh.
24) Now to him who is able to keep them from stumbling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory in great joy,
25) to God our Savior, who alone is wise, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and forever. Amen.
(Jude 1:1-25, WEB)

Summarized, this chapter seems to say: There are people among you who are not what they seem to be, but you do what you can about the situation and leave the rest up to God. When I thought of the movie once again, I realized that the three interpersonal relationships in the plot all had one thing in common; they just did what they wanted, regardless of the cost to others. While their actions may seem enviable to some, sooner or later their life will be full of holes (I don't mean HOLY ones either) and their spotty character will be made manifest. Even though the movie didn't show the consequences of their actions, sooner or later God will judge us all, including them.