Disaster

Even though I downloaded this picture quite some time ago, it is still current.  Recent events have made us think a lot recently about disaster.  What would we do if placed in a situation like this.  Here is one Biblical example.

Nehemiah 1:1-11 (WEB)

1) The words of Nehemiah the son of Hacaliah. Now it happened in the month Chislev, in the twentieth year, as I was in Shushan the palace,

2) that Hanani, one of my brothers, came, he and certain men out of Judah; and I asked them concerning the Jews who had escaped, who were left of the captivity, and concerning Jerusalem.

3) They said to me, “The remnant who are left of the captivity there in the province are in great affliction and reproach. The wall of Jerusalem also is broken down, and its gates are burned with fire.”

4) It happened, when I heard these words, that I sat down and wept, and mourned certain days; and I fasted and prayed before the God of heaven,

5) and said, “I beg you, Yahweh, the God of heaven, the great and awesome God, who keeps covenant and loving kindness with those who love him and keep his commandments:

6) Let your ear now be attentive, and your eyes open, that you may listen to the prayer of your servant, which I pray before you at this time, day and night, for the children of Israel your servants while I confess the sins of the children of Israel, which we have sinned against you. Yes, I and my father’s house have sinned.

7) We have dealt very corruptly against you, and have not kept the commandments, nor the statutes, nor the ordinances, which you commanded your servant Moses.

8) “Remember, I beg you, the word that you commanded your servant Moses, saying, ‘If you trespass, I will scatter you abroad among the peoples;

9) but if you return to me, and keep my commandments and do them, though your outcasts were in the uttermost part of the heavens, yet will I gather them from there, and will bring them to the place that I have chosen, to cause my name to dwell there.’

10) “Now these are your servants and your people, whom you have redeemed by your great power, and by your strong hand.

11) Lord, I beg you, let your ear be attentive now to the prayer of your servant, and to the prayer of your servants, who delight to fear your name; and please prosper your servant this day, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man.” Now I was cup bearer to the king.

Nehemiah 2:1-8 (WEB)
1) It happened in the month Nisan, in the twentieth year of Artaxerxes the king, when wine was before him, that I took up the wine, and gave it to the king. Now I had not been sad before in his presence.

2) The king said to me, “Why is your face sad, since you are not sick? This is nothing else but sorrow of heart.” Then I was very much afraid.

3) I said to the king, “Let the king live forever! Why shouldn’t my face be sad, when the city, the place of my fathers’ tombs, lies waste, and its gates have been consumed with fire?”

4) Then the king said to me, “For what do you make request?” So I prayed to the God of heaven.

5) I said to the king, “If it pleases the king, and if your servant has found favor in your sight, that you would send me to Judah, to the city of my fathers’ tombs, that I may build it.”

6) The king said to me (the queen was also sitting by him), “For how long shall your journey be? And when will you return?” So it pleased the king to send me; and I set him a time.

7) Moreover I said to the king, “If it pleases the king, let letters be given me to the governors beyond the River, that they may let me pass through until I come to Judah;

8) and a letter to Asaph the keeper of the king’s forest, that he may give me timber to make beams for the gates of the citadel by the temple, for the wall of the city, and for the house that I shall enter into.” The king granted my requests, because of the good hand of my God on me.

Nehemiah knew of some disaster that bothered him a lot, he prayed about it and when the opportunity arose, did something about it.  He was a brave man, because the king could just have ordered Nehemiah's execution.  But God was working through both the king and Nehemiah to restore the kingdom and temple in Judah.  Things may look bad, but when you look up, an answer will become evident eventually.  Pray about it; watch what happens.

Cheap, fast or good?

Interesting sign!  I wonder what they are REALLY saying about their service?  Notice, the sign doesn't say you MUST pick any two, but rather that you MAY pick any two.  So, is their service fast cheap or good?  Tough question!  I could be wrong, but my best guess is that their service isn't fast or cheap, just good. The best things in life take time; tomatoes are grown reasonably fast, yet they are not as valuable as natural diamonds, which take a long time to make.  So it is with the things of God; sin was a BIG problem and took thousands of years to be successfully overcome.  Consider this passage from the book of Ephesians.

Ephesians 3:1-12 (WEB)


1) For this cause I, Paul, am the prisoner of Christ Jesus on behalf of you Gentiles,

2) if it is so that you have heard of the administration of that grace of God which was given me toward you;

3) how that by revelation the mystery was made known to me, as I wrote before in few words,

4) by which, when you read, you can perceive my understanding in the mystery of Christ;

5) which in other generations was not made known to the children of men, as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets in the Spirit;

6) that the Gentiles are fellow heirs, and fellow members of the body, and fellow partakers of his promise in Christ Jesus through the Good News,

7) of which I was made a servant, according to the gift of that grace of God which was given me according to the working of his power.

8) To me, the very least of all saints, was this grace given, to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ,

9) and to make all men see what is the administration of the mystery which for ages has been hidden in God, who created all things through Jesus Christ;

10) to the intent that now through the assembly the manifold wisdom of God might be made known to the principalities and the powers in the heavenly places,

11) according to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord;

12) in whom we have boldness and access in confidence through our faith in him.

It wasn't enough for God to his his own chosen people (the Jews), HIS love extended far beyond them to all human beings.  This took time to work out; several thousand years in fact.  It wasn't easy to accomplish, took a long time and cost a lot, but GOD did it!  As far as our human condition goes, life can very complicated, with many conflicting signs in our life, pulling us in many directions at one time.  Don't be down on yourself if everything doesn't seem to fall into place by the time you are 20 or 30 or even 40; be patient!  Remember, God didn't call Moses until he was 80 and didn't complete his work until he was 120.  Fortunately, we have a sign that not quite as complicated or confusing as the pictured one, its called The Bible and if you keep reading, sooner or later you will understand!  One thing is for certain, The Bible doesn't encourage a life that is cheap or fast, JUST GOOD!

Fetch!

But I just said "fetch" and look what happened!!!  How was I to know he would take me seriously???  Sometimes life is full of surprises and so it is with this dog.  People are like that too; sometimes they amaze you!!!  Here are a few examples...

2 Samuel 23:8-39 (WEB)


8) These are the names of the mighty men whom David had: Josheb Basshebeth a Tahchemonite, chief of the captains; the same was Adino the Eznite, against eight hundred slain at one time.

9) After him was Eleazar the son of Dodai the son of an Ahohite, one of the three mighty men with David, when they defied the Philistines who were there gathered together to battle, and the men of Israel were gone away.

10) He arose, and struck the Philistines until his hand was weary, and his hand froze to the sword; and Yahweh worked a great victory that day; and the people returned after him only to take spoil.

11) After him was Shammah the son of Agee a Hararite. The Philistines were gathered together into a troop, where there was a plot of ground full of lentils; and the people fled from the Philistines.

12) But he stood in the midst of the plot, and defended it, and killed the Philistines; and Yahweh worked a great victory.

13) Three of the thirty chief men went down, and came to David in the harvest time to the cave of Adullam; and the troop of the Philistines was encamped in the valley of Rephaim.

14) David was then in the stronghold; and the garrison of the Philistines was then in Bethlehem.

15) David longed, and said, “Oh that one would give me water to drink of the well of Bethlehem, which is by the gate!”

16) The three mighty men broke through the army of the Philistines, and drew water out of the well of Bethlehem, that was by the gate, and took it, and brought it to David: but he would not drink of it, but poured it out to Yahweh.

17) He said, “Be it far from me, Yahweh, that I should do this! Isn’t it the blood of the men who went in jeopardy of their lives?” Therefore he would not drink it. The three mighty men did these things.

18) Abishai, the brother of Joab, the son of Zeruiah, was chief of the three. He lifted up his spear against three hundred and killed them, and had a name among the three.

19) Wasn’t he most honorable of the three? therefore he was made their captain: however he didn’t attain to the three.

20) Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the son of a valiant man of Kabzeel, who had done mighty deeds, he killed the two sons of Ariel of Moab: he went down also and killed a lion in the midst of a pit in time of snow.

21) He killed an Egyptian, a goodly man: and the Egyptian had a spear in his hand; but he went down to him with a staff, and plucked the spear out of the Egyptian’s hand, and killed him with his own spear.

22) Benaiah the son of Jehoiada did these things, and had a name among the three mighty men.

23) He was more honorable than the thirty, but he didn’t attain to the three. David set him over his guard.

24) Asahel the brother of Joab was one of the thirty; Elhanan the son of Dodo of Bethlehem,

25) Shammah the Harodite, Elika the Harodite,

26) Helez the Paltite, Ira the son of Ikkesh the Tekoite,

27) Abiezer the Anathothite, Mebunnai the Hushathite,

28) Zalmon the Ahohite, Maharai the Netophathite,

29) Heleb the son of Baanah the Netophathite, Ittai the son of Ribai of Gibeah of the children of Benjamin,

30) Benaiah a Pirathonite, Hiddai of the brooks of Gaash.

31) Abialbon the Arbathite, Azmaveth the Barhumite,

32) Eliahba the Shaalbonite, the sons of Jashen, Jonathan,

33) Shammah the Hararite, Ahiam the son of Sharar the Ararite,

34) Eliphelet the son of Ahasbai, the son of the Maacathite, Eliam the son of Ahithophel the Gilonite,

35) Hezro the Carmelite, Paarai the Arbite,

36) Igal the son of Nathan of Zobah, Bani the Gadite,

37) Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai the Beerothite, armor bearers to Joab the son of Zeruiah,

38) Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite,

39) Uriah the Hittite: thirty-seven in all.

Talk about your "A" team!!!  Its hard to fathom what the first few in the list did.  Even the last one in the list (Uriah the Hittite) was someone who had quite an attitude toward war.  After looking at all this, I wonder how the God of Heaven looks at what I have done with my life.  Good question and somehow the word "fetch" will never quite seem the same to me again.

dogs of a feather...

When I saw these dogs, I immediately thought of my Granddaughter's dog Hercules.  He is hard to forget, not only because he is affectionate, but because he had been abused by a former owner and has some people issues.  The good news is that he is getting better and his prospects for a full recovery seem bright.  But the picture made me think not only of him, but of families in general.  And so I came to the question:  What makes a family, anyway?  That of course led me to the following passage of Scripture from the book of Ephesians...

Ephesians 5:22-33 (WEB)


22) Wives, be subject to your own husbands, as to the Lord.

23) For the husband is the head of the wife, and Christ also is the head of the assembly, being himself the savior of the body.

24) But as the assembly is subject to Christ, so let the wives also be to their own husbands in everything.

25) Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the assembly, and gave himself up for it;

26) that he might sanctify it, having cleansed it by the washing of water with the word,

27) that he might present the assembly to himself gloriously, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.

28) Even so husbands also ought to love their own wives as their own bodies. He who loves his own wife loves himself.

29) For no man ever hated his own flesh; but nourishes and cherishes it, even as the Lord also does the assembly;

30) because we are members of his body, of his flesh and bones.

31) “For this cause a man will leave his father and mother, and will be joined to his wife. The two will become one flesh.”

32) This mystery is great, but I speak concerning Christ and of the assembly.

33) Nevertheless each of you must also love his own wife even as himself; and let the wife see that she respects her husband.

Love is the answer.  It starts with the husband loving his wife and ends with everyone loving everyone.  Love holds families together, so naturally they come to love the same things; in this case... dogs.  In case you are wondering, Hercules looks a lot like the dogs in the picture.  Humm, maybe someday I will get a dog... I wonder what kind???

Cookie begins with "C"

If you have watched TV in the past 20 or so years, then there probably is no need for me to tell you what this scene is all about.  Names like Kermit the Frog, Miss Piggy and the Cookie Monster will not just be familiar, they will be VERY FAMILIAR!!!   Its all part of growing up; becoming the very best of what you can be, and the lessons learned from Sesame Street will undoubtedly stay with you a lifetime.  But, sooner or later, the time will come when more important things will enter your life; higher education, employment and raising a family.  Again, enter Sesame Street.  Through all this change, we need to remember the following...

1 Corinthians 13:11-13 (WEB)


11) When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I felt as a child, I thought as a child. Now that I have become a man, I have put away childish things.

12) For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I will know fully, even as I was also fully known.

13) But now faith, hope, and love remain—these three. The greatest of these is love.

If you remember Bible verses, then you probably know this one.  And its a Dusey!!  To love and be loved, now there is a life worth living!!!  It doesn't matter how smart you are, whether you come from a wealthy family, or have a fancy education, if you love and are loved, then you are SOMEBODY OF WORTH!!!  Our lives change as we get older, but love just gets better and better!!  And that is something I don't need a Cookie Monster to teach me!!!

Not every king lives in a castle

This "fairy tale" castle in Germany once again reminded me of the royalty that I have been seeing so much of on TV the last few days.  Its hard to imagine what it must be like to live in such splendor, but I am sure it would become commonplace after awhile.  Today, as I watched the marriage of William and Kate, something the minister said impressed me.  He said something like: "in one sense, every wedding is a royal wedding".  How true; each of us is royalty because we have been adopted into the family of God as sons and daughters.  Naturally, I thought of these verses from the book of 1st Peter....

1 Peter 2:1-9 (WEB)
1) Putting away therefore all wickedness, all deceit, hypocrisies, envies, and all evil speaking,

2) as newborn babies, long for the pure milk of the Word, that you may grow thereby,

3) if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious:

4) coming to him, a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God, precious.

5) You also, as living stones, are built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

6) Because it is contained in Scripture, “Behold, I lay in Zion a chief cornerstone, chosen, and precious: He who believes in him will not be disappointed.”

7) For you who believe therefore is the honor, but for those who are disobedient, “The stone which the builders rejected, has become the chief cornerstone,”

8) and, “a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense.” For they stumble at the word, being disobedient, to which also they were appointed.

9) But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, that you may proclaim the excellence of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light:

Each of us is very, very precious because of the price that God paid for each and every one of us.  We may live in a shack, a townhouse, a mobile home or a castle, but we are loved with a love that shows how special we are.  We are God's, we are a royal priesthood and precious in his sight.  It might be nice to become the king of England, but we each have a high calling.  Besides, I will have something in 5 years that William will not... a full head of hair!!

Nanny, Nanny, Nanny!!!

To my "Western" mind, this little story sounds ridiculous.  Somebody turned into a goat?  Really?  Yet, the Bible talks about miracles; miracles with a purpose... to confirm that that which was spoken by a prophet or apostle of Jesus was the truth.  Here is one example.

Acts 19:11-20 (WEB)

11) God worked special miracles by the hands of Paul,

12) so that even handkerchiefs or aprons were carried away from his body to the sick, and the evil spirits went out.

13) But some of the itinerant Jews, exorcists, took on themselves to invoke over those who had the evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, saying, “We adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preaches.”

14) There were seven sons of one Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, who did this.

15) The evil spirit answered, “Jesus I know, and Paul I know, but who are you?”

16) The man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, and overpowered them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded.

17) This became known to all, both Jews and Greeks, who lived at Ephesus. Fear fell on them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified.

18) Many also of those who had believed came, confessing, and declaring their deeds.

19) Many of those who practiced magical arts brought their books together and burned them in the sight of all. They counted their price, and found it to be fifty thousand pieces of silver.

20) So the word of the Lord was growing and becoming mighty.

How do we understand such things in our present day?  The answer is a tough one, but to me, God has proclaimed his word and so it just doesn't seem applicable.  In the book of Acts, God used people like Peter and Paul to proclaim the new faith and people needed something to have confidence in them, so miracles were necessary.  To those who tried to speak in God's name without authority... good luck, you will need it.  If you are looking to get better from a disease, take your medicine, see a chiropractor, go on a diet or begin an exercise program... whatever.  Only thing is, play it safe.... pet the next goat you meet with kindness... hey, you never know!