on the inside

This isn't some strange animal, but one that you have seen before. I put the way you normally see him (or her) at the bottom of the page to show you this is not some monster. This animal had an disease which caused all of its hair to fall out, creating this scary looking appearance. So, this is the way the animal looks on the inside. I wonder, what do PEOPLE look like on the inside? How many times have I thought I knew someone, only to have them do something so outrageous that I was amazed that they were capable of their actions. Yet, God knows us; beyond just what's under our skin, but right to the very heart of our being. Listen to the words of David to his son Solomon.

1 Chronicles 28:9 WEB (R)
(9) You, Solomon my son, know the God of your father, and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind; for Yahweh searches all hearts, and understands all the imaginations of the thoughts: if you seek him, he will be found by you; but if you forsake him, he will cast you off forever.

God knows everything about us and loves us anyway. Every thought, every action, every intention; from the very best to our most horrible, every single one. Which of course is why we must try our best to seek and to follow him. Any other course of action is very, very dangerous. Something to think about on this cold wintry night. By the way, look at the picture below to see the animal before it became sick.

What is it?

What is it? It looks like a cloud and it looks like a rainbow, but it is neither. If you find out, please tell me because I really would like to know. Until that time, I will continue to ask the first sentence again and again. If I never find out, that is OK too, because, well, I don't need to know everything. I will just have to learn to appreciate the beauty of the thing that God has provided and be thankful. Everything in life should be that simple; know what you can, learn what you don't and leave the rest to God. Too bad Israel didn't know that. Consider Exodus chapter 16 for example.

Exodus 16:1-35 WEB (R)
(1) They took their journey from Elim, and all the congregation of the children of Israel came to the wilderness of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month after their departing out of the land of Egypt.
(2) The whole congregation of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron in the wilderness;
(3) and the children of Israel said to them, "We wish that we had died by the hand of Yahweh in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the meat pots, when we ate our fill of bread, for you have brought us out into this wilderness, to kill this whole assembly with hunger."
(4) Then said Yahweh to Moses, "Behold, I will rain bread from the sky for you, and the people shall go out and gather a day's portion every day, that I may test them, whether they will walk in my law, or not.
(5) It shall come to pass on the sixth day, that they shall prepare that which they bring in, and it shall be twice as much as they gather daily."
(6) Moses and Aaron said to all the children of Israel, "At evening, then you shall know that Yahweh has brought you out from the land of Egypt;
(7) and in the morning, then you shall see the glory of Yahweh; because he hears your murmurings against Yahweh. Who are we, that you murmur against us?"
(8) Moses said, "Now Yahweh shall give you meat to eat in the evening, and in the morning bread to satisfy you; because Yahweh hears your murmurings which you murmur against him. And who are we? Your murmurings are not against us, but against Yahweh."
(9) Moses said to Aaron, "Tell all the congregation of the children of Israel, 'Come near before Yahweh, for he has heard your murmurings.' "
(10) It happened, as Aaron spoke to the whole congregation of the children of Israel, that they looked toward the wilderness, and behold, the glory of Yahweh appeared in the cloud.
(11) Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,
(12) "I have heard the murmurings of the children of Israel. Speak to them, saying, 'At evening you shall eat meat, and in the morning you shall be filled with bread: and you shall know that I am Yahweh your God.' "
(13) It happened at evening that quail came up and covered the camp; and in the morning the dew lay around the camp.
(14) When the dew that lay had gone, behold, on the surface of the wilderness was a small round thing, small as the frost on the ground.
(15) When the children of Israel saw it, they said one to another, "What is it?" For they didn't know what it was. Moses said to them, "It is the bread which Yahweh has given you to eat."
(16) This is the thing which Yahweh has commanded: "Gather of it everyone according to his eating; an omer a head, according to the number of your persons, you shall take it, every man for those who are in his tent."
(17) The children of Israel did so, and gathered some more, some less.
(18) When they measured it with an omer, he who gathered much had nothing over, and he who gathered little had no lack. They gathered every man according to his eating.
(19) Moses said to them, "Let no one leave of it until the morning."
(20) Notwithstanding they didn't listen to Moses, but some of them left of it until the morning, and it bred worms, and became foul: and Moses was angry with them.
(21) They gathered it morning by morning, everyone according to his eating. When the sun grew hot, it melted.
(22) It happened that on the sixth day they gathered twice as much bread, two omers for each one, and all the rulers of the congregation came and told Moses.
(23) He said to them, "This is that which Yahweh has spoken, 'Tomorrow is a solemn rest, a holy Sabbath to Yahweh. Bake that which you want to bake, and boil that which you want to boil; and all that remains over lay up for yourselves to be kept until the morning.' "
(24) They laid it up until the morning, as Moses asked, and it didn't become foul, neither was there any worm in it.
(25) Moses said, "Eat that today, for today is a Sabbath to Yahweh. Today you shall not find it in the field.
(26) Six days you shall gather it, but on the seventh day is the Sabbath. In it there shall be none."
(27) It happened on the seventh day, that some of the people went out to gather, and they found none.
(28) Yahweh said to Moses, "How long do you refuse to keep my commandments and my laws?
(29) Behold, because Yahweh has given you the Sabbath, therefore he gives you on the sixth day the bread of two days. Everyone stay in his place. Let no one go out of his place on the seventh day."
(30) So the people rested on the seventh day.
(31) The house of Israel called its name Manna, and it was like coriander seed, white; and its taste was like wafers with honey.
(32) Moses said, "This is the thing which Yahweh has commanded, 'Let an omer-full of it be kept throughout your generations, that they may see the bread with which I fed you in the wilderness, when I brought you forth from the land of Egypt.' "
(33) Moses said to Aaron, "Take a pot, and put an omer-full of manna in it, and lay it up before Yahweh, to be kept throughout your generations."
(34) As Yahweh commanded Moses, so Aaron laid it up before the Testimony, to be kept.
(35) The children of Israel ate the manna forty years, until they came to an inhabited land. They ate the manna until they came to the borders of the land of Canaan.

What is it? Its a test. A test for them to see if they would keep the LAWS OF YAHWEH. For me, the rainbow-cloud is also a test, a test of humility to see if God will someday provide the answer. I wish Israel had listened and hope that I will learn to be patient until I am given the answer. This isn't going to be easy, I can see that already; I am an impatient sort of guy.

In the right light

You probably already know what this is, but I will tell you anyway; The moon. Seen in infrared, it changes from the silvery grey we have come to expect, to this magnificent montage of color. If this is your first time seeing the moon this way, you may have been a bit surprised. Life is like that; we think we know things and then suddenly something happens and we them in an entirely new light. Then everything changes. In thinking about this, an episode from the new testament came to mind. Read on, its a short passage and well worth the time.

Mat 8:23-27
(23) Jesus' disciples went with him as he left in a boat.
(24) Suddenly, a severe storm came across the sea. The waves were covering the boat. Yet, Jesus was sleeping.
(25) So they woke him up, saying, "Lord! Save us! We're going to die!"
(26) Jesus said to them, "Why do you cowards have so little faith?" Then he got up, gave an order to the wind and the sea, and the sea became very calm.
(27) The men were amazed and asked, "What kind of man is this? Even the wind and the sea obey him!"

Jesus had just presented the sermon on the mount (chapter 7) and after that healed a few people, then this happens. Its amazing how focused your thoughts become if you think you are going to die. Suddenly, they saw Jesus in a new light; in a way that would begin to change their whole lives. Everything would be different, because here was a man who could control nature... and so, the question: "What kind of man is this?" Good question, but its not just for them, its for us as well. And perhaps it is the most important you will ever ask. Just be sure you are looking at him in the right light, with eyes of faith.

Larger than life

The world is full of curiosities and this is one of them. I have never seen anything like this before, except in the terminator movies. It seems to me it must be a round glass or steel mirror, but its real purpose is a mystery. What it does do, however, is to magnify its surroundings so that they seem more intense than they really are. Curiosities are like that; they really focus your attention, but sometimes they cause you to come to a wrong conclusion. Here is one example.

Acts 14:8-20 WEB (R)
(8) At Lystra a certain man sat, impotent in his feet, a cripple from his mother's womb, who never had walked.
(9) He was listening to Paul speaking, who, fastening eyes on him, and seeing that he had faith to be made whole,
(10) said with a loud voice, "Stand upright on your feet!" He leaped up and walked.
(11) When the multitude saw what Paul had done, they lifted up their voice, saying in the language of Lycaonia, "The gods have come down to us in the likeness of men!"
(12) They called Barnabas "Jupiter," and Paul "Mercury," because he was the chief speaker.
(13) The priest of Jupiter, whose temple was in front of their city, brought oxen and garlands to the gates, and would have made a sacrifice along with the multitudes.
(14) But when the apostles, Barnabas and Paul, heard of it, they tore their clothes, and sprang into the multitude, crying out,
(15) "Men, why are you doing these things? We also are men of like passions with you, and bring you good news, that you should turn from these vain things to the living God, who made the sky and the earth and the sea, and all that is in them;
(16) who in the generations gone by allowed all the nations to walk in their own ways.
(17) Yet he didn't leave himself without witness, in that he did good and gave you rains from the sky and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness."
(18) Even saying these things, they hardly stopped the multitudes from making a sacrifice to them.
(19) But some Jews from Antioch and Iconium came there, and having persuaded the multitudes, they stoned Paul, and dragged him out of the city, supposing that he was dead.
(20) But as the disciples stood around him, he rose up, and entered into the city. On the next day he went out with Barnabas to Derbe.

The miracle of healing at Lystra caused the natives to come to the wrong conclusion about Barnabus and Paul. It took a bit of persuading, but eventually the multitude came to their senses and realized he was not a god. The Gospel was preached, but opposition arose and almost killed Paul. In one of the most courageous actions in Scripture, Paul goes back into the city that stoned him. I know he was not one of the "gods", but he sure was a larger than life hero. I wonder how he would look in the bubble mirror above? Humm, I wonder how I would look? No, I better not go there, mirrors tend to put ON WEIGHT!

w-o-n-d-e-r-f-u-l....

I don't know who made this or why, but that really doesn't matter; what is important is that it is a beautiful thing to look at. I wonder what sort of music is played on it; classical, light classical, easy listening or maybe even pop. Somehow rock and roll seems out of the question, but maybe someone would dare to play Jimi Hendrix or Led Zeppelin music on it. I can't help but think about angels when I look at this guitar and wonder how they would use it. Speculation aside, there is a passage in the New Testament which refers to angels celebrating and is worth reading.

Luke 2:8-15 WEB (R)
(8) There were shepherds in the same country staying in the field, and keeping watch by night over their flock.
(9) Behold, an angel of the Lord stood by them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified.
(10) The angel said to them, "Don't be afraid, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be to all the people.
(11) For there is born to you, this day, in the city of David, a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.
(12) This is the sign to you: you will find a baby wrapped in strips of cloth, lying in a feeding trough."
(13) Suddenly, there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly army praising God, and saying,
(14) "Glory to God in the highest, on earth peace, good will toward men."
(15) It happened, when the angels went away from them into the sky, that the shepherds said one to another, "Let's go to Bethlehem, now, and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us."

Shepherds were not sophisticated city folk, but they were a hardy bunch. (Living outside with the flocks would do that to you I guess) They did have the good sense to be afraid (literally, feared a great fear) and the even greater sense to actually listen. They even wanted to see for themselves. But, I wonder, what did they actually see and hear? I wonder what angel praise sounds like and would it be accompanied? Don't know, I wasn't there, but one thing seems certain to me, it must have been w-o-n-d-e-r-f-u-l.... Maybe they did have guitars accompanying them and if they did, I could imagine a heavenly rendition of stairway to heaven might have been on the score. Who knows? I will just have to add that to the list of things to do in heaven. It will be right after a few thousand questions I have about the baby in the manger.

A way with words

Trick shirt? You betcha! But the fact is love and hate can be confusing. I think women understand this better than men and often use it to their advantage. Here is a tale that illustrates the truth of this statement.

Judges 14:12-18 WEB (R)
(12) Samson said to them, Let me tell you a riddle now. If you can declare it to me within the seven days of the feast, and find it out, then I will give you thirty linen garments and thirty changes of clothing;
(13) but if you can't declare it to me, then you shall give me thirty linen garments and thirty changes of clothing. They said to him, Put forth your riddle, that we may hear it.
(14) He said to them, Out of the eater came forth food. Out of the strong came forth sweetness. They couldn't in three days declare the riddle.
(15) It happened on the seventh day, that they said to Samson's wife, Entice your husband, that he may declare to us the riddle, lest we burn you and your father's house with fire: have you called us to impoverish us? is it not so?
(16) Samson's wife wept before him, and said, You just hate me, and don't love me: you have put forth a riddle to the children of my people, and haven't told it me. He said to her, Behold, I haven't told it my father nor my mother, and shall I tell you?
(17) She wept before him the seven days, while their feast lasted: and it happened on the seventh day, that he told her, because she pressed him sore; and she told the riddle to the children of her people.
(18) The men of the city said to him on the seventh day before the sun went down, What is sweeter than honey? and what is stronger than a lion? He said to them, If you hadn't plowed with my heifer, you wouldn't have found out my riddle.

Samson was extremely strong, but not smarter than his wife. True, she wasn't given much of a choice because of the threats against her and her family, but she got results. Samson really didn't know how to handle her and she was able to manipulate him. Its been my experience that women are smarter than men when it comes to interpersonal relationships and this tale shows that its true. Like the tee-shirt in the picture, the ladies have a way with words and white can seem black and love and hate can get blurry sometimes. Still, you gotta love em... I do!

..beautiful, simply beautiful!

This is a 1951 Chevrolet. Nice car; old, but nice. I am not fond of the color or the styling, but I really do like the way this car has been restored. Mint, simply mint. Even more than the quality of the restoration work, the shine and shadows of this picture are absolutely OUTSTANDING! Prime HDR photography! This picture made me think of how people can be like this car. Read the following passage from the book of 2nd Corinthians to get a better idea of what I mean.

2 Corinthians 3:1-18 WEB (R)
(1) Are we beginning again to commend ourselves? Or do we need, as do some, letters of commendation to you or from you?
(2) You are our letter, written in our hearts, known and read by all men;
(3) being revealed that you are a letter of Christ, served by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tablets of stone, but in tablets that are hearts of flesh.
(4) Such confidence we have through Christ toward God;
(5) not that we are sufficient of ourselves, to account anything as from ourselves; but our sufficiency is from God;
(6) who also made us sufficient as servants of a new covenant; not of the letter, but of the Spirit. For the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.
(7) But if the service of death, written engraved on stones, came with glory, so that the children of Israel could not look steadfastly on the face of Moses for the glory of his face; which was passing away:
(8) won't service of the Spirit be with much more glory?
(9) For if the service of condemnation has glory, the service of righteousness exceeds much more in glory.
(10) For most certainly that which has been made glorious has not been made glorious in this respect, by reason of the glory that surpasses.
(11) For if that which passes away was with glory, much more that which remains is in glory.
(12) Having therefore such a hope, we use great boldness of speech,
(13) and not as Moses, who put a veil on his face, that the children of Israel wouldn't look steadfastly on the end of that which was passing away.
(14) But their minds were hardened, for until this very day at the reading of the old covenant the same veil remains, because in Christ it passes away.
(15) But to this day, when Moses is read, a veil lies on their heart.
(16) But whenever one turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.
(17) Now the Lord is the Spirit and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.
(18) But we all, with unveiled face beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are transformed into the same image from glory to glory, even as from the Lord, the Spirit.

The comparison here is that of the old and new covenants of God. Moses' face and the reading of the old covenant are a reflection of the power of that which was, as compared to the power of the reflection of the new covenant of Jesus, which causes a shine of the heart. The beauty of the car in the picture is a reflection of where the car has been and how it reveals its surroundings. The beauty of the human heart caused by the Christ is a shine that goes way beyond a mere reflection and in fact is a transformation of the very essence of what it means to live. Like the car, the message may be old, but still shines even after 2000 years. And that is beautiful, simply beautiful!