Sunday - love these 2 chapters in Romans. In my version (NLT), there are 2 words that jump out at me: underserved privilege. So many times I take the gift of God's grace for granted - - it's a privilege.
Yes it is a privilege we don't deserve. In The Message it kept talking about the freedom we have now that we've said no to sin. Don't even give it the time of day! Living in the freedom of God's forgiveness we have a full, abundant life & we want to share that freedom with others! And once again praising God when we're in troubles. Because we're really not in trouble, God always knows what's coming next & we have to be open to change. "We continue to shout our praise even when we're hemmed in with troubles, because we know how troubles can develop passionate patience in us, and how that patience in turn forges the tempered steel of virtue, keeping us alert for whatever God will do next. In alert expectancy such as this, we're never left feeling shortchanged. Quite the contrary—we can't round up enough containers to hold everything God generously pours into our lives through the Holy Spirit!"
Romans 5:17 (New King James Version) I love this verse..... For if by the one man’s offense death reigned through the one,(Adam) much more those who receive ----(this must mean that there are those who don't receive)----(receive what?)---abundance of grace and the gift of righteousness (which means that righteousness is a gift)---will reign in life (some people don't reign in life) through the One, Jesus Christ.)
Gen 8-11 I'm always amazed at how long everyone was in the boat together & didn't go crazy. And then when Noah saw dry earth on the 1st day of the 1st month, he had to wait for God to open the door which wasn't for almost 2 months. Incredible patience! He had to trust that God knew best when to do it. This just blows my mind because I am sooo majorly impatient! I know they were grateful for the ark & God saving them but I know that wears off too fast for me & then I want things according to MY schedule & whine when it doesn't happen. Which means that as the world has gotten older, God has shown such more patience because we have less & less. So much to learn...so far to go...thankfully I'm not alone, He still wants to help me grow!
I too am amazed at how long that family was in the ark together - - I'd be pretty anxious to bust out of the doors! I was thinking about the earth - - maybe it couldn't even support their weight after all of the water coming from below and above. Learning to wait on the Lord - a life journey; but also - - I want to make sure it's His direction I'm following.
Hey - why did Noah curse Ham - - when he was the one who got drunk and put himself in that position in the first place. I know it's because of respect for your father - - but seems like Noah needed a bit of accountability as well!
Even after being righteous and being saved from the flood, Noah sinned in Genesis 9:21 and got drunk and was sprawled out naked. We all have great victory's and then we all fall short. My problem is with Genesis 9:22 where Ham happened to glance at the nakedness of his father. After that Noah puts a curse his grandson (Ham's son) because of it. Seems like Noah is overreacting in my opinion unless Ham did more than glance at his father's nakedness. Guess we'll never know.
yeah, I thought it was overreacting too when Noah was to blame. I've heard some people say that Ham was a homosexual & did stuff to his father but I don't know where they get that from. I don't see it in the Bible! Must have just been the respect factor but WHAT IF Ham just walked into the tent & there he was...I've had an oops or 2 like that & I can see Ham so embarrassed that he could only go tell his brothers & then they did what they did because they were warned. He might have just been too flustered to do anything himself.
I have to say that I felt sorry for the poor horses that were crippled! But so proud of Joshua (vs 15) he did as he was told, carefully obeying all the commands that the Lord had given to Moses. I can see him reviewing those plans - - making sure each step was right! and . . . after the Achen experience - - wise move on his part.
I love the courage of Caleb - - so glad we got an old age glimpse of him. We know that he was old, as he was a contemporary of Joshua's; they were probably the best of buds & Chapter 13 says that Joshua was an old man.
Then here comes Caleb - - 14:10 "Today I am eighty five years old. I'm as strong now as I was when Moses sent me on that journey, and I can still travel and fight as well as I could then. Then he goes on to promise that he (go 85 year old!) will drive out the Anakites from the land - - O, and by the way, did I mention that Anakites were giants? (Numbers 13:33)
Also -- a father/daughter picture I'd never heard before between Caleb & Acsah - - not only did she get a warrior husband (hope he was good looking!) but she also got the land in the Negeve - - plus the upper and lower springs! Would be interesting to know more about the Acsah - - was she spoiled or deserving?
Ps 8:3-4 When I look at the night sky and see the work of your fingers - - the moon and the stars you set in place - - what are mere mortals that you should think about them, human beings that you should care for them?
saw it this a.m. when I got up! Seeing the stars when I woke up made me jump outta bed because I knew it was gonna be a sunny day! And the moon was magnificent tonight coming up over Longview! I am always amazed & grateful that God gives me the sun when I need it. Who am I that He should think of the little things like that? Oh yeah, I'm His daughter & He loves me! :D
Job 5 & 6: Eliphaz is so typical of surface Christians. God blesses you if you're good but punishes you if you're bad. So since you're suffering Job, fess up, you're doing something not right. What a shallow friend as Job calls them all in Chap. 6. People, both real Christians & non Christians suffered in the Haiti earthquake, the Thai tsunami, the genocide in Rwanda & are still suffering in China & Sudan & numerous parts of the world. They've done nothing wrong but accept the free gift of Jesus & had their lives (inner & outer) changed. Kinda makes my blood boil at Job's so called friends. He really needs some new ones! You need support & prayers & they're just harassing him! That being said & what I can see now, I confess that this was exactly how I felt about God til about last year or so. If I was being punished He was mad at me. What did I do. Just shows the healing the God needed to do & they needed to let Him do in their hearts so maybe that's why Job went thru what he did so they would publicly air their wrong thoughts about Him & then at the end have a chance to change.
I like how Job isn't beaten down - if it was me, I'd crawl into my shell, curl up, and feel defeated - - but Job comes back with "stop assuming my guilt for I have done no wrong"
Isaiah - These chapters on the doom of different towns are always hard for me to read. Just kinda boring to me. I have to look hard to find little snippets that are interesting. I like in 17:7-8 it talks about how people will forget their impressive religious activities, lose interest in therm & start to notice the actual God who made them. I think I see that happening in a lot of Christians today. They want to know God's heart, not just all the doctrinal do's & don't's. They want a relationship, not just activity. Course this is happening because things are getting bad in the country in which they live. God is trying to wake them up, they've forgotten God & turned to the world. It's really like here in the U.S.
I hear ya Chris - - it is hard for me to slog through these chapters too -- since it's about countries that don't even exist now -- I tried to picture God's frustration with countries that exist today - - the evil of Hitler's reign had to be destroyed - - the Rowanda disaster - - he had to put that to an end. Evil has to be destroyed or it will destroy; creepy.
13 and 14 talk about the switchover from Babylon to the Medes which I checked out in Dan 2 and Ezra 1 - - I'm having more of a desire to check stuff out.
Seems like whenever disaster looms ahead; God always puts snippets of comfort for His people - - you see it again in 14:30. Hang on to Him, and He'll get you through.
I am getting ready to read those chapters in -s now, but had a thought on something I saw in Job and Psalms.
Job 5:12-13 He frustrates the plans of schemers so the work of their hands will not succeed. He traps the wise in their cleverness so their cunning schemes are thwarted. Now this Eliphaz accusing Job of Hiding his sin.. But check this out
David is talking about Cush here, Ps 7:14-19 (my paraphrasing). The wicked make plan and are full of trouble and lies. They dig pits to trap others, but fall in themselves, make trouble for others, but it backfires on them. (Bear with me)
Ok so both these are talking about the unrighteous or the wicked.. BUT don't we do this too?? God has a plan, he works everything towards that plan. But we aren't content with his plan, so we scheme and plan and in our "cleverness" make our own plans. So then when it all comes crashing down, we blame God. We are angry and yet its our own fault. Our schemes backfired... Not Gods. Prov 19:3 People ruin their lives by their own foolishness and then are angry at the Lord" and 19:21 You can make many plans but the Lords purpose will prevail". Aren't we our own worst enemies? I know I am... Just a thought :)
What Juli? We don't like God's plans for us? WE scheme our own? Who on earth are you talking about? Noooot meee! Good application! Linda - I love that website! That's where I'm reading The Message at. I don't like buying Bibles & then have to pack them around every time I move!
I just finished Is chapters. I had to fight to keep my mind on topic, but I also looked to see what still might pertain and I found these (for me);
Is 14:24 The Lor of Heaven's Armies has declared this oath; "It will all happen as I ha ve planned, it will be as I have decided"
Is 14:27 The Lord of Heaven's Armies has spoken - who can change his plans?
I understand the context here, but again this is what we do. We are alwayus trying to change Gods plan and bei ng free there is some leeway to do that, buttt I have to wonder what would happen if I truly let it alone and Let God??? Would that I could just follow God and just let him lead me!
So what happens when I take over??? Is 17:10 "...you have turned from the God who can save you. )Ou have forgotten the Rock who can hide you". I am so tired of doing that! Of taking over, getting angry and turning away...
Whew! What a refreshing reading (after the Isaiah day!) When I read 5:20 about the warning to the Pharisees - - I looked back @ verses 3 - 10; and I think those are the areas that the Pharisees (have to admit, I have Pharisee in me) are lacking.
It seems like all of Jesus' advice, counsel, and guidance all boils down to love -- whether it's the core of love in a divorce situation, a money situation, a lust situation. And who is included in that love - - your enemies, the people you can't stand the thought of forgiving. His plane of love is SO much higher than mine - - I choose who I want to love (sigh) Lord help me!
I also love His emphasis on the connection that matters is Him and me -- the pull of the world to be famous, to be acknowledged - - it's all fluff; what it really boils down to is my relationship with God.
I'm glad that this life is a journey, I'm glad God, as my judge, is on my side, by my side, and wants an abundant life for me -- if I can just grasp the love He has for me, then pour it out on others - -
Wow, so much stuff in these chapters. Just one of them gives me so much to think about in my own personal walk with Jesus. 5:13 "Let me tell you why you are here. You're here to be salt-seasoning that brings out the God-flavors of this earth. If you lose your saltiness, how will people taste godliness? You've lost your usefulness and will end up in the garbage. I want to be totally empty of my agenda & what I think God should be doing in my life so He can do what He really needs to in me & thru me. And it kept saying to live generously 5:48 "Live generously and graciously toward others, the way God lives toward you." The only way I can do this is to stop doing my agenda as I said above.
6:30-33"If God gives such attention to the appearance of wildflowers—most of which are never even seen—don't you think he'll attend to you, take pride in you, do his best for you? What I'm trying to do here is to get you to relax, to not be so preoccupied with getting, so you can respond to God's giving. People who don't know God and the way he works fuss over these things, but you know both God and how he works. Steep your life in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions. Don't worry about missing out. You'll find all your everyday human concerns will be met." What God gives me is more than enough & I only realize it when I stop wanting & just accept. I love how the wildflowers & I think of hiking here, are blooming & beautiful despite the fact that a hiker may never come by & appreciate them. We should be the same. And then of course, this smack upside my head that always nails me. 7:1-5 "Don't pick on people, jump on their failures, criticize their faults— unless, of course, you want the same treatment. That critical spirit has a way of boomeranging. It's easy to see a smudge on your neighbor's face and be oblivious to the ugly sneer on your own. Do you have the nerve to say, 'Let me wash your face for you,' when your own face is distorted by contempt? It's this whole traveling road-show mentality all over again, playing a holier-than-thou part instead of just living your part. Wipe that ugly sneer off your own face, and you might be fit to offer a washcloth to your neighbor. 'Nuff said!
Yes it is a privilege we don't deserve. In The Message it kept talking about the freedom we have now that we've said no to sin. Don't even give it the time of day! Living in the freedom of God's forgiveness we have a full, abundant life & we want to share that freedom with others! And once again praising God when we're in troubles. Because we're really not in trouble, God always knows what's coming next & we have to be open to change.
ReplyDelete"We continue to shout our praise even when we're hemmed in with troubles, because we know how troubles can develop passionate patience in us, and how that patience in turn forges the tempered steel of virtue, keeping us alert for whatever God will do next. In alert expectancy such as this, we're never left feeling shortchanged. Quite the contrary—we can't round up enough containers to hold everything God generously pours into our lives through the Holy Spirit!"
Romans 5:17 (New King James Version)
ReplyDeleteI love this verse.....
For if by the one man’s offense death reigned through the one,(Adam) much more those who receive ----(this must mean that there are those who don't receive)----(receive what?)---abundance of grace and the gift of righteousness (which means that righteousness is a gift)---will reign in life (some people don't reign in life) through the One, Jesus Christ.)
Gen 8-11 I'm always amazed at how long everyone was in the boat together & didn't go crazy. And then when Noah saw dry earth on the 1st day of the 1st month, he had to wait for God to open the door which wasn't for almost 2 months. Incredible patience! He had to trust that God knew best when to do it. This just blows my mind because I am sooo majorly impatient! I know they were grateful for the ark & God saving them but I know that wears off too fast for me & then I want things according to MY schedule & whine when it doesn't happen. Which means that as the world has gotten older, God has shown such more patience because we have less & less. So much to learn...so far to go...thankfully I'm not alone, He still wants to help me grow!
ReplyDeleteI too am amazed at how long that family was in the ark together - - I'd be pretty anxious to bust out of the doors! I was thinking about the earth - - maybe it couldn't even support their weight after all of the water coming from below and above. Learning to wait on the Lord - a life journey; but also - - I want to make sure it's His direction I'm following.
ReplyDeleteHey - why did Noah curse Ham - - when he was the one who got drunk and put himself in that position in the first place. I know it's because of respect for your father - - but seems like Noah needed a bit of accountability as well!
Even after being righteous and being saved from the flood, Noah sinned in Genesis 9:21 and got drunk and was sprawled out naked. We all have great victory's and then we all fall short. My problem is with Genesis 9:22 where Ham happened to glance at the nakedness of his father. After that Noah puts a curse his grandson (Ham's son) because of it. Seems like Noah is overreacting in my opinion unless Ham did more than glance at his father's nakedness.
ReplyDeleteGuess we'll never know.
yeah, I thought it was overreacting too when Noah was to blame. I've heard some people say that Ham was a homosexual & did stuff to his father but I don't know where they get that from. I don't see it in the Bible! Must have just been the respect factor but WHAT IF Ham just walked into the tent & there he was...I've had an oops or 2 like that & I can see Ham so embarrassed that he could only go tell his brothers & then they did what they did because they were warned. He might have just been too flustered to do anything himself.
ReplyDeleteI'm wondering how different it would be now in the Middle East if Israel had driven out all the Canaanites as God instructed them.
ReplyDeleteJoshua 11-15
ReplyDeleteI have to say that I felt sorry for the poor horses that were crippled! But so proud of Joshua (vs 15) he did as he was told, carefully obeying all the commands that the Lord had given to Moses. I can see him reviewing those plans - - making sure each step was right! and . . . after the Achen experience - - wise move on his part.
I love the courage of Caleb - - so glad we got an old age glimpse of him. We know that he was old, as he was a contemporary of Joshua's; they were probably the best of buds & Chapter 13 says that Joshua was an old man.
Then here comes Caleb - - 14:10 "Today I am eighty five years old. I'm as strong now as I was when Moses sent me on that journey, and I can still travel and fight as well as I could then. Then he goes on to promise that he (go 85 year old!) will drive out the Anakites from the land - - O, and by the way, did I mention that Anakites were giants? (Numbers 13:33)
Also -- a father/daughter picture I'd never heard before between Caleb & Acsah - - not only did she get a warrior husband (hope he was good looking!) but she also got the land in the Negeve - - plus the upper and lower springs! Would be interesting to know more about the Acsah - - was she spoiled or deserving?
Anyone see the moon last night?
ReplyDeletePs 8:3-4
When I look at the night sky and see the work of your fingers - - the moon and the stars you set in place - - what are mere mortals that you should think about them, human beings that you should care for them?
saw it this a.m. when I got up! Seeing the stars when I woke up made me jump outta bed because I knew it was gonna be a sunny day! And the moon was magnificent tonight coming up over Longview! I am always amazed & grateful that God gives me the sun when I need it. Who am I that He should think of the little things like that? Oh yeah, I'm His daughter & He loves me! :D
ReplyDeleteJob 5 & 6: Eliphaz is so typical of surface Christians. God blesses you if you're good but punishes you if you're bad. So since you're suffering Job, fess up, you're doing something not right. What a shallow friend as Job calls them all in Chap. 6. People, both real Christians & non Christians suffered in the Haiti earthquake, the Thai tsunami, the genocide in Rwanda & are still suffering in China & Sudan & numerous parts of the world. They've done nothing wrong but accept the free gift of Jesus & had their lives (inner & outer) changed.
ReplyDeleteKinda makes my blood boil at Job's so called friends. He really needs some new ones! You need support & prayers & they're just harassing him!
That being said & what I can see now, I confess that this was exactly how I felt about God til about last year or so. If I was being punished He was mad at me. What did I do. Just shows the healing the God needed to do & they needed to let Him do in their hearts so maybe that's why Job went thru what he did so they would publicly air their wrong thoughts about Him & then at the end have a chance to change.
With friends like this - who needs enemies!
ReplyDeleteI like how Job isn't beaten down - if it was me, I'd crawl into my shell, curl up, and feel defeated - - but Job comes back with "stop assuming my guilt for I have done no wrong"
Isaiah - These chapters on the doom of different towns are always hard for me to read. Just kinda boring to me. I have to look hard to find little snippets that are interesting.
ReplyDeleteI like in 17:7-8 it talks about how people will forget their impressive religious activities, lose interest in therm & start to notice the actual God who made them. I think I see that happening in a lot of Christians today. They want to know God's heart, not just all the doctrinal do's & don't's. They want a relationship, not just activity. Course this is happening because things are getting bad in the country in which they live. God is trying to wake them up, they've forgotten God & turned to the world. It's really like here in the U.S.
I hear ya Chris - - it is hard for me to slog through these chapters too -- since it's about countries that don't even exist now -- I tried to picture God's frustration with countries that exist today - - the evil of Hitler's reign had to be destroyed - - the Rowanda disaster - - he had to put that to an end. Evil has to be destroyed or it will destroy; creepy.
ReplyDelete13 and 14 talk about the switchover from Babylon to the Medes which I checked out in Dan 2 and Ezra 1 - - I'm having more of a desire to check stuff out.
Seems like whenever disaster looms ahead; God always puts snippets of comfort for His people - - you see it again in 14:30. Hang on to Him, and He'll get you through.
I am getting ready to read those chapters in -s now, but had a thought on something I saw in Job and Psalms.
ReplyDeleteJob 5:12-13 He frustrates the plans of schemers so the work of their hands will not succeed. He traps the wise in their cleverness so their cunning schemes are thwarted. Now this Eliphaz accusing Job of Hiding his sin.. But check this out
David is talking about Cush here, Ps 7:14-19 (my paraphrasing). The wicked make plan and are full of trouble and lies. They dig pits to trap others, but fall in themselves, make trouble for others, but it backfires on them. (Bear with me)
Ok so both these are talking about the unrighteous or the wicked.. BUT don't we do this too?? God has a plan, he works everything towards that plan. But we aren't content with his plan, so we scheme and plan and in our "cleverness" make our own plans. So then when it all comes crashing down, we blame God. We are angry and yet its our own fault. Our schemes backfired... Not Gods. Prov 19:3 People ruin their lives by their own foolishness and then are angry at the Lord" and 19:21 You can make many plans but the Lords purpose will prevail". Aren't we our own worst enemies? I know I am... Just a thought :)
Love those Proverbs texts Juli -- I looked 19:21 up in several different versions (thank you Biblegateway.com!)
ReplyDeleteWhat Juli? We don't like God's plans for us? WE scheme our own? Who on earth are you talking about? Noooot meee! Good application!
ReplyDeleteLinda - I love that website! That's where I'm reading The Message at. I don't like buying Bibles & then have to pack them around every time I move!
I just finished Is chapters. I had to fight to keep my mind on topic, but I also looked to see what still might pertain and I found these (for me);
ReplyDeleteIs 14:24 The Lor of Heaven's Armies has declared this oath; "It will all happen as I ha ve planned, it will be as I have decided"
Is 14:27 The Lord of Heaven's Armies has spoken - who can change his plans?
I understand the context here, but again this is what we do. We are alwayus trying to change Gods plan and bei ng free there is some leeway to do that, buttt I have to wonder what would happen if I truly let it alone and Let God??? Would that I could just follow God and just let him lead me!
So what happens when I take over??? Is 17:10 "...you have turned from the God who can save you. )Ou have forgotten the Rock who can hide you". I am so tired of doing that! Of taking over, getting angry and turning away...
Amen Juli - Me too!
ReplyDeleteWhew! What a refreshing reading (after the Isaiah day!) When I read 5:20 about the warning to the Pharisees - - I looked back @ verses 3 - 10; and I think those are the areas that the Pharisees (have to admit, I have Pharisee in me) are lacking.
ReplyDeleteIt seems like all of Jesus' advice, counsel, and guidance all boils down to love -- whether it's the core of love in a divorce situation, a money situation, a lust situation. And who is included in that love - - your enemies, the people you can't stand the thought of forgiving. His plane of love is SO much higher than mine - - I choose who I want to love (sigh) Lord help me!
I also love His emphasis on the connection that matters is Him and me -- the pull of the world to be famous, to be acknowledged - - it's all fluff; what it really boils down to is my relationship with God.
I'm glad that this life is a journey, I'm glad God, as my judge, is on my side, by my side, and wants an abundant life for me -- if I can just grasp the love He has for me, then pour it out on others - -
Wow, so much stuff in these chapters. Just one of them gives me so much to think about in my own personal walk with Jesus.
ReplyDelete5:13 "Let me tell you why you are here. You're here to be salt-seasoning that brings out the God-flavors of this earth. If you lose your saltiness, how will people taste godliness? You've lost your usefulness and will end up in the garbage.
I want to be totally empty of my agenda & what I think God should be doing in my life so He can do what He really needs to in me & thru me.
And it kept saying to live generously 5:48 "Live generously and graciously toward others, the way God lives toward you." The only way I can do this is to stop doing my agenda as I said above.
6:30-33"If God gives such attention to the appearance of wildflowers—most of which are never even seen—don't you think he'll attend to you, take pride in you, do his best for you? What I'm trying to do here is to get you to relax, to not be so preoccupied with getting, so you can respond to God's giving. People who don't know God and the way he works fuss over these things, but you know both God and how he works. Steep your life in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions. Don't worry about missing out. You'll find all your everyday human concerns will be met."
What God gives me is more than enough & I only realize it when I stop wanting & just accept. I love how the wildflowers & I think of hiking here, are blooming & beautiful despite the fact that a hiker may never come by & appreciate them. We should be the same.
And then of course, this smack upside my head that always nails me.
7:1-5 "Don't pick on people, jump on their failures, criticize their faults— unless, of course, you want the same treatment. That critical spirit has a way of boomeranging. It's easy to see a smudge on your neighbor's face and be oblivious to the ugly sneer on your own. Do you have the nerve to say, 'Let me wash your face for you,' when your own face is distorted by contempt? It's this whole traveling road-show mentality all over again, playing a holier-than-thou part instead of just living your part. Wipe that ugly sneer off your own face, and you might be fit to offer a washcloth to your neighbor.
'Nuff said!
Ahhh -- the Message nails it again!
ReplyDelete