Well -- I guess I better cut off my hair - - as I typically don't pray with a head covering! But I noticed later in the chapter that Paul refered to this as a custom.
Glad we've recustomized our customs - - this first section seems pretty biased toward men!! I view it as a custom of the day.
Love the body working together -- and it's really true that the parts that are not seen are ESSENTIAL to the parts that are seen. And those parts (or people) that are not seen) prefer it that way - - we SO need each other.
Love the cliff-hanger (the last sentence that Paul ends 12 with) I'm all ready for next Sunday and that LOVE chapter:)
Yeah Linda, they definitely were into traditions back then when it came to men & women. Again, I’m so glad I wasn’t alive then.
I like how it says in either v10 or 11 (hard to tell in the Message sometimes) “Each person is given something to do that shows who God is…” We’re each to reveal God in our unique way. If we decide not to, then the whole Body suffers.
I too got that the very basic parts of the Body are essential to those that might be more “up front” & “visible”. It’s like when you’re acknowledged for something but realize that if you hadn’t had the support of people around you, it never would have happened. You really feel embarrassed because you’re the one up there & the people behind the scenes made it all possible.
I really liked this part in v26 “If one part hurts, every other part is involved in the hurt, and in the healing. If one part flourishes, every other part enters into the exuberance.” Sometimes we pull back when part of our Body is hurting, we don’t want to get involved, but it DOES affect us so we MUST help each other & acknowledge the hurt/pain that each other goes through from time to time. Then we can really party when the healing is completed because we’ve also been part of the pain. The happiness is sincere, not just the kind that means “Whew! Glad they’re back to normal!”. That’s self-centered. Christ entered into our misery so He could heal us of sin. Why should we think we’re better than Him?
Linda---you and I have short hair in comparison to the long hair that Paul was referring to, so please don't cut off any more--LOL--
In chapter 11:10 Paul tells women to cover their heads as a sign of subjection to their husbands-----and also "because of the angels. Paul believed that a woman's uncovered head was tempting to angels as well as men. The men I know love long hair on women. Apparently so do the fallen angels who hang out in churches. I've attended several different denominations of churches around the states where the women who had waist length hair did cover it in church-- so not to tempt the angels (demons)--while the women with hair the length that you and I have did not.
Jewish tradition says that it was the beauty of women's long hair that attracted and tempted the angels to sin in Genesis 6.
These angels mingled with human women and placed themselves where they did not belong.
Really appreciated your take on hurting/healing Chris. It's when we experience the hurt together - - that we are able to celebrate together. Never thought of how closely those 2 were tied:)
Lot of faith going on in this reading. Jocabed - - how did she come up with the basket boat? But I'm also impressed with the courage of Miriam - - a little girl approaching Pharaoh's daughter? That took guts.
I like the hospitality of Jethro in 2:20. I don't know if he was an Israelite - - but he didn't think twice about inviting an Egyptian to sit down for dinner (a bit different from Gen 43:32!
I like that God uses simple to convey strong messages. Moses' staff - - a rod of wood, and Moses' hand. Nothing fancy - - but when backed by God's power -- simple becomes powerful.
Good ole' Moses -- man, do I relate to Him! What if? What if? 4:1 - - then after a few more excuses - - he gets right to the point: "Lord, please! Send anyone else! Moses was very comfortable with the quiet life. This attitude is sooooo different from the Compassionate Moses we see further on in the story -- that's when he'd give up his life to save his people; right now, he doesn't even want to go talk to them.
Even though God was angry with Moses lack of faith and willingness -- he'd prepared in advance the answer (so God must have known exactly what Moses would say). He sure knows our hearts.
God moved for the people when they cried out to him -- and the people were grateful that God was concerned -- their response? Worship.
Our way vs. God’s way is what I see in the reading this a.m. It seems so obvious to us sometimes that we should go a certain way so we don’t consult God. It doesn’t turn out like we thought it would, sometimes it’s an epic failure. Then it takes longer to bring about what needs to happen & when God asks us to move forward we remember the failure, the pain & all the consequences so we try to get out of it. I always think of “what if…” with Moses. What if he hadn’t killed the Egyptian, what would the Plan have been then, how would God have worked.
I know there are times when we have to move forward even when we’re not sure about the direction. We’ve asked God for guidance & it seems like there’s no answer until we start to move in one direction or another. Here it seems though that Moses just reacted. Hard to tell since we can’t talk to him to see his side.
So the Bible really did sprout soap operas eh? Can't make stuff this good up!
So ever since they rejected Samuel (God actually) from being over them, they've had nothing but trouble & turmoil. Just like Isaiah (I think) says...."no rest for the wicked".
Also interesting the David is blessed so much BUT blessed in turmoil (fighting). He still has problems in his daily life that could irritate him & cause him to whine. I can't imagine battle being easy by any stretch of the imagination. I can imagine there are little things that would irk you & get under your skin just like we go through on a daily basis but God was still blessing him. I need to not get so distracted by the little things that I miss how God is blessing me daily.
Jonathan knew God was choosing David over his father...he seems like a very perceptive young man. And totally surrendered to what God wanted to do, regardless of what it meant for him. Wow! I'm way more selfish than that unfortunately. I want & want more for me, I need to give & give more, no all of me & my future to God & what He wants. Sometimes I do & sometimes it's a tug of war...sigh.
All his life, David had to deal with people jealous of him -- from his oldest brother, to Saul, to his son - - he must have been emotionally exhausted - - I bet there are days he longed to be back with his accepting sheep.
I'm so struck with the difference between Saul and Jonathan. One driven by jealousy, one driven by love. I would have liked to have known Jonathan - - if it wasn't for his father's rejection, he would have made a wonderful king, it sounds like anyway.
Hard to believe that Saul's jealousy went so far as to cause him to swear at Jonathan - - and then try to kill him. Jealousy is a powerful emotion.
And in today's reading we have a boy killing Goliath. I believe Goliath to be a giant offspring of a fallen angel and human woman--a Nephilim. He had six fingers and six toes and was anywhere from 10-12 feet tall.
Scholars have speculated that in the future it will be this hybridization between a fallen angel and human woman that would produce the creature known as the antichrist.
The antichrist will be Satan's seed--a Nephilim (like Goliath). See Genesis 3:15, Genesis 6:4, and Revelation 13. The antichrist will probably be the result of some cloning of the bloodline of the serpent seed.
It gave me great comfort to know that God endowed a mere boy with the ability to kill Goliath and later Goliath's brothers.
Since the angels don't marry (Matt 22:30) & sex outside of marriage is considered adultery (pick a text in the old/new testament or 10 commandments) angels were created without ability to reproduce. They don't need to (it was for populating the earth, Gen1:22 for animals & Gen 8:17 for humans) & we won't in heaven according the Christ (see above text). While demons can impersonate humans, angel seed, which is non existent since they don't reproduce & human seed mixing? No, I don't believe it. It doesn't stand up to Scripture when you lay it all out.
40:3 in most versions says something to the effect of many putting their trust in God. The Message uses a different terminology that just gives me a bigger picture of trust. “More and more people are seeing this: they enter the mystery, abandoning themselves to GOD.” Love that abandon word. It makes me think of opening my arms up wide to God, not having any “safety” ropes that I’m holding on to “just in case” it doesn’t work out. Kinda scary but at the same time very freeing!
40:6, 8 “Doing something for you, bringing something to you— that's not what you're after. Being religious, acting pious— that's not what you're asking for. You've opened my ears so I can listen…That's when God's Word entered my life, became part of my very being. “ The contrast here is so plain! What God wants is our hearts. Be totally abandoned to His Word in us. Forget the acting like we got it all together, forget wanting to be charge of a huge project, wanting attention. Just be abandoned to what God wants for us. Reminds me of Jonathan’s attitude yesterday; I’m thinking he realized that David was gonna be king & in order for that to happen, he would have to die but he didn’t fight it. He surrendered, he was totally & completely abandoned to God. Now, can I say that about myself? Eh, not so much. But I know God can get me there!
Wow! 40:11 “Now GOD, don't hold out on me, don't hold back your passion. Your love and truth are all that keeps me together.” Someone once said something to the effect of “You don’t know God is all you need, until God is all you have”. I feel this is what David is saying here.
40:17 is how I feel a lot of the time “And me? I'm a mess. I'm nothing and have nothing: make something of me. You can do it; you've got what it takes—but God, don't put it off.” Don’t wait too long God or at least let me see some progress now & again. And when I really need to see it, He always encourages me. Just like in 41:12 “You know me inside and out, you hold me together, you never fail to stand me tall in your presence so I can look you in the eye.” Like the song says…”You are everything I need”. So you’d think abandoning myself to Him would be easy! DOH! I’ve got a really thick head sometimes.
39:6 is SOOOO American! We are merely moving shadows, and all our busy rushing ends in nothing . . . we heap up wealth, not knowing who will spend it. Love the conclusion - - - and so, Lord. where do I put my hope? My only hope is in YOU!!!"
40:8 fits right with Pastor Jon's sermons on law and grace: I take joy in doing your will, my God, for your instrucions are written on my heart!" JOY! It's not about have to do this or that -- it's a total JOY!
Chris, I loved reading through chapter 40 with you -- I went read your version right along with mine -- all your thoughts are so clear to me, and really spoke to me today.
When I look again at Jonathan; man -- I never realized before that he would have to "die" for David to become king. I guess I just assumed he'd be David's V.P. or something. That IS total abandonment to God's will. God must have loved Jonathan dearly -- his courage and trust as he faced enemies; his surrender to God's bigger picture. Really good insite into this man of God.
ABANDON is the word for the day (actually, in His Holy Spirit power - - and ONLY in his power; the goal is abandon for a lifetime!!)
Psalm 40:4-- Blessed, happy, fortunate and to be envied is the man/woman who makes the Lord his refuge and trust, and turns not to the proud or to followers of false gods (small g).
And Psalm 41:13---Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, from everlasting and to everlasting (from this age to the next and forever)! Amen and Amen
O I praise HIs Holy Name and I Bless the Lord with all that is in me this day---You are awesome, Jesus!
Wow guys! Really neat thoughts. I liked the tie in to Pastor Jon's sermon Linda. Yeah, when it's written like that, inside of us, not outside on our wrists/foreheads, it is a JOY! I think when we have the Joy we can abandon ourselves to Him. Seems like it would be natural.
Sherrie you're in a praiseful frame of mind this morning! Really catching & what I needed on another gray day! Thanks!
I think Sherrie's reading in the Amplified. My paraphrase today (Message) missed the mark, but then paraphrases tend to do so at times I've found. The version I have next to it on the Bible gateway website is the default NIV so I read that too. Made more sense.
What I really liked was Job not denying his character, not just going for the cop out for the sentence to be diminished so to speak. 1 John 3:18-21 it talks about having a heart at peace with God. And when we don't, our heart condemns us, we have that guilty conscience. Job didn't, he was totally God's & so threw it all back to God to judge & take care of. His friends didn't have that kind of relationship with God - OBVIOUSLY - so they couldn't relate.
And then the last verse of the reading 28:28. The thought I had was about shunning evil, avoiding it & not taking part of it was equal to understanding, discernment almost. Understanding the choice between right & wrong for what it really is, seeing the big picture of eternity & not just the little one of what's in front of me right now. I need to take this step back a LOT more than I currently do, so that I understand my choices (& their ultimate consequences) a lot better. Just because the cause/effect isn't immediately or outwardly seen, doesn't mean it's okay to do. This is when I need to ask Jesus, "what do YOU want me to do?" more often.
Chris -- several times I thought about "abandon" yesterday -- just love the thought "abandon myself to God" I guess the natural outgrowth of that is the shunning evil! God wins! We win!
Y'know, I found it interesting that Job was describing what the wicked would receive.
Their children will die (Job's did)
They'll loose their piles of clothes (Job did)
Their homes will collapse (Job's children's did -- it could have been Job's summer home)
They'll go to bed rich and wake up poor (Job did)
Terror will overwhelm them (aaaah -- not so with Job; he KNEW he was innocent; he KNEW whom he believed in; he KNEW God was his friend, his judge, his advocate.)
Here's the difference then between the wicked (Job's friend's analysis) and the righteous (Job's claim) It was Job's belief in a fair loving God, and the peace that comes from being totally "abandoned" to that God!
So sad that Jeremiah was told not to pray, not to intercede for Judah. I wonder if it was a test, because he mourns so much for them in 8. Such atrocities they did, I don’t have kids but I can’t imagine burning them alive for a sacrifice to a god I had made with my own hands maybe a few hours before. We are so easily manipulated & deceived.
Jer 9:25 says God will deal personally “…with everyone whose life is all outside but no inside…[all that] are big on performance religion—including [us today], who [are] no better.” If what I believe isn’t changing me from the inside out, making me more like Jesus, then is it worth believing in? Am I just trying to look good to the people around me? How sad & what an empty life.
10:6,7 “All this is nothing compared to you, O God. You're wondrously great, famously great. Who can fail to be impressed by you, King of the nations? It's your very nature to be worshiped!” Even the perfect angels in heaven worship Him constantly, saying Holy, Holy, Holy. It’s His very nature to be worshipped. I really like that. Again, that points me to surrender. To fall at His feet & abandon myself to His plan for me today. Already had a couple of “light bulbs” go on this a.m. when I woke up & was talking to Him about yesterday some more.
10:21 “It's because our leaders are stupid. They never asked God for counsel, and so nothing worked right. The people are scattered all over.” Great line, even applies today on all different levels.
Here’s another one v23 “ I know, God, that mere mortals can't run their own lives, That men and women don't have what it takes to take charge of life. So correct us, God, as you see best.
Jeremiah reminds me of Job in the end of 11 when he says to God “Then I said, "God-of-the-Angel-Armies, You're a fair judge. You examine and cross-examine human actions and motives. I want to see these people shown up and put down! I'm an open book before you. Clear my name." Again that picture of him/me on his/my knees in surrender & arms wide open, heart ready & WAITING on his/my God.
God's logic is so clear -- 8:4,5: If people get up with then fall, turn around when their on the wrong road -- why in the world do the cling tightly to their lies? God must just shake his head at our stupidity.
I like the picture in 8:21 (I'm not sure if this is Jeremiah or God talking -- probably both (I hurt with the hurt of my people; I mourn and am overcome with grief)
I LOVE what God encourages us to boast about (as opposed to the world's boasting in 9:25), boast in this ALONE! that they know me and understand that I am the Lord who demonstrates unfailing love and who brings justice and righteousness to the earth and that I DELIGHT in these things!!
I know that I really admire people who know God's word forwards and backwards and have a faith-trust in His leading that brings them incredible peace. It's where I want to go!
God tries another angle in 11:2. OK -- well if they won't obey me because it makes sense -- maybe we need to talk about the contract we agreed on! He'll try all angles to save us.
Speaking of Jeremiah's abandon to God's will -- you'll notice that God never promised to save Jeremiah from the death threats; only to bring disaster on the thugs "when their time of punishment comes." Jeremiah's trust in his calling is awesome.
Yeah Chris -- I noticed that too -- twice God told Jeremiah to stop praying for these people -- He was fed up with them. Their condition was scary - - that even GOD would give up on them. Something to think about in our culture?
Man -- this section is FULL! But first of all -- I'd like to comment on how emotionally exhausted Jesus appears in this section. After dealing with the selfless love of service and joy in heaven - - he must have been plum warn out of us humans.
Right at the first of chpt 7 -- here comes the Pharisees with their pointing fingers & "why don't you" comments.
Verse 17 says Jesus went into a house to get away from the crowd, and then verse 24 says Jesus didn't want anyone to know which house hew was staying in (hadn't noticed this about Jesus before)
Then in verse 33, during a miracle healing -- he sighed (no doubt thinking about people's false honor and deaf ears to the good news)
Moving on to chapter 8:11 -- here come the Pharisees for another charge, and verse 12 (he sighed deeply.
Well -- the disciples weren't a big comfort, verse 16. Now he has to settle their squabbles, and the pathos comes out in verse 21 :Don't you understand yet?"
He simply must have been exhausted.
I have a LOT to say about about the outsider woman who blessed Jesus with her faith -- and Peter who said: Yeah you ARE the Messiah, but let me tell you how your story will really play out -- or the disciples missing the blessing of the moment because they were hungry and crabby. It all sounds a little too familiar, like my daily challenges.
Lord -- change my heart; only You can create that miracle in me.
A lot of different thoughts as I read through these 2 chapters in Mark. But what really hit me is the last verses of 8. Jesus telling Peter & the other disciples that they “have no idea how God works”. I tend to see things & make decisions based on my past experiences & what I can see in front of me. That’s the human way. God sees things in the past but can also see the future & He REALLY knows us, our hearts. So His way & where He wants to take me in my life is always the best but I fight it because it doesn’t fall into my plans, what I see. I think that’s why He ended with the verses on true surrender.
Really appreciate the words of The Message in 8:34-37 "Anyone who intends to come with me has to let me lead. You're not in the driver's seat; I am. Don't run from suffering; embrace it. Follow me and I'll show you how. Self-help is no help at all. Self-sacrifice is the way, my way, to saving yourself, your true self. What good would it do to get everything you want and lose you, the real you? What could you ever trade your soul for?” My true self is what I’m really after so why do I keep bumping Him from the driver’s seat? Why do I keep running from the pain in my life when it pales in comparison to what He did for me? And then the real bulls eye for me is the self sacrifice part. Because that’s my pride I need to lay down & it’s not natural! It’s embarrassing (to my pride) sometimes. So then the next verse says this
V38 "If any of you are embarrassed over me and the way I'm leading you when you get around your fickle and unfocused friends, know that you'll be an even greater embarrassment to the Son of Man when he arrives in all the splendor of God, his Father, with an army of the holy angels."
So really, when my pride’s wounded, I need to take a step back & think about it in the context of being embarrassed about how God’s leading me? I want to say NO WAY, OF COURSE NOT, but then again, truly, that’s what I’m saying. So shut up & sit down Chris! LOL
Thanks Lord for my spiritual smack up side my head today!
I was noticing that about Jesus too, He really shows us up in how He handled it all, He just trusted in His Father's schedule for Him instead of His own. Another slap upside my head! Ah yes, abandoning my schedule for His, trusting Him. "Father let the world just fade away..."
Well -- I guess I better cut off my hair - - as I typically don't pray with a head covering! But I noticed later in the chapter that Paul refered to this as a custom.
ReplyDeleteGlad we've recustomized our customs - - this first section seems pretty biased toward men!! I view it as a custom of the day.
Love the body working together -- and it's really true that the parts that are not seen are ESSENTIAL to the parts that are seen. And those parts (or people) that are not seen) prefer it that way - - we SO need each other.
Love the cliff-hanger (the last sentence that Paul ends 12 with) I'm all ready for next Sunday and that LOVE chapter:)
Yeah Linda, they definitely were into traditions back then when it came to men & women. Again, I’m so glad I wasn’t alive then.
ReplyDeleteI like how it says in either v10 or 11 (hard to tell in the Message sometimes) “Each person is given something to do that shows who God is…” We’re each to reveal God in our unique way. If we decide not to, then the whole Body suffers.
I too got that the very basic parts of the Body are essential to those that might be more “up front” & “visible”. It’s like when you’re acknowledged for something but realize that if you hadn’t had the support of people around you, it never would have happened. You really feel embarrassed because you’re the one up there & the people behind the scenes made it all possible.
I really liked this part in v26 “If one part hurts, every other part is involved in the hurt, and in the healing. If one part flourishes, every other part enters into the exuberance.” Sometimes we pull back when part of our Body is hurting, we don’t want to get involved, but it DOES affect us so we MUST help each other & acknowledge the hurt/pain that each other goes through from time to time. Then we can really party when the healing is completed because we’ve also been part of the pain. The happiness is sincere, not just the kind that means “Whew! Glad they’re back to normal!”. That’s self-centered. Christ entered into our misery so He could heal us of sin. Why should we think we’re better than Him?
Linda---you and I have short hair in comparison to the long hair that Paul was referring to, so please don't cut off any more--LOL--
ReplyDeleteIn chapter 11:10 Paul tells women to cover their heads as a sign of subjection to their husbands-----and also "because of the angels. Paul believed that a woman's uncovered head was tempting to angels as well as men. The men I know love long hair on women. Apparently so do the fallen angels who hang out in churches. I've attended several different denominations of churches around the states where the women who had waist length hair did cover it in church-- so not to tempt the angels (demons)--while the women with hair the length that you and I have did not.
Jewish tradition says that it was the beauty of women's long hair that attracted and tempted the angels to sin in Genesis 6.
These angels mingled with human women and placed themselves where they did not belong.
Hee hee -- OK Sher -- I'll put the scissors away!
ReplyDeleteReally appreciated your take on hurting/healing Chris. It's when we experience the hurt together - - that we are able to celebrate together. Never thought of how closely those 2 were tied:)
Lot of faith going on in this reading. Jocabed - - how did she come up with the basket boat? But I'm also impressed with the courage of Miriam - - a little girl approaching Pharaoh's daughter? That took guts.
ReplyDeleteI like the hospitality of Jethro in 2:20. I don't know if he was an Israelite - - but he didn't think twice about inviting an Egyptian to sit down for dinner (a bit different from Gen 43:32!
I like that God uses simple to convey strong messages. Moses' staff - - a rod of wood, and Moses' hand. Nothing fancy - - but when backed by God's power -- simple becomes powerful.
Good ole' Moses -- man, do I relate to Him! What if? What if? 4:1 - - then after a few more excuses - - he gets right to the point: "Lord, please! Send anyone else! Moses was very comfortable with the quiet life. This attitude is sooooo different from the Compassionate Moses we see further on in the story -- that's when he'd give up his life to save his people; right now, he doesn't even want to go talk to them.
Even though God was angry with Moses lack of faith and willingness -- he'd prepared in advance the answer (so God must have known exactly what Moses would say). He sure knows our hearts.
God moved for the people when they cried out to him -- and the people were grateful that God was concerned -- their response? Worship.
Our way vs. God’s way is what I see in the reading this a.m. It seems so obvious to us sometimes that we should go a certain way so we don’t consult God. It doesn’t turn out like we thought it would, sometimes it’s an epic failure. Then it takes longer to bring about what needs to happen & when God asks us to move forward we remember the failure, the pain & all the consequences so we try to get out of it. I always think of “what if…” with Moses. What if he hadn’t killed the Egyptian, what would the Plan have been then, how would God have worked.
ReplyDeleteI know there are times when we have to move forward even when we’re not sure about the direction. We’ve asked God for guidance & it seems like there’s no answer until we start to move in one direction or another. Here it seems though that Moses just reacted. Hard to tell since we can’t talk to him to see his side.
Yeah Linda, I've always thought that Pharoah's daughter must have known that it was Moses' real mother since Miriam appeared so quickly to offer help.
ReplyDeleteSo the Bible really did sprout soap operas eh? Can't make stuff this good up!
ReplyDeleteSo ever since they rejected Samuel (God actually) from being over them, they've had nothing but trouble & turmoil. Just like Isaiah (I think) says...."no rest for the wicked".
Also interesting the David is blessed so much BUT blessed in turmoil (fighting). He still has problems in his daily life that could irritate him & cause him to whine. I can't imagine battle being easy by any stretch of the imagination. I can imagine there are little things that would irk you & get under your skin just like we go through on a daily basis but God was still blessing him. I need to not get so distracted by the little things that I miss how God is blessing me daily.
Jonathan knew God was choosing David over his father...he seems like a very perceptive young man. And totally surrendered to what God wanted to do, regardless of what it meant for him. Wow! I'm way more selfish than that unfortunately. I want & want more for me, I need to give & give more, no all of me & my future to God & what He wants. Sometimes I do & sometimes it's a tug of war...sigh.
All his life, David had to deal with people jealous of him -- from his oldest brother, to Saul, to his son - - he must have been emotionally exhausted - - I bet there are days he longed to be back with his accepting sheep.
ReplyDeleteI'm so struck with the difference between Saul and Jonathan. One driven by jealousy, one driven by love. I would have liked to have known Jonathan - - if it wasn't for his father's rejection, he would have made a wonderful king, it sounds like anyway.
Hard to believe that Saul's jealousy went so far as to cause him to swear at Jonathan - - and then try to kill him. Jealousy is a powerful emotion.
And in today's reading we have a boy killing Goliath. I believe Goliath to be a giant offspring of a fallen angel and human woman--a Nephilim. He had six fingers and six toes and was anywhere from 10-12 feet tall.
ReplyDeleteScholars have speculated that in the future it will be this hybridization between a fallen angel and human woman that would produce the creature known as the antichrist.
The antichrist will be Satan's seed--a Nephilim (like Goliath). See Genesis 3:15, Genesis 6:4, and Revelation 13. The antichrist will probably be the result of some cloning of the bloodline of the serpent seed.
It gave me great comfort to know that God endowed a mere boy with the ability to kill Goliath and later Goliath's brothers.
Since the angels don't marry (Matt 22:30) & sex outside of marriage is considered adultery (pick a text in the old/new testament or 10 commandments) angels were created without ability to reproduce. They don't need to (it was for populating the earth, Gen1:22 for animals & Gen 8:17 for humans) & we won't in heaven according the Christ (see above text).
ReplyDeleteWhile demons can impersonate humans, angel seed, which is non existent since they don't reproduce & human seed mixing? No, I don't believe it. It doesn't stand up to Scripture when you lay it all out.
Yeah--Sometimes things in the spiritual realm can be overwhelming to people and I certainly understand. Love ya anyway, Chris.
ReplyDelete40:3 in most versions says something to the effect of many putting their trust in God. The Message uses a different terminology that just gives me a bigger picture of trust. “More and more people are seeing this: they enter the mystery, abandoning themselves to GOD.” Love that abandon word. It makes me think of opening my arms up wide to God, not having any “safety” ropes that I’m holding on to “just in case” it doesn’t work out. Kinda scary but at the same time very freeing!
ReplyDelete40:6, 8 “Doing something for you, bringing something to you— that's not what you're after. Being religious, acting pious— that's not what you're asking for. You've opened my ears so I can listen…That's when God's Word entered my life, became part of my very being. “ The contrast here is so plain! What God wants is our hearts. Be totally abandoned to His Word in us. Forget the acting like we got it all together, forget wanting to be charge of a huge project, wanting attention. Just be abandoned to what God wants for us. Reminds me of Jonathan’s attitude yesterday; I’m thinking he realized that David was gonna be king & in order for that to happen, he would have to die but he didn’t fight it. He surrendered, he was totally & completely abandoned to God. Now, can I say that about myself? Eh, not so much. But I know God can get me there!
Wow! 40:11 “Now GOD, don't hold out on me, don't hold back your passion. Your love and truth are all that keeps me together.” Someone once said something to the effect of “You don’t know God is all you need, until God is all you have”. I feel this is what David is saying here.
40:17 is how I feel a lot of the time “And me? I'm a mess. I'm nothing and have nothing: make something of me.
You can do it; you've got what it takes—but God, don't put it off.” Don’t wait too long God or at least let me see some progress now & again. And when I really need to see it, He always encourages me. Just like in 41:12 “You know me inside and out, you hold me together, you never fail to stand me tall in your presence so I can look you in the eye.” Like the song says…”You are everything I need”. So you’d think abandoning myself to Him would be easy! DOH! I’ve got a really thick head sometimes.
39:6 is SOOOO American! We are merely moving shadows, and all our busy rushing ends in nothing . . . we heap up wealth, not knowing who will spend it. Love the conclusion - - - and so, Lord. where do I put my hope? My only hope is in YOU!!!"
ReplyDelete40:8 fits right with Pastor Jon's sermons on law and grace: I take joy in doing your will, my God, for your instrucions are written on my heart!" JOY! It's not about have to do this or that -- it's a total JOY!
Chris, I loved reading through chapter 40 with you -- I went read your version right along with mine -- all your thoughts are so clear to me, and really spoke to me today.
When I look again at Jonathan; man -- I never realized before that he would have to "die" for David to become king. I guess I just assumed he'd be David's V.P. or something. That IS total abandonment to God's will. God must have loved Jonathan dearly -- his courage and trust as he faced enemies; his surrender to God's bigger picture. Really good insite into this man of God.
ABANDON is the word for the day (actually, in His Holy Spirit power - - and ONLY in his power; the goal is abandon for a lifetime!!)
Psalm 40:4--
ReplyDeleteBlessed, happy, fortunate and to be envied is the man/woman who makes the Lord his refuge and trust, and turns not to the proud or to followers of false gods (small g).
And Psalm 41:13---Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, from everlasting and to everlasting (from this age to the next and forever)! Amen and Amen
O I praise HIs Holy Name and I Bless the Lord with all that is in me this day---You are awesome, Jesus!
Wow guys! Really neat thoughts. I liked the tie in to Pastor Jon's sermon Linda. Yeah, when it's written like that, inside of us, not outside on our wrists/foreheads, it is a JOY! I think when we have the Joy we can abandon ourselves to Him. Seems like it would be natural.
ReplyDeleteSherrie you're in a praiseful frame of mind this morning! Really catching & what I needed on another gray day! Thanks!
Sherrie -- what version is that? I really like how it's put:)
ReplyDeleteI think Sherrie's reading in the Amplified. My paraphrase today (Message) missed the mark, but then paraphrases tend to do so at times I've found. The version I have next to it on the Bible gateway website is the default NIV so I read that too. Made more sense.
ReplyDeleteWhat I really liked was Job not denying his character, not just going for the cop out for the sentence to be diminished so to speak. 1 John 3:18-21 it talks about having a heart at peace with God. And when we don't, our heart condemns us, we have that guilty conscience. Job didn't, he was totally God's & so threw it all back to God to judge & take care of. His friends didn't have that kind of relationship with God - OBVIOUSLY - so they couldn't relate.
And then the last verse of the reading 28:28. The thought I had was about shunning evil, avoiding it & not taking part of it was equal to understanding, discernment almost. Understanding the choice between right & wrong for what it really is, seeing the big picture of eternity & not just the little one of what's in front of me right now. I need to take this step back a LOT more than I currently do, so that I understand my choices (& their ultimate consequences) a lot better. Just because the cause/effect isn't immediately or outwardly seen, doesn't mean it's okay to do. This is when I need to ask Jesus, "what do YOU want me to do?" more often.
Chris -- several times I thought about "abandon" yesterday -- just love the thought "abandon myself to God" I guess the natural outgrowth of that is the shunning evil! God wins! We win!
ReplyDeleteY'know, I found it interesting that Job was describing what the wicked would receive.
Their children will die (Job's did)
They'll loose their piles of clothes (Job did)
Their homes will collapse (Job's children's did -- it could have been Job's summer home)
They'll go to bed rich and wake up poor (Job did)
Terror will overwhelm them (aaaah -- not so with Job; he KNEW he was innocent; he KNEW whom he believed in; he KNEW God was his friend, his judge, his advocate.)
Here's the difference then between the wicked (Job's friend's analysis) and the righteous (Job's claim) It was Job's belief in a fair loving God, and the peace that comes from being totally "abandoned" to that God!
So sad that Jeremiah was told not to pray, not to intercede for Judah. I wonder if it was a test, because he mourns so much for them in 8. Such atrocities they did, I don’t have kids but I can’t imagine burning them alive for a sacrifice to a god I had made with my own hands maybe a few hours before. We are so easily manipulated & deceived.
ReplyDeleteJer 9:25 says God will deal personally “…with everyone whose life is all outside but no inside…[all that] are big on performance religion—including [us today], who [are] no better.” If what I believe isn’t changing me from the inside out, making me more like Jesus, then is it worth believing in? Am I just trying to look good to the people around me? How sad & what an empty life.
10:6,7 “All this is nothing compared to you, O God. You're wondrously great, famously great. Who can fail to be impressed by you, King of the nations? It's your very nature to be worshiped!” Even the perfect angels in heaven worship Him constantly, saying Holy, Holy, Holy. It’s His very nature to be worshipped. I really like that. Again, that points me to surrender. To fall at His feet & abandon myself to His plan for me today. Already had a couple of “light bulbs” go on this a.m. when I woke up & was talking to Him about yesterday some more.
10:21 “It's because our leaders are stupid. They never asked God for counsel, and so nothing worked right. The people are scattered all over.” Great line, even applies today on all different levels.
Here’s another one v23 “ I know, God, that mere mortals can't run their own lives, That men and women don't have what it takes to take charge of life. So correct us, God, as you see best.
Jeremiah reminds me of Job in the end of 11 when he says to God “Then I said, "God-of-the-Angel-Armies, You're a fair judge. You examine and cross-examine human actions and motives. I want to see these people shown up and put down! I'm an open book before you. Clear my name." Again that picture of him/me on his/my knees in surrender & arms wide open, heart ready & WAITING on his/my God.
God's logic is so clear -- 8:4,5: If people get up with then fall, turn around when their on the wrong road -- why in the world do the cling tightly to their lies? God must just shake his head at our stupidity.
ReplyDeleteI like the picture in 8:21 (I'm not sure if this is Jeremiah or God talking -- probably both (I hurt with the hurt of my people; I mourn and am overcome with grief)
I LOVE what God encourages us to boast about (as opposed to the world's boasting in 9:25), boast in this ALONE! that they know me and understand that I am the Lord who demonstrates unfailing love and who brings justice and righteousness to the earth and that I DELIGHT in these things!!
I know that I really admire people who know God's word forwards and backwards and have a faith-trust in His leading that brings them incredible peace. It's where I want to go!
God tries another angle in 11:2. OK -- well if they won't obey me because it makes sense -- maybe we need to talk about the contract we agreed on! He'll try all angles to save us.
Speaking of Jeremiah's abandon to God's will -- you'll notice that God never promised to save Jeremiah from the death threats; only to bring disaster on the thugs "when their time of punishment comes." Jeremiah's trust in his calling is awesome.
Yeah Chris -- I noticed that too -- twice God told Jeremiah to stop praying for these people -- He was fed up with them. Their condition was scary - - that even GOD would give up on them. Something to think about in our culture?
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ReplyDeleteMan -- this section is FULL! But first of all -- I'd like to comment on how emotionally exhausted Jesus appears in this section. After dealing with the selfless love of service and joy in heaven - - he must have been plum warn out of us humans.
ReplyDeleteRight at the first of chpt 7 -- here comes the Pharisees with their pointing fingers & "why don't you" comments.
Verse 17 says Jesus went into a house to get away from the crowd, and then verse 24 says Jesus didn't want anyone to know which house hew was staying in (hadn't noticed this about Jesus before)
Then in verse 33, during a miracle healing -- he sighed (no doubt thinking about people's false honor and deaf ears to the good news)
Moving on to chapter 8:11 -- here come the Pharisees for another charge, and verse 12 (he sighed deeply.
Well -- the disciples weren't a big comfort, verse 16. Now he has to settle their squabbles, and the pathos comes out in verse 21 :Don't you understand yet?"
He simply must have been exhausted.
I have a LOT to say about about the outsider woman who blessed Jesus with her faith -- and Peter who said: Yeah you ARE the Messiah, but let me tell you how your story will really play out -- or the disciples missing the blessing of the moment because they were hungry and crabby. It all sounds a little too familiar, like my daily challenges.
Lord -- change my heart; only You can create that miracle in me.
A lot of different thoughts as I read through these 2 chapters in Mark. But what really hit me is the last verses of 8. Jesus telling Peter & the other disciples that they “have no idea how God works”. I tend to see things & make decisions based on my past experiences & what I can see in front of me. That’s the human way. God sees things in the past but can also see the future & He REALLY knows us, our hearts. So His way & where He wants to take me in my life is always the best but I fight it because it doesn’t fall into my plans, what I see. I think that’s why He ended with the verses on true surrender.
ReplyDeleteReally appreciate the words of The Message in 8:34-37
"Anyone who intends to come with me has to let me lead. You're not in the driver's seat; I am. Don't run from suffering; embrace it. Follow me and I'll show you how. Self-help is no help at all. Self-sacrifice is the way, my way, to saving yourself, your true self. What good would it do to get everything you want and lose you, the real you? What could you ever trade your soul for?”
My true self is what I’m really after so why do I keep bumping Him from the driver’s seat? Why do I keep running from the pain in my life when it pales in comparison to what He did for me? And then the real bulls eye for me is the self sacrifice part. Because that’s my pride I need to lay down & it’s not natural! It’s embarrassing (to my pride) sometimes. So then the next verse says this
V38 "If any of you are embarrassed over me and the way I'm leading you when you get around your fickle and unfocused friends, know that you'll be an even greater embarrassment to the Son of Man when he arrives in all the splendor of God, his Father, with an army of the holy angels."
So really, when my pride’s wounded, I need to take a step back & think about it in the context of being embarrassed about how God’s leading me? I want to say NO WAY, OF COURSE NOT, but then again, truly, that’s what I’m saying. So shut up & sit down Chris! LOL
Thanks Lord for my spiritual smack up side my head today!
I was noticing that about Jesus too, He really shows us up in how He handled it all, He just trusted in His Father's schedule for Him instead of His own.
ReplyDeleteAnother slap upside my head! Ah yes, abandoning my schedule for His, trusting Him.
"Father let the world just fade away..."