9 but keep watching it. If it goes up to its own territory, toward Beth Shemesh, then the LORD has brought this great disaster on us. But if it does not, then we will know that it was not his hand that struck us but that it happened to us by chance.”...12 Then the cows went straight up toward Beth Shemesh, keeping on the road and lowing all the way; they did not turn to the right or to the left...
Well I'm not sure why God would demonstrate his power and control to the Philistines in this way? But it sure appears he did just that--I don't think the cows would have gone straight by chance, it a good reminder for me of how He is in control.
Wednesday, December 21, 2011
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
1 Samuel 5
3 When the people of Ashdod rose early the next day, there was Dagon, fallen on his face on the ground before the ark of the LORD! They took Dagon and put him back in his place.
So repeatedly God gives the Philistines signs to let them know stop worshiping your false God but instead they put their idol back up in place. They even openly recognize the God of Israel is not happy with them and their false idol, yet they choose to try and get away from him rather than seeking him.
It seems like silly behavior when you read it, but then how often do I put other things of this world in front of God--time seems like the big one, I'm always busy with other stuff like work, sports, TV, etc. probably more false gods then I'd like to believe if I'm honest with myself.
So repeatedly God gives the Philistines signs to let them know stop worshiping your false God but instead they put their idol back up in place. They even openly recognize the God of Israel is not happy with them and their false idol, yet they choose to try and get away from him rather than seeking him.
It seems like silly behavior when you read it, but then how often do I put other things of this world in front of God--time seems like the big one, I'm always busy with other stuff like work, sports, TV, etc. probably more false gods then I'd like to believe if I'm honest with myself.
Monday, December 19, 2011
1 Samuel 4 -knut
3 When the soldiers returned to camp, the elders of Israel asked, “Why did the LORD bring defeat on us today before the Philistines? Let us bring the ark of the LORD’s covenant from Shiloh, so that he may go with us and save us from the hand of our enemies.”
It seems this is another example of how placing your trust in something other than God himself--a false idol gets you no where. Here they take the Ark of the Covenant with them into battle and come up short because they are placing their trust in it, rather than praying to God and asking for his help. How often do I miss place my trust in something other than God? Having a good job sometimes leads me to the trap of believing we have the ability to provide for ourselves rather than remembering that all we have (including this good job) are provided by God. Don't worship things, including intangible things like a good job.
It seems this is another example of how placing your trust in something other than God himself--a false idol gets you no where. Here they take the Ark of the Covenant with them into battle and come up short because they are placing their trust in it, rather than praying to God and asking for his help. How often do I miss place my trust in something other than God? Having a good job sometimes leads me to the trap of believing we have the ability to provide for ourselves rather than remembering that all we have (including this good job) are provided by God. Don't worship things, including intangible things like a good job.
Friday, December 16, 2011
1 Samuel 3
8 A third time the LORD called, “Samuel!” And Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.”
Then Eli realized that the LORD was calling the boy.
I don't think I'm very good at listening for God. This chapter tells me not only do I need to do a better job of listening to those times God is clearly speaking too me and I am either ignoring it or allowing other noise to drown him out--but also a responsibility I have to help both Luke and Katelyn learn to listen for when God may be speaking to them and help them learn to have their own relationship with him.
Thursday, December 15, 2011
1 Samuel 2 -knut
There is a lot going on in this chapter but, I like this simple statement in Hannah's prayer--
9 He will guard the feet of his faithful servants,
but the wicked will be silenced in the place of darkness.
but the wicked will be silenced in the place of darkness.
“It is not by strength that one prevails;
Its not by my own strength, smarts or resources that I will live a blessed life, its by being faithful to God and the path he is leading my feet down. Easier said than done but I want my feet to be under His guard.
Wednesday, December 14, 2011
1 Samuel 1 -knut
11 And she made a vow, saying, “LORD Almighty, if you will only look on your servant’s misery and remember me, and not forget your servant but give her a son, then I will give him to the LORD for all the days of his life, and no razor will ever be used on his head.”
I took from this its OK to ask God for something your soul needs to be happy--sometimes I don't feel like I should be asking. Hannah was is misery without a child, she asked God to allow her to have a child--and in this case he answered yes. Maybe he won't always give us we want or ask for, but Hannah's story tells me its OK to have that conversation with Him--in fact I think he wants us to have the conversation.
I took from this its OK to ask God for something your soul needs to be happy--sometimes I don't feel like I should be asking. Hannah was is misery without a child, she asked God to allow her to have a child--and in this case he answered yes. Maybe he won't always give us we want or ask for, but Hannah's story tells me its OK to have that conversation with Him--in fact I think he wants us to have the conversation.
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
Ruth 4 - t
Maintain your faith, even in the hard times. Don't ask God, "why would you allow this to happen?" Just remain in relationship with him, throughout it all. The significance of your life will outlast your time here. That's what speaks to me in this book/passage. It seems that in this day and age of instant gratification, we are really quick to jump ship if something isn't garnering immediate results. Ruth didn't live her life that way. She was going to stick to her God, through any circumstance. Because of that, God was able to use her in his larger plan.
Something pretty amazing to aspire to.
There are 1189 chapters in the bible.
According to my rough "designer math", we will finish the first loop in mid 2015!
tp
Something pretty amazing to aspire to.
There are 1189 chapters in the bible.
According to my rough "designer math", we will finish the first loop in mid 2015!
tp
Sunday, December 11, 2011
Ruth 3 - t
Pretty bold move, lying at the foot of his bed. Boaz seems to really take a liking to Ruth.......I'm guessing that when she got all cleaned up.....she was easy on the eyes. Why else would he ask the overseer who she was? I'm just saying'.
I know that customs are different back then.....but, I can't imagine that scenario playing itself out.
I think the message for me here is that if you are faithful.....God will see it and may reward you for it. There's no guarantee. I like those odds better than if you don't.
more later
tp
I know that customs are different back then.....but, I can't imagine that scenario playing itself out.
I think the message for me here is that if you are faithful.....God will see it and may reward you for it. There's no guarantee. I like those odds better than if you don't.
more later
tp
Friday, December 9, 2011
Ruth 2 - t
I've been struggling to keep consistent with this lately. It seems that life has become EXTREMELY busy.
I really like the book of Ruth. I think the first time I read it,....it seemed like an odd-ball to me. It doesn't really fit with the books around it.
This time, something else hit me. I think its more about how we treat each other. Its less about God interacting directly with the Israelite people, and more about their personal interaction. Maybe a better way to say it is.....we love each other because God loves us.
Ruth stayed committed to Naomi, even when she probably didn't need to. She followed her back to her homeland, which was a foreign place to her.
Boaz treated Ruth with respect, when he found her in his fields. It reads as if woman in the field were often treated very poorly.......it states they sometimes needed protection.
This reminds me of a story I just heard a couple of months back. I was at a Halloween party, talking to a guy that owns a christian bookstore in a very rough part of downtown Detroit. I asked him if he had a problem with shoplifters. His response surprised me. He said, "Yup, but I don't try to stop them......I treat it like the grain left in the row." That's a completely different mind-set than most of corporate America. We at GM are highly driven by squeezing every penny of profit margin out of every sale. This guy is trusting in God to provide him with enough sales to cover the cost of the people that can't pay.
I think that's pretty cool........and unusual.
I really like the book of Ruth. I think the first time I read it,....it seemed like an odd-ball to me. It doesn't really fit with the books around it.
This time, something else hit me. I think its more about how we treat each other. Its less about God interacting directly with the Israelite people, and more about their personal interaction. Maybe a better way to say it is.....we love each other because God loves us.
Ruth stayed committed to Naomi, even when she probably didn't need to. She followed her back to her homeland, which was a foreign place to her.
Boaz treated Ruth with respect, when he found her in his fields. It reads as if woman in the field were often treated very poorly.......it states they sometimes needed protection.
This reminds me of a story I just heard a couple of months back. I was at a Halloween party, talking to a guy that owns a christian bookstore in a very rough part of downtown Detroit. I asked him if he had a problem with shoplifters. His response surprised me. He said, "Yup, but I don't try to stop them......I treat it like the grain left in the row." That's a completely different mind-set than most of corporate America. We at GM are highly driven by squeezing every penny of profit margin out of every sale. This guy is trusting in God to provide him with enough sales to cover the cost of the people that can't pay.
I think that's pretty cool........and unusual.
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
Ruth 1
16 But Ruth replied, “Don’t urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God.
I was struck by Ruth's loyalty to her mother-in-law and desire to stay with her and her God. I also enjoyed the more peaceful chapter than the reading in Judges. So no particular takeaway for me today. I did find the attached study if you like that connects some of the activities in this chapter to other books in the bible.
Monday, December 5, 2011
Judges 21 -knut
25 In those days Israel had no king; everyone did as they saw fit.... i.e. the mess continues.
The Israelites were rationalizing that they were staying true to their promises with God because they weren't breaking the letter of the law---but clearly they were breaking the intent. Their hearts weren't following God at all. They might make good defense lawyers, but I wouldn't want their help at the Pearly Gates.
I want to try to not only follow the letter of God's instructions, but also make sure I'm sincere. Its what its my heart that matters--God knows our hearts, we can't fool him by pretending to follow the letter of his law.
The Israelites were rationalizing that they were staying true to their promises with God because they weren't breaking the letter of the law---but clearly they were breaking the intent. Their hearts weren't following God at all. They might make good defense lawyers, but I wouldn't want their help at the Pearly Gates.
I want to try to not only follow the letter of God's instructions, but also make sure I'm sincere. Its what its my heart that matters--God knows our hearts, we can't fool him by pretending to follow the letter of his law.
Sunday, December 4, 2011
Judges 21
Wives for the Benjamites -
While the young women were dancing, each man caught one and carried her off to be his wife.
If only it was that easy! It all seems underhanded and seedy!
While the young women were dancing, each man caught one and carried her off to be his wife.
If only it was that easy! It all seems underhanded and seedy!
Friday, December 2, 2011
Judges 20 -knut
13 Now turn those wicked men of Gibeah over to us so that we may put them to death and purge the evil from Israel.”
What a mess Israel turned into, and since the Benjamites were unwilling to turn over the individuals responsible for these terrible acts the end result is civil war.
The cancer needs to be removed in total to save the entire body, perhaps not all the Benjamites were bad but their willingness to defend or at minimum turn a blind eye to such atrocities makes them guilty by association. These last couple chapters remind me of the Penn State situation. History repeats itself.
What a mess Israel turned into, and since the Benjamites were unwilling to turn over the individuals responsible for these terrible acts the end result is civil war.
The cancer needs to be removed in total to save the entire body, perhaps not all the Benjamites were bad but their willingness to defend or at minimum turn a blind eye to such atrocities makes them guilty by association. These last couple chapters remind me of the Penn State situation. History repeats itself.
Thursday, December 1, 2011
Judges 19 -knut
1 In those days Israel had no king. ...
the rest of this chapter is pretty disturbing, perhaps tied to the fact that Israel was without a king and no moral compass. The story seems so unbelievable and barbaric. Then again we don't seem much better today when you think of the recent news scandals, and we only hear about the ones involving famous people.
Maybe God put this in the bible to demonstrate how bad things can get when he is not in our life?
the rest of this chapter is pretty disturbing, perhaps tied to the fact that Israel was without a king and no moral compass. The story seems so unbelievable and barbaric. Then again we don't seem much better today when you think of the recent news scandals, and we only hear about the ones involving famous people.
Maybe God put this in the bible to demonstrate how bad things can get when he is not in our life?