21 Doom to you who think you’re so smart, who hold such a high opinion of yourselves!
Pretty short and sweet. Do I follow my own thoughts or do I read His Word and ask for His Spirit to guide me? Sadly, more often than not I act like I think I'm pretty smart.
I leave tomorrow for Thailand and return June 1. I will try to be diligent and stay on our reading but I'm not sure of my schedule. Please pray for my family and me while I'm gone. This should be a great experience for me but at the same time it hurts the thought of being away from all three of them for so long.
knut
Tuesday, April 30, 2013
Monday, April 29, 2013
Isaiah 4
2 And that’s when God’s Branch will sprout green and lush. The produce of the country will give Israel’s survivors something to be proud of again.
I didn't take have any specific learning from this chapter. But it is cool to see the prophecy of Jesus coming so long before is return, represented as green and lush branch. Deciphering all the metaphors and illustrations is not my specialty, I'm sure there is much more to it than I pick up.
knut
I didn't take have any specific learning from this chapter. But it is cool to see the prophecy of Jesus coming so long before is return, represented as green and lush branch. Deciphering all the metaphors and illustrations is not my specialty, I'm sure there is much more to it than I pick up.
knut
Wednesday, April 24, 2013
Isaiah 3
I'm a little lost in this one.
All I read, was
12 “Skinny kids terrorize my people.
Silly girls bully them around.
I did find this summary this morning. It helps me to understand what I'm reading a little bit more.
All I read, was
12 “Skinny kids terrorize my people.
Silly girls bully them around.
I did find this summary this morning. It helps me to understand what I'm reading a little bit more.
Isaiah Summary
The Book of Isaiah has a total of 66 chapters. The first 39 chapters of the book of Isaiah prophesy doom for a sinful Judah and for all the nations of the world that oppose God. It warns them of what will happen to them if they continue to oppose God.
The last 27 chapters prophesy the restoration of the nation of Israel and a new creation in God's glorious future kingdom. This section is more hopeful. It includes the Songs of the Suffering Servant and four separate passages referring to the nation of Israel. We can interpret these as foreshadowing for the coming of Jesus Christ.
There are technically three separate parts to the Book of Isaiah: Proto-Isaiah (chapters 1-39), Deutero-Isaiah (chapters 40-55) and Trito-Isaiah (chapters 56-66).
To read through the entire Book of Isaiah, please click through the Chapter links below. On each page, you will find a chapter of the Book of Isaiah that you will be able to read through.
The last 27 chapters prophesy the restoration of the nation of Israel and a new creation in God's glorious future kingdom. This section is more hopeful. It includes the Songs of the Suffering Servant and four separate passages referring to the nation of Israel. We can interpret these as foreshadowing for the coming of Jesus Christ.
There are technically three separate parts to the Book of Isaiah: Proto-Isaiah (chapters 1-39), Deutero-Isaiah (chapters 40-55) and Trito-Isaiah (chapters 56-66).
To read through the entire Book of Isaiah, please click through the Chapter links below. On each page, you will find a chapter of the Book of Isaiah that you will be able to read through.
Tuesday, April 23, 2013
Isaiah 2
by the end of all these chapters, I hope to be able to spell Isaiah......without mixing up the a's and i's...hahahah!
There's a TON in this one!
6-9 God, you’ve walked out on your family Jacob
because their world is full of hokey religion,
Philistine witchcraft, and pagan hocus-pocus,
a world rolling in wealth,
Stuffed with things,
no end to its machines and gadgets,
And gods—gods of all sorts and sizes.
These people make their own gods and worship what they make.
A degenerate race, facedown in the gutter.
sounds pretty much like our modern day society, doesn't it? I've heard it said that you can tell what you're worshipping by looking at your bank statement. It can be a startling revelation.
22 Quit scraping and fawning over mere humans,
so full of themselves, so full of hot air!
Can’t you see there’s nothing to them?
I like this one too. We are all falling short of the glory of God. In my job, I meet with celebs, once in a while. I just had a meeting with Brad Paisley (great guy, btw) and I find myself thinking too much of them. They are just like us, only with more stuff, and more committments. We tend to idolize our celebs in this country.....for all the wrong reasons.
that's enough.....I could go on.
There's a TON in this one!
6-9 God, you’ve walked out on your family Jacob
because their world is full of hokey religion,
Philistine witchcraft, and pagan hocus-pocus,
a world rolling in wealth,
Stuffed with things,
no end to its machines and gadgets,
And gods—gods of all sorts and sizes.
These people make their own gods and worship what they make.
A degenerate race, facedown in the gutter.
sounds pretty much like our modern day society, doesn't it? I've heard it said that you can tell what you're worshipping by looking at your bank statement. It can be a startling revelation.
22 Quit scraping and fawning over mere humans,
so full of themselves, so full of hot air!
Can’t you see there’s nothing to them?
I like this one too. We are all falling short of the glory of God. In my job, I meet with celebs, once in a while. I just had a meeting with Brad Paisley (great guy, btw) and I find myself thinking too much of them. They are just like us, only with more stuff, and more committments. We tend to idolize our celebs in this country.....for all the wrong reasons.
that's enough.....I could go on.
Monday, April 22, 2013
Isaiah 1
Whoa! this is gonna be a long one. 66 chapters. But, let's see how it goes. We can always move around.
No matter how long or loud or often you pray,
I’ll not be listening.
And do you know why? Because you’ve been tearing
people to pieces, and your hands are bloody.
Go home and wash up.
Clean up your act.
I don't normally enjoy reading this type of poetic-rant, but I did like this one. It seems that God is fed up with his people. I can see him saying the same thing now, when looking at our society......when looking at me.
I copied out the above verses. We've both read this and wrote about it in the past. But, its a reminder that I need to stay focussed on. Unless I'm living a Godly life, he isn't even interested in hearing my prayers. That's a little scary. I know all the stuff/baggage I'm draggin around constantly. I need to keep putting all that stuff at his feet, and walking in his footsteps.
have a great week.
No matter how long or loud or often you pray,
I’ll not be listening.
And do you know why? Because you’ve been tearing
people to pieces, and your hands are bloody.
Go home and wash up.
Clean up your act.
I don't normally enjoy reading this type of poetic-rant, but I did like this one. It seems that God is fed up with his people. I can see him saying the same thing now, when looking at our society......when looking at me.
I copied out the above verses. We've both read this and wrote about it in the past. But, its a reminder that I need to stay focussed on. Unless I'm living a Godly life, he isn't even interested in hearing my prayers. That's a little scary. I know all the stuff/baggage I'm draggin around constantly. I need to keep putting all that stuff at his feet, and walking in his footsteps.
have a great week.
Friday, April 19, 2013
Song of Songs 8
The Woman
14 Run to me, dear lover.
Come like a gazelle.
Leap like a wild stag
on the spice mountains.
Come like a gazelle.
Leap like a wild stag
on the spice mountains.
So to end this book I think its pretty clear you can't get happiness from going around and having many women or trying to buy happiness. He has given us gifts of enjoying love, relationship and sex but he designed it to work within a married of a man and a woman. yet society continues to try to work outside his model for us.
I liked verse 14 and her call out to her man. I thought wow, finally an instructiong He has given in the bible I won't struggle to follow! lol
We knocked out S of S, short book I had only read a few verses from over all these years. keep all those sweet compliments we learned from this book in our hip pockets and we will be playing in the garden any time we want.
knut
Thursday, April 18, 2013
Song of Solomon 7
here's a strange take on this one.
notice that the descriptions that the man is talking about are much more extensive than the woman's? I think that's intentional.
Women, in general, need more of that kind of communication from us, than we do from them. Sometimes when we are getting ready to go out for dinner, or something along those lines, Kim will say, "how do I look?" If I'm honest, at that point.....I've already failed. I need to be telling her that she looks beautiful before she asks.
I heard a sermon once that differentiated the thought process of marraige, between men and women. When men say "I do" the mean "I think you are beautiful, you are a COMPLETE turn on to me, and I love you forever". Once we say that, we feel like we are good. She should know everyday that I still feel that way, at least until I tell her differently. But, sadly, women don't think that way. They need us to be telling them how awesome we think they are, how their teeth looks like a flock of sheep coming out of the wash.
I need to work on this one!
peace
notice that the descriptions that the man is talking about are much more extensive than the woman's? I think that's intentional.
Women, in general, need more of that kind of communication from us, than we do from them. Sometimes when we are getting ready to go out for dinner, or something along those lines, Kim will say, "how do I look?" If I'm honest, at that point.....I've already failed. I need to be telling her that she looks beautiful before she asks.
I heard a sermon once that differentiated the thought process of marraige, between men and women. When men say "I do" the mean "I think you are beautiful, you are a COMPLETE turn on to me, and I love you forever". Once we say that, we feel like we are good. She should know everyday that I still feel that way, at least until I tell her differently. But, sadly, women don't think that way. They need us to be telling them how awesome we think they are, how their teeth looks like a flock of sheep coming out of the wash.
I need to work on this one!
peace
Wednesday, April 17, 2013
Song of Songs 6
3I am my lover’s and my lover is mine.
He caresses the sweet-smelling flowers.
The Man
8-9 There’s no one like her on earth,
never has been, never will be.
She’s a woman beyond compare.
My dove is perfection,
My dove is perfection,
When I stop to think that there are 7 Billion people in this world it is an amazing miracle to think God has never made another quite like Gina and as the woman in v3 said I am hers and she is mine.
I am so thankful to Him for putting her in my life, and want to do everything to be as perfect for her as she is for me.
knut
.
.
Tuesday, April 16, 2013
Song of Songs 5
9 What’s so great about your lover, fair lady?...
13 ...His voice, his words, warm and reassuring.
v16 His words are kisses, his kisses words.
Everything about him delights me, thrills me
through and through!
through and through!
As I read through this description of what made the man so great to this woman much of it was his appearance. So I can't do a whole lot to change that but it must have been good enough at one point to set the hook--ha!
But v13 and v16 both caught my eye. Are my words warm, reassuring and like kisses to Gina? Sometimes maybe, but others times no. She has told me I give her a hard time too much, I make fun of little things which may be meaningless but probably sting (and I don't take it so well in return by the way). So I have tried to change, but yet she on occasion will say something that makes me realize I've done it again. I joke that its my love language to pick on her since I don't seem to know how to stop, kind of like giving guys a hard time--I don't bother doing to people I don't like.
But that is a bad answer. I know if she is willing to point it out at all its probably not until its gone too far and I always feel bad but the horse is out of the barn by then. So I am going to put more focus on this because I want my words to be warm and reassuring like kisses to Gina, I really want everything about me to delight her as it says and I'm sure that's not the case right now. So if you read this Gina, I have been and will continue to try to be a better man for you.
not intended to be sappy, just real.
knut
Monday, April 15, 2013
Song of Songs 4
v9...One look my way and I was hopelessly in love!
How beautiful your love, dear, dear friend—...
How beautiful your love, dear, dear friend—...
v16...Oh, let my lover enter his garden!
Yes, let him eat the fine, ripe fruits.
This chapter continues the vivid imagery (shades of grey as you put it) from the man's perspective of his friend and love. I've been trying to think why God put this book in the bible, its very visual but not explicit with teaching? Maybe just an illustration of how he made us a perfect fit for each other? The man enticed by all her beauty and she inviting him into his garden, they share it together and its not for anyone else and that's how He wants us to enjoy each other.
He describes the attraction from her body to her smile or glance his way, which is very true for me with Gina. I always call her my Beautiful Bride (which she rolls her eyes at) and its really true, when I look at her I'm attracted most definitely to her body more now than when we were first married but it goes way deeper than that, its a connection like Solomon said I am hopelessly in love. I think that is the way God wanted us to be.
knut
Friday, April 12, 2013
Song of Solomon 3
5 Oh, let me warn you, sisters in Jerusalem,
by the gazelles, yes, by all the wild deer:
Don’t excite love, don’t stir it up,
until the time is ripe—and you’re ready.
this one would make my wife laugh. She would say, "but, what if I didn't know I was stirring it up?"
hahaha.......once the freight train is rollin', you can't stop it!
When I read thru these chapters, I can feel the deep rooted connection between them. That's what I love about being married, and especially to Kim. The bond that we share is only ours. For better or for worse, its ours. No-one else can even come close to what we have together.
Every once in a while, something will happen around us, and it'll make Kim bring up the conversation of cheating. She'll ask me if that would ever cross my mind. I can honestly say it doesn't. It would seem like such a cheap betrayal of the connection and trust that we share. Maybe its because I'm getting older...wink, wink, but the connection we share is infinitely more important to me, than any cheap thrill you could offer......and besides, all my cheap thrill fantasies involve her!.......HHHEEEEYYYYOOOOO!
by the gazelles, yes, by all the wild deer:
Don’t excite love, don’t stir it up,
until the time is ripe—and you’re ready.
this one would make my wife laugh. She would say, "but, what if I didn't know I was stirring it up?"
hahaha.......once the freight train is rollin', you can't stop it!
When I read thru these chapters, I can feel the deep rooted connection between them. That's what I love about being married, and especially to Kim. The bond that we share is only ours. For better or for worse, its ours. No-one else can even come close to what we have together.
Every once in a while, something will happen around us, and it'll make Kim bring up the conversation of cheating. She'll ask me if that would ever cross my mind. I can honestly say it doesn't. It would seem like such a cheap betrayal of the connection and trust that we share. Maybe its because I'm getting older...wink, wink, but the connection we share is infinitely more important to me, than any cheap thrill you could offer......and besides, all my cheap thrill fantasies involve her!.......HHHEEEEYYYYOOOOO!
Thursday, April 11, 2013
Song of Songs 2
16-17 My lover is mine, and I am his.
Nightly he strolls in our garden,
Delighting in the flowers
until dawn breathes its light and night slips away.
Nightly he strolls in our garden,
Delighting in the flowers
until dawn breathes its light and night slips away.
Turn to me, dear lover.
Come like a gazelle.
Leap like a wild stag
on delectable mountains!
Come like a gazelle.
Leap like a wild stag
on delectable mountains!
I always have The Message on in parallel with the NIV and for this chapter I think The Message is going to be a more colorful read. Like you said yesterday it I like the fact that while its talking about the passion of enjoying each other it continuously has the man referencing his friend. Interestingly she only references him as lover.
Its also interesting that its a stroll in our garden, the physical loving of each other is something we both own and should enjoy.
Also is God telling us its OK for us men to be in pursuit of getting a little loving in with our women? Wild stag? Try a Google search on Wild Stag, her is the first thing that comes up-Wild Stag is a herbal supplement based on traditional Tibetan health and science. Extracting potent ingredients from pure unique Tibetan herbs harvested from hight fertile mountaionous regions in the Himalayan mountains 4000 metres above sea level.
Might have to try the God told me to be a wild stag line, I mean sheesh I'm just trying to be a biblical man right? lol
Wednesday, April 10, 2013
Monday, April 8, 2013
Ecclesiastes 12
13 ...Fear God and keep his commandments...
14 For God will bring every deed into judgment,
including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil.
So after everything he told us over the previous 11 chapters about going out and having a good time and enjoying the gifts of this world, he still is telling us to do it within the boundaries of God's commandments. He reminds us that in the end everything we do and are will come into judgment, even the hidden things.
Hidden struck me, the thought that sometimes my outward actions don't match what my mind is thinking. I may look as though I'm being nice to someone but in my mind I'm cutting them or judging them and He knows it. In the work place this is easy to have happen, I need to make sure I'm consistent in action and heart.
knut
14 For God will bring every deed into judgment,
including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil.
So after everything he told us over the previous 11 chapters about going out and having a good time and enjoying the gifts of this world, he still is telling us to do it within the boundaries of God's commandments. He reminds us that in the end everything we do and are will come into judgment, even the hidden things.
Hidden struck me, the thought that sometimes my outward actions don't match what my mind is thinking. I may look as though I'm being nice to someone but in my mind I'm cutting them or judging them and He knows it. In the work place this is easy to have happen, I need to make sure I'm consistent in action and heart.
knut
Friday, April 5, 2013
Ecclesiastes 11
2
Don’t hoard your goods; spread them around.
Be a blessing to others. This could be your last night.
Its funny I really enjoy when I do things for others yet I still find that I am very guarded with my time. I need to work not to hoard my time but to use it to be a blessing for others. I think its because at this point in my life I have more money than time and I really value it and spending it with my family which isnt a bad thing. But maybe we as a family can do things together to be a blessing to others? would be good lessons for the kids.
knut
Don’t hoard your goods; spread them around.
Be a blessing to others. This could be your last night.
Its funny I really enjoy when I do things for others yet I still find that I am very guarded with my time. I need to work not to hoard my time but to use it to be a blessing for others. I think its because at this point in my life I have more money than time and I really value it and spending it with my family which isnt a bad thing. But maybe we as a family can do things together to be a blessing to others? would be good lessons for the kids.
knut
Thursday, April 4, 2013
Ecclesiastes 10
2 The heart of the wise inclines to the right,
but the heart of the fool to the left.
lots of little takeaways throughout this like being calm when someone is getting angry to diffuse them, not running at the mouth too much. This verse to me says keep digging into the bible and gaining wisdom even if its only little bits at at time because as we become more wise in our hearts our nature will tend to do and think about things the right way. strengthening our moral compass.
knut
but the heart of the fool to the left.
lots of little takeaways throughout this like being calm when someone is getting angry to diffuse them, not running at the mouth too much. This verse to me says keep digging into the bible and gaining wisdom even if its only little bits at at time because as we become more wise in our hearts our nature will tend to do and think about things the right way. strengthening our moral compass.
knut
Wednesday, April 3, 2013
Ecclesisastes 9
9 Enjoy life with your wife, whom you love, all the days of this meaningless life that God has given you under the sun—all your meaningless days. For this is your lot in life and in your toilsome labor under the sun.
I guess the message is carpe diem. Like you said a couple times in the last few chapters, this is not what I expected. Its obvious to me I've never really read Ecclesiastes because all this talk of enjoy the ride is not a message I remember from the bible.
But it does seem like good advice to make sure to enjoy life with your wife, like it says none of us know when this ride ends. I definitely want to make the most of it.
how about you anything deeper from this one?
knut
I guess the message is carpe diem. Like you said a couple times in the last few chapters, this is not what I expected. Its obvious to me I've never really read Ecclesiastes because all this talk of enjoy the ride is not a message I remember from the bible.
But it does seem like good advice to make sure to enjoy life with your wife, like it says none of us know when this ride ends. I definitely want to make the most of it.
how about you anything deeper from this one?
knut
Tuesday, April 2, 2013
Ecclesiastes 8
14 There is something else meaningless that occurs on earth: the righteous who get what the wicked deserve, and the wicked who get what the righteous deserve. This too, I say, is meaningless.
I think there are some pretty wicked people who seem to have all their hearts desire and live long and from the outside looking in happy lives. Then there are too many great Godly people who's lives are cut far to short, Grant Wheeler comes to mind whenever I drive in CF.
I commented to my dad one time when he was near death how this doesn't seem fair, why not have some bad dude get cancer. It wasn't an emotional conversation just a discussion as we watched some bad stuff on the news. He said he never thought of it that way, just was playing the cards dealt him.
I guess I really wouldn't want God to deal me the cards I've earned here on earth and certainly not the path I've earned to get to heaven. There is no need to look around and worry about inequities here on earth, I just need to make sure my heart is right with God and be thankful for Grace.
knut
I think there are some pretty wicked people who seem to have all their hearts desire and live long and from the outside looking in happy lives. Then there are too many great Godly people who's lives are cut far to short, Grant Wheeler comes to mind whenever I drive in CF.
I commented to my dad one time when he was near death how this doesn't seem fair, why not have some bad dude get cancer. It wasn't an emotional conversation just a discussion as we watched some bad stuff on the news. He said he never thought of it that way, just was playing the cards dealt him.
I guess I really wouldn't want God to deal me the cards I've earned here on earth and certainly not the path I've earned to get to heaven. There is no need to look around and worry about inequities here on earth, I just need to make sure my heart is right with God and be thankful for Grace.
knut