I Samuel 29 –II Samuel 12 David strengthened himself with trust in his God. Not plans, or past victories, or even godly friends—with the Lord. May that always be the first place I go, Lord.
Just noticed that while David was ruling from Hebron for 7 ½ years, he had six children—each born to a different woman! It looks like he had a problem with women long before Bathsheba. I wonder if he ever sensed that they were his Achilles tendon. Do I have a sin in my life that I think I can ‘handle’? History shows me that’s not likely. I need to deal harshly with the enemies of my soul and not let them be my ruin.
II Samuel 13-22 What treachery and wickedness and dysfunction comes when we hold grudges & don’t deal honorably with others. Lack of integrity at every turn. Makes me think of a quote I heard at Teen Challenge—Integrity—If you have it, nothing else matters. If you don’t have it, nothing else matters. Lord, show me how to live before You with integrity in every facet of my life.
II Samuel 23- I Kings 8 Another example of attacking your enemies and not being passive is Benaiah, of The Thirty. On a snowy day (not the best of conditions), he climbed down into a pit & killed a lion. Another time, he took on a formidable Egyptian, when all he had was a walking stick. He took the enemy’s own spear, and used it against him. Something else. Uriah the Hittite was one of The Thirty. David apparently had no regard for his loyalty, when he decided Bathsheba was worth it. The depth to which our sin can take us should make us want to totally annihilate any besetting sin we see in our own life.
David was wrong to have a census taken, because he replaced trust in God with statistics. I need to always be careful not to replace my trust in God with plans & strategies.
From Solomon’s prayer at the dedication of the temple. May He keep us centered and devoted to Him, following the life path He has cleared, watching the signposts, walking at the pace & rhythms He laid down for our ancestors…May our lives be totally obedient to God, our personal God, following the life path He has cleared, alert and attentive to everything He has made plain this day.
I Kings 9-16 King Solomon was obsessed with women, even though God warned him foreign women that would draw him away from God. And they did. He openly defied God. Two things I see: we can’t see our own weaknesses, and we need accountability partners in our lives.
I Kings 17- II Kings 5 Time is always such a huge element in our lives. It was for Elijah too. He would be told something, but would have to wait a L-O-N-G time for it to happen. But after the wait, things happened fast. The way I would do things is to just go along at a nice even pace. But that never appears to be God’s way. Elijah did what seemed good to him—he walked 40 days and nights to the mountain of God. When he finally got there, God said to him, “So, what are you doing here?” Notice that God didn’t try to stop him along the way.
Both Elijah and Elisha dealt with women who were down to their last meal, and yet they gave it to the man of God. Sometimes, when I get down to my ‘last meal’, I get stingy and forget God gave me what I have in the first place, and He will provide what I need but not until I need it. When I hoard things, I stop the flow of God’s blessing on my life and endeavors.
II Kings 6-15 Naaman was asked to do something simple and unglamorous to be healed, and it made him mad. He already had this elaborate plan in his head & that’s how he wanted it to happen. It took the words of a servant to help him see through this & convince him to do it God’s way. Do I sometimes want an elaborate plan that glorifies me, when God demands simple obedience to His direction? There is healing in doing the plain and simple things God calls me to do. There is peace, too, because I don’t have to be thinking up elaborate plans and schemes.
II Kings 16-25 Hezekiah held fast to God-- never loosened his grip—and obeyed to the letter what God had commanded. And God, for His part, held fast to him through all his adventures. I like the concept of my life being an adventure. I firmly believe that my life is only boring if I let it be. God has called me to adventurous, abundant living. My part is to hold tight to Him!
Friday, January 28, 2011
Friday, January 21, 2011
First Quarter Down!
Deuteronomy 24-34 Remember where you came from. Remember your deliverance, and don’t swerve an inch to the right or the left from the words I command you. This journey He has me on isn’t too much for me. It’s not out of my reach. Love God. Walk in His ways. Keep His commandments so that we will live—really live—exuberantly and blessed by God in the land I am about to possess.
Be strong. Take courage. Don’t be intimidated. Don’t give them a second thought b/c God is striding ahead of you. He won’t let you down. He won’t leave you. Awesome words of comfort and courage.
Joshua 1-14 Ponder & meditate on God’s Word day & night, making sure you practice EVERYTHING WRITTEN IN IT. Strength! Courage! Don’t be timid; don’t get discouraged. God is with you every step.
When they crossed the Jordan, they had to get their feet wet before the water receded. They had to STEP OUT in faith.
Joshua, Moses protégé, also had a time when he was to take off his sandals because he was on holy ground. As we follow God, He gives us our own personal experiences with Him. We don’t’ have to live off the experiences of others.
Joshua used common sense when fighting some battles & didn’t consult God. He was defeated. How often do I use my common sense in a situation, and then wonder what went wrong?
I love Caleb. He was 85 & felt as strong as ever. His 40 years in the desert hadn’t taken their toll on his spirit. He was looking forward to the next conquest, not bemoaning the effects of the unbelievers in his life. He wanted to take the high country, and not settle for less. What an example.
Joshua 15- Judges 4 Story and detail are important in the Bible. Thru these we can see how quickly we slip out of step with God, even though we say we won’t. And it always seems to start by disregarding a part of God’s plan. Partial obedience is disobedience.
You can’t ever put your enemies to work for you. You must get rid of them. No compromising.
Judges 5-15 I love the story of Deborah, the judge, but often wonder why a woman was called to bring peace and order back to Israel for a season. Was it because there was no man that could be found by God to do His bidding?
Gideon was openly afraid, but he still did what God commanded. THEN God’s Spirit came over him. Gideon was aware that it was God’s power doing the work—not him. But later on, he made a monument to commemorate his successes. And he became seduced by it. We must always be careful to give God all the glory for everything, and never believe our own press.
The whole story of Samson just shows how much I don’t understand the workings of God in so many areas. But one thing I am seeing through all these stories is how important it is to be open and honest with our families.
Judges 16- I Samuel 3 I am so thankful that I don’t have to live in a way that seems good to me. I would mess up every time. I have the revealed Word of God to show me how to live out my daily life. And if my life seems mundane and very ordinary, like Ruth must have seen her life, I can realize that I may never know what part I am playing by living in daily obedience to the much larger plan of God. I often become trapped in the Plan of Sharon, that doesn’t seem to go as I want. Lord, help me to never do what seems best to me, but to always seek Your face.
From the Intro to I & II Samuel: Our ego-bound experience is too small a context in which to understand & experience what it means to believe in God. My life becomes large as I live in the largeness of God. God is the country in which I should live. We should not see God in our stories, but see our story in God’s! God is the larger context & plot in which our stories find themselves.
I Samuel 4-15 Eli was very passive when told God’s judgment against his sons. Apparently, he did nothing to change their ways. History shows that God may have withdrawn His judgment on them if Eli had prayed and obeyed God’s direction. Instead, much time went by before they were killed, and Eli just sat around and got fat. When he received news of their death, he died. A sad commentary on his desire to plead before God for his sons—he didn’t. Lord, may it not be said of me that I didn’t bring my sons before Your throne to plead their case.
Saul wanted to be just like everybody else. He would also take things into his own hands. I don’t want to do that ever again.
God used Jonathan and his armor bearer to defeat the enemy in a very unusual way, because they stepped up and dared to try something for God. It wasn’t ‘normal’ or ‘battle as usual’. Saul always wanted things to look right, but Jonathan wanted to see God’s work done. Because of Jonathan’s faith (& his adventurous spirit!) he was successful in his fight.
I want to be a Jonathan, not a Saul. Saul always cared deeply about what people thought and how things looked. Jonathan wanted to do God’s business, even when it didn’t look normal.
I Samuel 16-28 Inexperience doesn’t mean you are not called to do a job. God used other experiences in his life to train David for his victory against Goliath. And David knew success could only come if God empowered him. David ran toward his problem, he didn’t wait for it to get to him. God’s ways are always different than our ways & it seems His time is always much later than mine. Shows me the importance of honoring God and living for Him in the dailiness of our lives. Day in, day out, obeying and loving Him, even when we don’t see Him at work. We can know He is.
Deuteronomy 24-34 Remember where you came from. Remember your deliverance, and don’t swerve an inch to the right or the left from the words I command you. This journey He has me on isn’t too much for me. It’s not out of my reach. Love God. Walk in His ways. Keep His commandments so that we will live—really live—exuberantly and blessed by God in the land I am about to possess.
Be strong. Take courage. Don’t be intimidated. Don’t give them a second thought b/c God is striding ahead of you. He won’t let you down. He won’t leave you. Awesome words of comfort and courage.
Joshua 1-14 Ponder & meditate on God’s Word day & night, making sure you practice EVERYTHING WRITTEN IN IT. Strength! Courage! Don’t be timid; don’t get discouraged. God is with you every step.
When they crossed the Jordan, they had to get their feet wet before the water receded. They had to STEP OUT in faith.
Joshua, Moses protégé, also had a time when he was to take off his sandals because he was on holy ground. As we follow God, He gives us our own personal experiences with Him. We don’t’ have to live off the experiences of others.
Joshua used common sense when fighting some battles & didn’t consult God. He was defeated. How often do I use my common sense in a situation, and then wonder what went wrong?
I love Caleb. He was 85 & felt as strong as ever. His 40 years in the desert hadn’t taken their toll on his spirit. He was looking forward to the next conquest, not bemoaning the effects of the unbelievers in his life. He wanted to take the high country, and not settle for less. What an example.
Joshua 15- Judges 4 Story and detail are important in the Bible. Thru these we can see how quickly we slip out of step with God, even though we say we won’t. And it always seems to start by disregarding a part of God’s plan. Partial obedience is disobedience.
You can’t ever put your enemies to work for you. You must get rid of them. No compromising.
Judges 5-15 I love the story of Deborah, the judge, but often wonder why a woman was called to bring peace and order back to Israel for a season. Was it because there was no man that could be found by God to do His bidding?
Gideon was openly afraid, but he still did what God commanded. THEN God’s Spirit came over him. Gideon was aware that it was God’s power doing the work—not him. But later on, he made a monument to commemorate his successes. And he became seduced by it. We must always be careful to give God all the glory for everything, and never believe our own press.
The whole story of Samson just shows how much I don’t understand the workings of God in so many areas. But one thing I am seeing through all these stories is how important it is to be open and honest with our families.
Judges 16- I Samuel 3 I am so thankful that I don’t have to live in a way that seems good to me. I would mess up every time. I have the revealed Word of God to show me how to live out my daily life. And if my life seems mundane and very ordinary, like Ruth must have seen her life, I can realize that I may never know what part I am playing by living in daily obedience to the much larger plan of God. I often become trapped in the Plan of Sharon, that doesn’t seem to go as I want. Lord, help me to never do what seems best to me, but to always seek Your face.
From the Intro to I & II Samuel: Our ego-bound experience is too small a context in which to understand & experience what it means to believe in God. My life becomes large as I live in the largeness of God. God is the country in which I should live. We should not see God in our stories, but see our story in God’s! God is the larger context & plot in which our stories find themselves.
I Samuel 4-15 Eli was very passive when told God’s judgment against his sons. Apparently, he did nothing to change their ways. History shows that God may have withdrawn His judgment on them if Eli had prayed and obeyed God’s direction. Instead, much time went by before they were killed, and Eli just sat around and got fat. When he received news of their death, he died. A sad commentary on his desire to plead before God for his sons—he didn’t. Lord, may it not be said of me that I didn’t bring my sons before Your throne to plead their case.
Saul wanted to be just like everybody else. He would also take things into his own hands. I don’t want to do that ever again.
God used Jonathan and his armor bearer to defeat the enemy in a very unusual way, because they stepped up and dared to try something for God. It wasn’t ‘normal’ or ‘battle as usual’. Saul always wanted things to look right, but Jonathan wanted to see God’s work done. Because of Jonathan’s faith (& his adventurous spirit!) he was successful in his fight.
I want to be a Jonathan, not a Saul. Saul always cared deeply about what people thought and how things looked. Jonathan wanted to do God’s business, even when it didn’t look normal.
I Samuel 16-28 Inexperience doesn’t mean you are not called to do a job. God used other experiences in his life to train David for his victory against Goliath. And David knew success could only come if God empowered him. David ran toward his problem, he didn’t wait for it to get to him. God’s ways are always different than our ways & it seems His time is always much later than mine. Shows me the importance of honoring God and living for Him in the dailiness of our lives. Day in, day out, obeying and loving Him, even when we don’t see Him at work. We can know He is.
Be strong. Take courage. Don’t be intimidated. Don’t give them a second thought b/c God is striding ahead of you. He won’t let you down. He won’t leave you. Awesome words of comfort and courage.
Joshua 1-14 Ponder & meditate on God’s Word day & night, making sure you practice EVERYTHING WRITTEN IN IT. Strength! Courage! Don’t be timid; don’t get discouraged. God is with you every step.
When they crossed the Jordan, they had to get their feet wet before the water receded. They had to STEP OUT in faith.
Joshua, Moses protégé, also had a time when he was to take off his sandals because he was on holy ground. As we follow God, He gives us our own personal experiences with Him. We don’t’ have to live off the experiences of others.
Joshua used common sense when fighting some battles & didn’t consult God. He was defeated. How often do I use my common sense in a situation, and then wonder what went wrong?
I love Caleb. He was 85 & felt as strong as ever. His 40 years in the desert hadn’t taken their toll on his spirit. He was looking forward to the next conquest, not bemoaning the effects of the unbelievers in his life. He wanted to take the high country, and not settle for less. What an example.
Joshua 15- Judges 4 Story and detail are important in the Bible. Thru these we can see how quickly we slip out of step with God, even though we say we won’t. And it always seems to start by disregarding a part of God’s plan. Partial obedience is disobedience.
You can’t ever put your enemies to work for you. You must get rid of them. No compromising.
Judges 5-15 I love the story of Deborah, the judge, but often wonder why a woman was called to bring peace and order back to Israel for a season. Was it because there was no man that could be found by God to do His bidding?
Gideon was openly afraid, but he still did what God commanded. THEN God’s Spirit came over him. Gideon was aware that it was God’s power doing the work—not him. But later on, he made a monument to commemorate his successes. And he became seduced by it. We must always be careful to give God all the glory for everything, and never believe our own press.
The whole story of Samson just shows how much I don’t understand the workings of God in so many areas. But one thing I am seeing through all these stories is how important it is to be open and honest with our families.
Judges 16- I Samuel 3 I am so thankful that I don’t have to live in a way that seems good to me. I would mess up every time. I have the revealed Word of God to show me how to live out my daily life. And if my life seems mundane and very ordinary, like Ruth must have seen her life, I can realize that I may never know what part I am playing by living in daily obedience to the much larger plan of God. I often become trapped in the Plan of Sharon, that doesn’t seem to go as I want. Lord, help me to never do what seems best to me, but to always seek Your face.
From the Intro to I & II Samuel: Our ego-bound experience is too small a context in which to understand & experience what it means to believe in God. My life becomes large as I live in the largeness of God. God is the country in which I should live. We should not see God in our stories, but see our story in God’s! God is the larger context & plot in which our stories find themselves.
I Samuel 4-15 Eli was very passive when told God’s judgment against his sons. Apparently, he did nothing to change their ways. History shows that God may have withdrawn His judgment on them if Eli had prayed and obeyed God’s direction. Instead, much time went by before they were killed, and Eli just sat around and got fat. When he received news of their death, he died. A sad commentary on his desire to plead before God for his sons—he didn’t. Lord, may it not be said of me that I didn’t bring my sons before Your throne to plead their case.
Saul wanted to be just like everybody else. He would also take things into his own hands. I don’t want to do that ever again.
God used Jonathan and his armor bearer to defeat the enemy in a very unusual way, because they stepped up and dared to try something for God. It wasn’t ‘normal’ or ‘battle as usual’. Saul always wanted things to look right, but Jonathan wanted to see God’s work done. Because of Jonathan’s faith (& his adventurous spirit!) he was successful in his fight.
I want to be a Jonathan, not a Saul. Saul always cared deeply about what people thought and how things looked. Jonathan wanted to do God’s business, even when it didn’t look normal.
I Samuel 16-28 Inexperience doesn’t mean you are not called to do a job. God used other experiences in his life to train David for his victory against Goliath. And David knew success could only come if God empowered him. David ran toward his problem, he didn’t wait for it to get to him. God’s ways are always different than our ways & it seems His time is always much later than mine. Shows me the importance of honoring God and living for Him in the dailiness of our lives. Day in, day out, obeying and loving Him, even when we don’t see Him at work. We can know He is.
Deuteronomy 24-34 Remember where you came from. Remember your deliverance, and don’t swerve an inch to the right or the left from the words I command you. This journey He has me on isn’t too much for me. It’s not out of my reach. Love God. Walk in His ways. Keep His commandments so that we will live—really live—exuberantly and blessed by God in the land I am about to possess.
Be strong. Take courage. Don’t be intimidated. Don’t give them a second thought b/c God is striding ahead of you. He won’t let you down. He won’t leave you. Awesome words of comfort and courage.
Joshua 1-14 Ponder & meditate on God’s Word day & night, making sure you practice EVERYTHING WRITTEN IN IT. Strength! Courage! Don’t be timid; don’t get discouraged. God is with you every step.
When they crossed the Jordan, they had to get their feet wet before the water receded. They had to STEP OUT in faith.
Joshua, Moses protégé, also had a time when he was to take off his sandals because he was on holy ground. As we follow God, He gives us our own personal experiences with Him. We don’t’ have to live off the experiences of others.
Joshua used common sense when fighting some battles & didn’t consult God. He was defeated. How often do I use my common sense in a situation, and then wonder what went wrong?
I love Caleb. He was 85 & felt as strong as ever. His 40 years in the desert hadn’t taken their toll on his spirit. He was looking forward to the next conquest, not bemoaning the effects of the unbelievers in his life. He wanted to take the high country, and not settle for less. What an example.
Joshua 15- Judges 4 Story and detail are important in the Bible. Thru these we can see how quickly we slip out of step with God, even though we say we won’t. And it always seems to start by disregarding a part of God’s plan. Partial obedience is disobedience.
You can’t ever put your enemies to work for you. You must get rid of them. No compromising.
Judges 5-15 I love the story of Deborah, the judge, but often wonder why a woman was called to bring peace and order back to Israel for a season. Was it because there was no man that could be found by God to do His bidding?
Gideon was openly afraid, but he still did what God commanded. THEN God’s Spirit came over him. Gideon was aware that it was God’s power doing the work—not him. But later on, he made a monument to commemorate his successes. And he became seduced by it. We must always be careful to give God all the glory for everything, and never believe our own press.
The whole story of Samson just shows how much I don’t understand the workings of God in so many areas. But one thing I am seeing through all these stories is how important it is to be open and honest with our families.
Judges 16- I Samuel 3 I am so thankful that I don’t have to live in a way that seems good to me. I would mess up every time. I have the revealed Word of God to show me how to live out my daily life. And if my life seems mundane and very ordinary, like Ruth must have seen her life, I can realize that I may never know what part I am playing by living in daily obedience to the much larger plan of God. I often become trapped in the Plan of Sharon, that doesn’t seem to go as I want. Lord, help me to never do what seems best to me, but to always seek Your face.
From the Intro to I & II Samuel: Our ego-bound experience is too small a context in which to understand & experience what it means to believe in God. My life becomes large as I live in the largeness of God. God is the country in which I should live. We should not see God in our stories, but see our story in God’s! God is the larger context & plot in which our stories find themselves.
I Samuel 4-15 Eli was very passive when told God’s judgment against his sons. Apparently, he did nothing to change their ways. History shows that God may have withdrawn His judgment on them if Eli had prayed and obeyed God’s direction. Instead, much time went by before they were killed, and Eli just sat around and got fat. When he received news of their death, he died. A sad commentary on his desire to plead before God for his sons—he didn’t. Lord, may it not be said of me that I didn’t bring my sons before Your throne to plead their case.
Saul wanted to be just like everybody else. He would also take things into his own hands. I don’t want to do that ever again.
God used Jonathan and his armor bearer to defeat the enemy in a very unusual way, because they stepped up and dared to try something for God. It wasn’t ‘normal’ or ‘battle as usual’. Saul always wanted things to look right, but Jonathan wanted to see God’s work done. Because of Jonathan’s faith (& his adventurous spirit!) he was successful in his fight.
I want to be a Jonathan, not a Saul. Saul always cared deeply about what people thought and how things looked. Jonathan wanted to do God’s business, even when it didn’t look normal.
I Samuel 16-28 Inexperience doesn’t mean you are not called to do a job. God used other experiences in his life to train David for his victory against Goliath. And David knew success could only come if God empowered him. David ran toward his problem, he didn’t wait for it to get to him. God’s ways are always different than our ways & it seems His time is always much later than mine. Shows me the importance of honoring God and living for Him in the dailiness of our lives. Day in, day out, obeying and loving Him, even when we don’t see Him at work. We can know He is.
Friday, January 14, 2011
Week 2
Leviticus 16-26 Gad hates uncleanness, and He has a plan to get rid of it. Something that is holy is “set apart”. Set yourselves apart for a holy life. Live a holy life, b/c I am God, your God. DO what I tell you. I am the God who makes you holy.—Every action has a consequence. -- If I obey God’s decrees, He’ll set up residence in my neighborhood; He’ll stroll through my streets!
Leviticus 27-Numbers 8 God is very serious about how He should be worshiped. Every human circumstance is His concern & He has a way to deal with it. It seems harsh too me sometimes and that makes me realize that He takes holiness more seriously than I do. Time to adjust.
Numbers 9-21 I am(impatiently) waiting right now, and when I read about the Cloud, which was God’s presence, hovering over the Dwelling, it said it made no difference if the Cloud hovered 2 days or a month, or a year. They camped at God’s command, and the marched at God’s command. They lived obediently. A lesson right there...
Lord, I want You to speak to me like you did Moses---intimately…in plain talk without riddles.
When going to a new place, assess the people, observe the land, describe the towns. In other words, don’t do a lot of talking, pay attention to what’s going on around me.
God doesn’t like grumbling and complaining. He REALLY doesn’t like it!
Moses was called the most humble man on earth, and yet his anger (& stealing God’s glory) kept him from the Promised Land. Sobering thought. But even after this, God used him. What grace.
Numbers 22-36 If I don’t get rid of every last part of my enemy, it will always be giving me trouble. I can name some of them—laziness, gluttony, self-pity..
Deuteronomy 1-14 Just as God said to the Israelites, “I’ve given you this land. Now go and take it.” He has given me peace and freedom, but I need to go and take it. There is always my part to do in this life He has given me.
God said, “You’ve been going around in circles in these hills long enough; go north.” Lord, I’m tired of going in circles. Show me how to be effective and productive in what You have given me to do. And let me be relentless in the pursuit, Lord. Stay vigilant as long as you live. It’s always too soon to quit! Don’t ever forget that you were slaves. I want to remember what I’ve been delivered from.
Deuteronomy 15-23 Always be generous. God told them never to go back to Egypt again. (I want to remember this as I keep reading their history.) I must always be purging the evil from my life. Keep my “camp” holy; don’t permit anything indecent or offensive in God’s eyes. When you make a vow to God, don’t put off keeping it. You promised it, so do it.
Leviticus 27-Numbers 8 God is very serious about how He should be worshiped. Every human circumstance is His concern & He has a way to deal with it. It seems harsh too me sometimes and that makes me realize that He takes holiness more seriously than I do. Time to adjust.
Numbers 9-21 I am(impatiently) waiting right now, and when I read about the Cloud, which was God’s presence, hovering over the Dwelling, it said it made no difference if the Cloud hovered 2 days or a month, or a year. They camped at God’s command, and the marched at God’s command. They lived obediently. A lesson right there...
Lord, I want You to speak to me like you did Moses---intimately…in plain talk without riddles.
When going to a new place, assess the people, observe the land, describe the towns. In other words, don’t do a lot of talking, pay attention to what’s going on around me.
God doesn’t like grumbling and complaining. He REALLY doesn’t like it!
Moses was called the most humble man on earth, and yet his anger (& stealing God’s glory) kept him from the Promised Land. Sobering thought. But even after this, God used him. What grace.
Numbers 22-36 If I don’t get rid of every last part of my enemy, it will always be giving me trouble. I can name some of them—laziness, gluttony, self-pity..
Deuteronomy 1-14 Just as God said to the Israelites, “I’ve given you this land. Now go and take it.” He has given me peace and freedom, but I need to go and take it. There is always my part to do in this life He has given me.
God said, “You’ve been going around in circles in these hills long enough; go north.” Lord, I’m tired of going in circles. Show me how to be effective and productive in what You have given me to do. And let me be relentless in the pursuit, Lord. Stay vigilant as long as you live. It’s always too soon to quit! Don’t ever forget that you were slaves. I want to remember what I’ve been delivered from.
Deuteronomy 15-23 Always be generous. God told them never to go back to Egypt again. (I want to remember this as I keep reading their history.) I must always be purging the evil from my life. Keep my “camp” holy; don’t permit anything indecent or offensive in God’s eyes. When you make a vow to God, don’t put off keeping it. You promised it, so do it.
Saturday, January 8, 2011
First Week-Read the Bible in 90 Days
We see different things when we read through the Bible in various ways. As I'm reading about 14 chapters a day, I see trends a little better, and have generalized thoughts that impact my life today. Here's what I found this week:
I'm reading The Message, and this thought was in the intro: the most important ? we ask as we read is not, "what does it mean", but "how can I live it"? That's my goal for these 90 days.
Genesis 1-16: First diet for humans was whatever grows out of the ground. It wasn't until after Noah landed the ark, that God gave 'all living creatures' for food. (Not profound, but I'm considering being a vegetarian!) Enoch walked steadily with God. Noah did everything God told him. Abram followed God's direction even when he didn't know where he was going.
Genesis 17-28: Live entirely before Me. How can I learn to do that? Lot was saved and delivered from destruction, but he didn't want to go where the angels told him, and they were his deliverers! He settled for Smalltown. I don't want to settle, Lord!
Genesis 29-40: Women sure didn't have much value in the eyes of the men.
Genesis 40-50: God was working in everything that happened to Joseph, even tho to everyone else, it sure didn't look like it. All that time that passed in Joseph's life produced character & a deeper relationship with God. Family has the ability to hurt us deeply, but God can use that hurt to grow us. Even when we are not where we want to be, God is growing and molding us.
Exodus 1-15: Time is always a big factor. And God's time never seems to match mine. When Moses & Aaron were showing Pharoah signs from God, Pharoah's magicians could duplicate some of them. A reminder that the devil can come as an angel of light, and I must be on the alert! If we obey the Lord, we can leave our captivity with great riches.
Exodus 16-28: Two things: how quickly we complain. Straight from being miraculously delivered out of a life-long bondage to complaining about the food! (How often does food get us into trouble?) When I complain, that complaint is against God (not the situation), & how He's handling things. Like I could do so much better! A new thought as I was reading thru the instructions for the Tabernacle was that it seems like they used the gifts they had received as they came out of bondage to build a place to show honor and glory to God. Actually, God directed them to use these gifts in a way that brought honor and glory to Him. Application: as I am delivered from (my)bondage, I am taking precious truth and gifts with me, & I should use what I have learned to bring honor & glory to the One who delivers me!
Exodus 29-40: How much I can be like an Israelite. They couldn't wait to hear from God, so they made their own gods & paid a dear price for that. Once they were given clear and specific directions, they were all a part of the building process, but waiting was their downfall. Another thing, God sees importance in order and detail. He may lose patience with me & discipline me, but He will never throw up His hands & say "Whatever"!
Leviticus 1-15: God cares about EVERY DETAIL of my life.
Now, to "live it" in the coming week!
I'm reading The Message, and this thought was in the intro: the most important ? we ask as we read is not, "what does it mean", but "how can I live it"? That's my goal for these 90 days.
Genesis 1-16: First diet for humans was whatever grows out of the ground. It wasn't until after Noah landed the ark, that God gave 'all living creatures' for food. (Not profound, but I'm considering being a vegetarian!) Enoch walked steadily with God. Noah did everything God told him. Abram followed God's direction even when he didn't know where he was going.
Genesis 17-28: Live entirely before Me. How can I learn to do that? Lot was saved and delivered from destruction, but he didn't want to go where the angels told him, and they were his deliverers! He settled for Smalltown. I don't want to settle, Lord!
Genesis 29-40: Women sure didn't have much value in the eyes of the men.
Genesis 40-50: God was working in everything that happened to Joseph, even tho to everyone else, it sure didn't look like it. All that time that passed in Joseph's life produced character & a deeper relationship with God. Family has the ability to hurt us deeply, but God can use that hurt to grow us. Even when we are not where we want to be, God is growing and molding us.
Exodus 1-15: Time is always a big factor. And God's time never seems to match mine. When Moses & Aaron were showing Pharoah signs from God, Pharoah's magicians could duplicate some of them. A reminder that the devil can come as an angel of light, and I must be on the alert! If we obey the Lord, we can leave our captivity with great riches.
Exodus 16-28: Two things: how quickly we complain. Straight from being miraculously delivered out of a life-long bondage to complaining about the food! (How often does food get us into trouble?) When I complain, that complaint is against God (not the situation), & how He's handling things. Like I could do so much better! A new thought as I was reading thru the instructions for the Tabernacle was that it seems like they used the gifts they had received as they came out of bondage to build a place to show honor and glory to God. Actually, God directed them to use these gifts in a way that brought honor and glory to Him. Application: as I am delivered from (my)bondage, I am taking precious truth and gifts with me, & I should use what I have learned to bring honor & glory to the One who delivers me!
Exodus 29-40: How much I can be like an Israelite. They couldn't wait to hear from God, so they made their own gods & paid a dear price for that. Once they were given clear and specific directions, they were all a part of the building process, but waiting was their downfall. Another thing, God sees importance in order and detail. He may lose patience with me & discipline me, but He will never throw up His hands & say "Whatever"!
Leviticus 1-15: God cares about EVERY DETAIL of my life.
Now, to "live it" in the coming week!
Tuesday, December 28, 2010
10 Simplicity Principles
Re-reading that classic, Celebration of Discipline, by Foster. Struck again by how hard it is to make simplicity a way of life. Made these notes to myself:
1-Buy things for their usefulness, rather than their status.
2-Reject anything that is producing an addiction in you. How do I see an addiction? Watch for
undisciplined compulsions.
3-Develop the habit of giving things away.
4-Refuse to be propagandized by the custodians of modern gadgetry.
5-Learn to enjoy things without owning them.
6-Develop a deeper appreciation for creation.
7-Beware of all "buy now, pay later" schemes.
8-Obey Jesus' instruction about plain, honest speech. See Matt. 5:37
9-Reject anything that breeds oppression of others. Do I demand products that exploit the
poor? Do I feel certain tasks are beneath me, and yet require others to do them?
10-Shun anything that keeps me from seeking first the Kingdom of God.
May God give me the courage, the wisdom, and the strength always to hold the Kingdom of God as the number one priority in my life. To do so, is to live in simplicity.
1-Buy things for their usefulness, rather than their status.
2-Reject anything that is producing an addiction in you. How do I see an addiction? Watch for
undisciplined compulsions.
3-Develop the habit of giving things away.
4-Refuse to be propagandized by the custodians of modern gadgetry.
5-Learn to enjoy things without owning them.
6-Develop a deeper appreciation for creation.
7-Beware of all "buy now, pay later" schemes.
8-Obey Jesus' instruction about plain, honest speech. See Matt. 5:37
9-Reject anything that breeds oppression of others. Do I demand products that exploit the
poor? Do I feel certain tasks are beneath me, and yet require others to do them?
10-Shun anything that keeps me from seeking first the Kingdom of God.
May God give me the courage, the wisdom, and the strength always to hold the Kingdom of God as the number one priority in my life. To do so, is to live in simplicity.
Sunday, December 26, 2010
Reflections
The week between Christmas and New Year's is always "Reflection" week for me. I have always been a goal-oriented person. That means lists, plans, programs, schedules and the like. So it goes without saying that I am a great fan of New Year's Resolutions. I start out with a bang, and plunge ahead. But like many others, my completion list is abysmal. I think one of the things I liked the most about running marathons was the great feeling of satisfaction of setting up a training schedule, and following through. In my book, the "runner's high" is vastly overrated, but I did love getting a job done.
Not so for most of my other resolutions, though. Through the years, the same 5 or so goals have been posted--so that tells you I never completed them. That's what makes my goal for 2010 so special to me. Last year, my attempt was to simplify in my spiritual walk. It was to not be driven to complete a certain amount of studies, or even do a study. My goal was to take my time with the Lord and see what He wanted to teach me if I would slow down and listen. One of the things He told me to do was to cut way back on my fiction reading. I was to limit myself to one novel a month. That was going to be HARD. I already had at least a half dozen novels I wanted to read, and couldn't imagine only one every 4 weeks! January was hard, and I couldn't wait til the first day of February, to start my book. I read it in about a day, and planned my March book. But something began to happen in those times between novels. I was thinking about my real life and situations, not waiting to race to my world of make-believe stories. My mind slowed down, and felt less cluttered.
Fast forward to December, and I only read 5 novels this year. I treated myself to a legal thriller by Robert Whitlow, and it was fun to read, but not nearly like before. Sounds funny, but I have learned that the characters in the books aren't real people, and the Lord has put real people in my life that have worth and value. And they matter.
So, 2010 is the only year that I can look back on, and remember a resolution that has made a real difference in my life. I'm looking forward to this week, to see what the Lord has in store for me in 2011.
Not so for most of my other resolutions, though. Through the years, the same 5 or so goals have been posted--so that tells you I never completed them. That's what makes my goal for 2010 so special to me. Last year, my attempt was to simplify in my spiritual walk. It was to not be driven to complete a certain amount of studies, or even do a study. My goal was to take my time with the Lord and see what He wanted to teach me if I would slow down and listen. One of the things He told me to do was to cut way back on my fiction reading. I was to limit myself to one novel a month. That was going to be HARD. I already had at least a half dozen novels I wanted to read, and couldn't imagine only one every 4 weeks! January was hard, and I couldn't wait til the first day of February, to start my book. I read it in about a day, and planned my March book. But something began to happen in those times between novels. I was thinking about my real life and situations, not waiting to race to my world of make-believe stories. My mind slowed down, and felt less cluttered.
Fast forward to December, and I only read 5 novels this year. I treated myself to a legal thriller by Robert Whitlow, and it was fun to read, but not nearly like before. Sounds funny, but I have learned that the characters in the books aren't real people, and the Lord has put real people in my life that have worth and value. And they matter.
So, 2010 is the only year that I can look back on, and remember a resolution that has made a real difference in my life. I'm looking forward to this week, to see what the Lord has in store for me in 2011.
Saturday, August 21, 2010
Slow Movin'
More than 2 months since I've put thoughts to paper. Virtual paper, I guess. Have I been way too busy, or am I a little less compulsive? Maybe both.
An unexpected by-product of my attempts to simplify has surprised me. I think I may be learning how to be a friend. I wouldn't admit it, but I am guilty of being a "surface" friend. I justify this by saying my personalty type doesn't really need many friends, so I don't bother much with it.
This revelation has evolved because I am trying to really BE in the moment I find myself. I have quit reading most fiction because I found for me it was a way to put off doing more important things. Now, since I'm not always finishing up a book, I'm learning to engage in different ways. One way is that I don't take along a book to read when Stan & I are going somewhere. I am actually trying a little harder at conversation. More than just, "I'm hungry, how about you" or "Want me to drive for a while?" I'm not saying we have deep thought-provoking conversations every time we hop in the pick-up, but at least I don't immediately stick my nose in a book.
Where before I used up bits of time in a novel, now I look for other options. This has taken the form of notes in the mail, phone conversations, and the like.
Last week, I went to camp with our WATW students, and I decided to try something different. Actually, the Lord prompted me to do it differently, because my first thought was to use pool time and free time for a good book--I did deserve a break, after all! But He took me to a verse in Galatians (5:9) "A little yeast spreads through the whole batch of dough,"---and offered me a challenge. I know it's out of context, but this verse prompted me to be a little "yeast" of encouragement and investing in others, rather than doing my own thing.
I used this challenge to speak more encouragement into staff and students, to play some card games, to help in the kitchen, even introduce the sport of kayaking to a few people! The result? I know 13 people a little more than I did before. Does that please the Lord? I think maybe more than if I had just read a book--even a good book!
Change is hard for me, especially in the area of "my" time, but I think I'm growing. Even though it's sometimes uncomfortable, I like the feeling. A pastor I admire once said that if we want to be actively engaged in Kingdom work, we need to get comfortable being uncomfortable. I'm workin' on it!
Lest you think I've given up books all together, today I found a used bookstore in Cleveland I'd not known about. Spent a great hour or so there, with plans to go back. And yes, I did enlarge my library by a few volumes.
An unexpected by-product of my attempts to simplify has surprised me. I think I may be learning how to be a friend. I wouldn't admit it, but I am guilty of being a "surface" friend. I justify this by saying my personalty type doesn't really need many friends, so I don't bother much with it.
This revelation has evolved because I am trying to really BE in the moment I find myself. I have quit reading most fiction because I found for me it was a way to put off doing more important things. Now, since I'm not always finishing up a book, I'm learning to engage in different ways. One way is that I don't take along a book to read when Stan & I are going somewhere. I am actually trying a little harder at conversation. More than just, "I'm hungry, how about you" or "Want me to drive for a while?" I'm not saying we have deep thought-provoking conversations every time we hop in the pick-up, but at least I don't immediately stick my nose in a book.
Where before I used up bits of time in a novel, now I look for other options. This has taken the form of notes in the mail, phone conversations, and the like.
Last week, I went to camp with our WATW students, and I decided to try something different. Actually, the Lord prompted me to do it differently, because my first thought was to use pool time and free time for a good book--I did deserve a break, after all! But He took me to a verse in Galatians (5:9) "A little yeast spreads through the whole batch of dough,"---and offered me a challenge. I know it's out of context, but this verse prompted me to be a little "yeast" of encouragement and investing in others, rather than doing my own thing.
I used this challenge to speak more encouragement into staff and students, to play some card games, to help in the kitchen, even introduce the sport of kayaking to a few people! The result? I know 13 people a little more than I did before. Does that please the Lord? I think maybe more than if I had just read a book--even a good book!
Change is hard for me, especially in the area of "my" time, but I think I'm growing. Even though it's sometimes uncomfortable, I like the feeling. A pastor I admire once said that if we want to be actively engaged in Kingdom work, we need to get comfortable being uncomfortable. I'm workin' on it!
Lest you think I've given up books all together, today I found a used bookstore in Cleveland I'd not known about. Spent a great hour or so there, with plans to go back. And yes, I did enlarge my library by a few volumes.
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