2018-11-28 I Thess 1:7

There was a lot of talk about lifestyle evangelism a few years back.  Here is a verse that highlights that principle.

Your lives are echoing the Master’s Word, not only in the provinces but all over the place. The news of your faith in God is out. We don’t even have to say anything anymore—you’re the message! 

This is in no way a freedom to refrain from speaking the gospel, but living it is also very powerful.  I will have to think about how I can make the living gospel more a part of my life.

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2018-11-26 Acts 17 and 18

This passage details some of the hardships and resistance that Paul experienced in Thessalonica, Berea, Athens, and Corinth.  One of the interesting stories is the discussion he had about the "unknown" God.  He was a great apologist but still took a lot of abuse.  The encouragement he got in a vision - "stick with it" is good for us as well.  Even when we don't see evident results, God is still working in ways we don't see.

17:11 -  “Keep it up, and don’t let anyone intimidate or silence you. No matter what happens, I’m with you and no one is going to be able to hurt you. You have no idea how many people I have on my side in this city.” That was all he needed to stick it out.

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2018-11-23 Thanksgiving

Our church hosts a Thanksgiving service each year.  It a great time of worship and reflection.  The speaker this year brought our attention to Genesis 3 - the serpent in the garden.  The point (drawn from Ann Voskamp - One Thousand Gifts) was that the primary sin in this scene was ungratefulness.  The corollary lesson is that a principle spiritual discipline needs to be gratefulness.  This is something that resonates with me.  I agree with him in that my tendency is to focus on challenges (things that I want to be better in myself and in the world around me).  It is a much better pattern to focus on good things.  Philippians 4:8 comes to mind.

Whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.

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2018-11-21 James 3 and 4

This is a very powerful message.  A healthy community is a major desire for me.  This is how to get it God's way.


17-18Real wisdom, God’s wisdom, begins with a holy life and is characterized by getting along with others. It is gentle and reasonable, overflowing with mercy and blessings, not hot one day and cold the next, not two-faced. You can develop a healthy, robust community that lives right with God and enjoy its results only if you do the hard work of getting along with each other, treating each other with dignity and honor.

Then we find this in chapter 4.  Purify your inner life by yelling a loud no to the Devil.

7-10So let God work his will in you. Yell a loud no to the Devil and watch him scamper. Say a quiet yes to God and he’ll be there in no time. Quit dabbling in sin. Purify your inner life. Quit playing the field. Hit bottom, and cry your eyes out. The fun and games are over. Get serious, really serious. Get down on your knees before the Master; it’s the only way you’ll get on your feet.

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2018-11-20 James 2

We have pretty much decided to move, largely because of the homeless impact on our neighborhood.  Then I read today in James 2:
5-7Listen, dear friends. Isn’t it clear by now that God operates quite differently? He chose the world’s down-and-out as the kingdom’s first citizens, with full rights and privileges. This kingdom is promised to anyone who loves God. And here you are abusing these same citizens! 

I don't think I am abusing them but I am certainly unsympathetic - maybe that's the same thing.

I think that I will need to find some way to serve the homeless.

This will be hard.

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Daniel 7-9

I was interested to be reminded of Daniel’s plea for forgiveness and acknowledgement of the sins of the people and God’s righteous wrath against them.  This is in the context of the prophecies that lay out the plan for the coming anointed one.

It is a good reminder that God makes the rules and the our success in life depends on following those rules.  My tendency is to try to get away with doing my own thing.

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Psalm 20 and Falling Upward by Richard Rohr

The verses that attract my attention in this Psalm are 7 and 8.

Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God.
They collapse and fall, but we rise and stand upright.

I think that "the name" of God embodies His attributes and character.  When we learn to rely on Him we will not fall.  How great is that?


I read (actually - browsed is more accurate)  Richard Rohr's Falling Upward : A Spirituality for the Two Halves of Life.  Holly and I are in the midst of considering what our lives after UPS will look like.  This was a book that had been recommended. Rohr is a Franciscan priest from New Mexico and is a celebrated writer and speaker.  He is clearly very bright and extremely well read but I had a hard time getting past what I perceived as a strong bent toward universalism.  By that, I mean that his concept of spiritual maturity embraced all religions.  There is a strong presence of scripture in his work but also eastern mysticism and Greek philosophy.  One of the premises is that failure is a necessary part of growth.  Thus, the title, "Falling Upward".  This is reminiscent of Brene Brown's work, which I like much more.  I don't recommend this book, although to be fair, I didn't read it carefully.  Also, it is important to learn from those of a different view so maybe I should try again with an approach to find the good.

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Psalm 19

Just like Psalm 18 there are familiar scripture choruses from this chapter, "The Law of the Lord" and "Let the Words of My Mouth".  The first song is notable for reminders of the value of scripture in our lives.  The tune is good but the match of tune to text is awkward.  This complaint reminds me of a fresh priority in my life that I have been trying to apply - in fact, one of my other blogs has as its title, "Finding the Good Things in Life".  I just violated that principle but decided not to rewrite this paragraph.  I will, however, continue with what I was noticing in the Psalm.  The effect of scripture when it is applied:
     Soul revival
     Wisdom
     Heart of rejoicing
     Enlightened eyes
     Permanence
     Total righteousnes
     Warning
     Great reward
Those are pretty incredible benefits and give strong motivation for making time in the Word a priority.

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Psalm 18

In my reading of Psalm 18 this morning I was struck by the many ways that David describes what God is to him in the first two verses (strength, rock, fortress, deliverer, God, rock, shield, horn of my salvation and stronghold).  Just like yesterdays Psalm, there is great security in recognizing the resources that He provides.

Psalm 18:1-3 (ESV)
¹  I love you, O LORD, my strength.
²  The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. 


This next verse, together with verse 46 (in King James) comprise an old scripture song the I like.

³  I will call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies.
⁴⁶  The LORD liveth; and blessed be my rock; and let the God of my salvation be exalted. 

Psalm 18:19 (ESV) 
¹⁹  He brought me out into a broad place; he rescued me, because he delighted in me. 



Verse 19 turned my thoughts to the place that I have in His heart.  This is beyond my comprehension but true anyway.  How is it possible that He delights in lowly me?

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Psalm 17

Today finds me in Victoria with my wife, considering the abundance of our blessings.  In reading Psalm 17, I was struck by verse 8 - "Keep me as the apple of your eye; hide me in the shadow of your wings."
My feelings were inclined toward security and thankfulness for God's regard for me (I am the center of His focus) and protection (I am hidden and sheltered from attack).

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Introduction

This is actually an old blog that I have neglected for a couple of years.  It is a place where I will share my thoughts from the things I have been reading - mostly scripture, although there are several thought provoking books on my shelf that I want to read and they will also prompt writing if things go around in my head as I expect.

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Psalm 66

This psalm is all about praising God for the great things He has done.  He has brought us through the dark times and into a place of rejoicing.  Verse 16 rang my bell:
Come and hear, all you who fear God,
and I will tell what he has done for my soul.

It is important for me to express what God has done for me.  My tendency is to keep silent, but that denies Him His due and is not OK.

Daily Report

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Psalm 60

Main ideas:
You have been angry and brought destruction.
Verse 1 - Restore us
Verse 5 - Give salvation and answer us
Verse 12 - With God we shall do valiantly, it is He who will tread down our foes.

We deserve and, in some sense, receive anger and destruction from God for our wrongdoing.  But still, we can plead for help, and, in the end, He triumphs for us.  Some of the in between times may be troublesome.

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Psalm 56

The first 12 verses describe all the trouble that is coming against the psalmist, but then things turn in verse 13:
For You have delivered my soul from death, yes, my feet from falling, that I may walk before God in the light of life.

Walking in the light of life is a terrific image and makes me feel that there is illumination and clarity in the path ahead.  When I can see clearly, the right choices are easier to follow.

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Psalm 55

I identify with verse 6 in my preference for isolation.
Oh that I had wings like a dove.  I would fly away and be at rest.

This is only part of the picture and has more to do with retreat and recovery from struggle - not avoidance, which is the source of my desire for isolation.

Verse 18 describes the battle and His involvement:
He redeems my soul in safety from the battle that I wage, for many are arrayed against me.

Verse 22 assures me of security:
Cast your burdens on the Lord and He will sustain you.  He will never permit the righteous to be moved.
I don't like to move, but my sense is driven by passivity - not stability.  They are very different.  I need to avoid fooling myself by thinking that they are similar.

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Psalm 54

Verses 4 and 7 resonate:
Surely, God is my help.  The Lord is the one who sustains me.
For He has delivered me from all my troubles, and my eyes have looked in triumph on my foes.

We are in a battle, but with God on our side, victory is assured.  He gives strength and endurance.

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Romans 12:1-2

I see three main ideas in these verses:
1. Submit your bodies
2. Renew your minds
3. Know the will of God

It is interesting to consider the role of bodily discipline leading to confidence in knowing God's will.  There is also a strong correlation in my thinking between diet and exercise leading to renewing the mind. On one hand, having a list of "to do" items may seem burdensome, but the effect is actually freedom.  Definitely counter intuitive.

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Psalm 51

This is a very familiar psalm, in fact verses 6 - 12 are part of my current memory program.  They focus on our sin and the cleaning that we need from our God.  What strikes me today is verse 13 - the result of allowing ourselves to be cleaned:
"Then I will teach transgressors your ways, and sinners will return to You."

This is a wonderful result and ties in nicely with the things I have been reading about - the idea that one of the elements of the healing process involves turning and helping others along the path that I have found.

Daily Report

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Psalm 42

The familiar phrase in this psalm is "Why are you cast down, O my soul."  The whole verse is repeated - vs 5 and vs 11.  The last part is a great comfort and encouragement -"Hope in God, for I shall again praise Him, my salvation and my God."
Distress and turmoil of soul are temporary conditions.  He is my salvation (past, present and future - a powerful deliverer from sin) and my God (the absolute and ultimate ruler of the kingdom that I live in).  I can be confident that the future is good and secure, in spite of present distress.

Daily report

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Psalm 41

This psalm seems to be mostly about vengeance but there is one nugget that stood out to me.  Verse 4 - "Be gracious to me.  Heal me, for I have sinned against You!"
It is an interesting concept that sinning against God produces injury and that we can come back to God and request healing to the injury that we created by sinning against Him.  What wondrous love it this, O my soul.

Daily report

By the way, one of the purposes of this blog exercise is to hold myself to a daily regime of meditation.  Even though the last blog and the next are all being published at the same time, I am copying from my notebook, not cheating to try to make my pattern look better.  By that, I mean that missing multiple days in the chapter sequences indicate that I have not been successful in my daily objective.

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