This is the day that the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.
– Psalm 118:24 (NRSV)
Category Archives: Bible
Good Friday
“He was buried…he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures.”
(1 Corinthians 15:4, NIV)
Mark 4:11-12
“To you has been given the secret of the kingdom of God, but for those outside, everything comes in parables; in order that “they may indeed look, but not perceive, and may indeed listen, but not understand.”- Mark 4:11-12 (NRSV)
Do you ever read scripture and feel perplexed? I do. And, this scripture happens to be one of those. What do you do at times like this? I often start talking with the scripture. In talking with this scripture I tend to hear; “communication for you is totally impossible with either the you or the those.” First, am I a you or a those? I hope I am a YOU! Therefore, I know and understand the secrets of God’s kingdom. Now, how do I identify the those? Seemly, anyone outside the Kingdom of God. They sure have a comprehensible problem wouldn’t you say?
Now what?
Flames of Fire
Have you ever sat quietly in front of a fireplace, a candle or open fire roasting marshmallows while contemplating; Psalm 104:4b “He makes His ministers flames of fire .” (Also, see Hebrews 1:7)
That is God’s open fire potential opinion of us! Are we a steady burning Blue Flame? A fire with Rose glow? A Flying Spark as I am now seeing in my burning fireplace? It only takes a love spark to get a fire going!
I, now, have battery operated candles even flickering ones sitting all around. They are pretty, give nice contained light and safer but it’s NOT a burning flame. As, I pause to gaze upon both, a fake candle sitting nicely on my mantle above a hot burning fireplace, this early Sunday Morn, one reminds me of being lukewarm in fervor to Christ. While the other reminds me of being burning hot flames with sparks for Christ. An Angel warned us in Revelation 3:15-16, not to be lukewarm!
Jealousy and Envy
Have you ever experienced envy and jealousy either from yourself to others or others to you? In reading these (7) seven Bibical scriptures, if be true, it seems to be war! What should one do if they find themselves a victim of another(s) envy and jealousy? Or, if you find yourself trying to harm others because of your envy and jealousy? It seems to be one harms them selves greatly when they are jealous and envious of others.
Please help me break down these verses one by one into life changing for individuals, and groups of people.
“Song of Solomon 8:6 – Set me as a seal upon your heart, as a seal upon your arm, for love is strong as death, jealousy is fierce as the grave. Its flashes are flashes of fire, the very flame of the LORD.
1 Corinthians 13:4 – Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant.
Philippians 2:3 – Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.
James 3:14-15 – But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth. This is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic.
Psalm 37:1-3 – Fret not yourself because of evildoers; be not envious of wrongdoers! For they will soon fade like the grass and wither like the green herb. Trust in the LORD, and do good; dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness.
James 3:16 – For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice.
Proverbs 14:30 – A tranquil heart gives life to the flesh, but envy makes the bones rot.”
Psalm 101
“He who works deceit shall not dwell within my house;
He who tells lies shall not continue in my presence.
Early I will destroy all the wicked of the land,
That I may cut off all the evildoers from the city of the Lord.”
Psalm 101
The beauty of animals;
“But now ask the beasts, and let them teach you; And the birds of the heavens, and let them tell you. Or speak to the earth, and let it teach you; And let the fish of the sea declare to you. Who among all these does not know That the hand of the LORD has done this, In whose hand is the life of every living thing, And the breath of all mankind?… Job 12:7-10
I stand in awe of reading the above words. I wonder about my limited thinking for not seeking answers from God’s Kingdom through understanding the animal kingdom. Each day as I interact with dogs of senior age and puppies alike I find so often they reflect back to me the reality of my humanity. We learn dogs are guileless, spontaneous and unlike people they do not deceive. Whoa, like a drink of fresh water in a parched land, or better!
Do do you have a true story to share from your life showing the truth found in the book of Job as quoted here?
Throne of God Revelation 4
It seems to me lately that when I am talking to church folks I hear lots of lies about things that are not even important to say, let alone lie about. I am thinking have they (us) lied so much that we are a lie. Really, no truth can come from them (us)?
Psalms 24:3-5 “Who may ascend into the hill of the LORD? And who may stand in His holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart, Who has not lifted up his soul to falsehood. And has not sworn deceitfully. He shall receive a blessing from the LORD And righteousness from the God of his salvation.…”
Pulpit Commentary says on this…”Verse 4. – He that hath clean hands. He whose hands are free from acts of sin (comp. Psalm 15:2-5), and not only so, but he who hath also a pure heart, since the heart is the source of all evil (Matthew 15:19, 20), and wrongful words and wicked acts are the necessary results of the heart being impure.”
Look and think on these and others passages as you research lies and liars from the Bible; Psalm 101:7 “I will not allow deceivers to serve in my house, and liars will not stay in my presence.”
Revelation 21:26-27 The New Jerusalem “…and they will bring the glory and the honor of the nations into it; and nothing unclean, and no one who practices abomination and lying, shall ever come into it, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life.”
I want to be part of The New Jerusalem, don’t you? Hopefully, we will do as much about dieting our lies as our calories. Let’s help one another to be truthful! We have a warning to do this from; Hebrews 3:13 (NLT) “You must warn each other every day, while it is still “today,” so that none of you will be deceived by sin and hardened against God.”
Let’s make 2015 our best as we enter into “The Throne Room of God” while it is open season.
Illumination
“Then Jesus said to them, “A little while longer the light 🌠 is with you. Walk while you have the light, lest darkness 🌑overtake you; he who walks in darkness does not know where he is going. While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of light.” John 12:35-36
“For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men,🌏 teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works.” Titus 2:11-14
Message of Hope
James 4:8 offers us a message of HOPE! “Come close to God, and God will come close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, for your loyalty is divided between God and the world.” (NLT)
KJV uses the term ‘Draw’ vs. ‘Come’ do you think it makes a difference in light of what you have to do in order to cozy up to God? If I stop and think of how many ways my loyalty is divided between God and the world, I freeze. Therefore, there is no drawing or coming because I’m just a cold stone lost in the soil with not a spark of hope until I rock ‘n roll out of the ‘world ways’ into the ‘holy ways’.
When I hear and experience no presence of God I only have to look at my heart and see if I see any fear and trembling into my double minded antics. I read recently the way to wholeness is to call a comic act and belly laugh. The book of, chapter and verse will surely give you a belly laugh when you’re double minded.
Lets make our list of ways we are doubled minded, if in fact you are, divided between God and the world and then plunge off the fence on one side or the other. I would just love to read about your plunge!
