Another one for the Books

I finally finished reading Our Father Abrahamthis weekend. I suppose it would be appropriate to relay what I learned for it. Not tonight, and probably not at one setting. This book did have a lot of info and perspective, but as I think about it, it has opened my mind up to considering different ways of seeing and understanding God, Jesus, and the Scripture. I find it amazing that as I contemplate the “Jewishness” of Jesus and the Scriptures, I cannot help but see a life in them I’ve never seen before. Bottom line, I have no choice but to go deeper into this direction. I feel like there is so much more to learn and be understood by understanding more the Hebriac perspective. One thing no one can refute, is the roots of the Christian faith is in the Hebrew culture, faith, and scriptures. Were it not for the covenant God entered into with Abraham, we would not have redemption, Jesus, and where would we be?

There will be more to follow, but it will probably more in-laced in everything else I write about.

It’s good to be back,

Jim

Where have I been?

Man, life takes center stage all of a sudden and I look up to see I haven’t posted in 2 1/2 weeks.  Terrible.  So here is me just keeping up.  I did get something today that made me stop and think though.  I’m reading Our Father Abraham, see right, and there is a whole chapter about how the Hebrew culture thinks about and views marriage and the family.  Holy Cow!  All I’ll say for now is that if we would learn what they knew, marriages and families today would completely shape up.  I’ll leave you with this.  Part of being married is to lift your spouse up.  But Jim, they. . . .  It doesn’t matter, you are to lift them up.  If they do something wrong, sure it’s a problem, but lift them up.  I think if we would adopt this one idea, it would make a big difference.  Instead, we blow up the mistakes of those who are closest to us and tear them down.  If I’m not mistaken, thats like fueling a fire.  If a spouse is lifted up and know that they are lifted up always, would not that spouse, almost automatically, lift up in return?   What could happen in a marriage if the two are constantly lifting each other: grace, unconditional love, respect, honor, commitment, faithfulness.  It seems so simple yet, how many times I’ve heard “the guys” talk about their wives in a way that would land them on the couch if the wives found out.  Same goes for women too.  If you talk about your husband like a dog when he is not around, you have a problem.  He may as well also, but you are contributing to the demise of your relationship. 

Just sharing a thought

Anyway, that thought sorta stuck out today.

A quote worth listening to

This came from an article that I cannot find to save my life.  I tried to find it and link it so you could go straight to the source, but I didn’t.  However, I did find it in many other blogs so I will paste it.  After all, it says what is says.  But if you know where this article is, please tell me and I will edit this so people can read it directly from the source.

If all SBC participants represented this idea, I might not distance myself from that label quite so much….

 

According to former President Jimmy Draper, who said Monday “We have reached a
place that our spiritual forefathers feared.” “We need to admit that the problem
with America today is not the government or the politicians,” Draper said. “It
is not Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama or John McCain. It’s not the senators or
representatives. The problem is not the educational system or the economy. It’s
not the liberals or the abortionists. The problem lies with us.” “We
conservatives claim to have the truth and we think we are rich in spiritual
position and power, but yet we are cold, complacent, impotent and unattractive,
and irrelevant to the world,” Draper said. “I hate to say it, but we are not
plateaued. We’re not even just declining. We’re in a free fall.” “You know why
we don’t win the lost?” Draper asked. “Because we don’t like them. They are
different from us. We don’t care for them. We have no real love for them.”
“People just don’t touch eternity when they are around us,” Draper said. “We’re
too self-absorbed.”

 

Does the Bible Answer All Our Problems

This is sort of a follow up from my previous post: Genesis 6/8.  I said that “God’s Word really can solve all our problems.”  Yesterday, I’m reading in The Myth Of A Christian Nation, (See reading list to your right) and I see a quote by Deitrich Bonhoffer.  He said this, “Jesus concerns Himself hardly at all with the solution of worldly problems. . . . His word is not an answer to human questions and problems; it is the answer of God to the quesiton of God to man.  His word is. . . . not a solution, but a redemption.”  Interesting.  Maybe I stand corrected how I phased my statement because I see what Bonhoffer is saying.  Honestly, I really don’t feel that God typically inspires us to make specific decisions about thins in life such as: spouse, job, home, ect.  I do feel that when we set out to live for Him, by His word, and for His cause, then we are divinely given wisdom to make these type of decisions accordingly.  Anyway, this is a good thought to ponder.  If it is true, it opens up to the possibility that we are wasting our effort searching for God to make our decisions for us when He has given us everything we need to live for Him. 

Myth Of A Christian Nation

So I’m reading this book (here and there).  I’ll have more to say on it as I go along, but I want to encourage everyone to consider reading it.  Boyd takes a very challenging approach in teaching about a “power-over” kingdom vs. a “power-under” kingdom. 

Here is an except from the back cover:

Boyd shows how Jesus taught us to seek a “power-under” kingdom, where greatness is measured by sacrifice and service.  There are not sides or enemies because we are meant to embrace and accept everyone.  In The Myth of a Christian Nation, Dr. Boyd challenges readers to return to the true love of Calvary and the message of the cross–setting the “power-over” politics of wordly government aside.

As always, I may not agree with every little point he makes, but I do think he is making a strong case of what it means to live more for Jesus than anything else.

 

Fear of Harm

So this has been a rough week.  I am no exception to struggles just like everyone else.  Tuesday in particular was a heavy day.  If you are like me, then most of the hardship that comes our way comes from the bad decisions we make.  These decisions don’t have to be huge, they can be, but even the simple day to day choices can really pile up if they are not wisely made.  Anyway, this is the reason this week’s been rough:  unwise choices.  So I thought what better place to read in Scripture than Proverbs where it talks specifically about wisdom.  It set me straight.  Notice the last to verses in chapter 1 below. 

    32 For the waywardness of the simple will kill them,
       and the complacency of fools will destroy them;

    33 but whoever listens to me will live in safety
       and be at ease, without fear of harm.”

You should read the whole chapter, for it talks about the importance of wisdom and knowledge.  And it basically says that fear of the Lord is Wisdom.  If we don’t make wise decisions, things don’t go our way.  If we do, we “be at ease, without fear of harm.”  Notice how the passage says “without fear of harm”, and not just without harm. 

I’m reminded when Jesus said that he would not leave or forsake us.  He never said things wouldn’t get rough.  In fact, he said numerous times that following him would be difficult, and that life brought many difficulties.  But He always assured that He would be there every step of the way, supporting, strengthening, and encouraging us, and that he was enough. 

This in Proverbs really spoke to me.  I hope it helps you.  There will be alot more to follow about pain, suffering, and fear.  These have been on my mind for some time, and I’m convinced that what you understand about these determine how you live.

Jim

Hello world!

Here I am back into the world of blogging.  I will be spending alot of time getting this site set up the way I want it for the next few days, so I won’t be posting a whole lot this week.  On Monday, 5/26, I plan to start real content.  But you never know, I may be so inspired to put something up before then.  Thanks for stopping by and I hope to hear from you soon.

jim