November 9, 2008 10:09 AM
Tony wrote:
God verses Pharaoh, we could say God verses mankind. How many times did Pharaoh say that the Israelite's could go? Why did he change his mind? Pharaoh did not change his mind, God hardened Pharaoh's heart to prove a point. How often do we set out to do what is right only to be broadsided from something? How often do we have the intentions to be Godly, spiritual and righteous, only to let our sinful nature raise it's ugly head? Is it us, or is it God hardening our hearts to make a point. God gives us so much on a daily basis that we all take it for granite. Our homes, our income, the country we live in, our health, our transportation, the list is endless. Yet we fuss if something does not go right. We get discouraged if the car wont start. You get up in the morning and the heat does not work. Someone in the family is sick and irritable. Again the list goes on. One could call these minuscule problems that we have plague's of today. Is God trying to get our attention? Are we plagued with problems, or are we just hard hearted? I don't think we call it hard hearted I think we should call it selfish! Jesus died on the cross for us so that we could escape our Egypt, our enslavement. How many different types of plagues have we had in our lives? When will they end? Saw a great movie for the second time last night. Facing the Giants. We cannot face our giants alone, we must rely on God for the strength and the guidance to get through life. God can and does do miracles in our life on a daily basis, were just not paying attention. We need to stop looking for the pillar of fire, the parting of the red sea and wine coming out of the water faucet. One of God's greatest miracles is that we are all saved from our plagues, we just need to ask and repent. Pharaoh made a promise that he would let the people go if the hail stopped. How many times have we asked God for something and then not followed through with our promise to God? God is all knowing and all powerful. He can do anything and wants the best for His children. But He will not spare the rod of discipline. Reply to this
November 9, 2008 10:23 AM
Sam wrote:
Now THAT was great, Tony. Deep insight! I enjoy reading your blogs like this. It also mirrors what I wrote this morning (and submitted the exact very same minute (9:09)!!) I guess shooting pool for three hours last night 'bonded' our minds! THAT was also fun....just shooting pool, talking, enjoying your company. Would love to find more time to do that.
Is Terry feeling better this morning? Please tell her I asked.
All right "Mister Pool Champignon (as you said) of the World", have a great first day of the week! Reply to this
November 9, 2008 11:17 PM
Johnbob wrote:
It's interesting you mention that about our small problems seeming so large. The last couple weeks have been filled with little problems - our dog ran away because I left the fence open - a neighbor found him the next day though. My car wouldn't start - it only has 299,500 miles on it - can't figure out why it would have any problems. But after a tow and a new relay, it was good to go. So it's all about perpective here - no hailstorms (though we have a drought) or other plagues yet. Even Paul says that our light and momentary troubles (like being beaten/shipwrecked/etc.) are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. Reply to this
Today, we are taught to worship God in the bad times as well as the good. We (Rik, Jeanette, Tony, Socorro and I) watched "Facing the Giants" on the 'big screen' here at the house last night. A common theme throughout the movie was to praise (worship) God just as much in the bad times (when the football team lost a game) as in the good (when they won).
Why didn't the Israelites worship God in THEIR bad and hard times? Could not have they still worshipped God in their 'then lot in life'? Couldn't slaves worship just as hard as freed men?
Waiting in the doctor's office the other day, I was reading "The Chapel News", a monthly Douglas County publication which has local events advertised, as well as local businesses. Many churches have ads in it as well, and some will have a short story. This one I read was entitled "My lunch with a homeless man", about a PREACHER who, instead of handing money to a vagrant man down on his luck, brought him to Wendy's (yeah, I know, BIG SPENDER!!!!), and ate lunch together (instead of just buying and giving him a lunch). During their conversation, the unfortunate person (the one who was homeless, not the preacher), stated he was a follower of Jesus Christ and was ever so thankful for what God had given him in his life. He has two teenage daughters he is trying to send to school, but has no money for a place to stay. YET, he praised God and told the preacher that he was more than satisfied with what God had given him in his life, including life itself even now in the 'bad times'. The preacher was convicted, as he was thinking about his own situation where 'money was thin' as he had to take a cut in salary from his church and was NOT happy about it. HE was worried about HIS life style. He was NOT praising God for HIS situation.
How about you? Are you 'ever-so-thankful' for everything God gives you, even when your marriage is rough, even when loved ones pass away, even when 'money is thin', even when sicknesses, ailments and physical and emotional problems peak? Do you have to wait for God to remove you from that situation before you start praising and worshipping Him for all that you DO have?
I am sure the Egyptian Slavery program was not enjoyable, YET, the enslaved Israelites were alive. They didn't worship God, they complained. I am surprised God acted as He did. Are you a complainer, or are you thankful?
Here's the challenge for the rest of the month of November. Find ONE homeless person (a stranger), take him/her to lunch (if you feel unsafe, take a friend along), and sit down and get to know him/her just for a little while (no preaching!). See if that person is (or can become) satisfied with his/her lot in life, and if he/she worships God more than you. Just once, before the end of November. Anyone up for it? Reply to this
November 9, 2008 2:09 PM
Tony wrote:
Exodus 3; 7 The LORD said, "I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers, and I am concerned about their suffering. God says he has seen the misery and haas heard the people crying out. God sees all and hears all. Were the people crying out against the egyptians or crying out to God to help them, these guys are mean or help me through this. God hears our cries, what do we cry out for? Reply to this
November 9, 2008 7:25 PM
Rich wrote:
Verse 5-6: "The LORD set a time and said, "Tomorrow the LORD will do this in the land." And the next day the LORD did it."
God carries through on his promises, both good and bad. God promises to work all things for our good, he promises to bless us, to prosper us, to answer our prayers, to lighten our burden and on and on. He also promises that those who do not respond to him will receive eternal damnation on judgment day. I always want to focus on the "blessings" of God. I don't like to consider the consequences of not responding to him.
Here God tells Pharaoh to let his people go or else. He tells Pharaoh exactly what he will do and when he will do it. Pharaoh ignores God and God sends the promised punishment exactly how and when he said. God has told us much the same about judgment day. I am not a fire and brimstone kind of guy, but we cannot ever forget the consequences of not obeying God, of either not responding in the first place or of falling away. God made a very direct promise to those who deliberately keep on sinning. That is what I like so much about the blog. It keeps me focused on the need for daily time with God. Anything that we can do to keep our eyes on God will help us keep our eyes on the finish line. Last week in church, Andy VanBurren did communion. He said something very simple yet powerful that is now firmly stuck in my head. He said that we are all on a journey to heaven. We began the journey when we were baptized. The end is of course heaven. The journey is full of twists, turns, valleys, mountains, and anything else that you want to put in this list. All that matters, however, is that we begin and that we remain in the journey to the end. What happens on the journey itself is of no importance whatsoever! It does not matter if you are rich or poor, if your healthy or sick, if your marriage is great or poor, if you are mighty or weak, or any other thing. All that matters is that we stay on the journey to the end. And the end is more glorious than any of us can ever imagine. It makes the journey to seem like nothing.
I want to complete my journey and I want all of you to complete it as well. Lets continue to spur one another on to faithfulness and good works. And let us keep reminding one another that whatever is going on in our life at the moment, is in fact just momentary. It is part of the journey that in the big scheme of things means nothing. Reply to this
November 9, 2008 8:59 PM
rik wrote:
20 Those officials of Pharaoh who feared the word of the LORD... I never noticed that there were officials of Pharoh that feared the Loed. Great thought Tony. Reply to this
God verses Pharaoh, we could say God verses mankind. How many times did Pharaoh say that the Israelite's could go? Why did he change his mind? Pharaoh did not change his mind, God hardened Pharaoh's heart to prove a point. How often do we set out to do what is right only to be broadsided from something? How often do we have the intentions to be Godly, spiritual and righteous, only to let our sinful nature raise it's ugly head? Is it us, or is it God hardening our hearts to make a point. God gives us so much on a daily basis that we all take it for granite. Our homes, our income, the country we live in, our health, our transportation, the list is endless. Yet we fuss if something does not go right. We get discouraged if the car wont start. You get up in the morning and the heat does not work. Someone in the family is sick and irritable. Again the list goes on. One could call these minuscule problems that we have plague's of today. Is God trying to get our attention? Are we plagued with problems, or are we just hard hearted? I don't think we call it hard hearted I think we should call it selfish!
Jesus died on the cross for us so that we could escape our Egypt, our enslavement. How many different types of plagues have we had in our lives? When will they end?
Saw a great movie for the second time last night. Facing the Giants. We cannot face our giants alone, we must rely on God for the strength and the guidance to get through life. God can and does do miracles in our life on a daily basis, were just not paying attention. We need to stop looking for the pillar of fire, the parting of the red sea and wine coming out of the water faucet. One of God's greatest miracles is that we are all saved from our plagues, we just need to ask and repent.
Pharaoh made a promise that he would let the people go if the hail stopped. How many times have we asked God for something and then not followed through with our promise to God?
God is all knowing and all powerful. He can do anything and wants the best for His children. But He will not spare the rod of discipline.
Reply to this
Now THAT was great, Tony. Deep insight! I enjoy reading your blogs like this. It also mirrors what I wrote this morning (and submitted the exact very same minute (9:09)!!) I guess shooting pool for three hours last night 'bonded' our minds! THAT was also fun....just shooting pool, talking, enjoying your company. Would love to find more time to do that.
Is Terry feeling better this morning? Please tell her I asked.
All right "Mister Pool Champignon (as you said) of the World", have a great first day of the week!
Reply to this
It's interesting you mention that about our small problems seeming so large. The last couple weeks have been filled with little problems - our dog ran away because I left the fence open - a neighbor found him the next day though. My car wouldn't start - it only has 299,500 miles on it - can't figure out why it would have any problems. But after a tow and a new relay, it was good to go. So it's all about perpective here - no hailstorms (though we have a drought) or other plagues yet. Even Paul says that our light and momentary troubles (like being beaten/shipwrecked/etc.) are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.
Reply to this
"Let my people go, so that they may worship me." So says God.
Today, we are taught to worship God in the bad times as well as the good. We (Rik, Jeanette, Tony, Socorro and I) watched "Facing the Giants" on the 'big screen' here at the house last night. A common theme throughout the movie was to praise (worship) God just as much in the bad times (when the football team lost a game) as in the good (when they won).
Why didn't the Israelites worship God in THEIR bad and hard times? Could not have they still worshipped God in their 'then lot in life'? Couldn't slaves worship just as hard as freed men?
Waiting in the doctor's office the other day, I was reading "The Chapel News", a monthly Douglas County publication which has local events advertised, as well as local businesses. Many churches have ads in it as well, and some will have a short story. This one I read was entitled "My lunch with a homeless man", about a PREACHER who, instead of handing money to a vagrant man down on his luck, brought him to Wendy's (yeah, I know, BIG SPENDER!!!!), and ate lunch together (instead of just buying and giving him a lunch). During their conversation, the unfortunate person (the one who was homeless, not the preacher), stated he was a follower of Jesus Christ and was ever so thankful for what God had given him in his life. He has two teenage daughters he is trying to send to school, but has no money for a place to stay. YET, he praised God and told the preacher that he was more than satisfied with what God had given him in his life, including life itself even now in the 'bad times'. The preacher was convicted, as he was thinking about his own situation where 'money was thin' as he had to take a cut in salary from his church and was NOT happy about it. HE was worried about HIS life style. He was NOT praising God for HIS situation.
How about you? Are you 'ever-so-thankful' for everything God gives you, even when your marriage is rough, even when loved ones pass away, even when 'money is thin', even when sicknesses, ailments and physical and emotional problems peak? Do you have to wait for God to remove you from that situation before you start praising and worshipping Him for all that you DO have?
I am sure the Egyptian Slavery program was not enjoyable, YET, the enslaved Israelites were alive. They didn't worship God, they complained. I am surprised God acted as He did. Are you a complainer, or are you thankful?
Here's the challenge for the rest of the month of November. Find ONE homeless person (a stranger), take him/her to lunch (if you feel unsafe, take a friend along), and sit down and get to know him/her just for a little while (no preaching!). See if that person is (or can become) satisfied with his/her lot in life, and if he/she worships God more than you. Just once, before the end of November. Anyone up for it?
Reply to this
Exodus 3; 7 The LORD said, "I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers, and I am concerned about their suffering. God says he has seen the misery and haas heard the people crying out. God sees all and hears all. Were the people crying out against the egyptians or crying out to God to help them, these guys are mean or help me through this. God hears our cries, what do we cry out for?
Reply to this
Verse 5-6: "The LORD set a time and said, "Tomorrow the LORD will do this in the land." And the next day the LORD did it."
God carries through on his promises, both good and bad. God promises to work all things for our good, he promises to bless us, to prosper us, to answer our prayers, to lighten our burden and on and on. He also promises that those who do not respond to him will receive eternal damnation on judgment day. I always want to focus on the "blessings" of God. I don't like to consider the consequences of not responding to him.
Here God tells Pharaoh to let his people go or else. He tells Pharaoh exactly what he will do and when he will do it. Pharaoh ignores God and God sends the promised punishment exactly how and when he said. God has told us much the same about judgment day. I am not a fire and brimstone kind of guy, but we cannot ever forget the consequences of not obeying God, of either not responding in the first place or of falling away. God made a very direct promise to those who deliberately keep on sinning. That is what I like so much about the blog. It keeps me focused on the need for daily time with God. Anything that we can do to keep our eyes on God will help us keep our eyes on the finish line. Last week in church, Andy VanBurren did communion. He said something very simple yet powerful that is now firmly stuck in my head. He said that we are all on a journey to heaven. We began the journey when we were baptized. The end is of course heaven. The journey is full of twists, turns, valleys, mountains, and anything else that you want to put in this list. All that matters, however, is that we begin and that we remain in the journey to the end. What happens on the journey itself is of no importance whatsoever! It does not matter if you are rich or poor, if your healthy or sick, if your marriage is great or poor, if you are mighty or weak, or any other thing. All that matters is that we stay on the journey to the end. And the end is more glorious than any of us can ever imagine. It makes the journey to seem like nothing.
I want to complete my journey and I want all of you to complete it as well. Lets continue to spur one another on to faithfulness and good works. And let us keep reminding one another that whatever is going on in our life at the moment, is in fact just momentary. It is part of the journey that in the big scheme of things means nothing.
Reply to this
20 Those officials of Pharaoh who feared the word of the LORD...
I never noticed that there were officials of Pharoh that feared the Loed. Great thought Tony.
Reply to this