March 24, 2009 4:59 AM
Sam wrote:
Heeeee'sssss Baaaaaaaccccckkkkk! Welcome. Good to hear from you again, Tony. You had me worried there...not answering your phone and not appearing on the blog. Glad things are going great on the job and okay at home....try to reverse that!
How about a bowling night?
Anyway, on with 'the job'. Hosea 8.
Ya reap what ya sow.....that's the message I get out of this chapter. And, unfortunately, it is not necessarily and individual thing...sometimes, it is an entire nation. I am certain not every single Israelite was as sinful as Hosea says here, but when God speaks of them as a nation, everyone gets caught up in it. Everyone gets enslaved to the Egyptians, not just 'the sinners'.
It is easy to fall into that trap, however, of 'going along with the crowd'. We do it all the time. We hear a 'dirty' joke, and maybe while we may not outright laugh, we may snicker under our breath. The things we do wrong, I could go on forever, are quite often because we are doing them with others who are also 'sinners'. We seem to not dare to stand out from, indeed, stand up to, the many wrongs people do. We are all branded Americans and have been branded lately as warmongers, capitalists and anti-God. Yet, I know individuals reading this blog are not like that, yet, as a whole, that is what people think of us. Wouldn't it be nice if the whole world thought of us as lovers of God? It has to start, however, right in our own families. If we don't appear as lovers of God to our own children, relatives, and neighbors, then we have just been dissolved into the 'ugly American' concept.
Do you children, grandchildren, parents, spouses and other relatives see you praying? Reading the Word? Teaching the Word? DOING the Word?
If not, then we too may reap the whirlwind---the entanglement of sin---rather than what should be our reward for being a good Christian father, grandfather, husband and friend.
Our families watch us 'lead'---how will you improve this trait this week? Reply to this
March 24, 2009 6:30 AM
Johnbob wrote:
Well, what can I say except sorry. I have been drowned out, which is part of my character, or lack thereof. When things are steady and predictable, like when I was just doing my job (which I have till Friday), was working from home, and all the family was fairly stable, then I would post and have some good quiet times. It's like when I go on vacation, I usually have great quiet times, and will exercise, etc. - just because I have some free time. But when things get busy, then whoosh - out the window goes my time with God as other things become 'more important'. I haven't been sinning it up or anything, but I have been caught up in looking for a job - staying up really late tweaking my resume, networking, applying for jobs, etc. - then not getting up on time in the morning.
So today is different - yesterday, I read the posts for the past few days, and it was helpful to get a reminder from Mac and Tony.
So anyway, I need to have some more character when times get challenging and keep my priorities straight.
In terms of this chapter, the end of verse 5 hits me: 'How long will they be incapable of purity?' I am still doing 'okay' with that ever since we read in Matthew about Jesus coming back. But the time will come sooner or later - when I am depressed, sick, lonely, etc. - and I will need to make a decision to fight that. My main struggle in that area currently is just the time of year - more women out jogging or whatever. But the context to this scripture is idolatry, and that is what indulgence in lust and impurity is. I am doing okay with also partly because I want God's blessing in getting a new job - that sounds childish in some ways and is not the right motive. But that is how I feel.
Tony, it was great hanging out with you and your kids at the party the other night. Your kids are awesome - they both made some big mistakes it sounds like, but they are great - and so is Zach. Please pass this along to them. I wish there was more of a way I could be more involved with them.
So anyway, thanks for pulling me back in. I am going to go pray now. I have a 'last chance' interview with Sprint for a business analyst position. I do hope I get it, but I have some other leads and I am going to the Georgia Tech Alumni career fair today, so we'll see what turns up. Reply to this
March 24, 2009 6:52 AM
Sam wrote:
Knew you were busy job-hunting....I'll pray for you in a few mins about that Sprint position.
Tony is expected back early...maybe even tomorrow...so glad his job has finally been really productful. I pray for the rest of you that your's also will improve.
I notice Rik has been VERY consistent lately on the blog....so great to see and read his comments. Thanks, Rik. ---This Saturday, your neighbor wants me to come over and estimate clearing his backyard....you avail to accompany in the AM? Tony? Anybody else? Maybe we can do an early morning breakfast in Austell before????????? Reply to this
March 24, 2009 7:32 AM
rik wrote:
4 They set up kings without my consent; they choose princes without my approval. With their silver and gold they make idols for themselves to their own destruction.
We are not much different. we set up daily to yearly (or ever longer) things in our lives without playing, fasting, seeking advice and so on. I bet we can all think of something we did that was a big decision and we did not do much, if any, praying and now are enslaved by it. Mine would have been the boat, but I was able to sell it and no longer have the problem. I could also look at my wife's car I am still enslaved by its payment. If I look into the raising of my children I find the lack of prayer prior to correcting, rebuking, and training has created flaws in there character that will plague them into adulthood. making decisions without God as the forethought is folly, yet I continue to do it. God help me think of you first, seek your ways first in all areas of my life. IJN_Amen Reply to this
March 24, 2009 4:40 PM
Rich wrote:
Mac, Rik and JB: Thanks for the phone calls. They have been encouraging. I have been going through a lot of stuff (family issues) that I have allowed to distract me from my time with God and from the blog. I believe I finally woke up two days ago and started doing what I should have been doing all along - praying to God for strength and wisdom. I have always struggled with self reliance in times of trouble. My first reaction to difficulties is to round up the wagons and hunker down for the duration. I know in my head that this is not right and I know this is a tendency of mine, yet I keep doing the same thing over and over. What's worse is that I don't even realize that is what I am doing until a week or several have gone by.
Also, as I come to realize what I have done again and the MY solution does not work very well and as I start looking to God for answers (or at least for comfort and wisdom), I begin to feel at peace. Peace is what I really am seeking. I like the feeling that God is in control instead of me. I like the God's strength, wisdom, comfort and love. So, why do I react the same way most of the time? I wish I knew.
As if all of this is not enough for me, the honest truth is that I do not like the book of Hosea. I think I know why and it is related to "advice" I once got from a discipling partner. The book just doesn't do a lot for me. I am sure that is my own prejudice and my own problem, but I am just telling it like it is (for me). I read today and will try to get what I can to contribute, but I must say that I am looking forward to the end of this book and the beginning of the next! Reply to this
March 24, 2009 7:50 PM
Sam wrote:
Hmmmm....sounds like maybe we should do this book again NEXT month.
HEY, FORGET the old injuries....look for the GOOD in everything, EVEN HOSEA!
I think that is your first step to financ..I mean, spiritual freedom. Today is a new day. Today is the first day of the rest of your life. Today is the beginning of something new for you. I challenge you to reread this chapter and find the GOOD in it, forgetting the bad 'counseling' you received in the past.
OR....just wait until next month...your call. Reply to this
March 24, 2009 11:11 PM
Tony wrote:
It seems to me that we are allot like Israel. We do what we want with out any mind to God. Like Rick said , when was the last time we prayed, sought advice or got discipling before we made a major decision? We are an independent people and that is our downfall. Just like Rich, Johnbob and myself, we rely on ourselves when things get tough. We should go to God and our brothers in the church when times are tough. Not only when things are tough but before they get out of hand and we start building our golden calf. We all have issues and problems, we know the path we should take and yet we choose another. We know the comfort we get when we go to God yet we choose not to. Are we STUPID or what? It's time for a change people! Ask ourselves this question: where would I go if I died today? Could be quit sobering if we are honest with ourselves. We are all GOOD people, but that is now what it takes to goto heaven. Everyone has good intentions, the world is full of people with good intentions, HELL is full of people with good intentions!! Reply to this
Heeeee'sssss Baaaaaaaccccckkkkk!
Welcome. Good to hear from you again, Tony. You had me worried there...not answering your phone and not appearing on the blog. Glad things are going great on the job and okay at home....try to reverse that!
How about a bowling night?
Anyway, on with 'the job'. Hosea 8.
Ya reap what ya sow.....that's the message I get out of this chapter. And, unfortunately, it is not necessarily and individual thing...sometimes, it is an entire nation. I am certain not every single Israelite was as sinful as Hosea says here, but when God speaks of them as a nation, everyone gets caught up in it. Everyone gets enslaved to the Egyptians, not just 'the sinners'.
It is easy to fall into that trap, however, of 'going along with the crowd'. We do it all the time. We hear a 'dirty' joke, and maybe while we may not outright laugh, we may snicker under our breath. The things we do wrong, I could go on forever, are quite often because we are doing them with others who are also 'sinners'. We seem to not dare to stand out from, indeed, stand up to, the many wrongs people do. We are all branded Americans and have been branded lately as warmongers, capitalists and anti-God. Yet, I know individuals reading this blog are not like that, yet, as a whole, that is what people think of us. Wouldn't it be nice if the whole world thought of us as lovers of God? It has to start, however, right in our own families. If we don't appear as lovers of God to our own children, relatives, and neighbors, then we have just been dissolved into the 'ugly American' concept.
Do you children, grandchildren, parents, spouses and other relatives see you praying? Reading the Word? Teaching the Word? DOING the Word?
If not, then we too may reap the whirlwind---the entanglement of sin---rather than what should be our reward for being a good Christian father, grandfather, husband and friend.
Our families watch us 'lead'---how will you improve this trait this week?
Reply to this
Bowling would be great!
Reply to this
Well, what can I say except sorry. I have been drowned out, which is part of my character, or lack thereof. When things are steady and predictable, like when I was just doing my job (which I have till Friday), was working from home, and all the family was fairly stable, then I would post and have some good quiet times. It's like when I go on vacation, I usually have great quiet times, and will exercise, etc. - just because I have some free time. But when things get busy, then whoosh - out the window goes my time with God as other things become 'more important'. I haven't been sinning it up or anything, but I have been caught up in looking for a job - staying up really late tweaking my resume, networking, applying for jobs, etc. - then not getting up on time in the morning.
So today is different - yesterday, I read the posts for the past few days, and it was helpful to get a reminder from Mac and Tony.
So anyway, I need to have some more character when times get challenging and keep my priorities straight.
In terms of this chapter, the end of verse 5 hits me: 'How long will they be incapable of purity?' I am still doing 'okay' with that ever since we read in Matthew about Jesus coming back. But the time will come sooner or later - when I am depressed, sick, lonely, etc. - and I will need to make a decision to fight that. My main struggle in that area currently is just the time of year - more women out jogging or whatever. But the context to this scripture is idolatry, and that is what indulgence in lust and impurity is. I am doing okay with also partly because I want God's blessing in getting a new job - that sounds childish in some ways and is not the right motive. But that is how I feel.
Tony, it was great hanging out with you and your kids at the party the other night. Your kids are awesome - they both made some big mistakes it sounds like, but they are great - and so is Zach. Please pass this along to them. I wish there was more of a way I could be more involved with them.
So anyway, thanks for pulling me back in. I am going to go pray now. I have a 'last chance' interview with Sprint for a business analyst position. I do hope I get it, but I have some other leads and I am going to the Georgia Tech Alumni career fair today, so we'll see what turns up.
Reply to this
Knew you were busy job-hunting....I'll pray for you in a few mins about that Sprint position.
Tony is expected back early...maybe even tomorrow...so glad his job has finally been really productful. I pray for the rest of you that your's also will improve.
I notice Rik has been VERY consistent lately on the blog....so great to see and read his comments. Thanks, Rik. ---This Saturday, your neighbor wants me to come over and estimate clearing his backyard....you avail to accompany in the AM? Tony? Anybody else? Maybe we can do an early morning breakfast in Austell before?????????
Reply to this
productful??? productfull??? I think the word is productive.
Reply to this
yeah, yeah, yeah.
You want ME to start correcting YOUR English??????
Reply to this
not enought time in the day!!
Reply to this
4 They set up kings without my consent; they choose princes without my approval. With their silver and gold they make idols for themselves to their own destruction.
We are not much different. we set up daily to yearly (or ever longer) things in our lives without playing, fasting, seeking advice and so on. I bet we can all think of something we did that was a big decision and we did not do much, if any, praying and now are enslaved by it. Mine would have been the boat, but I was able to sell it and no longer have the problem. I could also look at my wife's car I am still enslaved by its payment. If I look into the raising of my children I find the lack of prayer prior to correcting, rebuking, and training has created flaws in there character that will plague them into adulthood. making decisions without God as the forethought is folly, yet I continue to do it. God help me think of you first, seek your ways first in all areas of my life. IJN_Amen
Reply to this
Mac, Rik and JB: Thanks for the phone calls. They have been encouraging. I have been going through a lot of stuff (family issues) that I have allowed to distract me from my time with God and from the blog. I believe I finally woke up two days ago and started doing what I should have been doing all along - praying to God for strength and wisdom. I have always struggled with self reliance in times of trouble. My first reaction to difficulties is to round up the wagons and hunker down for the duration. I know in my head that this is not right and I know this is a tendency of mine, yet I keep doing the same thing over and over. What's worse is that I don't even realize that is what I am doing until a week or several have gone by.
Also, as I come to realize what I have done again and the MY solution does not work very well and as I start looking to God for answers (or at least for comfort and wisdom), I begin to feel at peace. Peace is what I really am seeking. I like the feeling that God is in control instead of me. I like the God's strength, wisdom, comfort and love. So, why do I react the same way most of the time? I wish I knew.
As if all of this is not enough for me, the honest truth is that I do not like the book of Hosea. I think I know why and it is related to "advice" I once got from a discipling partner. The book just doesn't do a lot for me. I am sure that is my own prejudice and my own problem, but I am just telling it like it is (for me). I read today and will try to get what I can to contribute, but I must say that I am looking forward to the end of this book and the beginning of the next!
Reply to this
Hmmmm....sounds like maybe we should do this book again NEXT month.
HEY, FORGET the old injuries....look for the GOOD in everything, EVEN HOSEA!
I think that is your first step to financ..I mean, spiritual freedom. Today is a new day. Today is the first day of the rest of your life. Today is the beginning of something new for you. I challenge you to reread this chapter and find the GOOD in it, forgetting the bad 'counseling' you received in the past.
OR....just wait until next month...your call.
Reply to this
It seems to me that we are allot like Israel. We do what we want with out any mind to God. Like Rick said , when was the last time we prayed, sought advice or got discipling before we made a major decision? We are an independent people and that is our downfall. Just like Rich, Johnbob and myself, we rely on ourselves when things get tough. We should go to God and our brothers in the church when times are tough. Not only when things are tough but before they get out of hand and we start building our golden calf. We all have issues and problems, we know the path we should take and yet we choose another. We know the comfort we get when we go to God yet we choose not to. Are we STUPID or what? It's time for a change people! Ask ourselves this question: where would I go if I died today? Could be quit sobering if we are honest with ourselves. We are all GOOD people, but that is now what it takes to goto heaven. Everyone has good intentions, the world is full of people with good intentions, HELL is full of people with good intentions!!
Reply to this