Psalm 112 calls everyone to Praise the LORD! And then describes the people who fear Him:
Mixed in with the characteristics are blessings that result from following the One True God. Those are like the gifts that accompany the fruits of walking humbly with Him.
We are back to seeing many all-even numbered dates in December. This week look for Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday (12/2/14, 12/4/14, and 12/6/14).
AND, Tuesday is an Addition day, since 12+2=14.
Why is Abbreviation such a long word?
What’s another word for synonym?
Want to hear a word I just made up? Plagiarism
Hummingbirds hum because they can’t remember the words.
Peter, John, Paul and the other apostles made much of being eyewitnesses of the life, crucifixion, and resurrection of Jesus. John takes it further, in a sense (pun intended), in 1 John 1.1-4 when he describes the experience of interacting with Jesus: “which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands…”
This Jesus was “from the beginning” (vs 1), “the eternal life” (vs 2), “with the Father” (vs 2). This man is also God, and he “was made manifest to us” (vs 3). Many miracles are recorded in the Gospels and Acts; their purpose was to give credence to the testimony of Jesus and the apostles. John is saying that this enormous miracle of God becoming man is still the reason why he will testify and proclaim all that he has experienced.
John knew Jesus as a man and a friend; he came to know Jesus as his Master, Lord and savior; he continues to grow in his understanding of Jesus as God and creator of the entire universe. He hopes for many to have this same saving fellowship with the Father and his Son Jesus Christ (vs 3). He knows that it is another massive miracle each time the Holy Spirit changes a heart of stone to a heart of flesh and opens the eyes of a dead sinner to see and believe the truth about Jesus.
John’s personal testimony is very heartfelt – we heard him, we saw him, we TOUCHED him. This same John records in John 21.28 that Jesus knew already about the generations to come who did not have this same level of interaction – “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” God’s church continues to grow as his disciples testify to the truth that they know, even though they have not yet seen, heard, or touched Jesus.
Rose are red
So is Bacon
Poetry is hard
Mmmm Bacon
Hannibal Smith, the main character of the venerable TV show “The A-Team,” is famous for his quote, “I love it when a plan comes together.” A similar sense of purpose happens frequently when following a “Read The Bible In A Year” program. There are many good such frameworks out there; I like the ones where you concentrate on one book each day and don’t jump around so much.
The plan-comes-together part happens when this day’s reading makes reference to or sheds light on some other recent reading. The gospels and epistles quote the Old Testament often, and sometimes you have just read the passage in Genesis or Isaiah that is being talked about. I have found it helpful to have a good study bible that gives citations on both ends – NT quoting OT and OT pointing to places it is quoted – because sometimes I need a nudge to understand the context and content.
The latest instance happened today while reading in Ezra, one of the historical books describing activities in Jerusalem after the Exile. Verse 14 says, “And the elders of the Jews built and prospered though the prophesying of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the son of Iddo.” Two weeks ago the reading from the Prophet books was Haggai, and last week was the first part of Zechariah. Maybe now I will remember that Haggai and Zechariah come right together in the Old Testament; more likely I will remember that they were contemporaries who had a wonderful impact on the Israelites who returned from Babylon and other places where they had been scattered.
I greatly enjoy the flow and continuity of the Word. There is a Big Plan that runs from Genesis through Revelation, and we can see the plan continuing in our day – it is coming together!
Why does a chicken coop have two doors?
If it had four doors it would be a chicken sedan.
The title might suggest this is about the switchover a couple of weeks ago from Daylight Savings back to Standard time…. You know, Spring Forward, Fall Back.
Alas, no, this is just the suggestion to keep some good solid questions in your back pocket so that, if called upon to lead a prayer time with very little notice, you have a chance.
It is very simple to just say, “Let’s pray.” Then lead out.
Or you can ask everyone to share a request, and then pray for all the requests.
Or you can go around the circle, with each person sharing a request and the next person praying for the prior request and making one of their own.
Of you can ask a starter question so that people get their vocal chords warmed up prior to prayer:
Besides having Tuesday 11/25/14 as a minus subtract day this week (11 – 25 = -14), Thursday is Thanksgiving, and my brother Scott and his new bride Carol are having a wedding celebration on Saturday. Congratulations all around!
I’m not lazy. I just really enjoy doing nothing
I may look lazy, but on the molecular level I’m quite busy.
I have a Masters in the Art of Relaxation
Dear Naps: I’m sorry I was such a jerk to you as a kid.
I’m not lazy. I’m energy efficient
A. Knapp for That 