The OC Chrono group will be at the singles' retreat this weekend, woohoo! :) Here's our theme sooooong....
Thursday, July 30, 2009
Friday, July 24, 2009
The great day of the Lord is near-
The great day of the Lord is near-
Zeph. 1:14 - 2:3 fits well with the reading that our Bible Talk is doing in Revelation.
I especially like:
Zephaniah 2:3 which tells us what we need to do:
3 Seek the LORD, all you humble of the land,
you who do what he commands.
Seek righteousness, seek humility;
perhaps you will be sheltered
on the day of the LORD's anger.
Zeph. 1:14 - 2:3 fits well with the reading that our Bible Talk is doing in Revelation.
I especially like:
Zephaniah 2:3 which tells us what we need to do:
3 Seek the LORD, all you humble of the land,
you who do what he commands.
Seek righteousness, seek humility;
perhaps you will be sheltered
on the day of the LORD's anger.
Animals caught in the cross fire
Why is it that animals have to pay for man's sin? Zephaniah 1:2 it starts off with God saying "I will sweep away everything from the face of the earth," declares the LORD. "I will sweep away both men and animals; I will sweep away the birds of the air and the fish of the sea. The wicked will have only heaps of rubble when I cut off man from the face of the earth," declares the LORD"
I'm also reading Revelation for our bible talk group and I read today in Rev 16:3 it said "The second angel poured out his bowl on the sea, and it turned into blood like that of a dead man, and every living thing in the sea died"
We also read in the Old Testament about animal sacrifice for the atonement of sin. And it wasn’t just any animal, it had to be pure, the best of the best. Deut 15: 21 says not to sacrifice an animal with defect
What are your thoughts on the role of animals in the bible? Do you think they got the raw end of the deal?
I'm also reading Revelation for our bible talk group and I read today in Rev 16:3 it said "The second angel poured out his bowl on the sea, and it turned into blood like that of a dead man, and every living thing in the sea died"
We also read in the Old Testament about animal sacrifice for the atonement of sin. And it wasn’t just any animal, it had to be pure, the best of the best. Deut 15: 21 says not to sacrifice an animal with defect
What are your thoughts on the role of animals in the bible? Do you think they got the raw end of the deal?
Thursday, July 23, 2009
idols & gods
Idols of old days were pretty obvious; wooden or metal figures on alters or in shrines. To make the modern day parallel in our own life can be daunting. As our minds have advanced, so have our idols.
What are modern day idols? Your own as well as ones you notice in others...
There are idols we trust in, but there are also idols we simply love above God and others.
What do you think about vanity & pride... the love of thyself?
Can we see our own idols? Do we even want to admit that we have them?
I look forward to your input. Thank you.
What are modern day idols? Your own as well as ones you notice in others...
There are idols we trust in, but there are also idols we simply love above God and others.
What do you think about vanity & pride... the love of thyself?
Can we see our own idols? Do we even want to admit that we have them?
I look forward to your input. Thank you.
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
I love spending time with you guys!
Hey Tera!
Thanks so much for breakfast on Saturday! Thank you for all of the time and energy you have put into the Chrono Group. You are totally a shining example to me in so many ways. Thanks for your friendship and leadership.
Laura
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Idols and Fav Scriptures
Yaaay we finished the book of Isaiah today! Annnnd we are close to the end of the 7th month of Chrono woohoo! :)
One of the topics I thought about during the readings in the past couple of weeks is idols...
In 2 Kings 16 (July 2nd reading), we read that Ahaz, king of Judah, visited the king of Assyria (who Ahaz was very afraid of) and noticed an alter used by the Assyrians to worship their god(s). Ahaz then proceeded to have a replica of this alter made in Judah because he thought to himself "Since the gods of the kings of Aram have helped them, I will sacrifice to them so they will help me" 2 Chron 28:23. Ahaz forgot all about God :(
Isa 41:21-24 (July 13th reading) indicates that idols cannot tell us what is going to happen, they cannot do anything, but are utterly worthless and detestable. The narrator writes (July 12th reading) "God has a further purpose for Isaiah's prophesies: He wants to reveal what is about to happen so that, when it does, the people will know that it is God who is punishing them and God who will deliver them." Isa 48:5 states, "Therefore I told you these things long ago; before they happened... so that you could not say, 'My idols did them; my wooden image and metal god ordained them.'" It's so crazy to think that God brought about SOOOO many things, and we puny humans would give credit to little human-made objects rather than God.
Idolatry is the kind of sin that creeps into my life in ways I don't even notice sometimes; finding worth in my performance, thinking that a Porsche or husband will bring me security or happiness, believing I would be more confident if I was healthier or smarter, etc... trusting, hoping, relying, etc. on anything more than God.
That's all I have on idols :) I wanted to end with some of my fav scriptures from the last couple of weeks...
Isa 32:17 The fruit of righteousness will be peace; the effect of righteousness will be quietness and confidence forever.
Isa 33:6 He will be the sure foundation for your times, a rich store of salvation and wisdom and knowledge; the fear of the LORD is the key to this treasure.
Isa 53 (alllll of it)
Isa 55:8-9 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways... As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.
Isa 66:2 This is the one I esteem: he who is humble and contrite in spirit, and trembles at my word.
Love ya!
:) Tera
One of the topics I thought about during the readings in the past couple of weeks is idols...
In 2 Kings 16 (July 2nd reading), we read that Ahaz, king of Judah, visited the king of Assyria (who Ahaz was very afraid of) and noticed an alter used by the Assyrians to worship their god(s). Ahaz then proceeded to have a replica of this alter made in Judah because he thought to himself "Since the gods of the kings of Aram have helped them, I will sacrifice to them so they will help me" 2 Chron 28:23. Ahaz forgot all about God :(
Isa 41:21-24 (July 13th reading) indicates that idols cannot tell us what is going to happen, they cannot do anything, but are utterly worthless and detestable. The narrator writes (July 12th reading) "God has a further purpose for Isaiah's prophesies: He wants to reveal what is about to happen so that, when it does, the people will know that it is God who is punishing them and God who will deliver them." Isa 48:5 states, "Therefore I told you these things long ago; before they happened... so that you could not say, 'My idols did them; my wooden image and metal god ordained them.'" It's so crazy to think that God brought about SOOOO many things, and we puny humans would give credit to little human-made objects rather than God.
Idolatry is the kind of sin that creeps into my life in ways I don't even notice sometimes; finding worth in my performance, thinking that a Porsche or husband will bring me security or happiness, believing I would be more confident if I was healthier or smarter, etc... trusting, hoping, relying, etc. on anything more than God.
That's all I have on idols :) I wanted to end with some of my fav scriptures from the last couple of weeks...
Isa 32:17 The fruit of righteousness will be peace; the effect of righteousness will be quietness and confidence forever.
Isa 33:6 He will be the sure foundation for your times, a rich store of salvation and wisdom and knowledge; the fear of the LORD is the key to this treasure.
Isa 53 (alllll of it)
Isa 55:8-9 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways... As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.
Isa 66:2 This is the one I esteem: he who is humble and contrite in spirit, and trembles at my word.
Love ya!
:) Tera
Thursday, July 16, 2009
Thursday, July 9, 2009
Monday, July 6, 2009
Jesus is the Way!!!
Jesus is the Way!!!
Isaiah 35:8
And a highway will be there;
it will be called the Way of Holiness.
The unclean will not journey on it;
it will be for those who walk in that Way;
wicked fools will not go about on it. [a]
In the New Testement Jesus calls himself "the way and the truth and the life". Followers of Jesus are said to be “followers of the Way”
John 14:4-6 (New International Version)
You know the way to the place where I am going."
Thomas said to him, "Lord, we don't know where you are going, so how can we know the way?"
Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
Acts 24:14
However, I admit that I worship the God of our fathers as a follower of the Way, which they call a sect. I believe everything that agrees with the Law and that is written in the Prophets,
Isaiah 35:8
And a highway will be there;
it will be called the Way of Holiness.
The unclean will not journey on it;
it will be for those who walk in that Way;
wicked fools will not go about on it. [a]
In the New Testement Jesus calls himself "the way and the truth and the life". Followers of Jesus are said to be “followers of the Way”
John 14:4-6 (New International Version)
You know the way to the place where I am going."
Thomas said to him, "Lord, we don't know where you are going, so how can we know the way?"
Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
Acts 24:14
However, I admit that I worship the God of our fathers as a follower of the Way, which they call a sect. I believe everything that agrees with the Law and that is written in the Prophets,
Sunday, July 5, 2009
every knee will bow
Isaiah is such an intense book. Some interesting precursory facts about the book...
The nations listed (besides Israel) were about to be punished (and in some cases, destroyed) because of their wickedness. (For example, in Jonah 1:2 God indicated that He was about to destroy Nineveh, an Assyrian city, because "[their] wickedness has come up before [Him].") However, before their punishment was dispensed, God used these nations to humble His people by allowing them to defeat the Israelites in battle. Yet, the nations didn't know that God was PERMITTING them to overpower His people, they thought they were that powerful... they were arrogant.
- Within its 66 chapters, the first 37 chapters are primarily about judgments for sin, while the last 27 chapters are about forgiveness, comfort, and hope (through the coming of Jesus).
- It is the only book in the bible that contains the words "I love you" (Isa 43:4)... for all the peeps out there whose love language is "words of affirmation", yep God SAYS He loves us :)
- The nations against whom the judgments were being pronounced:
Assyria
Babylon
Philistia
Moab
Cush
Egypt
Edom
Arabia
and as we know, Israel (both the northern and southern kingdoms)
The nations listed (besides Israel) were about to be punished (and in some cases, destroyed) because of their wickedness. (For example, in Jonah 1:2 God indicated that He was about to destroy Nineveh, an Assyrian city, because "[their] wickedness has come up before [Him].") However, before their punishment was dispensed, God used these nations to humble His people by allowing them to defeat the Israelites in battle. Yet, the nations didn't know that God was PERMITTING them to overpower His people, they thought they were that powerful... they were arrogant.
- In a similar way, Jesus PERMITTED mere humans to humiliate, torture, and kill Him. Jesus stated in Matt 26:53-54, "Do you think I cannot call on my Father, and He will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels? But how then would the Scriptures be fulfilled that say it must happen in this way?"... and also in John 19:11, "You would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above." As Jesus was dying on the cross, the pharisees and teachers of the law probably looked on with satisfaction... they were arrogant.
- In a similar way, Satan who attacks us with unceasing blows of wickedness, anger, and relentless aggression WILL be destroyed and thrown into the "lake of burning sulfur" (Rev 20:10). Indeed, one day "...at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is LORD..." Philp 2:10-11.
Saturday, July 4, 2009
By Your Side
I love this song....thought I share it. :D
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J95rAr0gOFU&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J95rAr0gOFU&feature=related
Return to Him
Being haunted by jackals and hyenas wouldn't be too much fun. I wouldn't want to be caught on God's bad side.
I very much enjoyed reading about King Hezekiah. It was so cool to see a king who wanted to honor God and do radical things to restore God's people to proper worship!
It's encouraging to read how God continues to show compassion on his people after they have disobeyed and turn their hearts from him.
"If you return to the Lord, then your brothers and your children will be shown compassion by their captors and will come back to this land, for the Lord your God is gracious and compassionate. He WILL NOT turn his face from you if you return to him."
"May the Lord, who is good, pardon everyone who sets his heart on seeking God--the Lord of God of his fathers--even if he is not clean according to the rules of the sanctuary."
Despite all the disobedience and wrongdoings of past kings and their dreadful consequences, Hezekiah sought God and worked wholeheartedly. And so he prospered. God does bless us when we seek after him and give our hearts to honor him.
No matter how deep and far we turn away from God, He always has open arms to hold us and take us back....but we must seek after him and return to him. I love that! It's amazing how much God continues to love me and forgive me when I choose to repent and desire to walk with him.
I very much enjoyed reading about King Hezekiah. It was so cool to see a king who wanted to honor God and do radical things to restore God's people to proper worship!
It's encouraging to read how God continues to show compassion on his people after they have disobeyed and turn their hearts from him.
"If you return to the Lord, then your brothers and your children will be shown compassion by their captors and will come back to this land, for the Lord your God is gracious and compassionate. He WILL NOT turn his face from you if you return to him."
"May the Lord, who is good, pardon everyone who sets his heart on seeking God--the Lord of God of his fathers--even if he is not clean according to the rules of the sanctuary."
Despite all the disobedience and wrongdoings of past kings and their dreadful consequences, Hezekiah sought God and worked wholeheartedly. And so he prospered. God does bless us when we seek after him and give our hearts to honor him.
No matter how deep and far we turn away from God, He always has open arms to hold us and take us back....but we must seek after him and return to him. I love that! It's amazing how much God continues to love me and forgive me when I choose to repent and desire to walk with him.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
