mydailythought

Duet 26 and 28-end
and Acts 15 and 16
I have always wondered why Cain's sacrifice was not worthy. Reading this passage I realise that it is perhaps more simple than I realised... When God cursed man he deemed that the soil would be hard work, that we would have to work hard for produce... It is labour intensive.

I cannot deal with the passage written to the Jews it seems so stark and bleak especially in the wake of WWII.

The Acts passage is perhaps the most exciting. I imagine the jailer ready to kill himself as he would have been very badly treated and then killed if the prisoners had all escaped. There in his moment of darkness and dispair Paul calls out ' we are here'. I know if I were a prisoner I would have taken the earthquake to be Gods sign for me to escape.

Perhaps here I get the sharp realisation that Pauls life was about sharing the gospel now not about survival or anything else. he was an intelligent man and knew that by his escape the jailer would be killed and that was not the reputation Paul wanted to give others. His life was a sacrife. Toil and labour worthy of knowing that he can stand before God with a clear conscience.

deut 2:1-25; acts 2:1-21

From the Acts passage:
20 The sun will be turned to darkness
and the moon to blood
before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord.

This is like something from Dr Who (the modern day series)

readings 1Kings 17:1-end; Mark 5:21-end

surely these passages demand a consideration of 'healing'. WEll yes but there are also aspects which I notice today.

The healings are
Woman whose child is not breathing. The woman has served Elijar food from the flour and oil she has which would have been the last meal for her son and herself, yet this small amount continued to supply both herself, her son and Elijar.

The bleeding woman who reached out to touch Jesus in the crowd.

And the daughter of Jairus whom they were told was dead before Jesus could get to her.

So three healings.
After her son is healed the woman in the Kings passage recognises that the Word of the LORD that comes from Elijars mouth is truth.
At the beginning of the Mark passage a synogogue leader 'Jairus' came to Jesus and falling on his knees asked Jesus to come with him to heal his dying daughter.
The bleeding woman then touches his cloak as she believes she only needs to touch his cloak to be healed.

In each of these passages the healing not only is enables or reflects 'faith' it also marks how the healing is from the LORD, yet is focused at an individual level.

Jesus ensures that he turns to confirm with the woman that it is her faith that has healed her - he says to her "Go in peace and be freed from your suffering." we can feel the comfort and reassurance that the woman would have gained from his direct and loving attention.
The synagogue leader had faith that Jesus could heal his dying daughter. Jesus 'went with him' again his love and attention focused the individuals involved at 'street', or 'grass root' level.

Lord I come to you as a failed human. I feel I have failed at so much and that it is because I have not had the input and support I need. I want to do well for you in my study and life. That others may see Jesus in all that I am. Lord I pray for your wisdom, your love, your eyes and your help to attain all that I can be in service for your precious Son. Lord I desire for you to help me gain knowledge and be able to apply it. I seek wisdom that you may guide me. I hope or understanding that I may be able to share your words and gospel. Lord I turn to you that you may use me. I turn to you that you may mould me. I turn to you that you may change me to be more than I am through your Holy Spirit.
Amen

http://dpmobc.org/course/view.php?id=17

here is a link to the Derek Prince course that I have just signed up for. I am not a fan of Derek Prince at all and disagree with his theology. So I am signed up for a trial I think! but I was told that it is good to explore outside the boundary and thus I will do this. I will use Prince as the title for each post I make about the course.

(after a week I still have not brought myself to read any of this course. I am unimpressed by him that it is just not inspiring to do the work when there is so much else to do!)

Living Wisely: the way we speak

bible readings

These pasages suggest that only speaking a little is a good thing. Why?

Bible Readings

So perhaps it is not so much how much we speak but what we say when we speak

Proverbs 18:4

It is best to work on keeping confidences
Disagree without being disagreeable
Encourage

Actions can effect how we feel also.
Being critical rather than being an active aid does not do as much good as supporting and confirming someone.

should we ignore others problems or failings _?

MOST IMPORTANTLY
why is the way we speak an indicator of our faith?
passage from James

In proverbs 5 we have much fewer verses on wisdom before we enter into the warning section which has been with all the proverbs so far at the end of each.

1 My son, pay attention to my wisdom,
listen well to my words of insight,
2 that you may maintain discretion
and your lips may preserve knowledge

In proverbs 4 we seem to have wisdom as an organic being. 'she will watch over you'.

5 Get wisdom, get understanding;
do not forget my words or swerve from them.

6 Do not forsake wisdom, and she will protect you;
love her, and she will watch over you.

7 Wisdom is supreme; therefore get wisdom.
Though it cost all you have, [a] get understanding.

8 Esteem her, and she will exalt you;
embrace her, and she will honor you.

9 She will set a garland of grace on your head
and present you with a crown of splendor.

Proverbs 3 begins to give what we might call a list which if held to would enable one to begin to be wise in the eyes of God. But this begins to distinguish between wisdom of man and God. For man surely wealth and health are the essentials of life. Wisdom is only sought when needing specific advise or guidance.

1 My son, do not forget my teaching,
but keep my commands in your heart,
2 for they will prolong your life many years
and bring you prosperity.

3 Let love and faithfulness never leave you;
bind them around your neck,
write them on the tablet of your heart.

4 Then you will win favor and a good name
in the sight of God and man.

5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;

6 in all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will make your paths straight. [a]

7 Do not be wise in your own eyes;
fear the LORD and shun evil.

In proverbs 3 we see three words used wisdom, understanding and knowledge. I wonder if there is meaning in this passage which helps to explain wisdom a little better.

19bBy wisdom the LORD laid the earth's foundations,
by understanding he set the heavens in place;

20 by his knowledge the deeps were divided,
and the clouds let drop the dew.