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~ Land of Uz ~ Poem on Job w/ John Piper Devo
~ I wrote the above poem years ago. It is based on Job 13. In addition, I put a photo of a sculpture, to wit, Job by Ivan Mestrovic. The sculpture can be seen on the campus of my alma mater, Syracuse University. Words for the Wind “Do you think that you can reprove words,…
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(11′) Jeremiah & Imposter Syndrome
“Get yourself ready! Stand up and say to them whatever I command you. Do not be terrified by them, or I will terrify you before them.” ~ Jer. 1:17 (NIV). Reflection: That word “terrify” should not sit well with any of us. Other Bible versions use terms like “confound,” “dismay,” “cower,” “afraid,” “shatter,” and “destroy.”…
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(10′) Ruth & the Heebie Jeebies.
The warp and woof of ancient Israelite culture was the idea of redemption. On the one hand, you have the exodus which was Redemption par excellent from slavery in Egypt. On the other hand, you have all these other little redemptions going on such as redeeming widows, redeeming slaves, redeeming animals (clean/unclean), redeeming housing, farms,…
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(48) Overcommunication is Better Than Undercommunication
Pray without ceasing (1 Thess. 5:17). ~ If you are going to err between overcommunicating something or under-communicating something, then its better to err on the side of overcommunication. Vertically speaking, you can never pray too much. Never. Horizontally speaking, under-communication leaves gaps that the devil can fill in with his own whispers, innuendoes, lies,…
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(47) Commitment & Guidance
The following is a thought that I picked up from Pastor Ken Smith of the Reformed Presbyterian Church. I am putting it in my own words with a different set of scriptures. (1) Paul Now when we heard these things, both we and those from that place pleaded with him not to go up to…
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Quick Thoughts (1)
(1) “Therefore, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” ~ Matt. 6:34 ~ Worry is working overtime for no pay. (2) Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me?…
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Note (6): Living Our Lives As Eden Interrupted ~
1) The Bible begins with a man and a woman in a garden. This is of course Genesis. 2) Then it continues with a man, a woman, flitting between a garden and a city. This is Song of Songs. 3) Finally, the Bible ends with a Bridegroom, a Bride and a Garden-City, i.e. the New…
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Note (4): The Gospel, Implied, Supplied and Applied
“And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.” . . . “He said to them, ‘This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms.’” ~ Luke 24:10,…
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Note (3): Quick Jots on Waiting on God
1) All waiting on God is a filled waiting. “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” ~ Eph 2:10 As we wait on God for something, He fills our wait with other things to do. Our waits are not a…
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Note (2): Imagination Can Fuel Fear
These following passages in the Bible show that imagination can sometimes get the best of our fears. (1) Genesis 32, 33: 6 When the messengers returned to Jacob, they said, “We went to your brother Esau, and now he is coming to meet you, and four hundred men are with him.” 7 In great fear and distress Jacob divided…
The Dew and the Rain 