Seeing God for what HE is

It seems to me that who did this picture had the tale of Moses and the burning bush in mind. So, here is the passage from the book of Exodus.

Ex 3:1-6
3 Now Moses was keeping the flock of Jethro, his father-in-law, the priest of Midian, and he led the flock to the back of the wilderness, and came to God's mountain, to Horeb.
2 The angel of Yahweh appeared to him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush. He looked, and behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed.
3 Moses said, "I will turn aside now, and see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt."
4 When Yahweh saw that he turned aside to see, God called to him out of the midst of the bush, and said, "Moses! Moses!" He said, "Here I am."
5 He said, "Don't come close. Take your sandals off of your feet, for the place you are standing on is holy ground."
6 Moreover he said, "I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob." Moses hid his face; for he was afraid to look at God. WEB

Astounding! Just consider for a moment what is happening here; God is speaking with a man! Even more puzzling is the comparison of "The angel of Yahweh" (verse 2) with the statement from verse 4 that "God called to him out of the midst of the bush". Is God an angel? How could this be? Well, the term angel means messenger, so we have God being a messenger of himself, humm. In the new testament book of John it says that no man has seen God, so is there a contradiction? No, because I believe that the Exodus passage is referring the preincarnate Jesus. Not only here, but in every instance of God directly interacting with man. Think about it, in the Godhead, God the father directs, the Son materially interacts with mankind and the Holy Spirit empowers. There is not a God of the Old Testament and a God of the New, but rather One God manifesting himself in various distinct and yet collective ways. All this may seem very difficult, but consider how difficult it must have been for Moses to be there? I know it would be for me, especially as I don't like heights!

The "game" of "Life"

No, this is not a game!!! This is a resume!!! Very unusual, but sure to be noticed. When I saw this, I thought of my own life and what would be on my own version. All that we do is observed and noted by the creator of the entire universe; nothing is hidden to him. Think that is not important; well, consider this passage from the book of revelation.

Rev 20:11-15
11 I saw a great white throne, and him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. There was found no place for them.
12 I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and they opened books. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged out of the things which were written in the books, according to their works.
13 The sea gave up the dead who were in it. Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them. They were judged, each one according to his works.
14 Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire.
15 If anyone was not found written in the book of life, he was cast into the lake of fire. WEB

Payday, someday. Each block of our own resume builds a pathway to our own eternal destiny. In a sense we decide whether we win or lose in this life AND THE NEXT!!! So, each day make a decision to listen to God and make the right choices, in order that your own resume is a pathway to the pearly gates.

I have never seen these before. Nice! Unnecessary, but NICE! Why did I say that? Because its not about the shoes you wear or what you look like or the kind of work you do... its about knowing God and sharing what he has done for you the best that you can. Take a minute and look at this passage from the book of Romans and see if it doesn't give all this a little bit more insight.

Rom 10:1-17 Brothers, my heart's desire and my prayer to God is for Israel, that they may be saved.2 For I testify about them that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge.3 For being ignorant of God's righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, they didn't subject themselves to the righteousness of God.4 For Christ is the fulfillment of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.5 For Moses writes about the righteousness of the law, "The one who does them will live by them."6 But the righteousness which is of faith says this, "Don't say in your heart, 'Who will ascend into heaven?' (that is, to bring Christ down);7 or, 'Who will descend into the abyss?' (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead.)"8 But what does it say? "The word is near you, in your mouth, and in your heart;" that is, the word of faith, which we preach:9 that if you will confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.10 For with the heart, one believes unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.11 For the Scripture says, "Whoever believes in him will not be disappointed."12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, and is rich to all who call on him.13 For, "Whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved."14 How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? How will they believe in him whom they have not heard? How will they hear without a preacher?15 And how will they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: "How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the Good News of peace, Who bring glad tidings of good things!"16 But they didn't all listen to the glad news. For Isaiah says, "Lord, who has believed our report?"17 So faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. WEB

Sharing what Jesus has done makes you beautiful; no matter who you are. Even if you are 15 and have pimples or seventy and grey hair, you have beautiful feet; the Bible says it and its true. Not everyone will like you and that is just the way it is, but the fact is that you are still beautiful. So, go ahead and buy the sneakers or don't buy them; either way... you are beautiful.

The power and the blessing

This picture reminds me of the up-state New York Adirondack's. Many years ago my in-laws had a camp near Newcomb and I remember streams just like this one. If you stood by it, you could hear the rushing water and get a sense of the real power that was there. The forest would come alive with the sound of it and it seemed like a symphony to me. Clear refreshing water was in those streams and when coupled with the smell of the surrounding forest, it produced an overall well-being as nothing I had ever experienced before. I thought of the following passage from the book of John; I hope you enjoy it!

John 4:5-29
5 So he came to a city of Samaria, called Sychar, near the parcel of ground that Jacob gave to his son, Joseph.6 Jacob's well was there. Jesus therefore, being tired from his journey, sat down by the well. It was about the sixth hour .7 A woman of Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, "Give me a drink."8 For his disciples had gone away into the city to buy food.9 The Samaritan woman therefore said to him, "How is it that you, being a Jew, ask for a drink from me, a Samaritan woman?" (For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.)10 Jesus answered her, "If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, 'Give me a drink,' you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water."11 The woman said to him, "Sir, you have nothing to draw with, and the well is deep. From where then have you that living water?12 Are you greater than our father, Jacob, who gave us the well, and drank of it himself, as did his children, and his livestock?"13 Jesus answered her, "Everyone who drinks of this water will thirst again,14 but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never thirst again; but the water that I will give him will become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life."15 The woman said to him, "Sir, give me this water, so that I don't get thirsty, neither come all the way here to draw."16 Jesus said to her, "Go, call your husband, and come here."17 The woman answered, "I have no husband." Jesus said to her, "You said well, 'I have no husband,'18 for you have had five husbands; and he whom you now have is not your husband. This you have said truly."19 The woman said to him, "Sir, I perceive that you are a prophet.20 Our fathers worshiped in this mountain, and you Jews say that in Jerusalem is the place where people ought to worship."21 Jesus said to her, "Woman, believe me, the hour comes, when neither in this mountain, nor in Jerusalem, will you worship the Father.22 You worship that which you don't know. We worship that which we know; for salvation is from the Jews.23 But the hour comes, and now is, when the true worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father seeks such to be his worshippers.24 God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth."25 The woman said to him, "I know that Messiah comes," (he who is called Christ). "When he has come, he will declare to us all things."26 Jesus said to her, "I am he, the one who speaks to you."27 At this, his disciples came. They marveled that he was speaking with a woman; yet no one said, "What are you looking for?" or, "Why do you speak with her?"28 So the woman left her water pot, and went away into the city, and said to the people,29 "Come, see a man who told me everything that I did. Can this be the Christ?"WEB

Different country, different time, a strange meeting and possibility was at Sycar. Jesus spoke to this woman and challenged her in many ways; especially with the concept of living water. He intrigued her with the thought of water that will be of eternal value and of his own identity. She went away puzzled, but her curiosity led many to seek out Jesus. It has always been interesting to me that the more you come to know him, the more there is to know. Such are the depths of the knowledge of God. What is certain is that his gifts reflect his nature and that is eternal. Those who really seek God will find him and experience the power and blessing that only HE can provide.

whoosh!

Ever feel like this? It doesn't matter that this is just computer manipulated imagery, it conveys a feeling! You know, that sinking feeling you get when you KNOW that you are sunk, and so you reach out for ANY hope of escape. My second thought about this image (right after you have GOT to be kidding one) was how it reminded me of Jonah the prophet. Read this excerpt from chapter 2 and see if it rings a bell.

Jonah 2
2 Then Jonah prayed to Yahweh, his God, out of the fish's belly.2 He said, "I called because of my affliction to Yahweh. He answered me. Out of the belly of Sheol I cried. You heard my voice.3 For you threw me into the depths, In the heart of the seas. The flood was all around me. All your waves and your billows passed over me.4 I said, 'I have been banished from your sight; Yet I will look again toward your holy temple.'5 The waters surrounded me, Even to the soul. The deep was around me. The weeds were wrapped around my head.6 I went down to the bottoms of the mountains. The earth barred me in forever: Yet have you brought up my life from the pit, Yahweh my God.7 "When my soul fainted within me, I remembered Yahweh. My prayer came in to you, into your holy temple.8 Those who regard lying vanities forsake their own mercy.9 But I will sacrifice to you with the voice of thanksgiving. I will pay that which I have vowed. Salvation belongs to Yahweh."10 Yahweh spoke to the fish, and it vomited out Jonah on the dry land. WEB

First of all, Jonah deserved to be where he was. He disobeyed God and went in the exact opposite direction God had told him to. His own stubbornness led to his condition. Isn't it true that many times we find ourselves in desperate situations because of our own stupidity and stubbornness? Jonah finally got it right though; in his hour of need he turned to God and Yahweh listened. So, the next time you feel like your life is about to experience an inglorious quick flush, reach out to God and don't wait because who knows, in the next second someone could push a button and then... whoosh!

Change

How good it is to see this picture. When many people grow "old" they wither away and become grumpy and given to a sour disposition. When we see others have a "good" attitude it encourages us. The congregation at Corinth was a mess, sin had taken hold of their lives, but they read Paul's first letter to them and changed. This caused much happiness as you will see from this excerpt from Paul's second letter to them.

2 Cor 7:10-13
10 For godly sorrow works repentance to salvation, which brings no regret. But the sorrow of the world works death.
11 For behold, this same thing, that you were made sorry in a godly way, what earnest care it worked in you. Yes, what defense, indignation, fear, longing, zeal, and vengeance! In everything you demonstrated yourselves to be pure in the matter.
12 So although I wrote to you, I wrote not for his cause that did the wrong, nor for his cause that suffered the wrong, but that your earnest care for us might be revealed in you in the sight of God.
13 Therefore we have been comforted. In our comfort we rejoiced the more exceedingly for the joy of Titus, because his spirit has been refreshed by you all. WEB

Change is a good thing, when the outcome is good. Happiness is the result. For those of us who are about to enter our sunset years, remember that growing old doesn't have to mean you can't stay young at heart. Just as a change from a sinful life to a spiritual one caused joy in Titus, so a rightly lived life in an older person will have the same effect on those around them. You may not want to play hopscotch, but find something new about yourself that will make you better. Anyone out there ever tried Hexagonal chess?

The Test.

No, this isn't a Roshack (excuse the spelling) test. I would ask you what you see, however. To me, its either a white and black picture of a woman OR a black and white picture of a sax player. What you see is a reflection of what you are thinking about. The Apostle Paul thought about others a lot as this passage from the book of Philippians shows.

Phil 1:1-8 1 Paul and Timothy, servants of Jesus Christ; To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi, with the overseers and deacons:
2 Grace to you, and peace from God, our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.
3 I thank my God whenever I remember you,
4 always in every request of mine on behalf of you all making my requests with joy,
5 for your partnership in furtherance of the Good News from the first day until now;
6 being confident of this very thing, that he who began a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.
7 It is even right for me to think this way on behalf of all of you, because I have you in my heart, because, both in my bonds and in the defense and confirmation of the Good News, you all are partakers with me of grace.
8 For God is my witness, how I long after all of you in the tender mercies of Christ Jesus.WEB

They were on his mind, daily. What a thought! They were with him daily in his prayers. They cared for him and he cared for them. Love is a powerful thing; it changes things! When you go through your daily activities tomorrow, just take a minute now and then to consider what you have thought about. Hopefully, you won't be blowing your own horn, but perhaps you may see the beauty and worth of others around you. If you do, you have passed the test.

Characteristics, actions and numbers.

Pride is a horrible thing. It has been the source of so much suffering over the centuries that I can not even find words to express its extent. Pride has no limitations, boundaries or obstacles that can not be overcome. This is true in heaven and on Earth as well. In heaven there is Satan and on Earth, well, perhaps the owner of this car is someone who just might have one big problem. This passage from the book of Revelation describes just such a one. Try and think of an example of an Earthly application of this number (or man).

Rev 13 Then I stood on the sand of the sea. I saw a beast coming up out of the sea, having ten horns and seven heads. On his horns were ten crowns, and on his heads, blasphemous names.2 The beast which I saw was like a leopard, and his feet were like those of a bear, and his mouth like the mouth of a lion. The dragon gave him his power, his throne, and great authority.3 One of his heads looked like it had been wounded fatally. His fatal wound was healed, and the whole earth marveled at the beast.4 They worshiped the dragon, because he gave his authority to the beast, and they worshiped the beast, saying, "Who is like the beast? Who is able to make war with him?"5 A mouth speaking great things and blasphemy was given to him. Authority to make war for forty-two months was given to him.6 He opened his mouth for blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his dwelling, those who dwell in heaven.7 It was given to him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them. Authority over every tribe, people, language, and nation was given to him.8 All who dwell on the earth will worship him, everyone whose name has not been written from the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who has been killed.9 If anyone has an ear, let him hear.10 If anyone has captivity, he will go. If anyone is with the sword, he must be killed. Here is the endurance and the faith of the saints.11 I saw another beast coming up out of the earth. He had two horns like a lamb, and he spoke like a dragon.12 He exercises all the authority of the first beast in his presence. He makes the earth and those who dwell in it to worship the first beast, whose fatal wound was healed.13 He performs great signs, even making fire come down out of the sky to the earth in the sight of people.14 He deceives my own people who dwell on the earth because of the signs he was granted to do in front of the beast; saying to those who dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast who had the sword wound and lived.15 It was given to him to give breath to it, to the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause as many as wouldn't worship the image of the beast to be killed.16 He causes all, the small and the great, the rich and the poor, and the free and the slave, to be given marks on their right hands, or on their foreheads;17 and that no one would be able to buy or to sell, unless he has that mark, the name of the beast or the number of his name.18 Here is wisdom. He who has understanding, let him calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man. His number is six hundred sixty-six. WEB


Why this number anyway? Called the Nero-kaiser-cryptograph it is a code name for the Emperor Nero of the 1st Century. But is that all? No, for everyone who does sin bears the name of sin. So, in this understanding, the great evil personages of History such as Genghis Kahn, Stalin, Hitler and many others would bear this title. It started in heaven with the pride of Satan who felt he was at least a 2nd God. Since each part of the triune nature of God is represented by a seven; God's number would be 777. If Satan were a second God, his number one less than THE GOD and would be 666; an unholy trinity to say the least. So, evil has a number and that number is a characteristic and an action and a person. Whoever lives the characteristic and the action puts themselves in the position of evil and therefore is a type of Satan. I hope some day to have the opportunity to meet the owner of this car; maybe he can be shown the errors of his ways; all he has to do is beyond his pride.

A stop for Donuts?

Things are not always as they seem. This officer could be writing a ticket, checking the status of a vehicle parked along the side of the road, or simply stopping one of the Dunkin Donuts people to say "thanks" for beginning to stock his favorite dunker. We don't know EXACTLY what is going on, so it would be safe to assume absolutely nothing. Just to associate a police officer with the donut chain leads one to think he is goofing off or taking advantage somehow, but we need to get the FACTS, BEFORE WE MAKE CONCLUSIONS. I like the letter of 1st Corinthians because Paul deals with real life situations, with real problems.

1 Cor 1:10-13
10 Now I beg you, brothers, through the name of our Lord, Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfected together in the same mind and in the same judgment.
11 For it has been reported to me concerning you, my brothers, by those who are from Chloe's household, that there are contentions among you.
12 Now I mean this, that each one of you says, "I follow Paul," "I follow Apollos," "I follow Cephas," and, "I follow Christ."
13 Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized into the name of Paul?WEB

People like clicks; they like to feel that they are part of the select few, that they are special. Paul knew the Corinthian church well and when informed about their behavior confronted them. He set them straight in a very direct yet considerate way. This is a very good example to follow; one that the police certainly know and practice. They do a difficult job and face danger on a daily basis. They deserve respect and understanding! Besides, everybody could use a donut with a cup of coffee once-in-awhile, even a policeman. I just wish our DD (Dunkin Donnuts) was a little closer, but who knows, maybe they will begin to make home deliveries and of course there would have to have a police escort!

Up, up and away

I was taken aback by this picture. Balloons at night with their reflection on the water; how absolutely beautiful! Which raises a good question: What is the most beautiful thing you have ever seen? And does this thing remain the same throughout the years? I remember when I was 7 years old (and I really WAS 7 years old once) I really, really, really, really wanted a Davey Crockett coonskin cap. Then one day the topic of girls came up with one of my parents and I was told that in a year or two I would begin to see girls differently. I couldn't believe it; someone would actually want to spend time with a girl rather than PLAY BASEBALL?? Well, along came Linda and things have never been the same again. Which reminds me of this passage from the Song of Solomon.

Song 2:1-4

1 I am a rose of Sharon, A lily of the valleys.
2 As a lily among thorns, So is my love among the daughters. Beloved
3 As the apple tree among the trees of the wood, So is my beloved among the sons. I sat down under his shadow with great delight, His fruit was sweet to my taste.
4 He brought me to the banquet hall. His banner over me is love. WEB

Love changes things. You never see beauty the same again. Isn't it a little odd that I can go from a beautiful picture of helium balloons to thoughts of my wife just like that??? Not at all; for that's the way of the heart and it is overpowering. If you want an unusual experience, try re-reading the Song of Solomon. The physical and spiritual love the book exudes have a parallel between the love of God and the church which he purchased with his own blood. Love is wonderful and the true depths of it go beyond the comprehension of any mere mortal. But, I keep trying to understand and although I may never succeed, the trip is wonderful. I am reminded of an old song by the Fifth Dimension which somehow seems appropriate, its title: Up, up and away, my beautiful balloon! Look it up, you might enjoy it!