February 2d

I know, I am a day late... Yesterday was... interesting

Exodus 29 - 30, Matthew 21:23-46

This is probably sacrilege and I will no doubt burn in perdition... but I am having a difficult time with Exodus. It reads like the tax code. As a history teacher, I certainly recognize the significance of it. God is telling His people how to go about properly worshiping. he is very specific. I have only been in a couple of temples in my life. However, I cannot remember seeing one all decorated in gold and all the trimmings that are decreed in Exodus.

In fact I seen fancier "christian" churches that anything specified in Exodus... Whatever happened to "not all that glitters, is gold'?


Matthew 21:23-41

By who's authority do we teach?

I have a degree in Education and a state license to teach... That is my authority for my day job.

The templemorons (Priests, Judges, those guys) had Torah, but they wanted to know from whom did Jesus receive His Authority. This is laughable... they knew the answer, but were so afraid of the truth that they lied... The knew they were lying, everyone assembled knew they were lying... and Jesus certainly knew.

Christians, today, are fortunate to have all the historical proof we need to understand where Jesus' authority came from... but this was just the start of the ministry and though He knew and proclaimed his authority... it wasn't that well known.

That was their excuse... they didn't know... what is ours?

Common Man

Just a little something different to break up the thread a little...


Common Man
by

Barney Millisor

From the jungles of the Equator
To barren desert sand
I’ve seen a hundred sites
and a couple of thousand men

We didn’t all look the same
nor talk a common tounge
but when the rockets flew
Lord, we knew to run

We fought with them for liberty
and did what we saw as just
they fought for their land
as every man must.

We all felt pain and bled red blood
as we battled hand in hand
To light the torch of liberty
In many a foriegn land

They come to our land seeking the dream
That’s been planted in their brian
Of mighty mountins majesty
and purple waves of grain

Of many shades and many hues
they land upon our shore
looking for the lamp, beside the path
and the Golden Door

When you cut us we all bleed
when you hurt us we feel pain
It doesn’t matter where we’re from
So, let me say again

We don’t all look the same
nor speak a common tongue
but we all stand for the privilge
of the time to come

when no man will judge another
but by the work of his hands
his strong clear voice, the joy of his children
the victory of the common man


Copywrite 2009 all rights reserved

February 1st

Exodus 27-28, Matthew 21:1-22

When I was a kid I had a heck of a time saying FEBRUARY....

Exodus... More instructions to the People of Israel... Stay tuned for more... This is all interesting from a historical standpoint... but doesn't do much in the inspiration department... And there is great support materiel, pictures and everything...


My House should be a House of Prayer, but you have made it a den of thieves.. Get out Get out! Jesus Christ Superstar

I was in 9th grade when Superstar made its big splash... it was the first album I bought and I memorized it... Which was really kind of prophetic... I later played Judas, Jesus and Herod in productions of JCSS... Don't ask me to sing it now... the pipes are very rusty...

Jesus cleans out the temple and the fig tree is an allegory for people who talk the talk, but cannot walk the walk...

Alas, Alas for you Lawyers and Pharisees, hypocrites to a man... sons of the dogs who murdered the Prophets, Finishing off what your Fathers began... Godspell

In Exodus God is telling his people the forms they are to use in worshiping Him... In Matthew we see the sorrowful conclusion of those instructions...

Jesus came to bring us back to the Father without all the Gold and Jewels and stuff...

Don't get me wrong, my poor knees like soft pads on the kneelers... but I don't need then to worship or believe...

January 31st

Exodus 25 - 26, Matthew 20:17-34

Some days it is difficult to get excited about Exodus... Today's readings are God telling His people how they are to build the artifacts to properly worship Him. I have always understood that religious people need someplace to come together and share their faith. Before I became Christian, I understood this... But... I have always wondered why God wants all the Gold and silver and fine yarn and and and...

The houses of worship need to be supported by the congregation, but... Gold? Silver?

I gotta wonder where the inspired word of God leaves off and greedy leaders picks up...

Were the religious leaders of Jerusalem frightened of Jesus because he is the Messiah or because he threatened their secular way of life?

Matthew

Have you ever noticed that there is a theme running through the New Testament? Just askin'...

The last shall be first and the first shall be last... the greatest among you must be a servant...

The words are often confusing at first reading... and often I have asked the question, 'What does he mean by that?'

I was far too small to play football in high school... so, initially to keep peace in the house I stayed with the football team as a manager and then student athletic trainer... Long hours, ridicule from a majority of the jock/cheerleader types and, unfortunately my picture in the paper my junior and senior years... My picture... not the Star Quarterback or Running Back... me... the kid with the tape scissors.

I did it to appease my father, but stayed because the coaches (whom I greatly respected) convinced me I was making a valuable contribution.

I never asked for anything from the team... but the summer after I graduated Chuck Burner (head coach) asked me to come back and train some new kids... Then away I went to college... That October, Coach Burner called me at college and asked if I was going to be in town for homecoming, and if I was, was I planning on coming to the game? It seems they really needed some help... so of course I came

I got set up...

At half time, after all the Homecoming Queen stuff... The AD & Coach Burner stayed at mid-field and told everybody about what I had really done over 4 years... Kept things running smoothly, kept players healthy, fixed stuff without being told to... just the everyday stuff I had done. Then, in front of 5000 people they pulled me out on the field and presented me with a football signed by all the players and coaches. (I would like to thank my ex-wife for loosing that football) later, back in the locker room they gave me a check for $150, from the players & coaches to say thanks...

I never wanted thanks (then money was nice and it was 1972...) nor sought recognition... but by making myself a servant I followed this gospel... I was the least among them, when I was on the team and they made me first...

My friend Larry Kershner calls it selfless service... doing something because it needs to be done and it is the right thing...

January 30th

Idiot that I am... I left my Bible in my car and it is at the shop until this evening...

Exodus 23 - 24, Matthew 20:1-16

There is a branch of Judaism that deals with numbers and their relationship to religion. In the old testament there are many significant number... 70, 40, 6, 7 HIKE!

But the most important number is 1. There is one God. Worship him as He has instructed. Follow those appointed over you , oh Israel and you will be delivered into a land of Milk & Honey.

Obviously, He didn't have Cleveland in mind!

Historically, some of the laws are significant for health reasons... pork was dangerous 5,000 years ago... it had some nasty parasites that passed thought the intestines and into you system.. so, don't eat pork. later we learned that if you cook pork thoroughly, the parasites die and pork is safe... but I digress...

Follow the rules God said... and the people all said they would...

if it were only THAT esy...

Mathew 20: 1-16

Jesus was a master of the set-up... Especially when dealing with those who felt they were Righteous (priest and doctors of the laws).

Speaking of men working in a vineyard He describes how workers are paid for their labor at the end of the day... Those who work from sundown to sunset are paid the agreed wage... those who only work an hour are paid the agreed wage...


There is one wage that we are all agreed to... the work isn't easy, the reward is great. Some may labor all their days... have heard and accepted the Good News and done all that was asked of them. Others may not accept the News until later in life... but they are still paid the same... This isn't apples to apples... the pay will always be the same.. the work will always be different and the reward always the same...

That is the way it is... accept it as you have accepted the Good News....

January 29th

Exodus 21-22, Matthew 19

Every society HAS to have rules to live by. In some cultures, such as the pre-literate cultures, the rules were spoke to each generation. The Celts were such a culture and many of their stories and traditions are alive today.

In this section of Exodus, God is giving His people His rules. Remember, this is the God who delivers on His promises... So, they listen and (generally) heed. They are aware that He is listening and watching all the time... he may not be paying particular attention to YOU at this moment (so put down the ice cream), but He Knows... Think 1984, Big Brother and Santa all rolled into one... HE KNOWS

He still does... So... you'd better watch out ;+)

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Matthew 19

I will not address Matthew 19:1-13... Divorce can be an ugly thing. It hurts adults, it hurts children. Sometimes the greatest good, for all, is through divorce. Jesus says that a man shall not divorce except for sexual immorality...


So much said, so little time...

"Let the little children come to me..."

Story of the rich young man...

Jesus tells the rich young man that to gain heaven he must give up his earthly possessions.

Ouch! No iPod? No internet?! Gad zooks! Zounds~

Too often life is more about stuff than people and relationships. Not a great thing, but that is the way it is sometimes. Every choice we make, every action we take involves gain and loss. We make a choice, we live with the consequences; be they good or bad.

Jesus lay out the simple rules for getting to heaven. We have to decide what choice to make.

Remember, he never said it would be easy.

January 28th, 2010

Exodus 19-20, Matthew 18:21-25

Moses goes up Mt. Sinia and receives instructions from God. The people of Israel are warned not to set foot on the mountain, lest they be killed.

I can only imagine that someone said, 'Yeah, Right Sure' 'What's he gonna do?' I also imagine that it only took one... Remember, this is the God that delivers on his promises, so more than likely the people of Israel now had the Fear of God put into them and aren't going to stray from the chosen path... at least for a while.

Moses goes back up the mountain and returns with the Ten Commandments (Cecil B. DeMille, Charlton Heston etc). Simple rules to live by... A couple of things you have to do and a few that you aren't allowed... and God makes it clear that He will remember those who don't follow the rules.

Simple Rules to live by... No long cumbersome statutes. No complex laws that change with the political tide... ten simple rules.

If people would follow these simple commandments... we would all be better off...

Adam Smith (Wealth of Nations) listed his three natural laws of economics... Self-interest, Competition & Supply and Demand...

It is in our own self-interest to follow these rules.

We will always compete, but there is no competition for God's favor...it is always there.

In this instance the Supply will always meet the Demand...

***

And what is with that whole nakedness on the altar thing? (Ex 20:26)

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Matthew 18:21-25

The Bad Servant...

Forgiveness is never easy... It may take years to work through some problems, but work through them we must. If we expect God forgiveness, we have to practice forgiveness.

Forgetting though just doesn't happen, at least until we get old-timers.

There have been a couple of people who really hurt me... and did it intentionally. I will never forget the harm they caused... I am Irish, we never forget... but that is in the past and while I will never understand fully WHY they did hurtful things, I cannot old too much of a grudge (it is the Irish thing).

Would I go out of my way today to bring revenge down on their pointy little heads? Not on your life... I figure the Big Guy upstairs will handle the whole retribution thing...

Exodus 16 - 18 & Matthew 18: 1-20

This is my third attempt at this post... I am only a little frustrated... ;+)

In Exodus we watch the people of Israel as they wander through the wilderness. They sort of remind me of some field trips I have taken...

We're Hungry! We're Thirsty! We gotta go potty... We would have been better off in Egypt...*Humpf* *Pout* *Stomp* *Whine*

In answer to every complaint, God provides. Food... Water... well... He wonders why they complain... He has said He will do something and then does it... repeatedly. What is wrong with these schmucks?

God, through Moses, has taken them out of what was known into a land unknown. They are definitely out of their comfort zone... and they are acting like spoiled children.

Yet, God provides. Perhaps if we are quiet long enough, we will notice how God has provided, for us?

********

This is one of my favorite passages from Matthew.

At one time or another we have all been lost sheep. Too often there is no one who even notices that someone is missing. Occasionally, there is someone there to help you find the way... I am one of these lucky ones.

For the past 4 1/2 years I have had a wonderful woman in my life. When I went to Iraq in 2006, she looked after my house and affairs for me. When I came back, she was there to help me adjust to the "real world." Trust me, here... Iraq was so different from what I normally do... Adjustment was necessary.

She had all the cares that infest the day... kids, job, house, pets, the works. Still, she spent what little time she had with me... her gentle love and patience brought me home. She shepherded me.

God will do that also, if we let him...

January 26th

Exodus 14-15, Matthew 17

I am a history teacher, period. I make no claim to any scholarship other than that. And, though I did take a class in the 70's on the Bible as Literature, I only got a C... and that was mostly because I was a counter to the "Born Agains" who dominated the class.

In Exodus we read of the flight from Egypt and how God works through not only Moses (and who can hear that name without thinking of Charlton Heston and the 10 Commandments) but also through the people of Egypt, the Pharaoh in particular. God delcares to Moses that thus and so will be, and that He will ensure it happens... for He Is God.

The people of Israel are anxious about the whole desert thing, but as God promises, so he provides.

It would be nice to say " and they lived happily ever after..." but that is not the case...

Matthew speaks of Jesus' final days... how prophecy begins to come together and the end is in sight, at least in Jesus' sight...

Our God is not for the Faint of Heart... ever notice that? He expects that we will follow his lead, but doesn't make it easy... How much courage do we display in our daily lives?

Tough question... but then that is what History Teachers do, ask tough questions...

Trouble is... there isn't a teacher's edition handy with all the answers.

Year in a Day... one at a time

OK... So it took a really long time for me to figure out how to work this thing and what to write about...

Since Christmas I have been trying, none to successfully, to follow the Daily Bread: Bible in a Year devotional... Right now I am about 20 days behind...

So... Starting now, I will begin posting the Daily Reading here and maybe even commenting on it.

This gives me a goal and a time frame to work in... also it will remind me that this is something I should be doing...

Yes, I got the idea from the movie "Julie and Julia."