Manna from Heaven

Exodus 16:31

The people of Israel called the bread manna. It was white like coriander seed and tasted like wafers made with honey.

I am studying about seeds in the Bible. For an image, go here: Manna from Heaven/

Why Would We?

I'm sure you are referring to the "whywouldwe.org" billboards. They really do upset me. To be true, Jesus never did discriminate on basis of the group, class, or category to which the person or thing belongs rather than according to actual merit, but he also didn't approve of people acting out in sin, either.

One of the scriptures referred to on their website is Matthew 8:5-13, which reads:
When Jesus had entered Capernaum, a centurion came to him, asking for help. "Lord," he said, "my servant lies at home paralyzed and in terrible suffering." Jesus said to him, "I will go and heal him." The centurion replied, "Lord, I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. But just say the word, and my servant will be healed. For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this one, 'Go,' and he goes; and that one, 'Come,' and he comes. I say to my servant, 'Do this,' and he does it." When Jesus heard this, he was astonished and said to those following him, "I tell you the truth, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith. I say to you that many will come from the east and the west, and will take their places at the feast with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. But the subjects of the kingdom will be thrown outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth." Then Jesus said to the centurion, "Go! It will be done just as you believed it would." And his servant was healed at that very hour.

Touch Bound

Proverbs 22:15
Folly is bound up in the heart of a child, but the rod of discipline will drive it far from him.

Bound: qâshar (pronounced: kaw-shar'):

• 
  
  To tie, physically (gird, confine, compact) or mentally (in love, league): bind (bind up), (make a) conspire (conspiracy, conspirator), join together, knit, stronger, work [treason].

Bound Up In (idiom):

• 
  
  Inseparably connected with.
• 
  
  Devoted or attached to.
• 
  
  Also, bound up with. Deeply or inextricably involved in. For example, Obviously the candidate was bound up with the negotiations on the party platform, or She is bound up in her church activities. This usage appears in the Bible (Genesis 44:30): "His life is bound up in the lad's life." [Late 1500s]

Genesis 44:30-32
"So now, if the boy is not with us when I go back to your servant my father and if my father, whose life is closely bound up with the boy's life, sees that the boy isn't there, he will die. Your servants will bring the gray head of our father down to the grave in sorrow. Your servant guaranteed the boy's safety to my father. I said, 'If I do not bring him back to you, I will bear the blame before you, my father, all my life!'"

One Another: Part VII

Esther 4:12-14
When Esther's words were reported to Mordecai, he sent back this answer: "Do not think that because you are in the king's house you alone of all the Jews will escape. For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father's family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?"

Esther 7:8-10
Just as the king returned from the palace garden to the banquet hall, Haman was falling on the couch where Esther was reclining. The king exclaimed, "Will he even molest the queen while she is with me in the house?" As soon as the word left the king's mouth, they covered Haman's face. Then Harbona, one of the eunuchs attending the king, said, "A gallows seventy-five feet high stands by Haman's house. He had it made for Mordecai, who spoke up to help the king." The king said, "Hang him on it!" So they hanged Haman on the gallows he had prepared for Mordecai. Then the king's fury subsided.

Esther 8:15-17
Mordecai left the king's presence wearing royal garments of blue and white, a large crown of gold and a purple robe of fine linen. And the city of Susa held a joyous celebration. For the Jews it was a time of happiness and joy, gladness and honor. In every province and in every city, wherever the edict of the king went, there was joy and gladness among the Jews, with feasting and celebrating. And many people of other nationalities became Jews because fear of the Jews had seized them.

Esther 9:13, 18-22

"If it pleases the king," Esther answered, "give the Jews in Susa permission to carry out this day's edict tomorrow also, and let Haman's ten sons be hanged on gallows."

The Jews in Susa, however, had assembled on the thirteenth and fourteenth, and then on the fifteenth they rested and made it a day of feasting and joy.

Secrets and Hints: Edition #2

The Bible talks about hints, but in different forms throughout the Bible. In a couple of passages, it talks about a mustard seed. I'll get to that shortly.

Hint (noun):

• An indirect, covert, or helpful suggestion; clue.
• A very slight or hardly noticeable amount.
• Perceived indication or suggestion; note; intimation.
• Synonyms: Allusion, insinuation, innuendo; memorandum, reminder; inkling.

Ephesians 5:1-7

Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God's holy people. Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving. For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person—such a man is an idolater—has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God's wrath comes on those who are disobedient. Therefore do not be partners with them.

-I've already taken a look at greed. How about foolish talk.

One Another: Part VI

2 Chronicles 20:20-26
Early in the morning they left for the Desert of Tekoa. As they set out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, "Listen to me, Judah and people of Jerusalem! Have faith in the LORD your God and you will be upheld; have faith in his prophets and you will be successful." After consulting the people, Jehoshaphat appointed men to sing to the LORD and to praise him for the splendor of his holiness as they went out at the head of the army, saying: "Give thanks to the LORD, for his love endures forever."

As they began to sing and praise, the LORD set ambushes against the men of Ammon and Moab and Mount Seir who were invading Judah, and they were defeated. The men of Ammon and Moab rose up against the men from Mount Seir to destroy and annihilate them. After they finished slaughtering the men from Seir, they helped to destroy one another.

When the men of Judah came to the place that overlooks the desert and looked toward the vast army, they saw only dead bodies lying on the ground; no one had escaped. So Jehoshaphat and his men went to carry off their plunder, and they found among them a great amount of equipment and clothing and also articles of value—more than they could take away. There was so much plunder that it took three days to collect it. On the fourth day they assembled in the Valley of Beracah, where they praised the LORD. This is why it is called the Valley of Beracah to this day.

-It is good to be unified with the right people. It is better to be unified with righteous people. It's not good at all when you unify yourself with unrighteous people. In this passage, the attackers are unified with each other, but obviously the greed of the attackers took control and they killed each other.

(Commentary)

20, 21. as they went forth, Jehoshaphat stood . . . Hear me, O Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem--probably in the gate of Jerusalem, the place of general rendezvous; and as the people were on the eve of setting out, he exhorted them to repose implicit trust in the Lord and His prophet, not to be timid or desponding at sight of the enemy, but to remain firm in the confident assurance of a miraculous deliverance, without their striking a single stroke.

21. he appointed singers . . . that they should praise . . . as they went out before the army--Having arranged the line of procession, he gave the signal to move forwards. The Levites led the van with their musical instruments; and singing the 136th Psalm, the people went on, not as an army marching against an enemy, but returning in joyful triumph after a victory.

22. when they began to sing and to praise the Lord set ambushments against the children of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir--Some think that this was done by angels in human form, whose sudden appearance diffused an uncontrollable panic. Others entertain the more probable opinion that, in the camp of this vast horde, composed of different tribes, jealousies and animosities had sprung up, which led to widespread dissensions and fierce feuds, in which they drew the sword against each other. The consequence was, that as the mutual strife commenced when the Hebrew procession set out from Jerusalem, the work of destruction was completed before Jehoshaphat and his people arrived at the battlefield. Thus easy is it for God to make the wrath of man to praise Him, to confound the counsels of His enemies and employ their own passions in defeating the machinations they have devised for the overthrow of His Church and people.

24-26. when Judah came toward the watchtower in the wilderness--Most probably the conical hill, Jebel Fereidis, or Frank Mountain, from the summit of which they obtained the first view of the scene of slaughter. Jehoshaphat and his people found the field strewed with dead bodies, so that they had not to fight at all, but rather to take possession of an immense booty, the collection of which occupied three days. On the fourth they set out on their return to Jerusalem in the same order and joyful mood as they came. The place where they mustered previous to departure was, from their public thanksgiving service, called, "The Valley of Berachah" ("benediction"), now Wady Bereikut.

-It is interesting to see what others think. They could be right... could be wrong, too. My personal feeling is that it boiled down to GREED. I could be right. I could be wrong. What I do know is that sin was involved. That's a given. What I do not know is what type of sin. It could have been greed. It could have been lust. It could have been something else entirely. But they attacked and killed one another for a reason, a sinful reason, and they were unified, albeit a flawed unification, to wipe each other out. Being unified for the wrong reason will bring a downfall. Being unified for the right reason will bring fruit. Johnny Out.

Legion of Heroes - Part 2

• 5:1 And they came to the other side of the sea, into the country of the Gerasenes.
• JESUS HEALS TWO GERGESENE DEMONIACS. (Gergesa, now called Khersa). Matthew 8:28-34; Matthew 9:1; Mark 5:1-21; Luke 8:26-40
• And they came to the other side of the sea. They left in the "even", afternoon and were driven forward by the storm, they would have reached the far shore several hours before dark.
• Into the country of the Gerasenes. Midway between the north and south ends of the lake, and directly east across the lake from Magdala, was the little city of Gergesa. In front and somewhat to the south of this city Jesus landed. Some sixteen miles away and to the southeast, and seven miles back from the lake, was the well-known city of Gadara. Further on to the southeast, on the borders of Arabia, and at least fifty miles from Gergesa, was the city of Gerasa. The name Gerasenes is, therefore, probably an error of the transcribers for Gergesenes, as Origen suggested. The region is properly called "country of the Gadarenes", as in the Authorized Version, for Gadara was an important city, and the stamp of a ship on its coins suggests that its territory extended to the Lake of Galilee.
• 5:2 And when he was come out of the boat, straightway there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit,
• There met him out of the tombs. The sides of the mountain near the ruins of Gergesa are studded with natural and artificial caves which were used as tombs.
• A man with an unclean spirit. Matthew tells of two, Matthew 8:28, while Mark and Luke describe only one, Luke 8:27. They tell of the principal one--the one who was the fiercer. In order to tell of two, Matthew had to omit the name "legion", which belonged to one; and conversely, Mark and Luke, to give the conversation with one, did not confuse us by telling of two. On unclean spirits, see Mark 1:23.
• 5:5 And always, night and day, in the tombs and in the mountains, he was crying out, and cutting himself with stones1.
• And always, night and day, in the tombs and in the mountains, he was crying out, and cutting himself with stones. The natural spirit of the man seeking to throw off the dominion of the demons would cry out in agony, and the demons themselves, in their own misery, would use him as a vehicle to express their own grief. It would be hard to imagine a more horrible state.
• 5:6 And when he saw Jesus from afar, he ran and worshipped him;
• And when he saw Jesus from afar, he ran and worshipped him. The demons showed the supremacy of Jesus not only by their cries to be let alone, but by the fact that they made no effort to escape from him. They ran to him, knowing that it was useless to do otherwise.
  5:7 and crying out with a loud voice, he saith, What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of the Most High God? I adjure thee by God, torment me not.
• What have I to do with thee. On this phrase, see John 2:4.
• I adjure thee by God, torment me not. The judgment-day, the time of punishment and torment (Matthew 25:41; 2 Peter 2:4; Jude 1:6).
• 5:8 For he said unto him, Come forth, thou unclean spirit, out of the man.
• Unclean spirit. See Mark 1:23.
• 5:9 And he asked him, What is thy name? And he saith unto him, My name is Legion; for we are many.
• What is thy name? It is likely that Jesus asked the "sufferer" his name wished to assure him of sympathy, but the "demons" in him had the floor and continued to do the talking. If Jesus asked the demon its name, he did so that he might disclose this fact to his disciples.
• My name is Legion; for we are many. A legion was a division of the Roman army containing from four to six thousand men.
• 5:10 And he besought him much that he would not send them away out of the country.
• And he besought him much that he would not send them away out of the country. As one mouth entreated for many, Mark uses both the singular ("him") and the plural ("them").
  5:13 And he gave them leave. And the unclean spirits1 came out, and entered into the swine: and the herd rushed down the steep into the sea, [in number] about two thousand; and they were drowned in the sea.
• The unclean spirits. See Mark 1:23.
• And the herd rushed down the steep into the sea. About a mile south of Khersa a spur of the mountain thrusts itself out toward the lake so that its foot is within forty feet of the water line. This is the only spot on that side of the lake where the mountains come near the water. The slope is so steep and the ledge at its foot so narrow that a herd rushing down could not check itself before tumbling into the water.
• [In number] about two thousand; and they were drowned in the sea. Skeptics have censured Jesus for permitting this loss of property. God may recognize our property rights as against each other, but he nowhere recognizes them in the realm of nature. What was done to the swine was done by the demons, and the owners had no more right to complain than they would have had if the herd had been carried off by the murrain, by flood, or by other natural cause. All animals have a right to die, either singly or in numbers. The demons evidently did not intend to destroy the swine. Their desire to have live bodies to dwell in shows that they did not. But the presence of the demons in their bodies made the hogs crazy, as it had the demoniac, and they ran the way their noses were pointed at the moment. For discussion of demoniacal possession, see Mark 1:23.
• 5:14 And they that fed them fled, and told it in the city, and in the country. And they came to see what it was that had come to pass.
• They that fed them. There being no fences in Palestine, herds were invariably attended by herdsmen.
• 5:15 And they come to Jesus, and behold him that was possessed with demons sitting, clothed and in his right mind, [even] him that had the legion1: and they were afraid.
• And behold him that was possessed with demons sitting, clothed and in his right mind, [even] him that had the legion. A faint suggestion that there was another. See Mark 5:2.
• 5:16 And they that saw it1 declared unto them how it befell him that was possessed with demons, and concerning the swine.
• They that saw it. The herdsmen.
• 5:17 And they began to beseech him to depart from their borders.
• They began to beseech him to depart from their borders. The loss of the swine moved them to a fear a further loss of property. To them the loss of swine was more important than the recovery of a man. To this day, worldly interests move men more than acts of mercy.
• 5:18 And as he was entering into the boat, he that had been possessed with demons besought him that he might be with him.
• He that had been possessed with demons besought him that he might be with him. As a frightened child newly awakened from a horrible dream clings to its parent, so the man clung to Christ.
• 5:19 And he suffered him not, but saith unto him, Go to thy house unto thy friends, and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee, and [how] he had mercy on thee.
• Go to thy house unto thy friends, and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee, and [how] he had mercy on thee. Jesus departed, but left behind him a witness whose very body was a living monument bearing testimony to Christ's compassion and power. Jesus revisited this locality some months later. See Mark 7:31-37.
• 5:20 And he went his way, and began to publish in Decapolis how great things Jesus had done for him: and all men marvelled.

This is a commentary I got from Crosswalk.com. What I find interesting about this commentary is that they are assuming that there were two people who got healed and not one. It makes more sense, at least to me. Legion is many. Why not two instead of one person, as the Matthew account would give. Their could still be two people in the other accounts, but they happen to only mention one of the two. Interesting. I like it. I feel this is a good explanation. I will, still, of course study more on Legion in days and weeks to come. Johnny Out.

Five Keys for Quitting

Studies have shown that these five steps will help you quit and quit for good. You have the best chances of quitting if you use them together.

1. Get ready.
2. Get support.
3. Learn new skills and behaviors.
4. Get medication and use it correctly.
5. Be prepared for relapse or difficult situations.

1. Get Ready

• Set a quit date.
• Change your environment.
• Get rid of ALL cigarettes and ashtrays in your home, car, and place of work.
• Don't let people smoke in your home.
• Review your past attempts to quit. Think about what worked and what did not.
• Once you quit, don't smoke — NOT EVEN A PUFF!

2. Get Support and Encouragement

Studies have shown that you have a better chance of being successful if you have help. You can get support in many ways:

• Tell your family, friends, and coworkers that you are going to quit and want their support. Ask them not to smoke around you or leave cigarettes out.
• Talk to your health care provider (for example, doctor, dentist, nurse, pharmacist, psychologist, or smoking counselor).
• Get individual, group, or telephone counseling. The more counseling you have, the better your chances are of quitting. Programs are given at local hospitals and health centers. Call your local health department for information about programs in your area.

3. Learn New Skills and Behaviors

• Try to distract yourself from urges to smoke. Talk to someone, go for a walk, or get busy with a task.
• When you first try to quit, change your routine. Use a different route to work. Drink tea instead of coffee. Eat breakfast in a different place.
• Do something to reduce your stress. Take a hot bath, exercise, or read a book.
  Plan something enjoyable to do every day.
• Drink a lot of water and other fluids.

4. Get Medication and Use It Correctly Medications can help you stop smoking and lessen the urge to smoke.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved five medications to help you quit smoking:

1. Bupropion SR — Available by prescription.

2. Nicotine gum — Available over-the-counter.

3. Nicotine inhaler— Available by prescription.

4. Nicotine nasal spray — Available by prescription.

5. Nicotine patch — Available by prescription and over-the-counter.

• Ask your health care provider for advice and carefully read the information on the package.
• All of these medications will more or less double your chances of quitting and quitting for good.
• Everyone who is trying to quit may benefit from using a medication. If you are pregnant or trying to become pregnant, nursing, under age 18, smoking fewer than ten cigarettes per day, or have a medical condition, talk to your doctor or other health care provider before taking medications.

5. Be Prepared for Relapse or Difficult Situations

Most relapses occur within the first three months after quitting. Don't be discouraged if you start smoking again. Remember, most people try several times before they finally quit. Here are some difficult situations to watch for:

• Alcohol. Avoid drinking alcohol. Drinking lowers your chances of success.
• Other Smokers. Being around smoking can make you want to smoke.
• Weight Gain. Many smokers will gain weight when they quit, usually less than ten pounds. Eat a healthy diet and stay active. Don't let weight gain distract you from your main goal — quitting smoking. Some quit-smoking medications may help delay weight gain.
• Bad Mood or Depression. There are a lot of ways to improve your mood other than smoking. If you are having problems with any of these situations, talk to your doctor or other health care provider.

Facebook Addiction

Yes, I have a problem with Facebook. It is addicting for me... and I seem to spend way too much time there. I have the habit of doing this with different applications, whether it is an online game, a video game system (like a Playstation or a Wii), and then as time goes on, I slowly spend less and less time with it. I am kind of hoping that is the case with Facebook.

One Another: Part V

2nd Kings 7:3-20
Now there were four men with leprosy at the entrance of the city gate. They said to each other, "Why stay here until we die? If we say, 'We'll go into the city'-the famine is there, and we will die. And if we stay here, we will die. So let's go over to the camp of the Arameans and surrender. If they spare us, we live; if they kill us, then we die."

At dusk they got up and went to the camp of the Arameans. When they reached the edge of the camp, not a man was there, for the Lord had caused the Arameans to hear the sound of chariots and horses and a great army, so that they said to one another, "Look, the king of Israel has hired the Hittite and Egyptian kings to attack us!" So they got up and fled in the dusk and abandoned their tents and their horses and donkeys. They left the camp as it was and ran for their lives.

The men who had leprosy reached the edge of the camp and entered one of the tents. They ate and drank, and carried away silver, gold and clothes, and went off and hid them. They returned and entered another tent and took some things from it and hid them also.

Then they said to each other, "We're not doing right. This is a day of good news and we are keeping it to ourselves. If we wait until daylight, punishment will overtake us. Let's go at once and report this to the royal palace."

So they went and called out to the city gatekeepers and told them, "We went into the Aramean camp and not a man was there—not a sound of anyone—only tethered horses and donkeys, and the tents left just as they were." The gatekeepers shouted the news, and it was reported within the palace.

The king got up in the night and said to his officers, "I will tell you what the Arameans have done to us. They know we are starving; so they have left the camp to hide in the countryside, thinking, 'They will surely come out, and then we will take them alive and get into the city.' "

One of his officers answered, "Have some men take five of the horses that are left in the city. Their plight will be like that of all the Israelites left here—yes, they will only be like all these Israelites who are doomed. So let us send them to find out what happened."

So they selected two chariots with their horses, and the king sent them after the Aramean army. He commanded the drivers, "Go and find out what has happened." They followed them as far as the Jordan, and they found the whole road strewn with the clothing and equipment the Arameans had thrown away in their headlong flight. So the messengers returned and reported to the king. Then the people went out and plundered the camp of the Arameans. So a seah of flour sold for a shekel, and two seahs of barley sold for a shekel, as the LORD had said.

Now the king had put the officer on whose arm he leaned in charge of the gate, and the people trampled him in the gateway, and he died, just as the man of God had foretold when the king came down to his house. It happened as the man of God had said to the king: "About this time tomorrow, a seah of flour will sell for a shekel and two seahs of barley for a shekel at the gate of Samaria."

The officer had said to the man of God, "Look, even if the LORD should open the floodgates of the heavens, could this happen?" The man of God had replied, "You will see it with your own eyes, but you will not eat any of it!" And that is exactly what happened to him, for the people trampled him in the gateway, and he died.

-It's a long story, but it is worth reading. Going back up to the top, the Arameans freaked out together. They unified themselves in running away by talking to one-another. God is about group mentality. And a lot can influence one group. One person can unify an entire group. That's why there are leaders, presidents, CEOs, Kings, and the like. They direct people in a direction for them to go and the people go in that direction. The Arameans heard something, someone said that what they were hearing was this type of sound, whether it was or wasn't, God made them hear the sound and they assumed it was an army or armies. Someone had to say that the sound was an army and the rest believed that person. And then they fled as a group. That is the power of unity. That is the power of one-another-ness.

Memory Scriptures

My son, who is four, has two scriptures memorized.

Philippians 2:14
Do everything without complaining or arguing.

Proverbs 19:20
Listen to advice and accept instruction, and in the end you will be wise.

And this is the passage that he is learning:

Philippians 4:19
God gives us what we need.

Secrets and Hints: Edition #1

The Bible talks about hints, but in different forms throughout the Bible. In a couple of passages, it talks about a mustard seed. I'll get to that shortly.

Hint (noun):

• An indirect, covert, or helpful suggestion; clue.
• A very slight or hardly noticeable amount.
• Perceived indication or suggestion; note; intimation.
• Synonyms: Allusion, insinuation, innuendo; memorandum, reminder; inkling.

Ephesians 5:1-7
Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God's holy people. Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving. For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person—such a man is an idolater—has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God's wrath comes on those who are disobedient. Therefore do not be partners with them.

-Now, if a hint is a hardly noticeable amount, and there shouldn't be a hint of greed, impurity, or sexual immorality. Also, it says "nor" in the following sentance, which to me implies that there should be a hint also for those following items. So no hints of greed, impurity, sexual immorality, obscene stuff, foolish talk, and coarse joking. No immoral, impure of greedy people have anything to do with God's kingdom. Interesting?

Let's just start with no hints or noticeable amounts of greed. What is greed?

Greed (noun):

• Excessive or rapacious desire, esp. for wealth or possessions.
• An excessive desire to acquire or possess more than what one needs or deserves, especially with respect to material wealth.

Greed can come in many forms. Greed could be a desire for fame, fortune, praise, and knowledge. I would think that the normal form of greed is of money and material possessions. I struggle greatly with greed. I didn't realize I did until recently. I guess that comes with having a sales carrier. You get driven by money... and you think about how to take care of customers, acquire customers, and service customers... and how to develop programs to build a stronger customer base... and before you know it, you are thinking about staying up at night to help develop a database so that you can work the following morning.

One Another: Part IV

Judges 20:19-23
The next morning the Israelites got up and pitched camp near Gibeah. The men of Israel went out to fight the Benjamites and took up battle positions against them at Gibeah. The Benjamites came out of Gibeah and cut down twenty-two thousand Israelites on the battlefield that day. But the men of Israel encouraged one another and again took up their positions where they had stationed themselves the first day. The Israelites went up and wept before the LORD until evening, and they inquired of the LORD. They said, "Shall we go up again to battle against the Benjamites, our brothers?"

The LORD answered, "Go up against them."

-I like the positiveness of this passage, at least in regards to "one-another-ness". They encouraged each other and because they encouraged each other, they were able to take up the positions once again. And it also should be noted that together, they inquired of God if they should attack the Benjamites.

One Another: Part III

Leviticus 26:14-45

"But if you will not listen to me and carry out all these commands, and if you reject my decrees and abhor my laws and fail to carry out all my commands and so violate my covenant, then I will do this to you: I will bring upon you sudden terror, wasting diseases and fever that will destroy your sight and drain away your life. You will plant seed in vain, because your enemies will eat it. I will set my face against you so that you will be defeated by your enemies; those who hate you will rule over you, and you will flee even when no one is pursuing you."

"If after all this you will not listen to me, I will punish you for your sins seven times over. I will break down your stubborn pride and make the sky above you like iron and the ground beneath you like bronze. Your strength will be spent in vain, because your soil will not yield its crops, nor will the trees of the land yield their fruit."

"If you remain hostile toward me and refuse to listen to me, I will multiply your afflictions seven times over, as your sins deserve. I will send wild animals against you, and they will rob you of your children, destroy your cattle and make you so few in number that your roads will be deserted."

"If in spite of these things you do not accept my correction but continue to be hostile toward me, I myself will be hostile toward you and will afflict you for your sins seven times over. And I will bring the sword upon you to avenge the breaking of the covenant. When you withdraw into your cities, I will send a plague among you, and you will be given into enemy hands. When I cut off your supply of bread, ten women will be able to bake your bread in one oven, and they will dole out the bread by weight. You will eat, but you will not be satisfied."

"If in spite of this you still do not listen to me but continue to be hostile toward me, then in my anger I will be hostile toward you, and I myself will punish you for your sins seven times over. You will eat the flesh of your sons and the flesh of your daughters. I will destroy your high places, cut down your incense altars and pile your dead bodies on the lifeless forms of your idols, and I will abhor you. I will turn your cities into ruins and lay waste your sanctuaries, and I will take no delight in the pleasing aroma of your offerings. I will lay waste the land, so that your enemies who live there will be appalled. I will scatter you among the nations and will draw out my sword and pursue you. Your land will be laid waste, and your cities will lie in ruins. Then the land will enjoy its sabbath years all the time that it lies desolate and you are in the country of your enemies; then the land will rest and enjoy its sabbaths. All the time that it lies desolate, the land will have the rest it did not have during the sabbaths you lived in it."

"As for those of you who are left, I will make their hearts so fearful in the lands of their enemies that the sound of a windblown leaf will put them to flight. They will run as though fleeing from the sword, and they will fall, even though no one is pursuing them. They will stumble over one another as though fleeing from the sword, even though no one is pursuing them. So you will not be able to stand before your enemies. You will perish among the nations; the land of your enemies will devour you. Those of you who are left will waste away in the lands of their enemies because of their sins; also because of their fathers' sins they will waste away."

"But if they will confess their sins and the sins of their fathers—their treachery against me and their hostility toward me, which made me hostile toward them so that I sent them into the land of their enemies—then when their uncircumcised hearts are humbled and they pay for their sin, I will remember my covenant with Jacob and my covenant with Isaac and my covenant with Abraham, and I will remember the land. For the land will be deserted by them and will enjoy its sabbaths while it lies desolate without them. They will pay for their sins because they rejected my laws and abhorred my decrees. Yet in spite of this, when they are in the land of their enemies, I will not reject them or abhor them so as to destroy them completely, breaking my covenant with them. I am the LORD their God. But for their sake I will remember the covenant with their ancestors whom I brought out of Egypt in the sight of the nations to be their God. I am the LORD."

-Interesting passage when you think about one-another-ness. Stumbling over one another... weird. But God, as it would appear, thinks that it is one for all and all for one. He punishes groups, not just individuals. Achan and his family were punished for Achan's sin. It was the whole group (Joshua 7). When David counted the fighting men after he was told to not to do that, the whole country was punished. So, it goes to reason that God wants "one-another-ness" since there is a precidence of punishment as a group, he wants the group to do well, stand together in righteousness.

That brings up a good question that my wife had mentioned sometime ago.

Romans 5:6-8
You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Rarely would someone die for a righteous man... but isn't righteousness what we are to strive for as a disciple?

Righteous (adj.):

• Characterized by uprightness or morality.
• Morally right or justifiable.
• Acting in an upright, moral way; virtuous.

But shines some real light on what righteousness is are the synonyms (good, honest, fair, right). That is just an added bonus, by the way. Johnny Out.

Legion of Heroes - Part 1

Matthew 8:28-34

When he arrived at the other side in the region of the Gadarenes, two demon-possessed men coming from the tombs met him. They were so violent that no one could pass that way. "What do you want with us, Son of God?" they shouted. "Have you come here to torture us before the appointed time?"

Some distance from them a large herd of pigs was feeding. The demons begged Jesus, "If you drive us out, send us into the herd of pigs."

He said to them, "Go!" So they came out and went into the pigs, and the whole herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and died in the water. Those tending the pigs ran off, went into the town and reported all this, including what had happened to the demon-possessed men. Then the whole town went out to meet Jesus. And when they saw him, they pleaded with him to leave their region.

-The story of Legion. Well, we assume this is the story of Legion. It is interesting that in this particular passage that they say two men, whereas in the other gospel's, they say that it is one man. Now, since in Matthew, they do not mention the guys names, it could be a different story all together. Likely? Probably not. I would naturally assume it is the same story, as would probably many others. Here is a parallel passage in Mark.

Mark 5:1-20

They went across the lake to the region of the Gerasenes. When Jesus got out of the boat, a man with an evil spirit came from the tombs to meet him. This man lived in the tombs, and no one could bind him any more, not even with a chain. For he had often been chained hand and foot, but he tore the chains apart and broke the irons on his feet. No one was strong enough to subdue him. Night and day among the tombs and in the hills he would cry out and cut himself with stones.

When he saw Jesus from a distance, he ran and fell on his knees in front of him. He shouted at the top of his voice, "What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? Swear to God that you won't torture me!" For Jesus had said to him, "Come out of this man, you evil spirit!"

Then Jesus asked him, "What is your name?"

"My name is Legion," he replied, "for we are many." And he begged Jesus again and again not to send them out of the area.

A large herd of pigs was feeding on the nearby hillside. The demons begged Jesus, "Send us among the pigs; allow us to go into them." He gave them permission, and the evil spirits came out and went into the pigs. The herd, about two thousand in number, rushed down the steep bank into the lake and were drowned.

Those tending the pigs ran off and reported this in the town and countryside, and the people went out to see what had happened. When they came to Jesus, they saw the man who had been possessed by the legion of demons, sitting there, dressed and in his right mind; and they were afraid. Those who had seen it told the people what had happened to the demon-possessed man—and told about the pigs as well. Then the people began to plead with Jesus to leave their region.

As Jesus was getting into the boat, the man who had been demon-possessed begged to go with him. Jesus did not let him, but said, "Go home to your family and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you." So the man went away and began to tell in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him. And all the people were amazed.

Luke 8:26-39
They sailed to the region of the Gerasenes, which is across the lake from Galilee. When Jesus stepped ashore, he was met by a demon-possessed man from the town. For a long time this man had not worn clothes or lived in a house, but had lived in the tombs. When he saw Jesus, he cried out and fell at his feet, shouting at the top of his voice, "What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg you, don't torture me!" For Jesus had commanded the evil spirit to come out of the man. Many times it had seized him, and though he was chained hand and foot and kept under guard, he had broken his chains and had been driven by the demon into solitary places.

Jesus asked him, "What is your name?"

"Legion," he replied, because many demons had gone into him. And they begged him repeatedly not to order them to go into the Abyss.

A large herd of pigs was feeding there on the hillside. The demons begged Jesus to let them go into them, and he gave them permission. When the demons came out of the man, they went into the pigs, and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and was drowned.

When those tending the pigs saw what had happened, they ran off and reported this in the town and countryside, and the people went out to see what had happened. When they came to Jesus, they found the man from whom the demons had gone out, sitting at Jesus' feet, dressed and in his right mind; and they were afraid. Those who had seen it told the people how the demon-possessed man had been cured. Then all the people of the region of the Gerasenes asked Jesus to leave them, because they were overcome with fear. So he got into the boat and left.

The man from whom the demons had gone out begged to go with him, but Jesus sent him away, saying, "Return home and tell how much God has done for you." So the man went away and told all over town how much Jesus had done for him.

-So there is a lot to consider. A lot. First, I would like to take a look at some definitions... going back to the Greek, the word two used in Matthew means two or both. So, this is pretty straight forward. It's two. In Mark 5, he says "he replied", which refers to one or oneself. So there is one person. OK, I don't know if there is one or two... but I am led to believe that this would be two different stories entirely. So, is it two stories, or is there just one actual story but the one in Matthew is told incorrectly? I am not sure. Is this a deal breaker for me spiritually? Well, there is this:

2nd Timothy 3:16-17
All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

2nd Peter 1:20-21

Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet's own interpretation. For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.

-So, scripture comes from the Holy Spirit and not man. And to question whether there was two or only one demon-possessed man, to assume that there is a mistake in the Bible, wouldn't that be questioning whether God himself made a mistake in his own doctrine? There has to be a better explanation as to why one passage says two and the other passage says that there is only one person.

There is this one truth, if one piece of the puzzle doesn't fit, then the puzzle is ruined and useless, am I correct in saying this? If God is all-powerful, if God is divine, then there wouldn't be a mistake or a type-o in his divine doctrine. That's true. And to clarify, I do believe that God is all-powerful and divine... and to be honest, God knows WAY more than I do. Who am I to say that I know even a mustard seed of knowledge compared to my Lord? So for me to not understand something, well, that would be a given on the most basic of levels.

Questions are here to bring about knowledge. we can't come up with answers, if there are no questions. So, why does one passage say two and two other passages say one? I do not know. But I will do my best to find out. Johnny Out.

Encouragement Study: Edition #22

Romans 11:11-16

Again I ask: Did they stumble so as to fall beyond recovery? Not at all! Rather, because of their transgression, salvation has come to the Gentiles to make Israel envious. But if their transgression means riches for the world, and their loss means riches for the Gentiles, how much greater riches will their fullness bring!

I am talking to you Gentiles. Inasmuch as I am the apostle to the Gentiles, I make much of my ministry in the hope that I may somehow arouse my own people to envy and save some of them. For if their rejection is the reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead? If the part of the dough offered as firstfruits is holy, then the whole batch is holy; if the root is holy, so are the branches.

Arouse (verb):

• To stir to action or strong response; excite.
• To stimulate sexually.
• To awaken; wake up.
• To awaken from or as if from sleep.

Paul wanted to arouse the Jews, to stir them to action... maybe get them worked up in anger so that he could save some of them. What does this have to do with encouragement? Everything. Encouragement is a feeling from someone's actions. To encrouage someone is to try to get a response from that person. Am I trying to get someone to an excited state? Am I trying to wake up someone in a figurative sense?

Do you know what? I am willing that Paul's actions, to anger and get the Jews to an envious state worked on some of the Jews. I'm not saying that we should go out and try to tick off a whole bunch of people, but I am saying that maybe others should become angery at our righteousness... just a thought. Johnny Out.

Growing Pains: Part III

Galatians 6:6-10
Anyone who receives instruction in the word must share all good things with his instructor. Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.

-As it is written, put yourself to the test. So, in the Spirit of testing, it is good to see what we are sowing.

Sow (verb):

• To scatter (seed) over the ground for growing.
• To spread (land, for example) with seed.
• To strew something around or over (an area); distribute something over.
• To propagate; disseminate.
• To scatter seed for growing.

Disseminate (verb):

• To scatter widely, as in sowing seed.
• To spread abroad; promulgate.
• To become diffused; spread.

Promulgate (verb):

• To make known by open declaration; publish; proclaim formally or put into operation (a law, decree of a court, etc.).
• To set forth or teach publicly (a creed, doctrine, etc.).
• To make known (a decree, for example) by public declaration; announce officially.
• To put (a law) into effect by formal public announcement.

So, this is how I understand it: if I sow a bad attitude to other people, what I get in return are bad attitudes. If I talk to people with love, kindness, and goodness... then that is what I get in return, on a general sense.

The question therein is this:

• How do people see me? What is my reputation? Am I known as a kind and loving person or am I known as a ill-tempered person?

Johnny Out.

Growing Pains: Part II

2nd Peter 3:1-18
Dear friends, this is now my second letter to you. I have written both of them as reminders to stimulate you to wholesome thinking. I want you to recall the words spoken in the past by the holy prophets and the command given by our Lord and Savior through your apostles.

First of all, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires. They will say, "Where is this 'coming' he promised? Ever since our fathers died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation." But they deliberately forget that long ago by God's word the heavens existed and the earth was formed out of water and by water. By these waters also the world of that time was deluged and destroyed. By the same word the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men.

But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.

But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare.

Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming. That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat. But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness.

So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him. Bear in mind that our Lord's patience means salvation, just as our dear brother Paul also wrote you with the wisdom that God gave him. He writes the same way in all his letters, speaking in them of these matters. His letters contain some things that are hard to understand, which ignorant and unstable people distort, as they do the other Scriptures, to their own destruction.

Therefore, dear friends, since you already know this, be on your guard so that you may not be carried away by the error of lawless men and fall from your secure position. But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen.

-A great way to see if you are making progress as a Christian is to test yourself (Galatians 6:4). And to see if you are making progress, see if you have grown in grace and knowledge of Christ.

Ask questions like:

• Have I learned anything about God/Christ in the ten years? five years? two years? year? month? week? day?
• Am I making better decisions based on what I know between good and evil?
• Am I becoming more and more aware of the grace given to me from God?

Put yourself to the test. The hardest part is to not compare yourself to others. If you have growth, then it is growth. If you don't have any growth... well, then guess what? You don't. But don't compare yourself to someone else. Just compare yourself to yourself... that is the only way to do it. Johnny Out.

One Another: Part II

Leviticus 19:1-14
The LORD said to Moses, "Speak to the entire assembly of Israel and say to them: 'Be holy because I, the LORD your God, am holy.

"'Each of you must respect his mother and father, and you must observe my Sabbaths. I am the LORD your God.

"'Do not turn to idols or make gods of cast metal for yourselves. I am the LORD your God.

"'When you sacrifice a fellowship offering to the LORD, sacrifice it in such a way that it will be accepted on your behalf. It shall be eaten on the day you sacrifice it or on the next day; anything left over until the third day must be burned up. If any of it is eaten on the third day, it is impure and will not be accepted. Whoever eats it will be held responsible because he has desecrated what is holy to the LORD; that person must be cut off from his people.

"'When you reap the harvest of your land, do not reap to the very edges of your field or gather the gleanings of your harvest. Do not go over your vineyard a second time or pick up the grapes that have fallen. Leave them for the poor and the alien. I am the LORD your God.

"'Do not steal. Do not lie. Do not deceive one another.

"'Do not swear falsely by my name and so profane the name of your God. I am the LORD.

"'Do not defraud your neighbor or rob him. Do not hold back the wages of a hired man overnight.

"'Do not curse the deaf or put a stumbling block in front of the blind, but fear your God. I am the LORD.

-There are some differences between this 'one another' and the one from Tuesday. This one uses this another:

Another: ‛âmîyth (pronounced: aw-meeth'):
To associate; companionship; hence (concretely) a comrade or kindred man: another, fellow, neighbour.

So... love one another... love your neighbor. It comes across as one and the same. Here it says to not deceive your neighbor. Do not deceive another person (kindred man).

Deceive (verb):

• To cause to believe what is not true; mislead.
• To catch by guile; ensnare.
• To practice deceit.
• To give a false impression.
• To mislead by a false appearance or statement; delude.

Deceit (noun):

• Concealment or distortion of the truth for the purpose of misleading; duplicity; fraud; cheating.

This is very interesting... deceiving someone is cheating them. It is lying, it is prostituing the heart, soul, mind, and spirit. It is being unfaithful, to God, to those in my life, to myself. That's a lot to think about.

Growing Pains: Part I

A Catholic Priest, a Baptist Preacher, and a Rabbi all served as chaplains to the students of Northern Michigan University in Marquette. They would get together two or three times a week for coffee and to talk shop.

One day, someone made the comment that preaching to people isn't really all that hard. A real challenge would be to preach to a bear. One thing led to another, and they decided to do an experiment. They would all go out into the woods, find a bear, preach to it, and attempt to convert it.

Seven days later, they all came together to discuss their experience.

Father Flannery, who had his arm in a sling, was on crutches, and had various bandages on his body and limbs, went first. 'Well,' he said, 'I went into the woods to find me a bear. And when I found him, I began to read to him from the Catechism. Well, that bear wanted nothing to do with me and began to slap me around. So I quickly grabbed my holy water, sprinkled him and, Holy Mary Mother of God, he became as gentle as a lamb. The Bishop is coming out next week to give him first communion and confirmation.'

Reverend Billy Bob spoke next. He was in a wheelchair, had one arm and both legs in casts, and had an IV drip. In his best fire-and-brimstone oratory, he claimed, 'WELL, brothers, you KNOW that we don't sprinkle! I went out and I FOUND me a bear. And then I began to read to my bear from God's HOLY WORD! But that bear wanted nothing to do with me. So I took HOLD of him and we began to wrestle. We wrestled down one hill, UP another and DOWN another until we came to a creek. So I quickly DUNKED him and BAPTIZED his hairy soul. And just like you said, he became as gentle as a lamb. We spent the rest of the day praising Jesus...'

The priest and the reverend both looked down at the Rabbi,who was lying in a hospital bed. He was in a body cast and traction with IVs and monitors running in and out of him. He was in really bad shape. The Rabbi looked up and said, 'Looking back on it, Circumcision may not have been the best way to start.'

OK, it's been a while since I dropped some humor. A friend sent this to me... and I thought it was hilarious.

Growth (Noun):

• The act or process, or a manner of growing; development; gradual increase.
• Size or stage of development.
• Completed development.
• Development from a simpler to a more complex stage.
• Development from another but related form or stage.
• Something that has grown or developed by or as if by a natural process.
• The process of growing; full development; maturity.

So the question has been asked... am I growing? Is there some spiritual growth in my life as a disciple... or am I just becoming stagnant. I guess the question should be this: is there progress in my spiritual walk, or is there regression?

Progress (noun):

• A movement toward a goal or to a further or higher stage.
• Advancement in general.
• Growth or development; continuous improvement.
• The development of an individual or society in a direction considered more beneficial than and superior to the previous level.
• Forward or onward movement:
• The forward course of action, events, time, etc.

Matthew 13:24-30
Jesus told them another parable: "The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away. When the wheat sprouted and formed heads, then the weeds also appeared.

"The owner's servants came to him and said, 'Sir, didn't you sow good seed in your field? Where then did the weeds come from?'

"'An enemy did this,' he replied. "The servants asked him, 'Do you want us to go and pull them up?'

"'No,' he answered, 'because while you are pulling the weeds, you may root up the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn.'"

-Well, the way I see it, there are two types of growth. One growth is a growth in righteousness. The other type is a growth in being unrighteous. I can look back on my years as a disciple and make a judgment in my growth. I can honestly say, I have seen growth in being righteous. Am I perfect? No. In fact, I would say that I am so far from being perfect... yeah, there's still plenty room for improvement.

One Another: Part I

Did you know that there are 72 verses that contain the phrase "one another" in the Bible? This series is a series that I will look at these verses and try to gleen something from each verse. I will be starting from the first one in the Bible and going to the last one. I would assume there would be 72 studies on this... however, it is more likely that some studies will contain more than one verse.

Genesis 42:14-21
Joseph said to them, "It is just as I told you: You are spies! And this is how you will be tested: As surely as Pharaoh lives, you will not leave this place unless your youngest brother comes here. Send one of your number to get your brother; the rest of you will be kept in prison, so that your words may be tested to see if you are telling the truth. If you are not, then as surely as Pharaoh lives, you are spies!" And he put them all in custody for three days.

On the third day, Joseph said to them, "Do this and you will live, for I fear God: If you are honest men, let one of your brothers stay here in prison, while the rest of you go and take grain back for your starving households. But you must bring your youngest brother to me, so that your words may be verified and that you may not die." This they proceeded to do.

They said to one another, "Surely we are being punished because of our brother. We saw how distressed he was when he pleaded with us for his life, but we would not listen; that's why this distress has come upon us."

According to E-Sword:

One: 'îysh (pronounced: eesh)
A man as an individual or a male person; another, any (man), a certain, champion, consent, each, every (one), fellow, (goodman, great, mighty) man, he, high (degree), him (that is), husband, man [mankind], none, one, people, person, steward, what (man) soever, whoso (whosoever), worthy.

Another: 'âch (pronounced: awkh)
A brother (used in the widest sense of literal relationship and metaphorical affinity or resemblance): another, brother (brotherly), kindred, like, other.

I don't know if the other "one another's" in the Old Testament are the same as this one, but this one another is speaking of family. You could say it like this: They said from one brother to another... or like this: They said to each family member... and that would also work.

Now, the question is this: When I address anyone... do I address them in a family demeanor? Do I honor them as I would a family member? How about this: do I honor family members? Tough stuff to think about. And it is worthy stuff to think about, too.

Encouragement Study: Edition #21

Good morning all,
How are you today? How was your time with God? When you see the title here "wait and see" what thoughts go through your mind? Do you struggle with the waiting? How do you overcome the fact that you have to be patient to see something come to pass that you have hoped or prayed for? The city of Cleveland has waited over 50 years for some type of championship to come to them. There is no promise from God saying that they will have one but my point is that, even our hopes have to be patient. Habakkuk 2:3 (NLT) This vision is for a future time. It describes the end, and it will be fulfilled. If it seems slow in coming, wait patiently, for it will surely take place. It will not be delayed. God makes it very clear several times and gives me a lot of reassurance, when God gives His word, you can count on it! What promises have you read in God's word that seem like they are taking a long time to be fulfilled? Have we waited as long as Abraham waited to see God's promised fulfilled? How about God's promise to David? How about Moses? Even as I type that I can want to think, yeah but that was a long time ago they didn't live our modern age, where things are moving at the speed of light. Yet, when I sit back and really think about it, their time may have been slower but these three examples still have the same needs I have. Hebrews 6:12,15 (NLT) Then you will not become spiritually dull and indifferent. Instead, you will follow the example of those who are going to inherit God's promises because of their faith and endurance. Then Abraham waited patiently, and he received what God had promised.

Father Lord God, you know my heart, you know the pains in which I go through to try to be patient for your plan and your promises to be fulfilled in my life. Lord give me the strength and the courage as I wait and help me encourage others as I wait. I pray you all have a great day today, I love you all!!!

Your Radically Loving Brother in Christ,

Raymond

-I wanted to share Ray's quiet time. I find it encouraging to get his emails. I read some and others I honestly do not read. But just to have an email from Ray, just to see his quiet time in my inbox, well, it is encouraging to see.

Life is tough enough as it is. It's even tougher when we're headed in the wrong direction.

One of the incredible abilities of Jesus was to stay on target. His life never got off track. Not once do we find him walking down the wrong side of the fairway. He had no money, no computers, no jets, no administrative assistants or staff; yet Jesus did what many of us fail to do. He kept his life on course.

As Jesus looked across the horizon of his future, he could see many targets. Many flags were flapping in the wind, each of which he could have pursued. He could have been a political revolutionary. He could have been a national leader. He could have been content to be a teacher and educate minds or to be a physician and heal bodies. But in the end he chose to be a Savior and save souls.

Anyone near Christ for any length of time heard it from Jesus himself. "The Son of Man came to find lost people and save them" (Luke 19:10). "The Son of Man did not come to be served. He came to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many people" (Mark 10:45).

The heart of Christ was relentlessly focused on one task. The day he left the carpentry shop of Nazareth he had one ultimate aim--the cross of Calvary. He was so focused that his final words were, "It is finished" (John 19:30).

How could Jesus say he was finished? There were still the hungry to feed, the sick to heal, the untaught to instruct, and the unloved to love. How could he say he was finished? Simple. He had completed his designated task. His commission was fulfilled. The painter could set aside his brush, the sculptor lay down his chisel, the writer put away his pen. The job was done.

Wouldn't you love to be able to say the same? Wouldn't you love to look back on your life and know you had done what you were called to do?

-This is from "UpWords with Max Lucado', an email I get, I think weekly. Either way, I get these emails with encouraging scripture. Encouragement can come in many forms. It can come from a friend that you are chatting with over lunch. It can come in an email. It definitely comes from scripture. Still... it can come from a simple hug. It can even come from a simple look. Jesus did look at people and loved them from a simple look. How cool is that? Are am I encouraging others? How about you? How do you encourage others?

Encouragement Study: Edition #20

Proverbs 24:13-18

Eat honey, dear child—it's good for you— and delicacies that melt in your mouth. Likewise knowledge, and wisdom for your soul— Get that and your future's secured, your hope is on solid rock. Don't interfere with good people's lives; don't try to get the best of them. No matter how many times you trip them up, God-loyal people don't stay down long; Soon they're up on their feet, while the wicked end up flat on their faces. Don't laugh when your enemy falls; don't crow over his collapse. God might see, and become very provoked, and then take pity on his plight.

-In this few verses, you have it all. Seek knowledge AND wisdom. Don't interfere with other people's lives. Take pity on even your enemy when they fall. God will bless it. Do these things and you will encourage others.

Encouragement Study: Edition #19

Apathy (noun):

• Lack of interest or concern, especially regarding matters of general importance or appeal; indifference.
• Lack of emotion or feeling; impassiveness.
• Absence or suppression of passion, emotion, or excitement.
• Lack of interest in or concern for things that others find moving or exciting.

Empathy (noun):

• The intellectual identification with or vicarious experiencing of the feelings, thoughts, or attitudes of another.
• The imaginative ascribing to an object, as a natural object or work of art, feelings or attitudes present in oneself.
• Identification with and understanding of another's situation, feelings, and motives.
• The attribution of one's own feelings to an object.

Sympathy (noun):

• Harmony of or agreement in feeling, as between persons or on the part of one person with respect to another.
• The harmony of feeling naturally existing between persons of like tastes or opinion or of congenial dispositions.
• The fact or power of sharing the feelings of another, esp. in sorrow or trouble; fellow feeling, compassion, or commiseration.

Psalm 72:1-19

Endow the king with your justice, O God, the royal son with your righteousness. He will judge your people in righteousness, your afflicted ones with justice. The mountains will bring prosperity to the people, the hills the fruit of righteousness. He will defend the afflicted among the people and save the children of the needy; he will crush the oppressor. He will endure as long as the sun, as long as the moon, through all generations. He will be like rain falling on a mown field, like showers watering the earth. In his days the righteous will flourish; prosperity will abound till the moon is no more. He will rule from sea to sea and from the River to the ends of the earth. The desert tribes will bow before him and his enemies will lick the dust. The kings of Tarshish and of distant shores will bring tribute to him; the kings of Sheba and Seba will present him gifts. All kings will bow down to him and all nations will serve him. For he will deliver the needy who cry out, the afflicted who have no one to help. He will take pity on the weak and the needy and save the needy from death. He will rescue them from oppression and violence, for precious is their blood in his sight. Long may he live! May gold from Sheba be given him. May people ever pray for him and bless him all day long. Let grain abound throughout the land; on the tops of the hills may it sway. Let its fruit flourish like Lebanon; let it thrive like the grass of the field. May his name endure forever; may it continue as long as the sun. All nations will be blessed through him, and they will call him blessed. Praise be to the LORD God, the God of Israel, who alone does marvelous deeds. Praise be to his glorious name forever; may the whole earth be filled with his glory. Amen and Amen.

-Taking pity is a quality of God. If you take pity on someone, you are not being apathetic, but empathetic and sympathetic. Does God want me to oppress others? Does God want me to help others? Let's just assume that God wants me to help others. If I express empathy and sympathy toward others, I am expressing a form of encouragment. And encouraging others is a great

Encouragement Study: Edition #18

Luke 12:1-12
Meanwhile, when a crowd of many thousands had gathered, so that they were trampling on one another, Jesus began to speak first to his disciples, saying: "Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known. What you have said in the dark will be heard in the daylight, and what you have whispered in the ear in the inner rooms will be proclaimed from the roofs.

"I tell you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that can do no more. But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear him who, after your body has been killed, has authority to throw you into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him. Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God. Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don't be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.

"I tell you, whoever publicly acknowledges me, the Son of Man will also acknowledge before the angels of God. But whoever publicly disowns me will be disowned before the angels of God. And everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but anyone who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven.

"When you are brought before synagogues, rulers and authorities, do not worry about how you will defend yourselves or what you will say, for the Holy Spirit will teach you at that time what you should say."

-Jesus gives out some encouraging words. I like to bring up Jesus, since he is the one I should immitate. He stressing that we should fear God only. I am worth more than many sparrows. I am worth much, much more. On some days, that is what I cling to, whereas other days, I find it easy to think I am worth something. I guess on those days, I struggle more with pride.

Encouragement Study: Edition #17

Isaiah 1:2-

Hear me, you heavens! Listen, earth! For the LORD has spoken: "I reared children and brought them up, but they have rebelled against me. The ox knows its master, the donkey its owner's manger, but Israel does not know, my people do not understand. Ah, sinful nation, a people whose guilt is great, a brood of evildoers, children given to corruption! They have forsaken the LORD; they have spurned the Holy One of Israel and turned their backs on him. Why should you be beaten anymore? Why do you persist in rebellion? Your whole head is injured, your whole heart afflicted. From the sole of your foot to the top of your head there is no soundness— only wounds and welts and open sores, not cleansed or bandaged or soothed with oil. Your country is desolate, your cities burned with fire; your fields are being stripped by foreigners right before you, laid waste as when overthrown by strangers. Daughter Zion is left like a shelter in a vineyard, like a hut in a field of melons, like a city under siege. Unless the LORD Almighty had left us some survivors, we would have become like Sodom, we would have been like Gomorrah. Hear the word of the LORD, you rulers of Sodom; listen to the instruction of our God, you people of Gomorrah! The multitude of your sacrifices— what are they to me?" says the LORD. "I have more than enough of burnt offerings, of rams and the fat of fattened animals; I have no pleasure in the blood of bulls and lambs and goats. When you come to appear before me, who has asked this of you, this trampling of my courts? Stop bringing meaningless offerings! Your incense is detestable to me. New Moons, Sabbaths and convocations— I cannot bear your evil assemblies. Your New Moon feasts and your appointed festivals I hate with all my being. They have become a burden to me; I am weary of bearing them. When you spread out your hands in prayer, I will hide my eyes from you; even if you offer many prayers, I will not listen. Your hands are full of blood; wash and make yourselves clean. Take your evil deeds out of my sight! Stop doing wrong, learn to do right! Seek justice, encourage the oppressed. Defend the cause of the fatherless, plead the case of the widow. Come now, let us reason together," says the LORD. "Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool. If you are willing and obedient, you will eat the best from the land; but if you resist and rebel, you will be devoured by the sword." For the mouth of the LORD has spoken.

-Wow. God lays it all out right here. He doesn't like sacrifices. He wants righteous actions and a righteous heart. He wants people to CARE about people, to have a genuine concern for others, so that the actions aren't forced but a natural response to a person in need.

Encouragement Study: Edition #16

Job 16:2-8
"I have heard many things like these; you are miserable comforters, all of you! Will your long-winded speeches never end? What ails you that you keep on arguing? I also could speak like you, if you were in my place; I could make fine speeches against you and shake my head at you. But my mouth would encourage you; comfort from my lips would bring you relief. Yet if I speak, my pain is not relieved; and if I refrain, it does not go away. Surely, God, you have worn me out; you have devastated my entire household. You have shriveled me up—and it has become a witness; my gauntness rises up and testifies against me.

-What I like about this passage (not the rebuttal against Job's friends) is that I can see what encouragement does and when it is absent, I plainly see what no encouragement has on a person. Job needed to be encouraged. He got bickering friends. When I have a friend in need, do I bicker or encourage?

Encouragement Study: Edition #15

1st Thessalonians 5:12-15

And now, friends, we ask you to honor those leaders who work so hard for you, who have been given the responsibility of urging and guiding you along in your obedience. Overwhelm them with appreciation and love!

Get along among yourselves, each of you doing your part. Our counsel is that you warn the freeloaders to get a move on. Gently encourage the stragglers, and reach out for the exhausted, pulling them to their feet. Be patient with each person, attentive to individual needs. And be careful that when you get on each other's nerves you don't snap at each other. Look for the best in each other, and always do your best to bring it out.

-Encourage the stragglers. What is a straggler?

Straggler (noun):

• One who straggles, or departs from the direct or proper course, or from the company to which he belongs; one who falls behind the rest; one who rambles without any settled direction.
• A roving vagabond.
• Something that shoots, or spreads out, beyond the rest, or too far; an exuberant growth.

Some might see this as a person who is weak. Maybe that might be the case... but it is definitely someone who is not taking part with the whole.

Encouragement Study: Edition #14

Colossians 4:5-9

Use your heads as you live and work among outsiders. Don't miss a trick. Make the most of every opportunity. Be gracious in your speech. The goal is to bring out the best in others in a conversation, not put them down, not cut them out.

My good friend Tychicus will tell you all about me. He's a trusted minister and companion in the service of the Master. I've sent him to you so that you would know how things are with us, and so he could encourage you in your faith. And I've sent Onesimus with him. Onesimus is one of you, and has become such a trusted and dear brother! Together they'll bring you up-to-date on everything that has been going on here.

-Encouragement is lifting others up in faith. The goal is to bring out the BEST in others.

Encouragement Study: Edition #13

Proverbs 29:9-12
A sage trying to work things out with a fool gets only scorn and sarcasm for his trouble. Murderers hate honest people; moral folks encourage them. A fool lets it all hang out; a sage quietly mulls it over. When a leader listens to malicious gossip, all the workers get infected with evil.

-Moral people encourage honesty. Cool.

Encouragement Study: Edition #12

Proverbs 11:24-26

One person gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty. A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed. People curse those who hoard grain, but they pray God's blessing on those who are willing to sell.

-He who refreshes others will himself be refreshed. I like to read this sometimes and think 'he who encourages others will himself be encouraged.' The Hebrew takes it back to say who "makes drunk, satiates, satisfies" others will himself be (and fill those back in here). I don't think God wants me to go and makes others drunk and make myself a drunk, but it does show what God does mean, in that, to make someone full and satisfied, or to make happy. And that simply shows that I would be encouraging someone and thus be encouraged myself.

Encouragement Study: Edition #11

Psalm 19
The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge. They have no speech, they use no words; no sound is heard from them. Yet their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world. In the heavens he has pitched a tent for the sun, which is like a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, like a champion rejoicing to run his course. It rises at one end of the heavens and makes its circuit to the other; nothing is deprived of its warmth. The law of the LORD is perfect, refreshing the soul. The statutes of the LORD are trustworthy, making wise the simple. The precepts of the LORD are right, giving joy to the heart. The commands of the LORD are radiant, giving light to the eyes. The fear of the LORD is pure, enduring forever. The ordinances of the LORD are sure, and all of them are righteous. They are more precious than gold, than much pure gold; they are sweeter than honey, than honey from the honeycomb. By them your servant is warned; in keeping them there is great reward. But who can discern their own errors? Forgive my hidden faults. Keep your servant also from willful sins; may they not rule over me. Then I will be blameless, innocent of great transgression. May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer.

-Reviving the soul with scripture. It is a way to keep going in tough times.

Encouragement Study: Edition #10

Exodus 23:1-9
"Do not spread false reports. Do not help a wicked man by being a malicious witness. Do not follow the crowd in doing wrong. When you give testimony in a lawsuit, do not pervert justice by siding with the crowd, and do not show favoritism to a poor man in his lawsuit. If you come across your enemy's ox or donkey wandering off, be sure to take it back to him. If you see the donkey of someone who hates you fallen down under its load, do not leave it there; be sure you help him with it. Do not deny justice to your poor people in their lawsuits. Have nothing to do with a false charge and do not put an innocent or honest person to death, for I will not acquit the guilty. Do not accept a bribe, for a bribe blinds those who see and twists the words of the righteous. Do not oppress an alien; you yourselves know how it feels to be aliens, because you were aliens in Egypt."

Romans 12:17-21

Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: "It is mine to avenge; I will repay," says the Lord. On the contrary: "If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head." Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

Matthew 5:43-48

"You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

Be Perfect...

Perfect: (Pronounced "teleios" tel'-i-os):

• Complete (in various applications of labor, growth, mental and moral character, etc.); completeness: of full age, man (matured), perfect.

Be mature, therefore, as your heavenly Father is mature. Or can it read: Be complete as God is complete. Be a man as your God is a man. Yeah, that just doesn't sound right...

Encouragement Study: Edition #9

Matthew 5:3-12
"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."

"Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you."

Matthew 25:34-36

"Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.'

-I was hungry and you gave me something to eat. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. I was a stranger and you invited me in. Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. I was in prison and you came to visit me. Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. It does tie into each other...

Encouragement Study: Edition #8

Psalm 9:12-14
For he who avenges blood remembers; he does not ignore the cry of the afflicted. O LORD, see how my enemies persecute me! Have mercy and lift me up from the gates of death, that I may declare your praises in the gates of the Daughter of Zion and there rejoice in your salvation.

James 4:1-12

What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don't they come from your desires that battle within you? You want something but don't get it. You kill and covet, but you cannot have what you want. You quarrel and fight. You do not have, because you do not ask God. When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.

You adulterous people, don't you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. Or do you think Scripture says without reason that the spirit he caused to live in us envies intensely? But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble."

Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.

Brothers, do not slander one another. Anyone who speaks against his brother or judges him speaks against the law and judges it. When you judge the law, you are not keeping it, but sitting in judgment on it. There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the one who is able to save and destroy. But you—who are you to judge your neighbor?

-How does someone get encouraged? How does someone get lifted up? It is by being humble. Being humble is key. If I am to be encouraging to others, I have to be humble.

Matthew 5:1-12
Now when he saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, and he began to teach them saying: "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."

"Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you."

-Here are a few more observations... first off, God is the one who lifts up. He lifts me up. He lifts you up. If God doesn't lift you up, then no one can lift you up. God will only lift you up if you are humble. If you aren't being lifted up, it could be that you aren't humble. And I know I haven't noticed this before... but have you noticed that the person who is suffering in the beatitudes are the ones being comforted by the "sheep" in the 'sheep and goats' passage in Matthew 25? I wonder why that is...