Human but Not Hopeless

 In my daily reading today, I ran across a couple of verses that especially struck me hard. My reading was Psalms 106 - 107. Here are the verses  I did second-takes over:

• Psalm 106:32  "They angered him at the waters of Meribah, and it went ill with Moses on their account"...

My thought was: a fit of momentary anger - a heat-of-the-moment reaction - cost Moses being able to go into the Promised Land. The same people that he had stood between and begged mercy for so many times (Psalm 106:23 for example) when they had angered God are the same people that cost him this. 

I am a better person in my older age but I once had a horrible temper. I was very quick to get offended and I had the ugly habit of slapping people. I don't know how I made it to this age without someone killing me for hitting them like that. There are people who are in prison or sitting on Death Row for something they might have done in a flash of anger. 

• Psalm 106: 35-36 ..." but they mixed with the nations and learned to do as they did. They served their idols, which became a snare to them."

My mother and father raised me to be polite and upstanding. When I got to be a teenager, I began to rebel a bit. I was polite and I was, for the most part, upstanding. But I was fascinated with other teens who were not raised as I had been. I started smoking as a teenager after a friend let me try her cigarette. Her parents used to purchase a carton for her at the military commissary when they purchased their own. At first, I was just experimenting with smoking - to see how it tasted and felt - then I thought it made me look less goody-goody and made me more acceptable to other kids. I didn't quit smoking for good until about two and a half years ago. I still sometimes crave the ritual of lighting a fresh cigarette and enjoying the inhale/exhale routine. That's about 41 years of a bad habit that started with "I'll just try it once".

• Psa 107:13-14  "Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress. He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death, and burst their bonds apart."

This is one of many parts of the Bible where I immediately think, "This is my testimony!"

Although I was "raised in the Church", I didn't always understand what "being delivered" meant. When I actually turned to God with all my heart, I finally realized what it means to be free. I'm not free of debt, illness, or any suffering in general. But I am free. I have been brought out of the darkness that I was in. I no longer live under the shadow of death. I no longer have my hopes based on how much money I have in the bank, my looks, my intelligence, my own personal ability to withstand life. I rest in every promise that God has made to me.

It's hard for me to explain what I mean but while I am still bound to this body and it's weakness, I am free. While I am still bound to money or lack of money because of bills and a need for food and shelter, I am free. While I need treatment for illness attacking my body, I am free. While I know that I am going to die one day, I am free.

God has burst my bonds apart. I am no longer in the distress I lived in for so long.

Before I accepted Christ as my Redeemer, my life was like a teeter-totter. If things were good on the money front, the family front, the relationship front - I was balanced and well. If one of those things slipped, I had to totter some of the weight and importance on one of the other things to maintain balance. A few times, I lost my balance and very nearly fell off. I have contemplated suicide. I have lived so high up in worldly joys that I felt invincible.  With Christ covering me, I no longer have to keep my balance. I am held steady and true in my soul. 

I don't want anyone reading this to think that I don't still suffer from depression or fear or worry. The change is that I never, ever feel hopeless. 

Sorry if I went off on a little rant, but I always want to share how secure it feels to be under God's wings. This world is a hard place sometimes and I want everyone to find the hope that I have been blessed with.

"Keep me as the apple of your eye; hide me in the shadow of your wings".

(Psalm 17:8)

I will try to remember to share what one commentary had to say about God protecting us the way the eagle protects her young. It was beautiful.

Peace

--Free

The Torah in Psalms

 During my Bible reading yesterday, I noticed something in my KJV Study Bible* for the first time - or, if I had noticed before, I'd forgotten!

The Psalms are divided into 5 books and each book (in my KJV) is headed with a section from the Torah. I just thought I would share this with any of you who, like me, were unfamiliar with the sections and headings.

• Book One - Psalms 1-41 The Genesis Book: Concerning Man.
• Book Two - Pslams 42-72 The Exodus Book: Concerning Israel as a Nation.
• Book Three - Psalms 73-89 The Leviticus Book: Concerning the Sanctuary. 
• Book Four - Psalms 90-106 The Numbers Book: Concerning Israel and the Nation.
• Book Five - Psalms 107-150 The Deuteronomy Book: Concerning God and His Word.

The Study Bible explains that:

"The fivefold arrangement has long been recognized, but no explanations for its origin has proved satisfactory. The most common is the early Jewish tradition that judged the five books to be an imitation of the five books of Moses..."

I just found it interesting and wanted to share the finding. None of my other Bibles detail this 5-book breakdown and I had never heard it mentioned in church before.

I am not sure that it means anything but, again, I found it interesting. If anyone has more information, please do share.

Peace

--Free 

* My Bible is the Liberty Annotated version of the KJV Study Bible. I bought it way back in 2004 in a Christian Bookstore in Anchorage. That store closed down long ago and I have not been able to find a copy of this Bible edition since. It is marked as being published both as The Liberty Annotated Study Bible and as The Annotated Study Bible, King James Version. The 1988 copyright is held by Liberty University. I have searched Amazon and see certain possible matches as "out of print".

Bread, Bread, Bread for Life

 I rarely toot the horn of a site if I haven't used their services but I'm going to make an exception. Recently, I found this site and I'm kind of excited. I have been checking out their blog also. 

The only reason I ever found Food to Live (FTL) was because my doctor has warned me to get a bit more serious about eating healthier things. I'm not eating super-junky stuff but I need to go harder at the fiber and nutrients than I have been.

The first change I made was to cut out the sliced garlic and herb turkey deli meat I so love for sandwiches. I switched up and kept everything else except for the meat and bread. Yeah. I now use high-fiber bread instead of brioche or Italian white bread and I just enjoy it with the avocado, tomato, and yellow onion. It's a tasty sandwich. Because of the delicious bread and the avocado, I almost don't miss the turkey.

This Aldi's Ancient Grains is the bread I started to fall in love with:

I need to be able to control
that sodium level...

It's pricey though. Like around 5 a loaf. I wanted to try Ezekiel Bread or Dave's Killer Bread but their prices make the Ancient Grains look like nothing.

I've switched over to eating a lot of cabbage and other greens, white meat, and using good oils. When I was going over my budget, I realized I need to find a way to afford really nutritious bread. So...

My family has asked what I want for Christmas. My answer: bread machine. I picked out one that will let me add nuts and seeds or just prep the dough so I can finish the rest myself. Then, while looking for affordable seeds and grains, I found Food to Live.

FTL recipes are heavily vegan and I am not interested. I just want to be able to make my own sprouted grains and seeded bread. It has to be less expensive than keeping Killer Dave in business. Those prices!...

Normally, I am not a big eater of bread. However, I would rather get full from eating a highly nutritious bread than eating a ton of veggies and fruits. I can only take so much of salad and chicken. With the right bread - seeded with tasty nuts - I could go from breakfast to dinner on just that with some butter.

In case any of you are interested, here are some links I have found to recipes. Enjoy.

• Easy Dutch Oven Bread  this one not only looks good but I can't wait to use my Dutch oven for bread
• Fast No-Knead Multi-Seed Bread and this one... that bread looks amazing.
• Seedy Sandwich Bread with Sprouted Wheat I'm not as visually excited by this one, but I love the idea that it's with sprouted wheat.

I was happy to see that The Prepared Pantry had this helpful write-up on designing whole grain bread recipes. That will go up on my fridge.

This all has me very excited to get my hands on that bread machine! In the meantime, I am going to start trying some of these recipes by hand. Pictures (good or bad) will be coming up...

Peace

--Free

Every Day Thanks and Every Day Behavior

While doing my Bible read-through, I keep being struck by how many times Israel fell back into doing "evil in the sight of the Lord". At first, I was feeling a little self-righteous, thinking "when do they ever get it?!?!?" 

Then I thought of my own habit of sliding back into sin on a daily basis. 

I was telling someone something my late auntie said about Thanksgiving and that every day should be one of thanksgiving for us all. It's not about food or even being together - thought that is nice It's about being thankful. People not able to be with their families still should be thankful; those who don't even have homes should be thankful, and those of us who are going through whatever life is throwing at us should be thankful. Thankful for our own wanderings and journey through this life to a reunion with our eternal family.

When I think of how loving and forgiving God is to Israel and all of us Gentiles, every moment is one of thanksgiving.

Sorry. Rant over.

Anyway.

Here is a list I culled using  eSword to find all the times the phrase "did what was evil in the sight of the Lord" is used. This doesn't cover all the variations on the phrase, but it is a reminder to me of God's forgiveness.

(Jdg 2:11)  And the people of Israel did what was evil in the sight of the LORD and served the Baals.

(Jdg 3:7)  And the people of Israel did what was evil in the sight of the LORD. They forgot the LORD their God and served the Baals and the Asheroth.

(Jdg 3:12)  And the people of Israel again did what was evil in the sight of the LORD, and the LORD strengthened Eglon the king of Moab against Israel, because they had done what was evil in the sight of the LORD.

(Jdg 4:1)  And the people of Israel again did what was evil in the sight of the LORD after Ehud died.

(Jdg 6:1)  The people of Israel did what was evil in the sight of the LORD, and the LORD gave them into the hand of Midian seven years.

(Jdg 10:6)  The people of Israel again did what was evil in the sight of the LORD and served the Baals and the Ashtaroth, the gods of Syria, the gods of Sidon, the gods of Moab, the gods of the Ammonites, and the gods of the Philistines. And they forsook the LORD and did not serve him.

(Jdg 13:1)  And the people of Israel again did what was evil in the sight of the LORD, so the LORD gave them into the hand of the Philistines for forty years.

(1Ki 11:6)  So Solomon did what was evil in the sight of the LORD and did not wholly follow the LORD, as David his father had done.

(1Ki 14:22)  And Judah did what was evil in the sight of the LORD, and they provoked him to jealousy with their sins that they committed, more than all that their fathers had done.

(1Ki 15:26)  He did what was evil in the sight of the LORD and walked in the way of his father, and in his sin which he made Israel to sin.

(1Ki 15:34)  He did what was evil in the sight of the LORD and walked in the way of Jeroboam and in his sin which he made Israel to sin.

(1Ki 16:25)  Omri did what was evil in the sight of the LORD, and did more evil than all who were before him.

(1Ki 22:52)  He did what was evil in the sight of the LORD and walked in the way of his father and in the way of his mother and in the way of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin.

(2Ki 3:2)  He did what was evil in the sight of the LORD, though not like his father and mother, for he put away the pillar of Baal that his father had made.

(2Ki 8:18)  And he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, as the house of Ahab had done, for the daughter of Ahab was his wife. And he did what was evil in the sight of the LORD.

(2Ki 8:27)  He also walked in the way of the house of Ahab and did what was evil in the sight of the LORD, as the house of Ahab had done, for he was son-in-law to the house of Ahab.

(2Ki 13:2)  He did what was evil in the sight of the LORD and followed the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, which he made Israel to sin; he did not depart from them.

(2Ki 13:11)  He also did what was evil in the sight of the LORD. He did not depart from all the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, which he made Israel to sin, but he walked in them.

(2Ki 14:24)  And he did what was evil in the sight of the LORD. He did not depart from all the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, which he made Israel to sin.

(2Ki 15:9)  And he did what was evil in the sight of the LORD, as his fathers had done. He did not depart from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, which he made Israel to sin.

(2Ki 15:18)  And he did what was evil in the sight of the LORD. He did not depart all his days from all the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, which he made Israel to sin.

(2Ki 15:24)  And he did what was evil in the sight of the LORD. He did not turn away from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, which he made Israel to sin.

(2Ki 15:28)  And he did what was evil in the sight of the LORD. He did not depart from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, which he made Israel to sin.

(2Ki 17:2)  And he did what was evil in the sight of the LORD, yet not as the kings of Israel who were before him.

(2Ki 21:2)  And he did what was evil in the sight of the LORD, according to the despicable practices of the nations whom the LORD drove out before the people of Israel.

(2Ki 21:16)  Moreover, Manasseh shed very much innocent blood, till he had filled Jerusalem from one end to another, besides the sin that he made Judah to sin so that they did what was evil in the sight of the LORD.

(2Ki 21:20)  And he did what was evil in the sight of the LORD, as Manasseh his father had done.

(2Ki 23:32)  And he did what was evil in the sight of the LORD, according to all that his fathers had done.

(2Ki 23:37)  And he did what was evil in the sight of the LORD, according to all that his fathers had done.

(2Ki 24:9)  And he did what was evil in the sight of the LORD, according to all that his father had done.

(2Ki 24:19)  And he did what was evil in the sight of the LORD, according to all that Jehoiakim had done.

(2Ch 21:6)  And he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, as the house of Ahab had done, for the daughter of Ahab was his wife. And he did what was evil in the sight of the LORD.

(2Ch 22:4)  He did what was evil in the sight of the LORD, as the house of Ahab had done. For after the death of his father they were his counselors, to his undoing.

(2Ch 33:2)  And he did what was evil in the sight of the LORD, according to the abominations of the nations whom the LORD drove out before the people of Israel.

(2Ch 33:22)  And he did what was evil in the sight of the LORD, as Manasseh his father had done. Amon sacrificed to all the images that Manasseh his father had made, and served them.

(2Ch 36:5)  Jehoiakim was twenty-five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem. He did what was evil in the sight of the LORD his God.

(2Ch 36:9)  Jehoiachin was eighteen years old when he became king, and he reigned three months and ten days in Jerusalem. He did what was evil in the sight of the LORD.

(2Ch 36:12)  He did what was evil in the sight of the LORD his God. He did not humble himself before Jeremiah the prophet, who spoke from the mouth of the LORD.

(Jer 52:2)  And he did what was evil in the sight of the LORD, according to all that Jehoiakim had done.

By the way, that is 39 verses. I love eSword so much for this. I am going to tape this list near my desk so that I see it every day. Instead of wagging my head at the hardheaded nature of my ancient Israelites siblings, I need to just do better myself. Every. Day. And I can take a lesson from Israel: they always repented and turned back to the Lord.

Therefore repent and return,
so that your sins may be wiped away, (Acts 3:19 NASB)

Peace

--Free

Questions, Questions (and some answers)

 As I am doing this one-year Bible reading plan, I am making a list of questions. I do my Bible reading in the morning before I start the day and my goal had been to try finding answers to the questions every night before bed. Good plan, but...

I am listing way more questions than I will be able to look up answers for over the next couple of years. If I am lucky.

Is this normal? To have so many questions about the Bible? I am nearing the end of the Book of Joshua and I have 18 questions. And these aren't minor issues. Here are just a few:

• When are why did Ishamael's descendants stop believing in the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and start believing in the Muslim Allah?
• Of the peoples named after their tribes and "fathers" (Reubenites, Dan-ites, etc) where are the descendants today? Are they traceable?
• Reading Exodus 20:4 {You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below.} makes me wonder if we aren't supposed to have paintings and other artistic portrayals of (our idea of) God, and of nature, etc. As humans, our tendency is to worship what we can see. After all, one of the reasons we idolize celebrities is because we have their images on film and photographs to refer to. Here's one answer to the question, by the way.
• Reading Deuteronomy 22:9 {Do not plant two kinds of seed in your vineyard; if you do, not only the crops you plant but also the fruit of the vineyard will be defiled.}makes wonder about plant hybridization>

These are more to do with my curiosity for life application purposes than simply not understanding the verses.

Thankfully, some of the resources I have linked to here on the blog have been helpful. I think I must visit Got Questions about 20 times a day. Because I have such a bad memory and some comprehension problems, I have been printing out a lot of those pages.

Because I have so many questions, I wonder what kinds of questions other readers have. 

As I mentioned, I am nearing the end of Joshua. Honestly, it's been tedious reading through all the land allotments. I have butchered many of the names of different lands. Bible Speak is a good resource as is How to Pronounce.

The image above is a good guide. It's from Woman of Noble Character. I know nothing about the site but found the image on Pinterest and love it.

Anyway, I hope that there are many of you reading your Bible on a regular basis. We all need strength and hope, especially with the global health crisis and the other stresses of life.

Peace

--Free

Lessons in Deuteronomy

Just quickly wanted to share a thought I had while reading Deuteronomy this morning. I think it's timely since the 2020 election has just been called. We have lived 4 years of ugliness directed toward immigrants - or rather, toward certain immigrants. Reading chapter 10 in Deuteronomy just shook my heart up.

He executes justice for the fatherless and the widow, and loves the sojourner, giving him food and clothing. Love the sojourner, therefore, for you were sojourners in the land of Egypt. (Deut 10:18-19)

 The Hebrews had been treated badly in another land. Now they were being told to be kind to anyone sojourning in their land. Sound a bit familiar? 

By the way, this command to be kind to sojourners comes after reminders about how the Hebrews had been blessed. They were reminded not to forget that it was God who blessed them with any wealth and comfort.

We Americans are so fat and happy (most of us) that we forget where we would be but for the grace of God. I'm talking to my Christian siblings here. While you all are so busy crowding the churches and trying to earn a place behind the pulpit, you seemed to have forgotten that, unless you are First Nation people, you are immigrants.

And let me answer your next argument: you know, how the Bible teaches that God often let the Hebrews go in and possess the land of others. Okay, but He still commanded what He did in verses 18 and 19. 

Nothing bothers me more about the ugliness of the hatred we show toward certain immigrants more than the phony self-righteousness behind it.

So, there. I just had to get that rant out of my system. The election is over and I am being told to stay in my house by family - just in case some of the upset Trump supporters cause problems. I pray they aren't waving any Christian flags if they do.

Peace

--Free

Worse Than Death

 In the past couple of years, I have had to accept the grief of 4 deaths - each spaced about 3 months apart it seems. People say there is nothing worse than death but there is.

Worse than dying is when someone dies alone or sad or unfulfilled or just lost. 

I heard about the death of someone recently who I was once very close to - about as close as one could get. We had not been in touch for a long time. Over the past 40 or so years, we'd only kept in touch sporadically. We kept in touch so rarely that every time we did speak it was like another lifetime had gone by. 

What I always regret when someone dies is what I did or did not say. I was able to apologize to this last person a few years ago. Of course, we'd fuss or just not be nice and on a couple of our last calls, things got really unpleasant. But I hate that this person died alone. I hate wondering if he felt relief or fear or just not caring at all. I hate that I never pushed harder to confront him with the Gospel. I hate that I only heard what he said and didn't pick up on what he might have been feeling or really trying to say. I really hate that I didn't hear the unspoken sadness or despair. Most of all, I hate that he felt he couldn't let me know about any of those feelings. That's what's worse than death.

If you have someone in your life with whom you have a complicated relationship - maybe you don't always get along or maybe you don't get along for reasons that you can't fix. If there is someone like this in your life, when you do talk to them, talk as if you might never talk to them again. Listen to what they say with their words and with their silence. If they get angry with you, try to understand where the anger comes from. Don't hang up wondering. Ask. Talk. Listen, listen, listen.

I think that I have told here or on my other blog about how my mother saw with her eyes and with her heart. Even if she was mad at you - or maybe didn't even know you - she saw you.

Once my mother and I passed by a young woman sitting on a bench at the mall. I have a habit of looking unfriendly unless I am smiling or trying hard not to look unfriendly. There's a common and crass phrase for this. My mother had the same kind of facial expression. However, there was something about her that people could see. They never saw her as scowling or unfriendly. People almost always smiled at or nodded to her in passing. I don't know what that was about.

When we passed by the young woman that day (I can't remember at this particular moment whether or not she was alone or with kids; I think she was with small kids), I had my usual passive expression (yeah, the mean one) and my mother had hers, After we passed the woman, my mother reminded me how important our interactions with people are - even those we just happen to pass by. She made me understand what even the briefest smile or frown can mean to someone, how it might impact them. And then she told me to smile more. Once I realized how mean I looked when I wasn't smiling, I walked around smiling like a maniac. 

I know now what my mother was trying to teach me. I know that your whole day can be lifted or dashed by a smile, a frown, a look of contempt, or non-acknowledgment. I know that I have been having really bad bouts of depression - that no one could see because a lot of depression hides behind big smiles - and ran across someone just for a moment and was made to feel either suicidal or refreshed.

Do any of us want to be the last unfriendly face someone sees? Or that ours is the last angry, unkind,  or indifferent voice someone hears? 

Since I have been studying the Bible lately, when I think of what my mother said about our attitude and how it might have an effect on others, I always remember my favorite part of the Book of Numbers - it's Numbers 6:24-27. I have been planning on sharing favorite passages here on the blog, so I will end this post with one.

Since I didn't speak to my friend about the Gospel, the only comfort I have is that I don't know the last thing that was in his heart. I don't know if he cried out to God. What I do know is that once someone is gone, there is nothing we can do but mourn. We can't fix what was broken, we can't speak or un-speak any words. Regret is so much worse than death.

 Peace

--Free

**BIBLE STUDY** Leviticus Raised Questions & Gave Answers

 I have finished Leviticus in my yearly reading plan. It was a rough book for me. It's the one that made me ask a lot of questions. There are some topics in the Bible that apologists call "difficulties" and I ran into a few in just that one book.

The first struggle I had was understanding why God excluded certain people from serving as priests based on their physical afflictions. The second was about whether or not God was condoning slavery. 

Both those difficulties stirred up unpleasant emotions for me. As a black woman, the granddaughter and daughter of southerners born before and during the great racial stresses of the 1890s and on and on, I know that some people justify their social ignorance on Bible verses. Of course, those Bible verses are taken out of context or molded to fit some personal ugliness of the heart but...

For those of you who have run into these particular Bible difficulties, I would like to share the answers I found.

Regarding why certain people were excluded from the duties as priests, I had jumped to a major conclusion: that the disabled were excluded from being priests at all. Not true. They were excluded from offering sacrifices at the altar. The David Lamb site has a great post about this. After I thought more about it myself, I came to one conclusion: that many things in the Old Testament are foreshadowings of things in the New Testament. The priests offering sacrifices in the O.T. were unblemished as was Jesus when he became the perfect sacrifice for us. You may need to find your own peace over this one but I am fine.

Next was the big thing for me, especially since racism has been much more visible in our current society. 2020 is going to go down in the history books for creating as much spiritual stress as social stress...

Once again, I took all my hurt feelings and jumped to conclusions about the Bible's view of slavery and racial injustice. I read through a few commentaries and checked Got Questions, then I calmed myself and thought logically. Got Questions has a page addressing the slavery question very specifically. Of course, they do because I am not the first person to wonder about the subject.

As I continued reading and coming up with questions on topics that I personally find "triggering", I realized that I was falling into a trap. Instead of remembering that God has a purpose for everything, I was busy questioning His motives and ways. How amusing. As if being reminded of my tendency toward pride, as I neared the end of Leviticus, some verses gave me serious food for thought.

In Leviticus 26, God is reiterating some laws and rules to be obeyed. I noticed that He would remind Israel how serious He was about this. 26:23, 24 hit me with just how serious. God is not to be played with:

 "And if ye will not be reformed by me by these things, but will walk contrary unto me;   Then will I also walk contrary unto you, and will punish you yet seven times for your sins."

Wait. What? 

"Then will I also walk contrary unto you." That does not sound good.  It's almost like God saying "If you feeling froggy, jump." 

And if Israel insists on being disobedient (like I so often do), there is more. When I got to 26:36, well... 

"And upon them that are left alive of you I will send a faintness into their hearts in the lands of their enemies; and the sound of a shaken leaf shall chase them; and they shall flee, as fleeing from a sword; and they shall fall when none pursueth." 

Uh... I had seen that threat before and I know enough about the Bible to know that God is always serious, but when He repeats things, you better watch yourself.

So, who am I to question or doubt God? He loves His children - even the hardheaded and so often disobedient ones of us. We just have to know of His love and humble ourselves. 

After all that we do, in our pride and in our fleshly stubbornness, He will love us. 

Remember how much the children of Israel fussed and complained and griped and groaned and continually disobeyed? Well, this is how Leviticus ends with 23:43-46 - 

"The land also shall be left of them, and shall enjoy her sabbaths, while she lieth desolate without them: and they shall accept of the punishment of their iniquity: because, even because they despised my judgments, and because their soul abhorred my statutes. 

And yet for all that, when they be in the land of their enemies, I will not cast them away, neither will I abhor them, to destroy them utterly, and to break my covenant with them: for I am the LORD their God. But I will for their sakes remember the covenant of their ancestors, whom I brought forth out of the land of Egypt in the sight of the heathen, that I might be their God: I am the LORD. 

These are the statutes and judgments and laws, which the LORD made between him and the children of Israel in mount Sinai by the hand of Moses."

So, I am saying that this is God who loves me. Me - the one who is always questioning and ready to doubt at the least little provocation. For every question I have, there is an answer. 

Peace

--Free

**BIBLE STUDY** Finding Meaning in Leviticus

Trigger warning: I am going to make a couple of statements in this post that I am sure will offend some people. My intent is not to offend. My intent, as always with my posts, is to share information and my viewpoint and opinions. But because I do want to share in love, please do read and think about anything I say before you dismiss it.

I will be honest and admit that I have trouble reading through books like Leviticus and Numbers. It's so tempting for me to skip over these "drier" books. 

Every word in the Bible is there for a reason, though so I refuse to take any shortcuts this time around. I have been taking notes and try to find something to think about for each section of the chapters I read. With Leviticus, I mostly have questions which means I have to look for answers. That's how I came up with so many links in my last post.

I have just struggled through chapter 7 in Leviticus. It wasn't until I got halfway through chapter 4 that something dawned on me.

We commit so many sins - intentional, unintentional; "small" sins, and "large" sins. I couldn't possibly even attempt counting how many times a day I sin in thought. If I lived during the Mosaic era, I'd have worn a hole in the path to the priest's door. 

When I started thinking about all those sacrifices people had to offer back then, I became ever so much more thankful for the Lord's sacrifice on the cross. His once-and-for-all sacrifice takes on more and more meaning as I think about my sins. People, I don't sin daily, I sin from moment to moment. On some days, my thoughts are a blur of sin.

So, I started paying attention to the types of offerings in Leviticus. Because of the repetition, there seem to be hundreds mentioned but I realized there were five of them. I still had trouble understanding them though so I was thrilled to come across this wonderful chart by Raymond K. Campbell on *Bible Centre:

Cambell (who has other contributions shown on Bible Centre) gives a sketch explanation of each offering type. I have printed this out to study while I skim back over chapters 1-7.

By the way, I found it interesting that a wave offering (ex: Lev 7:30) is a portion of a sacrifice waved in the air indicating that it is for the Lord. When I read that, I immediately thought of how music fans are often encouraged to wave their hands "in the air and wave 'em like you just don't care". A Redditor might tag this as being mildly interesting. Of course, when I got to Leviticus 10:2 and started reading about Aaron's sons offering up "strange fire" so I did a quick search for any lyrics and found something by The Indigo Girls (never listened to their music before) and they have a song called "Strange Fire" with this as the starting lyrics (my emphasis added):

I come to you with strange fire
I make an offering of love
The incense of my soil is burned
By the fire in my blood
I come with a softer answer
To the questions that lie in your path
I want to harbor you from the anger
Find a refuge from the wrath

Because I never heard their music or knew anything about this duo, I did some cursory Wiki lookups. I am surprised that they are gay but seem intertwined with ministries. Sort of like if I was a  proud and professional liar who claimed to follow Christ - who died for my sins as a liar, cheat, adulterer, etc. I am not proud of my sins and don't live unrepentant of them and I, for the record, would be afraid of the fire of God's wrath. Just saying so don't come for me with wagging fingers and the shaming. This is not a statement about hate for gays. This is a statement about my understanding of sin and repentance and salvation through Christ. I don't hate gays or anyone else for their sin but I do pray they find salvation.

Anyway, I just wanted to share that. I hope this helps anyone else reading through Leviticus.

Peace

--Free

*I have not visited Bible Centre before now and have not perused the site. I have not read their Statement of Faith. Please use discernment when visiting any linked site.

Good & Evil All Around Us

 After reading the news a few days back, I did a quick internet search to find out more about the Boogaloo movement. Along with links to items about this "movement" something came up about The Order of Nine Angles (ONA/O9A). (I actually kept reading it as "angels" for the first couple of minutes.)

Have you ever heard of these groups? I had not. And I tend to pay attention to a lot of podcasts and videos about conspiracy theories. I am fascinated with things that reinforce the truth that there's evil in our existence.

And let's talk about my flirtation with conspiracy theories.  I will do a brief history:

• I grew up in the Pentecostal "Holiness" denomination. We were called "Holy Rollers" and believed in speaking in tongues and "shouting" (Holy Ghost dancing). I left that denomination and had ever since considered myself a non-denominational Bible-believing Christian.
• I never bought the official JFK assassination story.
• My father joined the Freemasons and, for lots of personal reasons, I have problems with Freemasonry and all their affiliations.
• I have known people who belong to pagan religions. I have witnessed things that truly disturbed me.
• Some years ago, I heard a pastor breaking down the occult influences in Hip Hop, entertainment, and other media outreaches. I checked out much of what he talked about and... he wasn't exaggerating. By the way, the series is called The Truth Behind Hip Hop and there is also a book available.
• I remembered what the Ephesians 6:12 says:

For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. 

• I pay attention to things the Bible says about coming out of and away from pagan practices. Many of these practices still exist.
• Satan told 4 lies in the Garden that are still being re-worded and told today.
• I realized that there were other Christians who recognized that we live surrounded by strange influences that get downplayed as being "conspiracy theories".
• I started watching videos and podcasts where others were discussing topics I found interesting.
• I listen to podcasts by people like Isaac Weishaupt of Conspiracy Theories and Unpopular Culture (because he too is a Christian) and Freeman Fly of the Freezone (not a Christian but very informative about culture). Weishaupt wrote an interesting book. 
• I now pay way more attention to the details in any movies, books, or movies I give time to. 

I cannot remember where I copied this from.
Pinterest, I think.

It's to the point that I can no longer just watch a movie or read a book or hear music without paying close attention. Any and everything in this world is so easily corrupted. 

So I am not surprised that in almost every social and political agenda, there is another power behind that agenda. Black Lives Matter, Blue Lives Matter, environmental advocacy, education, healthcare... Every agenda is polluted with some kind of darkness.

What did surprise me is that I had not heard of the ONA/O9A. Once I realized who they are supposed to be, I realized that they are just another dark thing to use this chaotic time to market themselves to a wider audience. The ONA/O9A and the Boogaloo folk aren't original - not in their theme or goals. Charles Manson was probably an influence. He, after all, was on the race war wagon before most of these new thugs were born.

Anyway.

I am not sure what more to say. Maybe I just needed to rant about this. Maybe I just worry that not enough people - not enough Christians - are paying attention to the spiritual darkness that is creeping ever closer in around us. My thoughts just wandered to the memory of Art Bell. I don't think he was a conspiracy theorist any more than Jerry Springer likes to brawl and name-call. Art, may he be resting in peace,  liked being entertained by conspiracy theories and theorists. At least, that's my opinion. I only bring him up because of something he started talking about not too many years before he passed. He, like many of us, pick up where previous generations left on and wondered if we aren't living in times close to the end. He had a great name for this feeling of warning. He wrote and titled a book after it called "The Quickening".  

Peace

--Free

P.S.: This was kind of a rushed post so forgive me for any missing links or pieces of info.

Direct Links for Bible Study

 It dawned on me that sometimes it's hard to find your way back to a particular online resource. I use several things to help in my daily Bible reading and study but I had to save some links for myself because I couldn't always get to the right place when I needed to. I wanted to share these with any of you who are interested. 

Of course, all the links are courtesy of wonderful sites I have found useful so a big thanks to all of them. Here we go.

• To check various parallel Bibles here or...
• or here from Bible cc or...
• here at Bible Resources
• See a comprehensive list of online parallel Bibles
• Study the Hebrew Interlinear text or...
• ...the Greek Interlinear text
• Use Strong's Greek and Hebrew Concordance and Lexicon (either use the Lookup Strong's Number box at the center of the page above the Preface or go to top left of page to enter a Scripture reference or keyword and select the Bible version to view)
• Do an advanced Bible search on the Study Bible site
• Some Bible concordances
• Some very interesting resources for history relevant to believers.
• An ongoing list of Bible Q&As
• Ask questions at Got Questions. Just type in a question here. You can also ask from any search engine and just add "got questions" & it usually pulls up a link to the site. You can also check their New  Questions or click the Random button to... see a random question and answer. And don't forget that you can also donate to them. If just browsing, you can look at a category of their content.
• If you need to check the Thomas Chain Reference (by topic)
• See the Vine's Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words , Berry's New Testament Synonyms,  or Trench's New Testament Synonyms (don't ask me, it's the first I'm seeing these!)
• See a chart of the Bible books with brief descriptive headings for each. Also, the books are linked so you can navigate to them from the chart.
• Links to various Bible commentaries.
• Peruse various devotionals
• Check some Bible encyclopedias
• Additional resources, including Spanish language bibles.
• Old Testament Hebrew Lexicon
• New Testament Greek Lexicon
• Link list of classic Christian essays & other literature (including works by Bunyan). And a list of authors here.
• A site of lots of Bible history stuff - maps, timelines, etc.

Just wanted to say that I loved finding out the Dummies.com has a Bible page as a sort of cheat sheet reference.  I will be looking that over when I get the chance!

I added quite a few things to my original list. In doing so, I ran across some resources I am unfamiliar with. I will do a future post explaining (if I can) the usefulness of those resources. 

Also, I will be adding to this link list as I find more resources.

Peace

--Free

**BIBLE STUDY** Mandela Effect, Moses' "Horns" and Other Details I Missed

 There are a lot of benefits to studying the Bible regularly. I am fast learning that. Personally, I am getting some relief from my chronic depression and anxiety. Focusing on the Word of God is a reminder of His promises. That is pure medicine. But there are a lot of wider practical benefits. 

Have any of you been hearing about the Mandela Effect (ME) For some, it's thought of as a sort of false memory syndrome. For others (including myself) it will sometimes cause confusion and stress. Without getting into specifics, some examples of what the Mandela Effect affects changes/supposed changes in re:

• Song lyrics changed or parts omitted
• Names of people - spellings or variations, products, TV shows, and movies.
• Lines from popular movies and shows 
• Iconic emblems for vehicles 
• Dates of various events - Nelson Mandela's death being one of the most famous

It goes on and on. People remember Mandela's being much earlier than others remember it. The same goes for Billy Graham. In some cases, people who are alive are remembered as having died long ago.

I myself have gotten caught up in this confusion more than once. I remember very clearly certain things being one way when, obviously they are not - or at least no longer are that way. I don't want to send anyone down the rabbit hole of links to various ME but there are several out there. 

At first, I found the ME to be kind of curious and mildly amusing. Then one day, it touched close to home and I saw examples of where parts of the Bible were supposedly Mandela-effected. This is before I had started to seriously do any regular Bible study and I have to admit that I was shook. To my core.

The first 2 MEs that scared me were that one, Moses suddenly had horns and, two, the "lion and the lamb" lying down together was now "the wolf and the lamb". 

What?

For a couple of days, I walked around feeling very concerned and upset. Confusion, fear, anxiety. That really should have been a red flag to me but I was too busy being freaked out to stop and think clearly.

I called a few people and emailed a few people, telling them about these 2 strange things. They reacted much as I had:  with disbelief, then with confusion.

Eventually, it dawned on me that I was not as fully familiar with the Bible as I should be. Thankfully, I was familiar with warnings about who could be the source of my confusion. Bible Reasons sums it up like this:

Satan is the author of confusion.

Satan seeks to cause chaos, disorder, death, and destruction.

B.R. goes further, pointing out specific:

 1. 1 Corinthians 14:33 “For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.”

2. 1 Peter 5:8 “Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.”

3. 2 Corinthians 2:11 “in order that Satan might not outwit us. For we are not unaware of his schemes.”

I always struggled with certain books of the Bible, wondering why I needed to read or study them. Well, what I ran across while studying chapters 33-35 in Exodus reaffirms that every word of the Bible is useful and details matter.

The reason that some artworks portray Moses with horns is because of the translation of certain words. If you check the Strong's Number H7160 you see this given for the word "shone" in Exodus 34:29

And it came to pass, when Moses came down from mount Sinai with the two tables of testimony in Moses' hand, when he came down from the mount, that Moses wist not that the skin of his face shone while he talked with him.

This is what the page looks like in the KJV+ of eSword:

Source: eSword's KJV+ Bible on my computer

 

Source 

I got the above image from the wonderful Study Bible site. Please do check out Study Bible where you can search Strong's from within the text. Truly a wonderful source.

By the way, I never did know before now how to use Strong's but there's a KJV with Strong's numbers included with the incredibly useful eSword I've told you about. I highly recommend learning to check Strong's just as much as you refer to commentaries. 

Once I figured out where the idea of horns came from, I was relieved. I should know better by now than to get so easily caught up in foolishness. Had I not been studying the Bible and if I had not been checking the underlying lexicon, I might still be confused and anxious.

Another way this round of Bible study is blessing me is with greater attention to detail. I have real problems with focus and concentration but I am keeping detailed notes of everything I learn as I read - especially when I start going deeper into commentaries, dictionaries, and word studies. 

One detail that I have picked up on is that many names in the Bible include God in them. The angels Michael and Gabriel, for example, both have "el" included. Micha-el and Gabri-el. I knew that but never knew that, if you get what I mean.

Chuck Missler once pointed out that when God changed Abram's and Sarai's names he added breath to them. Abraham and Sarah. I forgot to take notes on that one but it has something to do with the sound of the letter? I will find out and get back with better information.

My point is that there is so much detail and complexity to the Word of God. It's simple but deep. And I am learning that when I get anxious or confused, there is an answer in the Word. 

Not to beat you over the head with him, but something else Chuck Missler once said comes back to me now. He mentioned that when we find something in the Bible that we don't understand, we should make a note of it. When we get our answer or understanding, we will have something else to be thankful for. I

I am going to get back to my reading and, in the meantime, let's all remember our source of blessings.

Peace

--Free

SUMMARY of sources used here:

eSword Bible from which you can:  "study the Bible in an enjoyable and enriching manner. All Bibles, commentaries, dictionaries, … everything is just a click away!" (And, I would add, FREE)

Study Bible (online). As mentioned on their site, this is what you can use it for:

• Read and Search the Bible in Greek, Hebrew, English, Latin, and other parallel versions.
• Study online Hebrew and Greek interlinear translations and Bibles with Strong's Greek and Hebrew Lexicon numbers attached.
• Easily lookup 340,000 hyperlinked cross references in the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
• View scripture in the original languages of Greek and Hebrew as well as ancient translations such as the Greek Septuagint and Latin Vulgate.
• Compare the KJV with Old English, Wycliffe, Tyndale, Coverdale, Bishop's, Geneva, Doughy-Rheims, and American Standard Bibles.
• Find the meanings of Greek and Hebrew words in Strong's Lexicon, Thayer's Lexicon, Brown-Driver-Briggs' Lexicon, Vine's Expository Dictionary, Berry's New Testament Synonyms, and Trench's New Testament Synonyms.

Musings on the Bible & What I am Learning

It is very late for me to be blogging but I'm a little bit wired from coffee so...

I missed my daily Bible reading this morning thanks to grocery deliveries gone wrong. I don't like to start my reading if I know that I will be disturbed. Today was when I had to order groceries for the next 2 weeks and it's usually an hour and a half process. I order, choose a delivery time, get the delivery, put away the groceries, and go about my day. Not today. Aldi's came on time but Hyvee was way behind schedule. But enough whining about that. 

What I wanted to post about is how many little things I am picking up from my daily readings. Things to do with history and culture. I'm telling you, taking your time to read not just the Bible verses but to think about them and then to check various commentaries... It's a whole other level of learning.

I am into Exodus now and I always found it to be one of the drier parts of the Bible. This time around, I am fascinated with learning about the Jewish calendar and the laws. Also, the other random pieces of information that I never gave much thought to before.

One thing I discovered is that although the manna in the Bible was provided divinely, manna today exists as from the sweet juice of the tamarisk.  Wow, right? 

When I read this in Exodus 19:4:

Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bare you on eagles' wings, and brought you unto myself. 

I found the language beautiful, of course, but then I read the commentary of David Guzik:

God’s love and care was shown for Israel already, as He bore you on eagle’s wings. It is said that an eagle does not carry her young in her claws like other birds; the young eagles attach themselves to the back of the mother eagle and are protected as they are carried. Any arrow from a hunter must pass through the mother eagle before it could touch the young eagle on her back.

Now that is beautiful, right? I will never read Exodus 19:4 again without extreme appreciation of God's love for us. 

When I was reading Exodus 10:6 which is part of Moses' speech to Pharoah when he is announcing the plague of locusts, I could almost envision the scene:

And they shall fill thy houses, and the houses of all thy servants, and the houses of all the Egyptians; which neither thy fathers, nor thy fathers' fathers have seen, since the day that they were upon the earth unto this day. And he turned himself, and went out from Pharaoh.

Apparently, the custom of the time was not to turn your back to the ruler. And he turned himself, and went out from Pharaoh. Was that a drop-the-mic moment or what?  

I have also begun to pay attention to the calendar because of how important it is. The feasts and other holy days as set by the Lord have taken on more meaning. Years ago, my mother and I used to watch Zola Levitt on his show and we loved hearing about the feasts and customs. Somehow, I forgot that these things started with the Hebrews' relationship with the Lord. I was able to find a very printable copy of the calendar and have it attached to my whiteboard so I can refer to it during my reading.

One of my nieces visited New York once and she became fascinated with the Orthodox Jews she saw. I remember her asking questions about their attire and customs. After I read Exodus 13:9 and Adam Clarke's commentary (also the notes in my KJV Study Bible mention this) I had to text and tell my niece. This is what the verse reads:

And it shall be for a sign unto thee upon thine hand, and for a memorial between thine eyes, that the LORD'S law may be in thy mouth: for with a strong hand hath the LORD brought thee out of Egypt. 

And this is just part of a long piece of Clarke's commentary:

...and hence they called them תפלין tephillin, prayer, ornaments, oratories, or incitements to prayer. In process of time the spirit of this law was lost in the letter, and when the word was not in their mouth, nor the law in their heart, they had their phylacteries on their heads and on their hands. And the Pharisees, who in our Lord’s time affected extraordinary piety, made their phylacteries very broad, that they might have many sentences written upon them, or the ordinary portions in very large and observable letters.

My niece is about to start Bible reading and I bet this was an encouragement to her.

I suppose that part of my reason for sharing these tidbits of discovery with you is to show how interesting the Bible is. Aside from being the final authority for me as a Christian, it is a beautiful and detailed set of writings that shine a light on history and customs. 

Found this on Pinterest

So many people read and appreciate Shakespeare and other writers of fiction but won't pick up the Bible and read it for life application. I spent too many years making excuses and only paying attention to the so-called "highlights" of the Bible. I am feeling so blessed that I am learning to read and learn from every word of it.

Of course, I will be posting on some of the other notes I have been jotting down as I read. Tomorrow, I will be reading 2 days' worth of Scripture to make up for what I missed today. 

Once again, I want to point out how useful eSword is. From my post today, you can see that I get a lot of use from the various commentaries! 

Peace & goodnight!

--Free

**UPDATE** The Amazing eSword Bible Resource

UPDATE: I am an idiot. I didn't think of showing the screens using the Gamebar recording feature on Windows. If you scroll to the bottom, I have included some video showing the app in action as I use some of the features.

Remember when I was trying to find a good NKJV study Bible? I still haven't found one but I might not need to. Long ago, I had downloaded the free eSword Bible Study Resource. And forgot about it when my old laptop died. 

The other week, I put eSword on the new laptop and, seriously, I can't even tell you what a great resource it is!

I know that a lot of people use the Blue Letter Bible resource and I use it a lot when I am online. The problem with BLB is that I can't find an easy or safe way to download it to my PC. I could order the disc - which I don't think is free - but I don't have a way to use a disc on this computer. eSword is everything I need. Would I still like to have an NKJV study Bible? Yep. But I'm not having a hard time without one for now. 

For those who aren't going to check the eSword link right now, here are some of my favorite features - and keep in mind that, though I will be donating asap, I haven't paid for anything yet:

• I currently am using 6 versions of the Bible and the Parallel and Compare features.
• There are so many commentaries I won't bother the count the ones I am using but here is a screenshot of what I was using recently:
• 
  
  
  
  
• I can adjust the screen colors (within limits), change the font settings (with a LOT of options), and more.
• I can easily set up verse lists and copy things right into the Notes feature.
• There are tools for doing searches by parameters such as just the O.T., N.T, specific book, or range of books.
• It is very easy to print. I print a lot of search results. 

Those are just the features I can name off the top of my head because I use them so much.

What I love, love, love are the commentaries. One of the reasons I am so picky about buying a Bible is because I like a lot of notes and commentary included to expand on or help explain certain passages. Now that I am using eSword, I have just about every kind of commentary right there on my PC. 

Here are some screenshots of 

toolbar offerings

I have really gotten a lot from reading the various commentaries. For instance, I happened to be doing my daily reading (in Exodus) and ran across a comment that was credited to Aben Ezra and something called "Targums of Jonathan, Jarchi, and R. Jeshua". What??? Right. I went online to figure out what that was about and was led to the Talmud and other writings and writers. So now I have on my Reading To-Do List Philo the Jew, Targums, the Talmud, and others. This is how a long time ago, I discovered Flavius Josephus and The Antiquities of the Jews (which, by the way, is free via most podcast players).

So, yes, I highly recommend using eSword. I also would encourage people to donate to the project. I was going to pay upwards of forty dollars for a Bible so I can surely scrape together money for eSword.

Now, are there some issues I have with eSword? Sure. Actually, I've only had one problem to date: I tried saving my Notes and they disappeared. I could find the files on my computer but not a program to read the files. I solved that problem by going back into the Notes feature and doing Control-Z and they reappeared. I now copy all notes to a Notepad doc just in case.

You can click on the screenshots I've scattered through this post to enlarge them and see some of the features I mention. Or you can check this page on the eSword site where there are plenty of visuals. In the meantime, here are some additional links I thought you might be interested in. These include some of the things I mentioned in this post and a couple of things I have run across lately:

• I will be visiting the Jewish Virtual Library when I can savor it. I think some of us tend to forget that our Savior was born a Jew.
• Overview Bible is a neat resource for catching some quick facts. I have not looked at a lot of the site but what I glanced through looks solid. As always, be discerning.
• Wikipedia on Philo
• You can read The Targums at Judea Christian Research (JCR). I had a link for a PDF copy but lost it. Got Questions helped me better understand what it is.
• I found this when trying to understand the Talmud and what exactly it is and what it means for Christians. Got Questions is the Google of Christians queries!

I hope this is all a blessing to you.

Peace

--Free

This is using the Graphics viewer. 

I can look at a variety of maps and timelines & control the size with the + and - buttons

This next one shows using the Bible to view commentaries, verse by verse & 

how to select the Editor (for Notes) and pin it to screen or 

move it off screen.

The same can be done with the dictionaries. 

I will add more screen captures when I have more time and brain function!

Picture the Bible's Relatability

 Without being irreverent, I have caught a case of the giggles while doing my Bible study this past week. 

The more I study the Bible, the more I am able to get in the swing of the Ye Olde English language of the KJV. Because I am more engaged and interested as I read lately, I sometimes can't help but picture some of the events as scenes in my head.

The first time I realized how humorous the Bible could be was when reading about Joseph's brothers' jealousy. A while after Joseph has shared his dreams about his brothers bowing down to him - and you know how his brothers had to love that - Jacob sends him to find and check on them one day when they are out feeding the flocks.

Now, I know how most siblings today are. I have had 4 brothers and a sister and, being the second youngest, I was sometimes a tattletale. In general, I could be annoying. So, as I read about Joseph and his brothers, I am just picturing in my head how they might have felt about the young boy telling how they will bow to him someday. It's when I got this part that my giggles started:

 And they said one to another, Behold, this dreamer cometh. (Genesis 37:19)

If you have any imagination and can translate that to a modern scenario among siblings, that is funny stuff.

I admit that the part about slaying Jospeh isn't funny in the least but that one line was comical and very relatable to me.

Just when I calmed my funny bone down, I got to the part of Potiphar's wife trying to seduce poor Joseph. That woman was what I think the kids today would call "thirsty". Whatever you call it in slang, she was after Joseph without an ounce of shame or subtlety. I was picturing the scene in my head and when I got to this part, I was so tickled, I just about broke a rib laughing:

And she caught him by his robe, saying, Lie with me. And he left his robe in her hand and fled, and got out. (Genesis 39:12)

Dude was noping out of there like Wile E. Coyote and there she is left holding his robe. Talk about not being able to take "No" gracefully!

There are several other places in the Bible that are so vivid to me that I find myself reacting as I would to an opera. I'm either laughing or crying or nodding my head in complete empathy. 

I think what I have learned during the recent re-reading of the Bible is that every part of it is relevant to life today. It's 66 chapters of history and poetry and the sort of "Roots" of humanity. 

In the past, I struggled with some parts - including genealogies and census records. But I am learning that those parts just take a different type of understanding that I haven't yet learned to vibe with. 

I owe a big thanks to Chuck Missler's encouragements to look deeper at the Bible. I've always tried to read the Bible as a citizen of the world; I am learning to read it as a child of God and a future citizen of Heaven.

I will leave you with something that I find very interesting. Chuck Missler posed a sort of "challenge" once during one of his videos and I couldn't find it again until the other day. I shared it on Reddit and got the usual Redditor arguments and self-congratulatory brilliance about how not to dabble in such things. That's Reddit for you: Redditor's rarely comment for substance but usually are trying to show off their humor, sarcasm or "smarts". Still, the challenge is to "Try designing a genealogy—even from fiction—that meets the following criteria":

• The number of words in it must be divisible by 7 evenly, (in each of these constraints, it is assumed that the divisions are without remainders.)
• The number of letters must also be divisible by 7.
• The number of vowels and the number of consonants must also each be divisible by 7.
• The number of words that begin with a vowel must be divisible by 7.
• The number of words that begin with a consonant must be divisible by 7.
• The number of words that occur more than once must be divisible by 7.
• The number of words that occur in more than one form shall be divisible by 7.
• The number of words that occur in only one form shall be divisible by 7.
• The number of nouns shall be divisible by 7.
• Only 7 words shall NOT be nouns.
• The number of names in the genealogy shall be divisible by 7.
• Only 7 other kinds of nouns are permitted.
• The number of male names shall be divisible by 7.
• The number of generations shall be 21, also divisible by 7.

"A remarkable evidence of the numerical structure of Scripture: These are met in the first 11 verses (in Greek) found in Matthew Chapter 1. Based on the insights of Dr. Ivan Panin (1855 - 1942)."  (Apparently, Missler got it from Panin.)

I don't think that the point is numerology but the idea of how intricately the Bible is designed - with "design" being the important part. 

Peace

--Free

The Genealogy Challenge

The first time I heard this was from Chuck Missler in one of his Bible study videos. I wasn't feeling well at the time and forgot to take note of which video. I have been searching for it and found it in written form on another webpage. 

I have been calling this Genealogy Challenge while searching for it. I have not tried doing the challenge nor have I checked the Bible to verify every part but I find it interesting and wanted to share. I have copied and pasted that challenge from this page. Here it is:

Try designing a genealogy—even from fiction—that meets the following criteria:

The number of words in it must be divisible by 7 evenly, (in each of these constraints, it is assumed that the divisions are without remainders.)

• The number of letters must also be divisible by 7.
• The number of vowels and the number of consonants must also each be divisible by 7.
• The number of words that begin with a vowel must be divisible by 7.
• The number of words that begin with a consonant must be divisible by 7.
• The number of words that occur more than once must be divisible by 7.
• The number of words that occur in more than one form shall be divisible by 7.
• The number of words that occur in only one form shall be divisible by 7.
• The number of nouns shall be divisible by 7.
• Only 7 words shall NOT be nouns.
• The number of names in the genealogy shall be divisible by 7.
• Only 7 other kinds of nouns are permitted.
• The number of male names shall be divisible by 7.
• The number of generations shall be 21, also divisible by 7.

A remarkable evidence of the numerical structure of Scripture: These are met in the first 11 verses (in Greek) found in Matthew Chapter 1. Based on the insights of Dr. Ivan Panin (1855 - 1942).

Did you try it out? How did it go for you? If anyone checks the Bible for the sourcing, I would love to hear about that too.

I am still searching for some of the info Missler pointed out to show the intricacy of the 4 gospels. Be sure I will post it when I find it again.

Peace

--Free

Anything But God

 I am stunned by the people who call the Bible 'silly' and say they can't believe that Christians (including me) believe. 

This is some of what I have heard people say about the Bible and/or about Christians:

• How can you believe in some 'old man' in the sky (or - 'old white man' from those with a problem with a 'white' God')?
• You believe that a man was swallowed by a fish and lived? Or: you believe in talking snakes and talking donkeys? Or: `insert a comment here~.
• You believe that a "loving" God will send people to Hell?
• You believe that a virgin had a child and that child grew up to become a Savior for the world?
• You believe in a flood that killed everyone except for one man and his family?

I could go on for a while. I can answer a lot of those questions but I won't in this post. What I will say is what I always think when someone makes such a comment and that is this: You laugh because I believe in God and in a Bible that is a history of people. Then why do you believe in aliens or witchcraft or that you can think your way to what you want or attract your way to success? Why do you believe that everything came from nothing? And why do you want or need so badly to believe that there is no God?

By the way, the comment I personally have heard - and not always from people being mean - is Do you just need to believe in a God because you're afraid not to?

Sounds legit

I will answer that one. I believe in God because this world, the universe, nature, and human life testifies to a Creator God. 

The other day, I was listening to a podcast (love a good podcast!) about a man (and other people) who pretty much dedicated his life to a study of the fictional detective Sherlock Holmes. (I recently mentioned how much I like stories about Holmes.) Some of the people mentioned in the podcast are those who are so extreme in their fandom that they have clubs and meetings. The main subject of the podcast was a man who even recreated Holmes' Baker Street home in his own home. (Oh my.)

There are people who fall under the spell of gurus to the point of risking or losing their lives to follow them. There are people who believe in some of the most inane things but they have a problem with my belief in God?

I. Just. Can't. 

Back in Anchorage where everybody talks to just about anybody in the store or on the street, I ran into a lady who believed in angels but not in God.  I know a lot of people who believe in demons and ghosts and the like but don't believe in God.

There are lots of people who believe in reincarnation and the like. 

Here is the one thing that has always confused me: if God is not real, then why do so many people try to dispute his existence? I don't see people picking on the gods of any other religion. Scientologists believe in the most ridiculous things I could ever imagine. 

So, yes, I believe in the God of Abraham, Issac, and Jacob. I believe in the Son and I believe in the Holy Spirit. And until you or your god can speak life into existence from nothing, leave me alone.

Peace

--Free

P.S.: I saw this old title of an article after I initially wrote this post: Why you don't need God. In the search engine, this was the teaser: "Without God, life is still meaningful (Opinion)". My immediate reaction was to think: "But is death?" And that, in my opinion, is what so many people miss. Life could be good or bad for people, but it's death where eternity comes in. That's the part they should be thinking about.