THE ONE YEAR BIBLE CLUB

  There's a lot of negativity in today's Old Testament reading. Moses is telling them they need to memorize a song because it will serve as a testimony against them when they enter the land they have been promised. God seems upset with these people, Moses seems upset with these people. The Church of Jesus Christ remains a Paradox. It is both a very pleasant place and a very negative place. God has worked with these people knowing the end result, how much more so are we required to work with difficult and ungrateful people, NOT knowing the results. It's a difficult bunch, this group of Israelites seems like they just can't live for God with any measure of long term faithfulness. The Church is in a constant flux. The average Church functions somewhere along these lines.....for every 20 people added to the Church 10-15 leave, net gain, 5! Ministry leaders and laymen are being removed from ministry, other members are having to be removed from Church all together, there are ...

       It’s so easy for the ones who frustrate others, to be sanctimonious and criticize them, “wow, they get so angry”.  Its so easy for those that disobey the law to criticize those that do obey it and have to enforce and it’s so easy for “the lawbreakers” (us sinners) to criticize the God who has made those laws and offer to bless us in return and spare us from harm. And its not just “do what I tell you or else!” It’s do what I tell you and it will be to your benefit. Sound like a good deal? For some reason, humans say, “ no, it’s not a good deal, I reject it and I want to do what I want; and it still better go well for me, or I will smear your name.”      God then points out a major flaw in our thinking, “ when such a person hears the words of this oath, he invokes a blessing on himself and thinks, I will be safe, even though I persist in going my own way ” If that doesn’t describe the insane, religious, community we live in. The fallacy that ...

      WE know that a mother gets her loving and nurturing instinct from God, but here's where God and the mother differentiate; a Mother ALWAYS comforts, God DOES NOT always comfort. I know we hear Christian songs that make us wonder, "what's wrong with me" where the vocalist sings out, "every time I call upon God he wraps his arms around me" but I don't find that in scripture. What I read this morning illustrates to us a man, a desperate man, who is crying out to his God and he is not being comforted. "at night I stretched out untiring hands, and I would not be comforted." Then the Psalmist goes on to write, "6 I remembered my songs in the night. My heart meditated and my spirit asked: 7 “Will the Lord reject forever? Will he never show his favor again? 8 Has his unfailing love vanished forever? Has his promise failed for all time? 9 Has God forgotten to be merciful? Has he in anger withheld his compassion?”       I ADMIRE this man becaus...

  Mary and Martha, this has always been a peculiar story to me. As one that has hosted many social gatherings, I know and can relate to the stress of hosting. While everyone else is enjoying themselves, you are left with the responsibility of the dinner, the preparation, the serving and timing of all. You don't have the leisure to just sit around and chat, ie: Mary! Sometimes my wife is just sitting there enjoying the company while I'm up and down, taking plates away, serving the next dish, getting the coffee and I want to just scream, "what are you doing, hello, I need your help here!" At first we can think Jesus is being insensitive to Martha's predicament, after all, why isn't Mary helping, I sure can empathize with her? Wouldn't we all love to be able to just sit down, relax and be served. I'm sure Martha was relying on Mary's help. My impression of this story is that Martha is right in being vexed with Mary. Mary is in the wrong and should hav...

  It was so easy back then for them to see, all that they had came from this God that rescued them. They had nothing, they were slaves, living in Egypt....now they are free, now they are conquering armies greater than them, twice the size of them, now they are living in a land flowing with milk and honey, rivers, streams, fruitfulness and God says, "when you get your first fruits, bring them to me in recognition and honor of the one who has made all this happen for you". Trying to get people to honor God with their first fruits today, is not so easy or clear cut. They are the ones who went to college and earned their degrees to get the good paying jobs they have. They are the ones who worked hard and climbed up the corporate ladder. And so when the Preacher stands before his congregation and challenges them to bring their first fruits, of all, that it is the Lord thy God that has done thing, the honest Christian thinks within himself, "well I know theologically that'...

   “after these things the Lord appointed other seventy-two; and sent them two and two “ There was much wisdom in sending them this way, even as he had given Solomon the same wisdom. “Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work: If one falls down, his friend can help him up.” It was done obviously that they might help one another, so they could sustain and comfort one another in the persecutions and trials they were about to face. Jesus set the example here, with these men; of the importance of a Christian counterpart, a friend, with someone we could confide in and help each other. This would be key to the success of the mission of these 70 men. Every Christian, needs such a friend. Every Christian needs to seek someone in whom they can unload themselves too. Someone who can be their friend. Yes, I know, our mindset is “no need for that, no time for that.” I was reading also in chronicles and found interesting this verse… Ahithophel was the kin...