Got Bible

5 Ways to Keep Your Alumni Base Lively

2013-11-23T15:28:00.000-05:00

I love these Infographics......I belong to a few alumni groups and this is all valid advice.

Via: iContact

Misidentified Mary

2012-07-26T17:30:00.000-04:00

Mary Magdelene is one of the most misinterpreted individuals in Scripture. She’s been called a prostitute, and she’s been confused with the woman who shed tears on Jesus’ feet. I can understand the confusion…..there were several Marys and through the ages women took a backseat role where the church was concerned, however, the importance of Mary of Magdalene in the ministry of Jesus….especially during those last days cannot be discounted or swept away, but folks sure do get confused regarding who she was.

Here are some facts to ponder.

Mary’s entire name denotes her hometown. She was Mary from Magdelene, and who could blame Jesus for calling her this. There WERE several Mary’s milling about at the time, right?

Magdalene was a town many historians term as wealthy. People living there mainly worked in agriculture, fishing, in shipbuilding or in trade. The town was located on the western shore of the Sea of Galilee. The Talmud states that Magdalene was a short distance of three miles from Tiberias, and the name in Greek means tower and fortress in Aramaic.

Mary Magdalene by Bernardio Luini...notice the alabaster jar that shouldn't be there.

The Bible relates how Jesus drove seven demons from Mary Magdalene.

Seven! Can you imagine?

Of course when you and I think of demons we think of lizard like creatures erupting from someone’s torso as in the Alien movies, but actually the New Testament presents demon-possession as someone diseased or victim to an alien and evil power. The person was not an accomplice of it.

As to the number of demons there are those that interpret the number seven to mean completeness…and those that say the number indicates the severity of Mary’s problem, but the cause is never disclosed.

Whatever Mary’s ailment she became healed and was not a social derelict. There is no evidence to refute that her malady was a phyisical illness of which she was healed.

In some circles Mary has a bad reputation. Some people hold her on the same level as Mary the Sinner and she has been identified as the penitent woman who anointed Jesus.

But there were two anointing were there not? Two anointing performed by two different women. Matthew and Mark both tell the story that occurred at Bethany where Jesus’ head was anointed at the home of Simon the Leper by the unidentified woman……Matthew 26: 6-13 and Mark 14: 3-9.

John discusses Bethany as well stating that Mary of Bethany, sister of Martha and Lazarus anointed Jesus’ feet with expensive perfume….John 12: 1-3.

Luke, however, told of Jesus dining at the home of the Pharisee when an unidentified woman who had lived a sinful life wet his feet with her tears and dried them with her hair. She then poured expensive perfume on them….Luke 7: 37-38.

There are theories connecting Mary of Magdalene to these anointing, but they are just that…..theories.

Going all the way back to the first Christian century, folks have been falsely identifying the unknown woman in Luke’s account with Mary Magdalene. Luke only identified her in a list of women who helped support Jesus and the disciples out of their own money…..Luke 8:2-3.

Mary of Magdalene by Frederick Sandys 1858-60

There is nothing in the Biblical text to connect Mary Magdalene with the woman in the preceding story involving the unknown woman who anointed Jesus’ feet. Luke actually provides a formal introduction of Mary in 8:2, and it shows no indication she had already been introduced in 7:36-50.

I believe firmly that the unknown woman referred to as “a sinner” in Luke 7:37 and Mary with “seven demons” in Luke 8:2 are two entirely different women.

What we do know for sure John describes Mary of Magdalene as a woman of means who used her money to support the ministry of Jesus. After the Galilean ministry she and other women went along with Jesus to Jerusalem during that last week of His earthly ministry and was there for His crucifixion and His resurrection.

Mary of Magdalene never turned away from Jesus as other did in those last hours. She bravely stood at the cross and witnessed everything. This was a dangerous thing to do, but she did it. It needs to be remembered that most of the male followers turned away and deserted Jesus…..but many of the women were self-appointed watchers and were faithful to the end.

When Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus made the request for the body of Jesus and buried him in the tomb it was Mary of Magdalene who watched and observed the location. After the Sabbath had passed it was Mary of Magdalene who planned to return to the tomb to properly prepare Jesus’ body for permanent burial with spices.

It is not by chance that all of the Synoptic gospels mention that Mary along with some other women went early to the tomb that Sunday morning. Only John stated that it was still dark and made no mention of the other women. When Mary of Magdalene saw the stone had been rolled away she ran to tell Peter and John.

After the men visited the tomb and found it empty they were confused, but returned home. It was then that the two angels appeared to Mary. Jesus approached and made His first resurrection appearance to Mary but she mistook Him for the gardener until He spoke her name.

Mary then gave the very first confession of faith in the risen Lord when she said “Rabboni” in Aramaic.

I sincerely don’t believe it just happened that a woman was the first to do so.

Jewelry Find at Megiddo

2012-06-04T22:56:00.000-04:00

Hot off the presses…..or screen since this is a digital world…..pieces of gold and silver jewelry have been found at Tel Megiddo in the Jezreel Valley in northern Israel. The find actually occurred back in March, but it has taken this long for folks in the know to take a closer look.

They’ve determined the jewelry dates back to 1100 B.C.E. It was found wrapped in fabric and hidden in ceramic vessels in what is described as a private home dating from the Iron Age. Researchers believe the jewelry belonged to a Canaanite woman.

Did the owner die? Was she forced to flee suddenly? Why did they hide it?

One of the most exciting pieces is a gold earring decorated with molded ibexes, or wild goats.

Usually, in a find like this researchers already have something similar they can compare objects with to place them in the proper cultural and chronological settings. In the case of the “goat” earrings there is NO comparison item.

The most amazing thing is the container where the jewelry was found has been in the hands of archaeologists since 2010 and has been sitting around waiting for a molecular analysis of its content.

It is believed some of the collection could have originated in Egypt due to beads made from the carnelian stone. The style of the jewelry is consistent with Egyptian designs from the same period. Another hint regarding an Egyptian origin has to do with the large number of gold items. If the items didn’t originate in Egypt then the designer was at least influenced by Egyptian styles of the time. There were instances of trade between the Egyptians and Megiddo during the Bronze and Iron Age.

Tel Megiddo was an important Canaanite city-state until the early 10^th century B.C.E.

During the Northern Kingdom of Israel around the 9^th and 8^th centuries B.C.E. Tel Megiddo continued to be an important center.

It was easy for the researchers to date the jewelry since layers of archaeological matter exist at the site and are very easily dated.

The jewelry in question was found in a layer that researchers have identified as 11^th century about the time of an Egyptian withdrawal or when the people who owned the jewelry would have been influenced by Egyptian culture.

Visit the Tel Megiddo expedition website here.

Peniel Pillows

2012-03-29T16:06:00.001-04:00

See this pillow……it’s one of my most prized possessions

.No one bought for me….I found it and purchased it.

Sometimes those little discoveries are the most precious, aren’t they?

I bought it mainly for the colors…..and then I got it because of the pineapples.

Another reason why I purchased it had to do with the story that surrounds the pillow’s creator.

Rushan Smyth began Peniel Pillows when she needed a gift for a friend. Rushan states at her website, “My dream was to create pillows that would tell a story from the Bible, thereby becoming a source of encouragement. I couldn’t even sew, but through that one simple gesture, the company now known as Peniel Pillows was born, and I learned something very important. This is not about ‘sewing’…it is about ‘Sowing’!”

The name Peniel comes from Genesis 32:30…..Jacob named the place Peniel (The Face of God), for he said, “I have seen God face to face and yet my life is spared. The website continues….“Like Jacob we all wrestle with the care of this world. Our hope at Peniel Pillows is that these keepsakes will be constant reminder of God’s promises as you read the scripture passage individually selected for each unique pillow. Know God’s word is the key to life…..We pray that you too will see His face and live.”

Each pillow follows a theme….mine follows the word hospitality and is based on the words from Hebrews 13:2….Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it, and Luke 12:35-40….Be dressed ready for service and keep your lamps burning, like servants waiting for their master to return from a wedding banquet, so that when he comes and knocks they can immediately open the door for him. It will be good for those servants whose master finds them watching when he comes. Truly I tell you, he will dress himself to serve, will have them recline at the table and will come and wait on them. It will be good for those servants whose master finds them ready, even if he comes in the middle of the night or toward daybreak. But understand this: If the owner, of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into. You also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.

The description of my pillow at the website states: The pineapple, a universal symbol of “Welcome!” Whether a cup of tea, cold water, or just a listening ear for a hurting friend, “Be dressed and ready for service and keep your lamp burning”. Open your heart to make someone feel comfortable in your presence. “Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing, some people have entertained angels without even knowing it.” You may never know until eternity, what a difference your gift of hospitality has made. Another gift is waiting.

All of the pillows come with a descriptive hangtag referencing the name, scripture passage, and symbolism of each individual design. A small New Testament is placed inside every Peniel Pillow which serves as an ideal place for a person inscription.

…and of course each pillow comes with the little key emblem as well

I’m beginning to think the Lord wanted to share with me some lessons regarding hospitality, and that was His reason for putting the pillow in my path that day. Over the last couple of years I’ve learned a little more about hospitality… more on the downside than the up…..but that will come later...there's time.

Damaris and the Cartoons

2012-02-07T16:34:00.002-05:00

What’s the first thing that comes to your mind when I say the word “cartoon”?

Depending on your age you might say…..Betty Boop, Bugs Bunny, Scooby Doo, or Sponge Bob, right?

However, my subject matter doesn’t refer to those types of cartoons today.

Look at this Raphael painting below:

Raphael's depiction of Paul teaching at the Areopagus

THIS painting is referred to as a cartoon.

Seriously…..a cartoon.

The dictionary advises a cartoon is a form of two-dimensional illustrated visual art. While the specific definition has changed over time, modern usage refers to a typically non-realistic or semi-realistic drawing or painting intended for satire, caricature, or humor, or the artistic style of such works. The term actually originated in the Middle Ages and was used to refer to a preparatory drawing for a piece of art, such as a painting, fresco tapestry, or stained glass window.

The above painting is part of a series referred to as The Raphael Cartoons he prepared for the Sistine Chapel, and shows Paul giving his sermon at the Areopagus or “Rock of Ares” which served as the High Court of Appeals for criminal and civil cases in the city of Athens.

Paul’s sermon is related in Acts 17: 16-34. He drew inspiration for his sermon from the alter to the unknown god…..”The God who made the World and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by human hands.”

Upon entering Athens Paul had been upset by seeing the city full of idols. He was taken to the Areopagus or High Court to explain himself. What we have in Acts is one of the most full and most dramatic speeches Paul ever uttered. He must have been very convincing because many in the crowd were converted.

Now look back at Raphel’s painting again. Notice the couple in the lower right corner. Yes, a couple….as in husband and WIFE. Art historians are certain this couple was added later by Raphael’s pupil, Giulio Romano because the man and woman don’t seem to fit in with relation to position or scale.

The couple is mentioned in Acts 17:34……Some of the people became followers of Paul and believed. Among them was Dionysius, a member of the Areopagus, also a woman named Demaris, and a number of others.

The woman's name is important. She's listed with men in a place where men congregated in Athens.

Why was she mentioned?

It's very evident that she was a woman of high status or she wouldn't have been at the Areopagus. In fact, John Chrysostom, the Archbishop of Constantinople, made the connection that Demaris was actually the wife of Dionysius thought Luke doesn't tell us.

Historians today aren't so sure. Authors such as Robert Paul Seesengood, a biographer of Paul, agree there are no hard details to link the two......though in the whole scheme of things it doesn't really matter.

What matters is Paul spoke...and people listened and were saved.

The cartoon detail is kind of interesting, too!!!

Using Technology to Piece the Past Together

2011-11-04T00:01:00.000-04:00

This is an interesting article detailing how thousands of fragments of ancient scrolls are spread out across the globe, and how a computer program can virtually "glue" the pieces back together even though the pieces belong to different museums and storage facilities and never physically meet up again.

Too cool.

The researchers are now applying the … technology to fragments of the Dead Sea Scrolls, a collection of hundreds of text found along the Dead Sea in the 1950s, as well as other scrolls.

"It's a more complicated challenge," Wolf said, referring to the Dead Sea Scrolls. "The fragments are for the most part much smaller, and many of the texts are very unique. These texts shed light on the beginnings of Christianity."

Technology…..a curse at times, but such a blessing , too!

Paul's Secretary

2011-10-18T20:58:00.000-04:00

My mom was a marathon letter and journal writer. I can still see her seated at our kitchen table each morning writing, writing, writing. Even after Dear Sister gave her a computer, Mother continued to scribble away in her spiral notebooks she always seemed to have on hand. I have to agree with her. There is something about moving a pen across a clean page of paper and making it all your own.

Mother created the most interesting letters regarding what was going on in our lives, pondering current events of the day, or relating some little anecdote from her past.

When I meet up with one of her dear friends they all tell me the same thing - I miss her letters so much. I know how they feel. I LONG for one myself.

Mother didn't just love to write letters. She loved to read them as well. Paul was her favorite letter writer with his letter to the Romans as a particular favorite.

While Mother did all of her letter writing at a kitchen table Paul would have followed the custom of the day and would have sat with his writing perched in his lap or on his knees.   Yes, I know there are very famous paintings of Paul sitting at a desk with an oil light, but it just isn't an accurate picture regarding most of the letters.

What many also don't realize is that during ancient times teamwork and cooperation was just as important as they are today. Paul had a team working along with him.   We know he had traveling companions such as Barnabas and then Silas (Acts 15:36-41), but he also had assistants who wrote his letters.

Yes, an assistant - a secretary. Scholars are familiar with this since etiquette of the day called for the use of a secretary. It was customary and expected. Romans 16:22 identifies one such secretary....."I, Tertius, who wrote down this letter greet you in the Lord."   If Paul wrote the letter himself he would say so as he does at 1Corinthians 16:21.

In Paul's day literacy did not have the same meaning as it does today. People who were literate could read, but that did not mean they wrote. Researchers believe Paul was literate regarding reading, but his writing skills were probabably very basic. Paul tells us at Galatians 6:11....."See what large letters I use as I write to you in my own hand."

There were people who specialized in writing during Paul's day.   They knew how to cut and paste as well as cut and sharpen the pens.   They learned how to mix the inks, prick and line the sheets of papryus and most importantly they knew the conventions of writing for the time period - correct forms and phrases for each specific situation.

The first letter to the Corinthians begins, "Paul, called to be an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God and our brother Sosthenes."   Many believe a mention at the beginning of a letter was meant to honor the person, but if people were meant to be honored they were mentioned at the end of a letter.  Sosthenes was mentioned at the beginning because he was writing the letter for Paul. Though a scribe would have written most of the letter etiquette also dictated that Paul finish the letter, and many scholars have noted this.

Mother's letters followed a very folksey type of journal entry. She just let the words flow from her much like she would converse with you in person. Paul planned his letters very carefully, but unlike many contemporary preachers who lock themselves in their study until they have their message put together Paul talk about the subject of the letter with those around him.   What we study today as the letters of Paul are very well thought out messages that were discussed among others sitting by the sea, over a midday meal, or while riding out a storm at sea. After discussing the topic Paul would have dictated his letter. Some scholars have suggested 1 Corinthians took over ten hours to dictate.

Of course, Christians believe each of Paul's letters were inspired by God. The Lord works through human processes as well as human writers through each step of the writing process.

Yes, writing a letter during Paul's time was a complex task. It was also expensive. Scholars suggest in today's dollars it would cost Paul approximately $2,000 to write each letter. That price include the costs of the papyrus and ink, the cost of paying someone to deliver the letter and the secretary or scribe had to be as well.

Colossians 4: 16 begins, "After this letter has been read to you...." indicates Paul's letters were meant to be read publically.   This means they could not have been written messily - appearance would have been important - there would have been a first and possibly a second draft.

Paul's letters, of course, are timeless. Though they were written to groups of people in ancient times the letters still speak to us today.   We are able to learn about the beliefs and controversies of early Christianity, and we often discover that the passage of time is the major difference between the early church and the church of today.

13 Things Regarding the Sinai Peninsula

2011-08-17T20:51:00.000-04:00

The Search For The Real Mt. Sinai

1. The Sinai Peninsula is an important region to readers of the Bible and also serves as a land bridge between Africa and Asia. Notice on the map the region appears to be an upside down triangle.

2. Three significant events occurred there regarding the Israelites. First the Peninsula is the location where Mount Sinai is located…the place where God appeared to Moses more than once. Moses interacted with God for the first time while he was on the mountain herding sheep for Jethro. The second time Moses was there God established his covenant with the Israelites at the foot of the mountain after their exodus from Egypt. Sinai is also the place where Moses ascended the mountain and God gave him the Ten Commandments.

3. Mount Sinai is referred to as “the mountain”…. Exodus 19:2; “the mountain of God”… Exodus 3:1; “the mountain of the Lord”…Numbers Numbers 10:33; and “Horeb”…Exodus 3:1.

There are five areas mentioned in the Bible in relationship to the mountain.

4. The Wilderness of Shur is the location on the northern border of Egypt where the Israelites found themselves after crossing the Red Sea. This place was between the Red Sea and Marah where the people complained because there was no water…. Exodus 15: 22-24.

5. The wilderness of Sin is a region between Elim and Sinai where God provided food for the Israelites…Exodus 16:1.

6. The Wilderness of Paran is where the Israelites camped after they left Mount Sinai, and is the location where they were sent out to explore the land.

7. The Wilderness of Zin saw the Israelites pass through on their way to Canaan. The wilderness is on the border of Palestine and more than likely included Kadesh-barnea.
8. The Wilderness of Sinai takes its name from the mountain and is where the people camped in anticipation of receiving God’s law

9. Several significant events happened at Sinai for the Israelites….they received the law….Exodus 19: 1-6; they were numbered…. Numbers 1:19, Numbers 3: 14-15, and Numbers 26:64; they celebrated the Passover… Exodus 9: 4-5; and Elijah made a pilgrimage to the mountain when he was running from Jezebel…1 Kings 19:8.

10. Think about the route God gave to the Israelites to the Land of Canaan. He could have sent them on a shorter route….by the Mediterranean through the land of the Philistines… Exodus 13:17. This route was known as “The Way of the Sea”. The Israelites wanted to avoid it because the Egyptians had the area fortified with sentries…sentries who protected the military and trade routes into Egypt. The Egyptians considered the peninsula important because they obtained turquoise and cooper from there and in turn used those items for trade with other nations.

Instead the Israelites traveled south along the eastern shores of the Gulf of Suez.

11. The Sinai was not a friendly place to travel through. There was no water and no vegetation except for a few areas that were classified as oases and wadis. River beds remained dry except during winter floods. Besides the shortage of food and water there were diseases, snakes, scorpions, and the possibility of attacks from enemy tribes.

Most of the Israelites felt the challenges of living in the wilderness were beyond their capacity to adapt. They faced the perils of the wilderness and their faith eroded with the cruel reality of life in the desert.

12. What they forgot was the Lord was always there in the Wilderness providing for their needs. He had given them the pillar cloud during the day and the pillar of fire at night… Exodus 13: 21-32; the Ark of the Covenant moved ahead of them to show them where to rest…Numbers 10:33; and the Lord provided food and water.

The Israelites complained constantly and the received the Lord’s gifts with disdain….and then finally the refused to go into the Promised Land… Numbers 14: 1-25.

They didn’t trust God, and they didn’t trust each other either. A whole generation failed to see and trust God…even though He was providing the entire time.

13. Moses addressed a new generation at Moab after defeating the Canaanites…Deuteronomy 8: 3-5……He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna, which neither you nor your ancestors had known, to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD. Your clothes did not wear out and your feet did not swell during these forty years. Know then in your heart that as a man disciplines his son, so the LORD your God disciplines you.

The most important words Moses said…Man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD.

Where Can I Find a Urim and Thummim?

2011-08-02T17:08:00.000-04:00

Wouldn’t it be nice if we could just go to God and ask Him to lay it all out for us regarding the directions we need go when we reach a crossroad?

What subjects to study in school? Which jobs to take? How to discipline and advise our children? When we should take action or just sit back and observe our surroundings?

Sometimes we know the right thing to do, but the actions of others….justified or not….keep us from acting. Sometimes our own wants….our selfishness… takes over preventing us from hearing God. Sometimes as the background noise in our lives becomes louder and louder it becomes more difficult to hear God.

Why can’t the path be clear instead of clear as mud?

Reading through the Bible it seems the ancients had several opportunities to hear God when they needed guidance, and the Pentateuch was very clear on what NOT to do when seeking answers.

Deuteronomy 18: 10-13 provides a list of things that were detestable including interpreting omens, witchcraft, casting spells, and consulting the dead. These practices were so detestable they were punishable by death per Leviticus 20:6.

The people of Babylon practiced divination so well they are the go-to culture when researching various ways the ancients used to contact the gods. They used astrology, analyzed cloud formations, the peculiar actions of animals and pouring liquid into basins to read the bubbles that were formed. There were even specially trained priests who read the livers of sacrificed animals. To the ancients it appeared the liver was the source of blood in the body and therefore must be the seat of life.

Divination was distasteful to the Israelites because it was detestable to the Lord, and the Lord couldn’t stomach it because it broke their faith in Him.
It makes sense to me, but even though certain things were detestable the Israelites still used methods we would find odd today.

They actually analyzed the pouring of water to determine God’s will.

1st Samuel 7:6 states, when they had assembled at Mizpah, they drew water and poured it out before the Lord. On that day they fasted and there they confessed thus connecting the pouring of water with confession of sin and fasting.

Lamentations 2:19 calls for Israel to pour out your heart like water. Many scholars think the pattern the water made was analyzed, and the direction the water ran revealed God’s will.

I’m not sure if this would do me any good because the water always runs the same way at my house whether it’s on the floor or in the driveway.

By New Testament times we can see how the use and imagery of water evolved with the emphasis on baptism along with repentance and forgiveness of sin.

Other customs to seek out the divine including “putting out the fleece” as mentioned in the 6th chapter of Judges. Gideon actually asked God for more signs to show him what to do. This can be a dangerous thing to do. We are not to test God, however we can analyze the situation to see if God is providing indicators regarding which way to go, but which are indicators and which are just static and don’t really mean anything?

A more reliable way of learning God’s will was the Torah. Its basis ….the first five books of the Bible or Pentateuch held the highest authority in Israel since it expressed God’s will for his people. Yes, reading the Bible does give you the rights and the wrongs, but sometimes situations are a little gray. For example, Solomon told the women who both claimed an infant a lie when he said he would split the child in two. So, this means sometimes it’s necessary to lie, right?

See, we are back to murky stuff again.

The most fascinating way the early Hebrews used to determine God’s will involved the Urim and Thummim. They provided yes or no answers from God by physical means.

There we go! Yes or no….plain and simple. I like that!

The Urim and Thummim were carried in the priest’s breastplate of judgment. They even received explicit instructions from God regarding who could use them and where they should be placed.

Exodus 28:30 provides God’s instructions….Also put the Urim and the Thummim in the breastpiece, so they may be over Aaron’s heart whenever he enters the presence of the Lord. Thus Aaron will always bear the means of making decisions for the Israelites over his heart before the Lord.

Where’s Aaron and his breastplate when I need him?

Often a question was placed before the Lord through prayer first such as the one Saul prayed where he asked why have you not answered your servant today? If the fault is in me or my son Jonathan, respond with Urim, but if the men of Israel are at fault, respond with Thummim. Jonathan and Saul were taken by lot, and the men were cleared….. 1 Samuel 14:41-42

Some scholars state the Urim and Thummim were stones and might have been white and black. Others state the objects were made of wood, bone or some other material. At some point the Urim and Thummim are no longer mentioned mainly due to the rise of the prophets, and the objects along with the breastplate of judgment have been lost to the ages.

The casting or drawing of lots was similar to the Urim and Thummim but not exactly the same. Scholars aren’t sure what the lots looked like or were made of, but there are many educated guesses they were colored stones. Receptacles were used to cast or draw the lots.

The idea behind casting lots is that it removed human volition and allowed God to make the choice. We are told in Proverbs 16: 33 the lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the Lord.

We need to remember the first king of Israel was chosen by lot….1 Samuel 10:20-21, inheritance was not chosen by a Last Will and Testament, but by lot…. Joshua 14:2, and even Judas, the ultimate betrayer, was replaced by lot …Acts 1:26….Then they cast lots, and the lot fell to Matthias; so he was added to the eleven apostles.

If you look a little further, however, you don’t see lots being used for decisions anymore after Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit came to be dwelling in believers.

Folks in the Near East felt that dreams came from the spirit world and nightmares came from evil spirits, but in various sections of the Bible we see all dreams originated from God. Genesis 20: 3-7 tells us that God came to Abimelek in a dream one night and 1 Kings 3:5 shares that the Lord appeared to Solomon during the night in a dream.

Those dreams were very easy to understand but some dreams required interpretation such as the passage recorded at the 2nd chapter of Daniel.

Numbers 12:6 states when there is a prophet among you, I, the Lord, reveal myself to them in visions, I speak to them in dreams, and proves the Hebrews believed God spoke to people and prophets through dreams and visions.

There were the prophets, of course. Some interpreted dreams while others spoke directly for God. Deuteronomy 18:18 states, I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their fellow Israelites, and I will put my words in his mouth. He will tell them everything I command him.

I’m not really sure how an interpreter would explain my dreams. I’ve reached an age where I pray for them sometimes, but the don’t happen, or if they do…..I don’t remember them, and unfortunately the prophets are long gone or are possibly turned into fools by the media.

Prayer was also an acceptable means of asking God for help and still is. Moses prayed to God, spoke with God, and even questioned God……Numbers 11: 1-15

Often a question was placed before the Lord through prayer as 1 Samuel 14:41-42 indicates.

I’ve often wondered how many prayers God listens to every day. Sometimes it doesn’t seem as if He’s listening, but I know He does….and He answers in His own time, we just have to know when we receive the answer.

That’s the hard part….since our humanity gets in the way.

That little voice in me…..perhaps the Spirit of the Lord dwelling in my soul….tells me prayer is the way…..pray and study…..and a little time, but durn wouldn’t it be nice to have your own personal Urim and Thummim?

A Diet of Worms? Hardly....Just Remember the "V" Sound

2010-11-01T11:35:00.000-04:00

Worms Cathedral….Just the name alone doesn’t sound very religious or very soul soothing, does it?

The place IS very historic and as far as cathedrals go, and it is beautiful.

The name comes from the Latin Borbetomagus which means “settlement in a watery area” which eventually morphed to Vormatia……

Vormatia. Now when you realize that you don’t pronounce the “W” when saying the word “Worms” and you substitute a “V” sound as in Vorms it all makes sense……

Actually….it should be pronounced “Varms”

There are no worms and there never were any. :)

In fact, Worms Cathedral is also known at St. Peter’s Cathedral.

Worms Cathedral…consecrated in 1110…. is known as an Imperial Cathedral which means it was built under the reign of an emperor. The building is unique in that it has two quires or choirs…..one at each end of the nave. The second choir was set aside for the emperor to attend church.

The oldest section of the cathedral….the east choir…..is an example of an architectural trick. The walls are straight on the outside of the building but are rounded on the inside.

Speaking of emperors there are a few royal members buried at Worms Cathedral……

*Conrad I and II, the Dukes of Carinthia

*Conrad, Duke of Lorraine

*Queen Matilda, consort of Henry I of France (she was also the daughter of Conrad II the Holy Roman Emperor

Sadly the original windows were destroyed in 1943 by the bombs of World War II, but over time during the 1960s they were all replaced.

The major historical significance of the Worms Cathedral is that it was the location for the Diet of Worms in April 1521.

Ugh. Again, it doesn’t sound too appealing, right?

The Diet of Worms was called by the Holy Roman Emperor who was actually the German king, Charles V. It is helpful to understand a Diet was a general assembly of the Imperial states of the Holy Roman Empire. So, a diet is a formally called meeting. There were many different diets that took place at Worms Cathedral, so like many treaties that share the same name it is important to know which year you are talking about.

The Diet of Worms in 1521 is significant in church history became it the meeting where Martin Luther was required to answer the papal bull of Pope Leo X.

A bull is simply a form of communication sent out by the Pope, and this particular bull……also referred to as Exsurge Domine (Arise O’ Lord) denounced Martin Luther’s 95 Theses on the Power and Effacy of Indulgences Luther had nailed to the door at Wittenberg (again, the “W” is pronounced with a “V” sound).

The whole “nail” thing is still argued by historians…..we aren’t sure if Luther really nailed his theses to the door, but church doors were commonly used as bulletin boards at that time and the story does make sense.

….and what happened to Martin Luther at the Diet of Worms? A formal statement was issued condemning Martin Luther, but he was allowed to leave Worms without being arrested. It was commonly known, however, that at some point he would be arrested and punished.

His supporters hid him away at Wartburg Castle (again…..remember the “V” sound) and while there Luther began his German translation of the Bible.

Athiest Don't Have No Songs......

2010-09-03T17:09:00.000-04:00

This is an interesting song with Steve Martin and The Steep Canyon Rangers

Jeremiah's Confessions

2010-08-25T00:29:00.000-04:00

I receive an email everyday from Merriam Webster’s Word of the Day and along with an entymology.

Today’s word was jeremiad which means a prolonged lamentation or complaint; also : a cautionary or angry harangue.

The email goes on to explain:

Jeremiah was a naysayer. That Jewish prophet, who lived from about 650 to 570 BC, spent his days lambasting the Hebrews for their false worship and social injustice and denouncing the king for his selfishness, materialism, and inequities. When not calling on his people to quit their wicked ways, he was lamenting his own lot; a portion of the Old Testament's Book of Jeremiah is devoted to his "confessions," a series of lamentations on the hardships endured by a prophet with an unpopular message. Nowadays, English speakers use "Jeremiah" for a pessimistic person and "jeremiad" for the way these Jeremiahs carry on. The word "jeremiad" was actually borrowed from the French, who coined it as "jérémiade."

Now…..regarding those confessions of Jeremiah. He’s not confessing all….telling us his sins. He is sharing the struggle of his soul……similar to those dialogues we all have with God and with ourselves regarding how we relate to God and if we are on the right path for God’s will or not.

These verses are usually noted as Jeremiah’s Confessions and can be found at the following links:

Jeremiah 11: 18

Jeremiah 12: 6

Jeremiah 15: 10-21

Jeremiah 17: 14-18

Jeremiah 18: 18-23

Jeremiah 20: 7-18

The picture with this post is Jeremiah as he appears on the Sistene Chapel by Michelangelo….

Cha cha cha Changes

2010-06-13T08:52:00.000-04:00

Though I was in the fourth grade in 1972 I remember vividly the song Changes performed by David Bowie being played on Atlanta radio stations over and over…..I believe my sister and I had the single, and even today it’s still played on various classic rock stations.
Believe it or not Changes is one of David Bowie’s best known songs, but it failed to make the Top 40. In the book Strange Fascination-David Bowie: The Definitive Story, David Buckley reports the lyrics are often seen as a manifesto for his chameleonic personality throughout the 1970s. I can understand this as it seemed Bowie remade himself everytime you saw him during the 70s and 80s, but John Mendelsohn wrote in a Rolling Stone article from 1972 that the song could be construed as a young man’s attempt to reckon how he’ll react when it’s his time to be on the maligned side of the generation.

Well, Bowie’s certainly there by now, isn’t he? Born in 1947 he’s not exactly the younger generation anymore. He’s still producing music though and still changing with the times. He’s the same David Bowie….he’s just merely presenting himself using modern methods
Bowie has branched out as an actor over the years most recently playing the role of Nikola Tesla in The Prestige released in 2006. If you are a SpongeBob Squarepants fan you heard Bowie’s voice used for the role of “Lord Royal Highness” in the episode titled SpongeBob’s Atlantis SquarePantis. Many of my students came to school talking about the soundtrack to Shrek2 in 2004. They told me all about a great song titled Changes, a duet by Butterfly Boucher and SOME OLD GUY. They’d sing it over and over on the playground. They were amazed when I told them about “the old guy” and that I listened to the same song in 1972 or as one child remarked, “Oh, in the olden days.”

Changes….sometimes we do have to turn and face the strange.

Ecclesiastes 3, in my opinion, is one of the most beautiful passages in the Bible. Perhaps it ranks right up at the top of meaningful text because it involves the concept of time…a concept which is always near and dear to the heart of any history teacher such as myself.

The passage reminds us everything has its own time during the span of our lives. Sadness, happiness, death, new life, planting and harvesting, love and hate, war and peace----they all have a place at one time or another in our lives since Scripture tells us God created those things to be appropriate in their time and for His purpose.

In order to experience these things we have to also experience change. You can’t get from death to healing without change. You can’t get from throwing stones to gathering stones without change. You can’t get from tearing down something to building something up without change. None of it will happen without change. Life can’t exist without change.

Even so, many of us spend a large amount of our time here on earth resisting change, including myself.

I actually hate change. Change is the unknown. Change is scary. Change is uncomfortable, but the Bible shows us that change is necessary, and my own life experiences have shown me this is true. You can probably think back on great and not so great changes in your own life and see that while there were negatives with the change there were also postive things as well even though it might take some time for those results to be seen.

Last Sunday’s Bible Study lesson involved Abram and changes he made in his life. It was titled “Moving Out of Your Comfort Zone”. Using Scripture from Genesis 12 and 13the lesson reminds us about God’s call to Abram to leave his homeland and his people in order to follow a promise God has made to him.

Genesis 12:4 explains Abram went, as the Lord had told him, and Lot went with him. Abram was 75 years old when he left Haran.

Between verses one and four of Genesis 12 we see the Lord commands and Abram goes. He doesn’t question, he doesn’t do any research, he doesn’t argue, he doesn’t discuss God’s command with a focus group, and most importantly he doesn’t ignore God’s command. God said go, and Abram went.

We see that Lot goes with Abram with no reservations as well. This amazes me. How many of us would pack our things and move simply based on the fact a relative told us God had spoken to him and promised he would become the father of many nations?

The most interesting thing is the last part of verse four……Abram was 75 years old. This isn’t exactly a time in someone’s life when change is easy. Now I’ve never been 75. I hope I get to 75 and beyond, but one thing I know from being around many who are 75, 85, 95, and even one important lady in my life who made it to 102, change isn’t easy for these folks even though they have the most wisdom to provide regarding life.

Yet we see Abram at at 75 setting out on a journey that our lesson compared to what we know about Columbus and his journey to the New World. I’m not sure I really know what I would do if the Lord spoke to me today, and told me to tell my family to pack up because we have to go on journey.

How many of us truly like getting outside of our comfort zone?

As an educator I have survived a firestorm of change in the last ten years. American History is still American History, but due to needed reforms I go about teaching it differently than the teachers who taught me. Instead of just reading a textbook or “sit and get” type lessons where students listen to me, I provide guided situations where students uncover content on their own. I provide opportunities for students to be motivated and involved in the learning process through various strategies that hit on multiple intelligences and learning styles. I don’t demand that students meet me at my level…I hunker down and meet them where they are even if that means providing content five different ways.

Now, don’t for one minute think that I and my colleages accepted these types of changes willingly. Believe me when I tell you there was much gnashing of teeth, snarling, and to and froing. I’ve stamped my foot and kicked my fair share of door jams over the last few years because I hung onto the notion that patience was the watchword. At some point and time I would receive that group of students that would be successful simply because they did it my way. I didn’t want to change, but I’m awfully glad I did because the benefits were amazing.

Reasons for the changes weren’t merely because legislators and educrats up on high told me to. It wasn’t really due to the latest research or fad. The changes were necessary because our clientele---our students---had changed. You cannot use early twentieth century methods with early twenty-first century students. Folks today aren’t just merely the television generation. They are the instant and constant information generation via their cell phone, their Ipod, their video games, their Internet, and any other type of technology I could list.

So, if the folks outside the school walls are looking for something particular does it make sense for me to say leave technology out and forgo various teaching methods because I’m not comfortable with them. Instead of merely leaving a child behind it’s more like I would be tuning the student out and off.

With that in mind do we tune people out and off due to a resistence in the church regarding change?

I think we do.

Over the last two thousand years there have been great upheavals and change in the church, and yet it’s still here. It’s not going away. Those changes were necessary to allow God’s plan to come to fruition.

Where would the Christian church be today if we still ignored Paul’s encouragement for congregational singing (Colossians 3:16 and Ephesians 5:19) and only opted for liturgical hymns sung by the special few who could sing in Latin?

Where would the church be today without the struggle that was created with the Protestant Reformation? Back then the slogan was “the reformed church, always being reformed by the church of God.”……always being changed by the church of God…..

Where would we be if Martin Luther had not prepared a Mass in German, so that ALL of the congregation could recite and sing the texts?

Where would we be without Charles Wesley’s hymns that actually provided a new focus….one that expressed personal feelings in the relationship with God as well as simple worship seen in much older church music?

Where would we be without Wesley’s new style of hymn and a period of history in America known as the Great Awakening which led to another distinct style of church music we know as gospel?

Thomas Aquinas said, “If the primary aim of a captain were to preserve his ship, he would keep it in port forever.” Applying this idea to the church how sad it would be if in our zeal to not bend to the needs of congregants we run the ship aground.

In his book, A Church for the 21st Century, Leith Anderson questions the goal of a church. If the goal is to preserve everything in pristene condition then it will be “defensively protected.” However, if the goal is to go out and do something those involved will be willing to take the risk.

Change, of course, does not mean turning your back on the foundation of Christianity. There are certain things that cannot be denied or ignored. Much like my subject matter of American History…..I can’t change the events, but I can change the methods I use to convey the foundational doctrine (John 3:16). The New Testament provides for us two things Jesus told us the true purposes of the church. Those are the Great Commandment (Matthew 22:37-40) and the Great Commission (Matthew 28: 19-20) These two things are paramount were until Christ returns. Over the years God’s people have stayed true to these purposes through ever changing styles and methods, but their eyes were always on the same common mission.

It’s clear to me from reading Acts 2 and listening to Bible scholars teach the text the church membership must be of one mind as the disciples were …..all together in one place. This is reemphasized at the end of the passage…..all the believers were together and had everything in common.

As believers we are all given the Holy Spirit, our guide to help us lead a Christian life. The Holy Spirit strengthens us, and it can be used to do things we have never done before. I’m just thinking that in order for the Holy Spirit to move within us we have to be open and willing for change to take place.

Are we, no matter our generational experiences, willing for that to happe

Grandmother's Hands

2010-06-08T19:11:00.000-04:00

This post first appeared here in September, 2007…..HERE

Last night at church one of our associate pastors read the following poem. Even though it is about a grandmother’s hands I couldn’t help but think about my own mother and her hands. She passed away in July, 2006, and I think I miss her hands most of all…..They did so much for me.

The pastor had to stop a couple of times as he read the poem, and I simply lost it.

At first I thought, “Durn, why did you go and read that? I certainly didn’t need to cry.” However, after some reflection time I realized I should be grateful that the pastor did read the poem because anytime something can trigger a memory of Mother it is indeed time well spent....even if it is also a tearful time.

The only copy of the poem I could find has been altered a bit from the one the pastor read but the majority of it is intact.

Grandmother’s Hands

I saw my grandmother sitting alone staring at her hands. I thought something was wrong and asked her about it. Grandmother asked, “Have you ever really looked at your hands?”

Grandmother continued, “Stop and think for a moment about the hands you have, how they have served you well throughout the years. These hands, though wrinkled, shriveled, and weak have been the tools I have used all my life to reach out and grab and embrace life.”

“They embraced and caught my fall when as a toddler I crashed upon the floor. They put food in my mouth and clothes on my back. As a child my mother taught me to fold them in prayer. They tied my shoes and pulled on my boots. They held my husband and wiped my tears when he went off to war.”

“They have been dirty, scraped and raw, swollen and bent. They were uneasy and clumsy when I tried to hold my newborn son. Decorated with my wedding band they showed the world I was married and loved someone special. They wrote my letters to him and trembled and shook when I buried my parents and spouse.”

“They have held my children and grandchildren, consoled neighbors, and shook in fists of anger when I didn’t understand. They have covered my face, combed my hair, and washed and cleansed the rest of my body. They have been sticky and wet, bent and broken, dried and raw. And to this day when not much anything else of me works real well these hands hold me up, lay me down, and again continue to fold in prayer.

“These hands are the mark of where I’ve been and the ruggedness of my life. But more importantly it will be these hands that God will reach out and take when He leads me home. And with my hands He will lift me to His side and there I will use these hands to touch the face of Christ.”

I don’t think any Christian after reading this could ever look at their hands the same way again.

I Think My "Wanter" Is Stuck....AGAIN

2010-06-03T09:37:00.001-04:00

This post first appeared here in August, 2009. Look for the link to the second part at the end. Both postings were written after hearing a great sermon from my pastor.

By Friday evening I was worn down…..Dear Daughter had had a bad case of the “wants” all afternoon. She wanted to talk to me which in and of itself isn’t a bad thing, but conversation isn’t all she wanted. She wanted a snack, she wanted to be taken out to eat, she wanted a replacement pet for our dear kitty that has gone missing, she wants her room painted, and she wants to decorate it in black and white (always wanted a black and white room).

Then she wanted to drive My car over to a friend’s house – seems the friend had wrecked her car and Dear Daughter wanted to see it. No, she didn’t get to go. Then she wanted another friend to come over and spend the night. I said yes. Then she wanted to go out to eat for dinner. I said no. Then there were the reminders about her class ring needing to be paid for, and I had forgotten to order her letter jacket (for golf) once again.

After dinner she wanted to drive MY car to get some cookies. We (by this time Dear Husband was home) said no.

She argued. I blasted her. I had had it with the “Can I?”, “I want”, “Get me”, “Can you”, “Let me” direction of every single thing out her mouth since 3:30 that afternoon. I went through the long laundry list with her of everything she had wanted since she arrived home from school.

I ended my listing by telling her, “Sweetie, I think your “wanter” is stuck.”

Don’t we all do that, though? Think about all the things or situations you want right now. I bet we could fill up a page or two with all the things we want from the insignificant (removing a hangnail) to the very significant (world peace)…..from the small (a bracelet at the local department store) to the very large (a new car, a cruise, or a new home).

Yes, from time to time my “wanter” gets stuck. I get into an acquiring mode where I hunt and gather little treasures as I shop. My closest friends joke about my very large collection of jewelry, and I do seem to have a bunch of stuff. I eye my friends and their stuff, and from time to time I see something I covet and simply must acquire for myself.

Covet….now there’s a Bible term for you. Exodus 20:17 tells us in the big 10….You shall not covet…anything that belongs to your neighbor. Now don’t get me wrong. I don’t covet a friend’s possessions to the point that I might slip a lace napkin or silver creamer into my purse and walk away with it, but I do usually try to find where they got the item and attempt to purchase my own.

But is this a good habit to get into? Is the hunting and gathering of “stuff” a good thing?????

To covet means you have an uncontrolled desire to acquire. Notice I bolded “uncontrolled”……this is where the word covet takes a very negative turn and it’s the negative part of wanting something that the covet commandment addresses, and like all of God’s commandments there are very valid reasons why we need to keep our “wanter” from getting stuck.

Always wanting more causes fatigue. Proverbs 23:4 advises…Do not wear yourself out to be rich; have the wisdom to show restraint. This verse isn’t telling us that wealth is wrong….it’s telling us there is a smart way to riches and a not so smart way.

Always wanting more causes debt. For some reason our “wanters” get stuck and our wants exceed our needs and that leads to greed with a capital “G”. Ecclesiastes 5:11 states the truth…..The more money you have, the more money you spend…..

Always wanting more causes worry. This effect of a broken “wanter” would naturally follow debt, wouldn’t it? Greed leads to exceeding our needs and we can become overextended and exceed our finances as well.

Always wanting more can lead to conflict. What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from the desires that battle with you? …..so says James (4:1). Hmmmm….one of the leading causes of divorce involves money, doesn’t it?

Always wanting more can lead to dissatisfaction. You will never be satisified if you long to be rich. You will never get all you want….Ecclesiastes 5:10

No, I don’t take all the verses I’ve referred to here as a condemnation of being rich. These verses do not mean I should throw out everything I own, down-size my residence, or become complacent with a minimum wage occupation.

Hardly…..

These verses refer to riches as in the over-acquiring of stuff and financial means. There is a fine line regarding being successful or having all you want, and you can cross that line very easily.

That is when our “wanter” gets stuck.

So, how do we unstick our “wanter”?

One way is by remembering the words of Jesus….A man’s true life is not made up of the things he owns, no matter how rich he may be……Luke 12:15

….and we need to learn how to be content. I address contentment in part two of this post found here.

Memorial Day-2010

2010-05-31T14:48:00.000-04:00

We honor and remember today.......

The scum walks a prior viewer.

13 Events in the Bible That Are Confirmed Elsewhere...

2010-04-13T16:28:00.007-04:00

It often amazes me when people try to tell me the Bible is just a fairy tale. There are numerous events that can be found documented in other places.

Check these events out by following the links to other sources.

1. 1 Kings 14:25-26 advises in the fifth year of King Rehobaom, Shishak king of Egypt went to war against Jerusalem. He seized the treasures of the Lord’s temple and the treasures of the royal palace. He took everything. He took all the gold shields that Solomon had made. This campaign of Pharoh Shishak is also recorded on the walls of the Temple of Amun in Thebes, Egypt seen in the picture to the left.

2. During the fourteenth year of King Hezekiah’s reign a king of Assyria named Sennacherib attacked cities of Judah and captured them. When the King Hezekiah said, “I have done wrong. Withdraw from me. Whatever you demand from me, I will pay” the Assyrian king demanded 11 tons of silver and one ton of gold. King Hezekiah had no choice but to strip the gold from the doors of the Lord’s sanctuary (see 2 Kings 18: 13-16). This entire episode is recorded on the Taylor Prism.

3. The Moab Revolt against Israel is found in 2 Kings 1:1 and 2 Kings 3:4-27. It is also recorded on the Mesha Stele.

4. The Fall of Samaria to Sargon II, King of Assyria is recorded on his palace walls, but it can also be found in 2 Kings 17: 3-6 and 2 Kings 18: 9-11.

5. Also on Sargon’s walls is the account of his defeat of Ashdod. It’s also found in Isaiah 20:1….In the year that the commander-in-chief, sent by Sargon, king of Assyria, came to Ashdod and attacked and captured it.

6. The Lachish Reliefs. records the Siege of Lachish by Sennacherib just as 2 Kings 18: 14, 17……See number 2 above.

7. One day, while he was worshipping in the temple of his god Nisroch, his sons Adrammelech and Sharezer struck him down with the sword and escaped to the land of Ararat. Then his son Esar-haddon become king in his place…..states 2 Kings 19: 37. This account refers to the assassination of Sennacherib and is also recorded in the court records of his son Esarhaddon.

8. The prophets Nahum and Zephaniah (Zephaniah 2:13-15) predicted the Fall of Ninevah. The prediction was also recorded on the Tablet of Nabopolasar.

9. 2 Kings 24: 10-14 tells of the Fall of Jerusalem to Nebuchadnezzar, king of Bablyon. Of course it is also listed in the Babylonian Chronicles.

10. Ever hear of the Bablyonian Ration Records? They confirm the captivity of Jehoiachin, king of Judah, in Babylon. It is also mentioned in 2 Kings 24; 15-16.

11. The Fall of Babylon to the Medes and Persians was mentioned in Daniel 5: 30-31...That very night Belshazzar the king of the Chaldeans was killed and Darius the Mede received the kingdom at the age of 62...the Babylonian Chronicles also provides the account.

12. Ezra 1:1-4 and Ezra 6:3-4 recounts how the captives in Babylon were freed by Cyrus the Great. Once again the Cyrus Cylinder provides an accounting as well.

13. The four gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John give us the birth, life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The writings of Josephus, Seutonius ,Thallus, Pliny the Younger , the Talmud, and Lucian mention Jesus as well.

This post first appeared here at “Got Bible?” in November, 2007 .

If you are wondering why I’m re-posting past articles read the explanation HERE .

Being Thankful for My Southern Heritage

2010-04-07T17:21:00.005-04:00

The following post first appeared here in March, 2007as part of a weekly blog activity I was taking part in called Sunday Seven. For this particular “Seven” I decided to discuss my Southern heritage. The picture that appeared with this post is my cousin Ray on his bike in front of my great grandmother’s home.

Here in the great state of Georgia it would seem that we are still trying to come to terms with our ugly past regarding slavery and our secession from the Union. Currently many African American groups are demanding that our General Assembly make a formal apology for slavery. It looks like a done deal and I have no problems with this at all. What I do take issue with is some of our Southern heritage groups have tried to retaliate by demanding their own month long observance for the history of their heritage. I could go on and on and on about this issue and how absurd it all is but I won’t. I would like to show in my seven though there is much more to southern heritage than some might imagine…..

1. I am thankful for my father who has researched our family back at least seven generations. There is something quite satisfying to know how you are connected to the early history of a place and to know that your children have that family history to hold on to and to pass on.

2. I am from a long line of English men and women who tilled the land. They arrived in South Carolina and at one point crossed the mountains into Georgia where they obtained land in the lottery. I know that they were made of much sterner stuff than I…..before the advent of superhighways and Wendy’s drive-thrus they trekked across mountains that I now vacation in and rent fancy cabins with fantastic views from my outdoor hot tub (not to mention the funnel cakes).

3. I’m thankful for my grandfather many times over named Isaac who fought in the American Revolution at the Battle of Cowpens and other places in the South. I’m also thankful for my ancestors who fought in the Civil War. Sadly I have no journals, letters, or other primary sources to let me know why they fought. Census reports from the years before the war do not indicate any slaves were owned so it can be concluded that they didn’t have a stake in the outcome of the war in that regard, however, they did fight for the south. Was it states rights? Was it hope that their fortunes would improve allowing them the same lifestyle of the minority wealthy planters? I’ll never know, but obviously they felt a certain way and made a stand and stuck to it. I guess all Americans must grapple with this problem since many of the architects of our liberty from English tyranny held slaves while stating all men are created equal. I guess you just have to put yourself in the context of the times.

4. I’m thankful for my Great-Uncle Homer who could always be counted on to gather up young and old alike following our dinner-on-the-ground during our annual family reunions. He would shoo us all into the church for singing. He couldn’t sing a lick but it was such fun to see how enthusiastic he was standing up and leading all of us while we melted in the hard backed pews since there was no air conditioning for the church back in the 70s. There were always plenty of the paper fans with funeral home advertisements on one side and pictures of Jesus on the other for us to revive one another with though.

5. I’m thankful that here in the south you can get away with more political “UN”correctness as far as talking about Jesus, the Bible, and other matters of church without offending anyone. I mean when you live in a small town and everyone goes to one of the three or four churches, well……it’s just not that big of a deal, you know. The biggest religious controversy is which denomination lets out first and takes up all the booths at the diner.

6. I’m thankful for the 89 acres that has been in my father’s family for three generations. The picture with this post was taken back in the 1960s on ‘the place”. The view is looking across the street from my grandfather's house to his mother's place. It was built in the late 1890s. Since my dad is now surrounded with country club communities I doubt it will stay that way for long, but my children enjoy walking over the same fields their grandparents, great-grandparents, their great-greats, and their great-great-greats planted, plowed, and harvested by hand…….no slaves, no workers----just them and a mule and a plow.

7. Finally, I’m thankful for the heritage of food in the South. Cornbread, Vidalia Onions, creamed corn, fried okra, green beans, Cole slaw, fried apple pies, fried green tomatoes….I could go on and on…..all types of wonderful foods my ancestors never went to the store to buy….they raised it all themselves on the land and prepared it themselves.

It would seem that as I come to the end of this Sunday Seven focusing on heritage you could say mine is tied up in land and God. These are two of things that brought Englishmen to America, so how could my heritage be anything else. God and land…..God and country……God and the United States of America!

If you are wondering why I’m re-posting past articles read the explanation HERE

50 Words Summarizing the Bible

2010-04-01T09:30:00.003-04:00

This particular post first ran in April, 2007. If you wanted to complete a quick read of the Bible this would be it…….however, the longer version is much better.

God made
Adam bit
Noah arked
Abraham split
Joseph ruled
Jacob fooled
Bush talked
Moses balked
Pharaoh plagued
People walked
Sea divided
Tablets guided
Promise landed
Saul freaked
David peeked
Prophets warned
Jesus born
God walked
Love talked
Anger crucified
Hope died
Love rose
Spirit flamed
Word spread
God remained.

If you are wondering why I’m re-posting past writings click
here

Mulligan Season...

2010-03-24T18:11:00.001-04:00

Over at History Is Elementary I’ve declared this spring to be the season of the mulligan – see my explanation here.

Basically, it means I will be re-posting past articles here at Got Bible? as well as History Is Elementary and Georgia on My Mind.

I’m doing this so I can concentrate on a book project with a looming deadline.

Don’t worry though….I’ll be checking in often….

Valley of Jehoshaphat

2010-03-01T23:38:00.001-05:00

The Valley of Jehoshaphat is mentioned at Joel 3:2… and translates to “valley where Yahweh judged”. It is the place where the Lord summons the nation’s for judgment.

The Kidron Valley has been associated with the Valley of Jehoshaphat since the fourth century A.D. though there is no proof Joel was referring to any particular valley. Some scholars believe the place reference is merely symbolic.

The Book of Joel advises God promised all nations they would ultimately be called to God’s place of judgement.

Gethsemane

2010-02-25T11:04:00.003-05:00

Gethsemane, or the Mount of Olives, is generally associated with Jesus – the place where he prayed, his his agony took place, and here his arrest took place – Matthew 26:36 and Mark 14:32.

The Mount of Olives is along the main mountain range that happens to run north to south through central and southern Palestine.

With a name like Mount of Olives you would think olive trees would fill the hillside and you would be right. In fact, the word used for Gethsemane in Aramaic and Hebrew means “oil press” as in olive oil. Some of the trees that currently fill the area are over 900 years old, but it might be a little hard to locate an olive tree that would have been around when Jesus walked through Gethsemane.

Josephus, the ancient historian, advises in his work titled Wars the Roman general Titus performed some major tree cutting in the area around Jerusalem around 66-70 A.D. Therefore any trees that existed in the garden were taken down at that time.

The specific location Jesus visited in the area is not know exactly, but many scholars believe the garden was on the western slope between Jerusalem and Bethany.

The School of Tyrannus

2010-02-17T10:40:00.003-05:00

Acts 19: 9 tells us…So Paul left them. He took the disciples with him and had discussions daily in the lecture hall of Tyrannus.

The lecture of of Tyrannus. Hmmmm…..

Where was that?

What was that?

Who was Tyrannus?

Unfortunately, we aren’t very sure. There are no remains of the lecture hall, and we only have little hints from Scripture regarding Paul’s discussions there. The picture I’ve posted here shows some of the ruins that remain at Ephesus, but not the lecture hall.

Paul was in Ephesus around 52 AD during his third missionary journey. It made sense for Paul to journey there…..Ephesus was the capital of an Asian province and was a major population and trade center. He could reach many people there with his Good News. Acts 20:31 reminds us that Paul spent three years in Ephesus…..Remember for three years I never stopped warning each of you night and day with tears, and for two of the three years he lectured and debated in the school of Tyrannus per Acts 19:10….This went on for two years, so that all the Jews and Greeks who lived in the province of Asia heard the word of the Lord.

Prior to having his discussions in the leture hall of Tyrannus, Paul had begun his ministry in a synagogue, but was soon forced out due to obstinate people, but why a school? The word used for school in the original Greek….schole….meant “leisure”. Not exactly my definition of school being an educator, but in Paul’s day discussions and debates were done during leisure time, and the word finally came to refer to a group of persons meeting for the purpose of having discussions or the place where the meeting was held. Schools during Paul’s time can be thought of as modern day literary or philosophy clubs.

The Greek manuscript of Acts, the Codex Beza, advises discussions were held between 11am and 4 pm…..the part of the day when men were expected to be conducting leisure activities….not work. During those hours men pursued their hobbies, they rested, or they took part in great discussions in a lecture hall or school, as it were.

During these discussions we know that Paul “reasoned” with others. Acts 17:17-18 states….So he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and the God-fearing Greeks, as well as in the marketplace day by day with those who happened to be there. A group of Epicurean and Stoic philosophers began to dispute with him. Some of them asked, “What is this blabber trying to say?” Others remarked, “He seems to be advocating foreign gods.” They said this because Paul was preaching the good news about Jesus and the resurrection.

So….during his hours of leisure Paul was preaching or discussing the Good News. Perhaps Tyrannus allowed Paul the use of his building during the afternoon hours which was very advantageous in that the hours of 11 am to 4 pm would give him the largest audience possible, and it would afford Paul the morning hours to actually work at his trade which was tent-making.

We also know that due to his lectures at the school of Tyrannus Paul gained many contacts with officials in Ephesus that proved to be helpful to him. Acts 19:31 states….Even some of the officials of the province, friends of Paul, sent him a message begging him not to venture into the theater.

Acts also clues us in to the fact that Paul didn’t only share the good news in the lecture hall of Tyrannus, but he also went “from house to house” and “with tears” per Acts 20:20, 31….You know that I have not hesitated to preach anything that would be helpful to you but have taught you publicly and from house to house…So be on your guard! Remember that for three years I have never stopped warning each of you night and day with tears.

But of Tyrannus….who WAS he?

Some scholars believe he was a teacher or at least the owner of the school/lecture hall. Others have suggested he could have been the donor or the patron of the school…much like our tradition of naming buildings after the people who donate the money to pay for them.

The name “Tyrannus” brings a question to mind as well. The word means “tyrant”.

What mother in her right mind would name her little baby “Tyrant”?

It was certainly not a popular name during the first century, and this very fact has led scholars to believe Tyrannus was NOT his real name. Perhaps a group of students had nicknamed this particular teacher Tyrannus.

Hmmm….I’ve been called lots of things by students. I wonder if any of them ever thought I was a tyrant?

13 Things the Bible Says About Work

2010-02-04T07:11:00.003-05:00

Though we all have varying forms due to our situation we all have some sort of work we must deal with on a daily basis.

We have been focusing on what the Bible says about setting goals and life's big questions over the New Year at church....this is taken from my pastor's wonderful sermon series.....

1. Ecclesiastes 2:22….What does a man get for all of his hard work?

2. One type of worker is the lazy worker….The fool won’t work and almost starves, but feels it’s better to be lazy and barely get by than work hard….Ecclesiastes 4:5

3. The other type of worker is a workaholic….Here’s a man who is always working, never satisfied with the wealth he has. For whom is he working so hard and denying himself any pleasure? This is useless…and a miserable way to live…Ecclesiastes 4:8

4. Workaholics must readjust their values….I’ve learned why people work so hard to succeed: it is better they envy the things their neighbors have…Ecclesiastes 4:4 So often we work to beat out the competition....our society actually rewards bad behavior....bad habits.

5. What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul? What can a man give in exchange for his soul?....Mark 8: 36

6. In spite of all our hard work, there’s nothing we can take with us?....Ecclesiastes 5:15 We should ask ourselves: Why am I working so hard? Is the pay off worth it? and Why do I think it will satisfy me?

7. All of us should enjoy our rewards. All of us should eat and drink and enjoy what we have worked for. It is God’s gift….Ecclesiastes 3:13

8. It’s better to have only a little, with peace of mind, than be busy all the time with both hands….Ecclesiastes 4:6

9. We have to limit our labor….Only someone too stupid to find his way home would wear himself our with work…..Ecclesiastes 10:15 Work should follow an intention schedule, and we should stick to it.

10. You have six days in which to do your work, but the 7th day is to be a day of rest dedicated to Me….Exodus20: 9-10

11. It’s senseless for you to work so hard from early morning until late at night….for God wants his loved ones to get their proper rest….Psalm 127:2

12. Anticipate God’s care…Trust God….Don’t worry, saying, “What shall we eat…or drink….or wear? For pagans, run after these things, and your Heavenly Father knows you need them….Matthew 6:31-32

13. Exchange your pressure for God’s peace….”Come to me, you who are tired from carrying your heavy loads and I will give you rest….The yoke I’ll give you is easy and the load I’ll put on you is light…..Matthew 11:28,30

WORK SMARTER.....NOT HARDER.

Other bloggers participate in Thursday 13….you can find them here.

Wordless: Verse 60

2010-02-03T08:04:00.003-05:00

This is the place where Saul camped before the battle of Gilboa mentioned at 1 Samuel 29:1…..The Philistines gathered all their forces at Aphek, and Israel camped by the spring in Jezreel. The Philistines at this point were being led by Saul’s enemy…..the future King David.

This could also be the fountain mentioned in Judges 7:1 as the Well of Harod

Other bloggers are participating in Wordless Wednesday. You can find them here