Category Archives: It’s a Bonus Post

1 Kings, 2022, Christian Living, It's a Bonus Post, Questions

Feed Me First

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1 Kings 17

Perhaps it’s just me but I think it would be hard to do what Elijah did. 
I think it would be hard to ask the Widow of Zarephath to feed me first. 
Feed me before you feed your son or yourself. 
I just think that was not an easy request to make. 
I think he had to have a sure Word from The LORD to come up with such a thought as that!

You see I think speaking the Truth of GOD to the people of the world can look like hate to them. 

But he was not talking to a woman of the world, he was talking to a woman who believed GOD. 
What do you think? 

She obeyed. 
She cooked what looked to be the last of her meal and her oil, but it wasn’t. 
The Bible tells us 

15 She went and acted according to what Eliyahu had said; and she, he and her household had food to eat for a long time.
16 The pot of meal did not get used up, nor did there fail to be oil in the jug, in fulfillment of the word of Adonai spoken through Eliyahu.
Source 

Would you think with me how amazing this is? 
This Widow from Zarephath likely did not have her own set of Old Testament Scrolls and neither did she have the indwelling Holy Spirit but she obeyed GOD in the face of not only her death but the death of her son. 
I have to ask — what excuse do we have for disobedience?

But I can’t leave us here just yet; one more thing. 

Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the Word of GOD. 
Do you know that Scripture? Romans 10:17 

It worked that way in Zarephath too. 
Here’s how I know. 

13 Eliyahu said to her, “Don’t be afraid. Go; and do what you said; but first, use a little of it to make me a small loaf of bread; and bring it out to me. After that, make food for yourself and your son.
14 For this is what Adonai the God of Isra’el, says: ‘The pot of meal will not get used up, nor will there fail to be oil in the jug, until the day Adonai sends rain down on the land.’” 
source 

Faith (trust) cometh by hearing and hearing by the WORD of GOD. 
He spoke the WORD of GOD to her; she heard and she acted in faith – she trusted the WORD of GOD she heard. 

So I have to ask again.
What excuse do we have? 

2022, Gospel of Matthew, It's a Bonus Post, Questions, Repentance, Salvation

What Do You See?

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I think if I could convince you of one thing; if I could encourage you, 
prompt you, get your interest piqued in one thing it would be 
reading Scripture.  
Even just a chapter a day. I would surely do that! 

The LORD YESHUA spoke the Truth Period.
He just spoke the Truth to whoever was standing by, whoever was listening. 

Listen in as we read this portion of Matthew 8.
You may have deciphered that I prefer in most cases for myself the Complete Jewish Bible for reading and studying.
I use others as well.
The New American Standard would be my next choice; I also like the New Living Translation for easy, pleasure reading; and, of course, The King James is never too far away from picking up.
For this time with you and this particular passage, I offer you a combination of CJB and NLT.

5 As Yeshua entered K’far-Nachum, a Roman army officer came up and pleaded for help.
6 “Sir, my orderly is lying at home paralyzed and suffering terribly!”
7 Yeshua said, “I will go and heal him.”
8 But the officer answered, “Sir, I am unfit to have you come into my home. Rather, if you will only give the command, my orderly will recover.
9 For I too am a man under authority. I have soldiers under me, and I say to this one, ‘Go!’ and he goes; to another, ‘Come!’ and he comes; to my slave, ‘Do this!’ and he does it.”

10 When Jesus heard this, he was amazed. Turning to those who were following him, he said, “I tell you the truth, I haven’t seen faith like this in all Israel! 
11 And I tell you this, that many Gentiles will come from all over the world—from east and west—and sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob at the feast in the Kingdom of Heaven. 
12 But many Israelites—those for whom the Kingdom was prepared—will be thrown into outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

 13 Then Yeshua said to the officer, “Go; let it be for you as you have trusted.” And his orderly was healed at that very moment. source 

Yeshua – Jesus
K’far-Nachum – Capernaum

What do you see? 
A Roman Official. 
We understand Jews did not like Romans (and in the natural, they had reasons not to like them); they were Gentiles, you know. 
Now, imagine how that must have stung those hearing The LORD’s words. 

Turning to those who were following him, he said, “I tell you the truth, I haven’t seen faith like this in all Israel! 

Ouch! 
But notice JESUS said it anyway. 
Why? 
Because Truth hurts sometimes but Truth is what heals — when accepted! 
Did these? I don’t know. Perhaps we will find out in Heaven. 

Authority matters!
This Roman Official understood authority. 
He appreciated authority.
And this Roman Official recognized JESUS’s Authority! 

Not all standing there did.
Not all standing today do either. 

What else do you see in this passage?

East and West.
From all over the world people can and some have and some will yet come into the Kingdom of GOD, and they and we will be at that feast in the Kingdom of Heaven. 
How?
Same as the Roman Official.

TRUSTING JESUS. 

I hope this has helped you.
And if you have been helped  — honor JESUS and help others. 

Thank you for visiting with me today. 

 

2022, Gospel of Mark, It's a Bonus Post, Romans

Cocky hypocrites —

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Mark 15

 As soon as it was morning, the head cohanim held a council meeting with the elders, the Torah-teachers and the whole Sanhedrin. Then they put Yeshua in chains, led him away and handed him over to Pilate.  source

cohanim – Priest
Torah-teachers – Scribes
Sanhedrin – Counsel 

Friends, look at that. 
These cocky hypocrites I could think of another word or two but I will spare us – these blind, lost souls think they are so powerful, so important, so in charge that they put the Creator of the Universe, The King of Glory in chains and led Him away to be tried in the Courts of Men. 

It is they who were on trial and it is they who were guilty – I’ll say it. Guilty as hell. 
But so were WE until we repented and believed. Just as guilty. Just as undone. Just as needy. Just as helpless. 

Mull it over if you will–just how cocky, arrogant, and stupid mankind is when they (we) think we can war against the GOD of Creation, overpower Him, reduce Him to less than He is and declare ourselves wiser, smarter, and more powerful than He. 
But alas for 3 days it looked like they did do just that.  (Mark 16:5-7)
And often it still looks that way. 
But don’t be fooled, my Friends. 
JESUS is The KING OF GLORY and He will come and make all things Right when the time is right. 

Hold steady and believe — TRUST.
Hold steady to Scripture. 
Believe what you know and occupy yourself learning what you don’t — yet. 

And that my Friends is what I have so far from verse 1. 

Be encouraged. 
Open your Bibles and read. 

Romans 10:17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
2022, For Fun, It's a Bonus Post

Strokes on a Word Canvas

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I wish I could write something funny. 
Something that would make you smile or even laugh out loud. 
I don’t do that much — wish I could.

I mean there are funny and wonderful things left in this world. Like when our great-grand comes to visit. 
The sound of his little feet either coming or going on the floor of the hall. I smile just thinking about it. 
Or his absolute delight to give a dog biscuit to Sara who eagerly receives every touch of loving he gives her. 
The moments we spend watching birds and squirrels from the window seat – it’s one of his favorite places here. 

Friends who call just because they care.
Silly jokes made funny simply because he said it. 
Sunrises. 
Sunsets.
Bright moon nights.
A chicken sandwich and french fries eaten side by side sitting cross-legged in the back of the SUV, watching people watch us as they drive through a local parking lot.
Now that’s funny!
If you’ve never done it. I hope you will give it a try.
A burger and fries will work just as well as chicken. :)
Sowing seeds in the garden box, waiting for sprouts. 
Music and snuggles on the couch.

Family. People. Creation’s beauty.
These are the things we have left. 
And most days they help us smile in spite of what is.