tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-85168641173565344792024-03-13T00:15:56.358-05:00E SpeaksBroken Vesselshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05408090466248946652noreply@blogger.comBlogger137125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8516864117356534479.post-11266115160995722962024-02-15T20:32:00.001-06:002024-02-15T20:32:34.506-06:00He Gets Us... but do we get Him?<div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><span id="docs-internal-guid-ab4dbfc3-7fff-c1c5-f9f0-4cbcfe43bdd2"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">He Gets Us--- But, do we get Him?</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I haven’t made a blog post in many years. Life has moved in a different direction and I sort of left this blog in the corner collecting dust, but sometimes something comes into my heart that needs a longer more nuanced response than a social media post will allow. Just such a thing popped up this last Sunday for over 100 million people to witness and I have been wrestling with my response ever since. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">During the most recent Super Bowl an ad aired for a group called “He Gets Us”. The ad is certainly provocative as it shows several images of people in various positions washing each other’s feet with a tagline that reads “Jesus Didn’t teach Hate. He Washed Feet.” </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">See the ad below </span><a href="https://youtu.be/94BqlDQ-Ppo" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span data-rich-links="{"fple-t":"Foot Washing","fple-u":"https://youtu.be/94BqlDQ-Ppo","fple-mt":null,"type":"first-party-link"}" style="color: #1155cc; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Foot Washing</span></a><span data-rich-links="{"fple-t":"Foot Washing","fple-u":"https://youtu.be/94BqlDQ-Ppo","fple-mt":null,"type":"first-party-link"}" style="color: red; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><a href="https://youtu.be/94BqlDQ-Ppo" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: white; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 18pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br />ttps://youtu.be/94BqlDQ-Ppo</span></a></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="350" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/94BqlDQ-Ppo" width="542" youtube-src-id="94BqlDQ-Ppo"></iframe></div><p></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">There is a lot to unpack about this ad and a lot of people have already said a lot of things. There has been discussion of whether the images were AI-generated, whether the images present a progressive agenda, who is behind the group that sponsored the ad, and a myriad of other talking points, none of which I want to focus on. I want to look at the overall message of the ad, where it was good, and where it was lacking. I also want to look at whether the ad was an effective piece of evangelism and whether or not it depicts the authentic Biblical Jesus. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Good</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Let me start with the overall message of the ad. If we start with the most charitable view possible, the ad’s creators are trying to make a disruptive stance to reintroduce people to Jesus. The ad seems to attempt to push past many of the social and political issues that divide us and show us the representation of Jesus as the servant who did not come to be served, but to serve. I applaud the appeal to “unchurched” and non-believers to get them to see a Jesus who will come to them in their time of trouble and need and will comfort them regardless of who they are, or what they have done. I am eternally grateful for the truth in that. Jesus will absolutely meet us where we are, he will comfort us, and he will give us grace and mercy. There are elements of this message I will dig into deeper a little later.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In the aspect of painting a positive picture of Jesus, the ad would be considered a success. In terms of reach and impact, I would say the ad was a success as over 100 million people saw it live, and in the wake of the ad Jesus became one of the most searched terms on Google. Also, society has been forced to talk about him for several days now. This would seem to be an evangelistic success, however for evangelism to be truly successful there must be a means of follow-up and follow-through. </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Not So Good</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Immediately when I saw the ad I went to the “He Gets Us” website and I began to look for some sort of place to follow up on what I had just seen. I spent several minutes on the site trying to find more information about who Jesus is, and what a person should do if they have seen the ad and are now curious. I was disappointed not to find anything other than a way to sign up to be added to an email list. I didn’t see any links to have a live pastor or counselor contact the seeker to help to answer any questions they may have. I will admit that when I went back to the website for this writing of this blog I did find a take action link (not easy to find) that links the seeker to bible studies and videos- so better than I initially thought- but with the captive huge audience there should have been an easy link or an obvious button to “learn more”.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">More problematic to me was what I was able to find on the night the ad aired. I was able to find the Frequently Asked Questions Page and I was glad to see one of the FAQs was “Who do you believe Jesus is?” I was hopeful, until I clicked the link. There is simply no substance in the answer. It’s a very straightforward question that is answered incredibly ambiguous. If I were a non-believer I would know nothing more about Jesus than I did before I found the website or clicked the link</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="border: none; display: inline-block; height: 198px; overflow: hidden; width: 624px;"><img height="198" src="https://lh7-us.googleusercontent.com/k4uFZMMfciKGKjDk7qErckH2Xlu3HE8SqhbrAjyt9MA4PNm9PqlxbC3eYqDLMUW-GtdNjGkOkEPtO6IEpq6LB4eqcLXhiX-IXdxbSRs4MnhNPOHZQXhNrSBm1t-O4Ns9ttmm9Qcy39qW-C1N1BifPQ" style="margin-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px;" width="624" /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">So, after reading this word salad full of nothingness, I still don’t know any more about the Jesus they are trying to introduce me to. While I applaud the ad for getting us talking about Jesus, I would strongly encourage the organization to provide a clearer plan of response and most certainly a clearer explanation of Who Jesus is. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Some have bemoaned the amount of money the organization spent to air the ad during the Super Bowl. Some have even suggested it was a waste and the money could have been spent more wisely. I completely disagree with this. There is no greater goal than to reach others for Jesus and if you have the money to reach such a large audience then I have no issue. I don’t know the financial condition of this organization but I have no issue with them spending whatever they want for an evangelistic message, that said, if you are going to invest that kind of money it’s that much more important that you have a clear easy path for those you impact to </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">follow up.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Let me also add, if you are going to present a clear gospel message it is certainly money well spent, however, if you don’t present the true Jesus then at best you are wasting your resources. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">If you have a goal to reach those who feel disenchanted, those who feel unloved, and looked down upon, and those who feel they live on the fringes of society then it is an admirable message that </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Jesus Gets Us. </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">He came to earth for the lost, not the righteous. The Bible says “He came to seek and save that which was lost.” So, the message that he will meet us where we are, no matter who we are or what we have done is a compelling message. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Jesus Did Wash Feet</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The ad presents over-and-over images of people washing other people’s feet with the strong implication that they are following the example of Jesus. I want to discuss this premise. There is one example in the Bible of Jesus washing feet. It is a very specific example. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Jesus didn’t just wander the streets looking for people and approach them to wash their feet. Instead, as he was preparing to receive the very significant Passover meal, a meal that would be his last, with those closest to him Jesus donned a towel and a basin of water and began to act in the manner of a servant. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It was customary in the first century to have a servant wash the feet of all dinner guests prior to dining. The people’s feet were dirty from walking in the sandy desert all day. This was both a symbolic and a physical act of cleansing. Designed to make sure all that were dining were clean and ready for their meal. The dinner guests didn’t have to take a full bath, but they did need to get the dust off their feet. While this act was usually handled by a house servant in this moment the Lord of all humbled himself to clean his disciples' feet. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Now, to be clear, these were sinful men, they were men who would betray him and deny they even knew him, but they were men who had also committed their lives to him. Jesus washing his disciples' feet was absolutely an act of humility and service. An act we should all want to emulate. Don’t misunderstand though, this act was not an affirmation or an acceptance of the disciples' sinful ways, but a representation of the cleansing of their hearts that was necessary to follow him. The Biblical narrative is not of men stuck in their sin, it is men who have already been purified by Jesus and just needed to be freshened- up. John 13: 5-10</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">5 Then He *poured water into the washbasin, and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel which He had tied around Himself. 6 So He *came to Simon Peter. He *said to Him, “Lord, are You going to wash my feet?” 7 Jesus answered and said to him, “</span><span style="color: red; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">What I am doing you do not realize now, but you will understand afterwards.”</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> 8 Peter *said to Him, “You will never wash my feet—ever!” Jesus answered him, </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me.”</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> 9 Simon Peter *said to Him, “Lord, not only my feet, but also my hands and my head.” 10 Jesus *said to him, “</span><span style="color: red; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">He who has bathed needs only to wash his feet, but is completely clean; and you are clean </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">These men were already clean, they just needed their “Feet cleaned” They had already accepted Jesus and changed their lives, like us, they would still occasionally get “dusty” and need their feet cleaned off. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; white-space: pre;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">My biggest critique is that the message stops there. Jesus will meet us where we are- but he will not leave us where we are!</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In our society today and unfortunately in a lot of churches we have half of Jesus’ message correct. He is full of mercy and his grace is more than sufficient. He is loving, kind, and forgiving. The other half of the message isn’t as sweet and it often gets left on the cutting room floor. The heart of Jesus’ earthly ministry was on repentance. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Repentance is a word that has lost most of its meaning in our society. Repentance is not a hateful word, though it offends us. The word repentance simply means to turn around or change direction. When we use it in terms of Jesus, it means to turn from our sinful life and turn toward His standards. The word offends us because we want to believe we are good enough, we want to believe we have nothing to repent for. It is not hateful to say we all sin and fall short of God’s standards. It is not hateful to invite someone to leave their sins and turn toward Him. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I thank God daily that he allowed and still allows me to repent. I am glad that I am clean, and more grateful that he washes the dust from my feet when I fail.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In Luke 5:31-32 when Jesus says </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">” we see His missional heart reaching out to those who need him the most. Reaching out to the downtrodden, those who may not feel loved. He continues however that He did not</span><span style="color: red; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> “come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance”.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Jesus is absolutely here to love those who may feel forgotten, but He does not affirm our sins. He does not tell us to “just keep doing what we do”. In fact, he commands our repentance. When Jesus was confronted with the woman who was caught in adultery, he showed mercy </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Neither do I condemn you”</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> but he followed that up with a command to repentance </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Now go, and sin no more”</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Jesus does get us. He has walked in our shoes. He has been tempted. He has been hungry. He has been thirsty. Jesus has seen problems in his earthly family. He has had his best friends turn on Him. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Jesus Gets Us, but do we get Him? Do we realize that He is interested in bridging the gap separating us from God by overcoming the sin that causes the separation? Do we realize Jesus wants to draw us close to Him? Do we realize that drawing closer to Jesus requires us to repent and draw further from sin?</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I want to be much clearer than our friends at He Gets Us. Jesus is God incarnate. He is our Savior. His death, burial and resurrection poured out the grace to atone for our sins. Jesus forgives us from our sins, but if we don’t acknowledge our sins and repent we are mocking His grace.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Jesus Gets Us! He Meets us where we are- But he doesn’t leave us there! He draws us closer to him and helps us turn from our sinful ways!</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Jesus does make it clear that this act of service (foot washing) is an example for us to follow but it is imperative we understand what He is calling us to do. He is calling us to serve one another in a humble manner and He is calling us to make sure our fellow believers remain clean. We are called to serve the world and meet broken people where they are, just like he did. It is not enough for us to just meet them in their pain, in their grief, in their trouble, or in their sin; we must also be ready to point them toward repentance. That means away from their struggles and toward His <b>love.</b></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We do a disservice if we don't reach people where they are; we do a bigger disservice if we make the mistake of thinking we are loving them by leaving them where they are. It is not loving to mistakenly equate love with unconditional acceptance. If I know you are walking into danger it's not loving to pretend the danger isn't real. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">As a believer, it is hateful to a non-believer to allow them to continue to be separated from God because we are too afraid to call sin out and lovingly point them to repentance</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Want to learn more about the Biblical Jesus or talk about how He can impact your life? Reach out to me. You can send me a message here on this blog or you can email me at </span><a href="mailto:ewcollum@gmail.com" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">ewcollum@gmail.com</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. You can also reach me on facebook or you are always welcome to visit me on Sunday mornings at Gulfhaven Mennonite Church in Gulfport, Mississippi, service starts at 10:45am.</span></p><div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div></span></div><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54488/280/0251ABBE5764FE899F0C7C0E3156BF01.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0px;" /></a>Broken Vesselshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05408090466248946652noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8516864117356534479.post-80849226670969427912016-08-04T20:48:00.000-05:002016-08-04T20:48:27.014-05:00Moses: Growing Into His Calling<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A few months ago when I started this broken vessel series my expectation was to take a look at the human and even broken side of many of the esteemed heroes of the Bible. I didn’t want to tear them down, but to examine how in God’s grace, He chooses to use broken flawed people just like me even for His most important tasks. I hoped this study would offer insight and encouragement to anyone like me who has felt for any reason God couldn’t or wouldn’t use them.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I anticipated covering the “big names”; Noah, Abraham, Moses, David, Peter Paul, Etc. I did not anticipate spending weeks studying Jacob and his family. I also didn’t expect to be more than 3 months in and just now getting to Moses. I am by no means complaining. I have only gone at the pace I have felt led to move at and have probably gained as much or more from this study as any of the readers. I have found the characters to be relatable, the stories to be intriguing, and God to be sovereign through it all.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I give the fairly long introduction as a way to somewhat warn the reader; I am not sure how many weeks we will be examining Moses. Last week we made it through the first four chapters of the book of Exodus, that sounds like a long way; until you consider Moses is the main character for the next 4 books of the Bible. There’s a lot of material. With all of that being said; I suppose we should go ahead and jump into this week’s post. </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">When we left Moses last week he was standing at the burning bush, trying to convince God that he wasn’t the right choice to send back to Egypt to lead the Israelites to the Promised Land. He was giving God every reason he could think of why he wasn’t worthy or wasn’t capable, but God wasn’t hearing it. Moses hid behind many of the same excuses we still do today; God assured him He would be right there with him and make sure he succeeded. God warned Moses dealing with Pharaoh wouldn’t be easy; but he also assured that He was with him. Another great reminder for us. </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">God prepared Moses by giving him signs he would be able to show to Pharaoh when he arrived and also sent his brother Aaron with him to help him speak. So, after much consternation, Moses and his family headed out towards Egypt. The first meeting they scheduled was with the leaders of the Israelites. It was important to get them on board. They had to believe that God had actually sent Moses. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #0070c0; font-family: Arial; font-size: 7.199999999999999px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: super; white-space: pre-wrap;">29 </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #0070c0; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Moses and Aaron brought together all the elders of the Israelites, </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #0070c0; font-family: Arial; font-size: 7.199999999999999px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: super; white-space: pre-wrap;">30 </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #0070c0; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">and Aaron told them everything the </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #0070c0; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: small-caps; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Lord</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #0070c0; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> had said to Moses. He also performed the signs before the people, </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #0070c0; font-family: Arial; font-size: 7.199999999999999px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: super; white-space: pre-wrap;">31 </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #0070c0; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">and they believed. And when they heard that the </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #0070c0; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: small-caps; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Lord</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #0070c0; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> was concerned about them and had seen their misery, they bowed down and worshiped. Exodus 4:29-31</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">That had to feel pretty good. Moses had been unsure of the reaction he would get from the Israelites; he wasn’t sure they would accept him; but just as God had promised they welcomed him and gave glory to God. If only it was all that easy. Once we accept God has something for us to do, we may think everything will go silky smooth; as Moses was about to find out that’s not always the case. </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">After they met with the Israelite elders, Moses and Aaron scored a meeting with Pharaoh. As God had instructed, Moses told Pharaoh to let the Israelites go into the wilderness so they could have a festival and worship God. Pharaoh scoffed. At first he didn’t acknowledge who God was at all, later he reverted to a more practical reason why he did not want to let the Israelites go. He actually even punished the people for Moses even asking.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #0070c0; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 8.799999999999999px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: super; white-space: pre-wrap;">4-5 </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #0070c0; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">But the king of Egypt said, “Why on earth, Moses and Aaron, would you suggest the people be given a holiday? Back to work!” Pharaoh went on, “Look, I’ve got all these people bumming around, and now you want to reward them with time off?”</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #0070c0; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 8.799999999999999px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: super; white-space: pre-wrap;">6-9 </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #0070c0; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Pharaoh took immediate action. He sent down orders to the slave-drivers and their underlings: “Don’t provide straw for the people for making bricks as you have been doing. Make them get their own straw. And make them produce the same number of bricks—no reduction in their daily quotas! They’re getting lazy. They’re going around saying, ‘Give us time off so we can worship our God.’ Crack down on them. That’ll cure them of their whining, their god-fantasies.” Exodus 5:4-9 The Message</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Pharaoh and the slave drivers made things miserable for the Israelites who were forced to work harder than ever. The denied them the material they needed to make bricks but still required them to make the same number of bricks each day. It made the extremely hard labor even harder. If they didn’t meet their quota of bricks each day they were beaten. The people who had just supported Moses, now blamed him.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #0070c0; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 8.799999999999999px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: super; white-space: pre-wrap;">20-21 </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #0070c0; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">As they left Pharaoh, they found Moses and Aaron waiting to meet them. The foremen said to them, “May God see what you’ve done and judge you—you’ve made us stink before Pharaoh and his servants! You’ve put a weapon in his hand that’s going to kill us!” Exodus 5:20-21 The Message</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Moses, who had finally trusted God and His calling, was now back to his old ways as well.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #0070c0; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 8.799999999999999px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: super; white-space: pre-wrap;">22 </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #0070c0; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Moses returned to the Lord and said, “Why, Lord, why have you brought trouble on this people? Is this why you sent me? </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #0070c0; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 8.799999999999999px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: super; white-space: pre-wrap;">23 </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #0070c0; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ever since I went to Pharaoh to speak in your name, he has brought trouble on this people, and you have not rescued your people at all.” Exodus 5: 22-23 NIV</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">God was there to reassure Moses again. He promised him that He was going to use him for His glory. He promised to make Pharaoh pay for his disobedience and he promised again to give the Israelites the land he had promised to Abraham, Isaac, & Jacob. Unfortunately for Moses, The people were losing trust in him.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 8.799999999999999px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: super; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #0070c0; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">But when Moses delivered this message to the Israelites, they didn’t even hear him—they were that beaten down in spirit by the harsh slave conditions Exodus 6:9 The Message</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> This couldn’t have been easy for him with his seemingly already fragile self-esteem. God told him to go back to Pharaoh and deliver the message again but Moses was downtrodden.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #0070c0; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 8.799999999999999px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: super; white-space: pre-wrap;">12 </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #0070c0; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Moses answered God, “Look—the Israelites won’t even listen to me. How do you expect Pharaoh to? And besides, I stutter.” Exodus 6:11. The Message</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">God again has to become a coach and encourage Moses and Aaron to get back up and try again. I can certainly see Moses’ frustration; he was living this nice comfortable life tending his father-in-law’s livestock in Midian; minding his own business and now here he is back in Egypt. Everyone’s mad at him and just like he suspected, he is not capable of doing the mission God has called him to. He tried to tell God he would fail. When things don’t go as we hope, it’s easy to pack it in and lose hope. Moses is about to learn a huge lesson for any of us who have ever been discouraged or lost hope when we have encountered failure. The lesson God teaches Moses isn’t quick, and it isn’t easy, but as we will see the results are remarkable.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The first thing he does is gives Moses YET ANOTHER pep talk. God told Moses He would make him “Like a god to Pharaoh” and reassured him once again, that He would prevail. God told Moses and Aaron to go back to Pharaoh and again request he release the Israelites. This time he gave them a sign to use to try to convince him.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #0070c0; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 8.799999999999999px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: super; white-space: pre-wrap;">8-9 </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #0070c0; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Then God spoke to Moses and Aaron. He said, “When Pharaoh speaks to you and says, ‘Prove yourselves. Perform a miracle,’ then tell Aaron, ‘Take your staff and throw it down in front of Pharaoh: It will turn into a snake.’”</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #0070c0; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 8.799999999999999px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: super; white-space: pre-wrap;">10 </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #0070c0; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and did what God commanded. Aaron threw his staff down in front of Pharaoh and his servants, and it turned into a snake.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #0070c0; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 8.799999999999999px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: super; white-space: pre-wrap;">11-12 </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #0070c0; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Pharaoh called in his wise men and sorcerers. The magicians of Egypt did the same thing by their incantations: each man threw down his staff and they all turned into snakes. But then Aaron’s staff swallowed their staffs.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #0070c0; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 8.799999999999999px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: super; white-space: pre-wrap;">13 </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #0070c0; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Yet Pharaoh was as stubborn as ever—he wouldn’t listen to them, just as God had said. Exodus 7:8-13 The Message</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">So, that had to be pretty cool for a minute, you throw your staff on the ground and it starts slithering around and turns into a snake. Had to kind of be a little deflating though when the magicians were able to do the same thing. It had to be somewhat satisfying for Aaron’s staff snake to devour the staff snakes of the magicians. That was kind of a weird sentence to write. Again though Moses followed God’s instructions and again he was rebuffed. Moses could have very easily have gotten discouraged here; but God didn’t really give him the opportunity. </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Moses and Aaron would spend the next several days and weeks going to Pharaoh and requesting that he release the Israelites. They would ask several times. Each time they asked Pharaoh refused. Each time Pharaoh refused, Egypt suffered.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">First God instructed Moses and Aaron to turn the water in the Nile to blood. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #0070c0; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 8.799999999999999px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: super; white-space: pre-wrap;">20-21 </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #0070c0; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Moses and Aaron did exactly as God commanded them. Aaron raised his staff and hit the water in the Nile with Pharaoh and his servants watching. All the water in the Nile turned into blood. The fish in the Nile died; the Nile stank; and the Egyptians couldn’t drink the Nile water. The blood was everywhere in Egypt. Exodus 7:20-21 The Message</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">That seems like it would be a pretty scary and pretty awe inspiring sign; but the Egyptian magicians were able to match the feat and Pharaoh was not moved to change his mind. The people of Egypt dealt with the bloody stinky Nile for 7 days before God finally allowed it to return to normal. That’s when Moses went to Pharaoh again and requested he allow the Israelites to leave. This time, if Pharaoh didn’t allow them to leave, Egypt was going to be overrun with frogs.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #0070c0; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 8.799999999999999px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: super; white-space: pre-wrap;">1-4 </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #0070c0; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">God said to Moses, “Go to Pharaoh and tell him, ‘God’s Message: Release my people so they can worship me. If you refuse to release them, I’m warning you, I’ll hit the whole country with frogs. The Nile will swarm with frogs—they’ll come up into your houses, into your bedrooms and into your beds, into your servant's’ quarters, among the people, into your ovens and pots and pans. They’ll be all over you, all over everyone—frogs everywhere, on and in everything!’” Exodus 8:1-4 The Message</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Bible says the magicians were able to make frogs appear as well, but apparently their magic was no match for God’s power. While the magicians made the frogs appear, they must have had trouble getting them to disappear; after days of the frogs invading everyone’s space and grossing everyone out, Pharaoh finally sent for Moses and Aaron and asked them to please make the frogs go away. He even momentarily agreed to let the Israelites leave. Once God got rid of the frogs, Pharaoh changed his mind.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Since frogs weren’t enough to convince the King of Egypt, God ordered Moses and Aaron to strike the dirt and he sent swarms and swarms of gnats. There were gnats everywhere. How disgusting. How annoying.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #0070c0; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 8.799999999999999px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: super; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #0070c0; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">He did it. Aaron grabbed his staff and struck the dust of the Earth; it turned into gnats, gnats all over people and animals. All the dust of the Earth turned into gnats, gnats everywhere in Egypt.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #0070c0; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 8.799999999999999px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: super; white-space: pre-wrap;">18 </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #0070c0; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The magicians tried to produce gnats with their incantations but this time they couldn’t do it. There were gnats everywhere, all over people and animals.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #0070c0; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 8.799999999999999px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: super; white-space: pre-wrap;">19 </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #0070c0; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The magicians said to Pharaoh, “This is God’s doing.” But Pharaoh was stubborn and wouldn’t listen. Just as God had said. Exodus 8:17-19 The Message</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This was a significant moment as this was the first time the magicians couldn’t replicate the act that Moses and Aaron were performing. This was the first time they acknowledged that God was behind what they were seeing.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Even though Pharaoh was still stubborn, Moses was growing stronger in his faith and the people of Israel were starting to believe even more that God had sent Moses and Aaron. The same story that happened with the frogs and with the gnats was repeated with flies. This time however, God made sure to show anyone who was paying attention that His people were protected from his wrath. The king’s palace was covered in flies, the streets of Egypt all the people and all the livestock were covered in flies. The only part of Egypt that wasn’t overrun with flies was Goshen; where the Israelites lived. Even Pharaoh could see this was God’s handiwork and after being pestered as long as he could take it, he relented and agreed to let the Israelites go he even asked Moses to pray for him… but he changed his mind again!</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">After the frogs, the gnats & the flies God sent Moses back to Pharaoh and again requested he release the Israelites. Same story; pharaoh refused and God sent down a punishment, this time he sent a disease that afflicted all the Egyptian livestock, but left the Hebrew livestock alone. Pharaoh still was unrelenting so, when Moses asked again, and he refused again the Egyptian people suffered painful boils all over their body. The Bible points out that the magicians were even covered with boils and couldn’t even try to compete with the signs Moses and Aaron were demonstrating. </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">God is drawing this out to demonstrate His power. He is showing Pharaoh how powerful he is; but he is also reminding Moses and the Israelites of his power. The next demonstration from God was a hail storm like the Egyptians had never seen before. The lightning and the hail covered the land for days and ruined crops and killed animals. Even in his stubbornness Pharaoh admitted how powerful God was and begged Moses to make the storm stop. Moses prayed; God stopped the storm. Pharaoh still refused to let the Israelites go. </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Moses has got to be in a weird state of mind now, he is seeing so much of God’s power, yet he still has not succeeded in his mission. The Israelites are still suffering in slavery and Pharaoh is still not allowing them to leave. Knowing the attitude he started with I can imagine Moses was getting a little down on himself. I can imagine him thinking “See God if you would have sent someone better all your power wouldn’t be wasted” What he wasn’t aware of is that the Israelites and the Egyptians were seeing all of God’s glory and power and witnessing God using him for greatness. God had a plan through it all.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #0070c0; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 8.799999999999999px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: super; white-space: pre-wrap;">1-2 </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #0070c0; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">God said to Moses: “Go to Pharaoh. I’ve made him stubborn, him and his servants, so that I can force him to look at these signs and so you’ll be able to tell your children and grandchildren how I toyed with the Egyptians, like a cat with a mouse; you’ll tell them the stories of the signs that I brought down on them, so that you’ll all know that I am God.” Exodus 10:1-2 The Message</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Moses did as God said, he went back to Pharaoh again and requested he release the Israelites. He warned him if he didn’t release them there would be locusts everywhere and they would devour all of Egypt. Even Pharaoh’s advisors were turning on him and starting to see God’s power.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #0070c0; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 8.799999999999999px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: super; white-space: pre-wrap;">7 </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #0070c0; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Pharaoh’s servants said to him, “How long are you going to let this man harass us? Let these people go and worship their God. Can’t you see that Egypt is on its last legs?” Exodus 10:7</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">To avoid a revolt from his own people and to try to save face Pharaoh tried to negotiate. He agreed to let Moses take the Israelite men, but not their women and children. Pharaoh’s coyness was not amusing to God; who instructed Moses to go ahead and release the locusts. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #0070c0; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 8.799999999999999px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: super; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #0070c0; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">God said to Moses: “Stretch your hand over Egypt and signal the locusts to cover the land of Egypt, devouring every blade of grass in the country, everything that the hail didn’t get.” Exodus 10:12</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #0070c0; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 8.799999999999999px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: super; white-space: pre-wrap;">14-15 </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #0070c0; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The locusts covered the country of Egypt, settling over every square inch of Egypt; the place was thick with locusts. There never was an invasion of locusts like it in the past, and never will be again. The ground was completely covered, black with locusts. They ate everything, every blade of grass, every piece of fruit, anything that the hail didn’t get. Nothing left but bare trees and bare fields—not a sign of green in the whole land of Egypt. Exodus 10:14-15</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The locusts humbled Pharaoh but again only temporarily. He still refused to let the Israelites go. With Pharaoh still stubborn God used Moses to bring darkness over the entire land. Still Pharaoh wouldn’t budge. Things get a little dark as God took a very harsh stance with Pharaoh. Moses passed along God’s message that if Pharaoh didn’t allow all the Israelites to leave Egypt he was going to take the life of every first born child throughout the land. Even though he had seen all the damage God had done, Pharaoh’s pride and stubbornness still wouldn’t allow him to release the Israelites. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #0070c0; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 8.799999999999999px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: super; white-space: pre-wrap;">29 </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #0070c0; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">At midnight God struck every firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh, who sits on his throne, right down to the firstborn of the prisoner locked up in jail. Also the firstborn of the animals.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #0070c0; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 8.799999999999999px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: super; white-space: pre-wrap;">30 </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #0070c0; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Pharaoh got up that night, he and all his servants and everyone else in Egypt—what wild wailing and lament in Egypt! There wasn’t a house in which someone wasn’t dead.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #0070c0; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 8.799999999999999px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: super; white-space: pre-wrap;">31-32 </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #0070c0; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Pharaoh called in Moses and Aaron that very night and said, “Get out of here and be done with you—you and your Israelites! Go worship God on your own terms. And yes, take your sheep and cattle as you’ve insisted, but go. And bless me.” Exodus 12: 29-32 The Message</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">After 430 years the Israelites were finally walking out of Egypt as a free people. Moses was right when he thought he wasn’t capable, but God was. He had gotten to witness God’s power in ways he never thought possible. </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">That day Moses led the Israelite people out of Egypt; just like God told him he would. His journey was far from over, in fact he wasn’t even completely outside of Pharaoh’s reach yet; but here was the same guy who pleaded with God to send someone else now at the front of hundreds of thousands of Israelites as they marched out of Egypt. </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The man who had thought he had failed one his very first try was now feared by the Egyptians and followed by hundreds of thousands. Moses obeyed God even when he didn’t always want to and he persevered even when he wanted to quit. In the end God had done exactly what He said He would do. </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">God used the stuttering murderer to show all the people how powerful He was. Our weaknesses are a tool for God to show His strength. He used the stubborn King for the same reason. The more stubborn the resistance the more we learn we have to rely on God and the more we learn that God is more powerful than any resistance we may face. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">He is more powerful than doubt, sin, discouragement, suffering, or any King or Pharaoh we may ever encounter. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">There is a lot more to Moses’ story and when we pick up next week we will see one final conflict with Pharaoh and a lot of amazing signs and wonders from God. We will also see Moses deal with some more human emotions including anger and pride. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">As a side note when my 13 year old was younger we gave her a Bible that had several lists in it. Before he learned the 10 commandments or the twelve apostles; she learned and memorized the plagues of Egypt.</span></div>
<span id="docs-internal-guid-d1bc4510-585c-4f64-4a52-a7831e994ec8"><br /></span>Broken Vesselshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05408090466248946652noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8516864117356534479.post-13472265388318533842016-07-28T21:01:00.000-05:002016-07-28T21:19:11.216-05:00Lord, Please Send Someone Else<div style="text-align: center;">
“Lord. Please send someone else.”</div>
<br>
After a couple of posts that have been somewhat off topic, I wanted to pick back up with the primary task of looking at how God uses some of the most messed up people to accomplish the most amazing things. This week will be the first of several posts about Moses. Moses is one of the most widely known heroes of the Jewish and Christian faiths; he literally wrote most of the first five books of the Bible. His story however is one of the best examples of God’s grace and glory.<br>
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To fully understand Moses’ story, let’s take a look at some background. When we left off last time, the famine that had fallen over the land had reunited Joseph and his brothers This reunion had revealed Judah’s true heart and had resulted in the entire family relocating to a region in Egypt. They lived as Pharaoh’s guests and under Joseph’s protection. Taking the family out of Canaan kept them from any further inter marrying with the Canaanite women and allowed them a place to thrive during the famine. Jacob’s (or Israel's) family was known in Egypt as Hebrews or Israelites.<br>
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After many years passed Joseph and all his brothers and their immediate family all died. Likewise the Pharaoh who allowed the Hebrews to stay as guests died and a new leader rose up who had no loyalty to Joseph or what he had done for Egypt. During this time the Hebrew people were very fruitful. They had grown from a small tribe of 70 people to a large nation within a nation of several thousand. The new Pharaoh was afraid of the Hebrews. He was afraid they would take over the country or that they would side with one of Egypt’s enemies. He became so concerned that he began to have them oppressed. They were treated as slave laborers and were subjected to very harsh treatment.<br>
The Egyptians used the Hebrews to build their cities and they did so at the threat of a spear or a whip. Despite the harsh treatment the Hebrews continued to be fruitful and continued to grow stronger as a people. This fact frustrated the Pharaoh who eventually got to the point of ordering that all Hebrew boys who were born were to be drowned in the Nile River; while only the females were allowed to live.<br>
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It is here we pick up Moses’ story. His mother had cared for him as a new born but could no longer hide him. She took her baby to the river and placed him in a wicker basket and sent him for a ride. Some scholars think she was hoping a nice Egyptian woman would find him and care for him; others believe she planned out exactly what would happen next. Moses’ older sister apparently kept watch of her baby brother as he floated along in his basket. Timing here is critical because he was actually discovered by Pharaoh’s daughter. When Pharaoh's daughter discovered the cute little baby in the basket she immediately recognized that he was a Hebrew baby and that she would need help taking care of him. Moses’ sister immediately volunteered to go find a Hebrew woman to tend to the baby and of course brought back the baby’s own mother. <br>
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If she planned the entire thing; she was very prescient. She had not only saved her son’s life; she had set him up for a solid future living in Pharaoh’s palace, and she got to take care of him. We don’t know a lot about Moses’ childhood; we do know he was formally adopted by Pharaoh’s daughter and was raised just short of being royalty. We also know that he was raised knowing he was a Hebrew. He must have been torn seeing the family he lived with treating his blood relatives so poorly.<br>
As he got older Moses would go around exploring the kingdom, most likely preparing for his eventual role as a ruler. It was while he was on one of these journey’s when and event happened that changed his life. Moses bore witness to an Egyptian brutally beating one of the Hebrews and he rushed in to save the day. In trying to save the Israelite, he killed the Egyptian and then buried him in the sand.<br>
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It’s easy to understand Moses’ anger. He is trying to stand up for someone who he sees is clearly being wronged; unfortunately, good intentions don’t excuse bad actions. Moses killing the Egyptian did not endear him to the Hebrew people in fact it caused them to resent him more. His actions could have led Pharaoh to believe the Israelites could be riled up and rebel. This could have caused conditions to get even worse as he tightened his grip. Another effect of killing the Egyptian is it put Moses on Pharaoh’s radar as an enemy. He had to flee from Egypt to stay alive.<br>
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Born an Israelite and raised an Egyptian, Moses now found himself a stranger in a strange land as he settled in nearby Midian. He got along well with the Midianite priest, Jethro. Moses married Jethro’s daughter and went to work for him as a shepherd. It seems as if Moses eventually put the past in Egypt behind him and settled into a nice comfortable life. <br>
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Moses stayed in Midian for many years. He had children and put together a nice comfortable life. Meanwhile in Egypt, Pharaoh and all the people who would have wanted him dead has passed away. The conditions had gotten back for the Israelites and they began to cry out for God to save them from their servitude.<br>
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It must have been just like any other day for Moses, he was out in the fields tending Jethro’s flock, minding his own business when he saw a bush on fire in the distance. This probably wasn’t that unusual as they lived in the dessert and the climate would have been very dry; a lightning strike could easily have lit a bush on fire at any time. What must have captured Moses’ attention though is that this fire wasn’t consuming the bush. This made him curious enough that he had to go take a look.<br>
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<span style="color: blue;">3 Moses said, “What’s going on here? I can’t believe this! Amazing! Why doesn’t the bush burn up?”</span><br>
<span style="color: blue;"><br></span>
<span style="color: blue;">4 God saw that he had stopped to look. God called to him from out of the bush, “Moses! Moses!”</span><br>
<span style="color: blue;">He replied, “Yes? I’m right here!”</span><br>
<span style="color: blue;"><br></span>
<span style="color: blue;">5 God said, “Don’t come any closer. Remove your sandals from your feet. You’re standing on holy ground.”</span><br>
<span style="color: blue;"><br></span>
<span style="color: blue;">6 Then he said, “I am the God of your father: The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, the God of Jacob.”</span><br>
<span style="color: blue;">Moses hid his face, afraid to look at God. Exodus 3:3-6- The Message</span><br>
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So, he ran to go check out this cool fire that wasn’t consuming the bush and then it started talking to him. I think I would do more than hide my face; I tend to think I would have run away, or at least needed a new tunic. Moses hid his face out of awe from encountering God; but I also think he hid his face knowing he was unworthy. God wasn’t concerned about Moses’ sinful past or about how comfortable his life was; instead it was time to give him a huge job.<br>
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<span style="color: blue;">7-8 God said, “I’ve taken a good, long look at the affliction of my people in Egypt. I’ve heard their cries for deliverance from their slave masters; I know all about their pain. And now I have come down to help them, pry them loose from the grip of Egypt, get them out of that country and bring them to a good land with wide-open spaces, a land lush with milk and honey, the land of the Canaanite, the Hittite, the Amorite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite.</span><br>
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<span style="color: blue;">9-10 “The Israelite cry for help has come to me, and I’ve seen for myself how cruelly they’re being treated by the Egyptians. It’s time for you to go back: I’m sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people, the People of Israel, out of Egypt.” Exodus 3:7-10- The Message</span><br>
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Whoa! That’s pretty heavy! God is wanting to uproot Moses from his comfortable life and send him back to the one place he doesn’t want to go. I can imagine Moses’ mind must have been racing. Does God know that he doesn’t really fit in Egypt not with the Egyptians or the Hebrews? Does he know about the guy Moses has killed? Surely God must be confused. Surely there was someone more qualified?<br>
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<span style="color: blue;">Moses answered God, “But why me? What makes you think that I could ever go to Pharaoh and lead the children of Israel out of Egypt?” Exodus 3:11- The Message</span><br>
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It was really a good question. Moses understood how unqualified he was, and he didn’t see any reason why Pharaoh would listen to him or why his Israelite people would follow him. He didn’t see himself as a leader. He was content to just work as a shepherd for his father-in-law. God was patient and reassuring and gave Moses an excellent reason why he would be successful..<br>
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<span style="color: blue;">“I’ll be with you,” God said. “And this will be the proof that I am the one who sent you: When you have brought my people out of Egypt, you will worship God right here at this very mountain.” Exodus 3:12- The Message</span><br>
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Moses continued to struggle with God’s calling. He didn’t want to believe he was worthy. He was overwhelmed by the challenge that awaited him, he wasn’t sure anyone would believe him or follow him. DO any of these concerns sound like doubts and struggles we deal with today? Moses confronted with God’s presence continued to resist his calling, he continued to try to find reasons God couldn’t use him.<br>
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<span style="color: blue;">But Moses protested again, “What if they won’t believe me or listen to me? What if they say, ‘The Lord never appeared to you’?” Exodus 4:1- New Living Translation</span><br>
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With each protest God would give Moses comfort, He would reassure him. He would give him a sign. No matter how many times God told Moses He had him covered, Moses still looked for a way out. Moses even went far enough to suggest to God that his own limitations were too much for God to overcome. As if he questioned God's ability. <br>
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<span style="color: blue;">10"Please, Lord, I am not a talented speaker. I have never been good with words. I wasn’t when I was younger and I haven’t gotten any better since You revealed Yourself to me. I stutter and stammer. My words get all twisted." Exodus 4:10- The Voice</span><br>
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God again reassured him.<br>
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<span style="color: blue;">11-12 God said, “And who do you think made the human mouth? And who makes some mute, some deaf, some sighted, some blind? Isn’t it I, God? So, get going. I’ll be right there with you—with your mouth! I’ll be right there to teach you what to say.” Exodus 4: 11-12 The Message</span><br>
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Over and over Moses has tried to talk God out of this calling. He has pointed out every weakness he has, he has tried to hide behind his fear. He has tried to reason with God. “Surely you can find someone else that would be better equipped, right God? I mean C’mon you are God, you remember I killed that guy, and I stutter. C’mon God, surely someone better than me is available?”<br>
Moses Finally reached the point where he was begging.<br>
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<span style="color: blue;"> He said, “Oh, Master, please! Send somebody else!” Exodus 4:13 The Message. </span><br>
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God didn’t send someone else. God had a specific calling in mind for Moses; just like he does for each of us. We can try to negotiate with him, we can try to bargain and even beg. We can look at all of our weaknesses and think we aren’t a suitable vessel. God has put a calling on us and wants to use us. He wants us to know we are not capable of doing the mighty things he is calling us to without him He wants us to know, he is with us the entire time.<br>
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Moses is lionized as a great hero of our faith; but he resisted God’s calling just like we do,<br>
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“Master, please have someone else serve as a greeter”<br>
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“Master, Please have someone else go on this mission trip”<br>
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“Lord, Please let someone help feed the hungry”<br>
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“Lord, I won’t know what to say, Please have someone else pray for that hurting person”<br>
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He is with us! He will be glorified through us. We can’t hide in our comfort or in our fears; He can redeem our past and gain glory from our failures. He will give us strength to overcome our weaknesses.<br>
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Next week we will look at what happens when your calling runs into resistance.</div>
Broken Vesselshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05408090466248946652noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8516864117356534479.post-84167943956457384702016-07-27T06:17:00.001-05:002016-07-27T06:17:04.491-05:005110 Days<br />
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I will have the normal weekly post up tomorrow. we are moving ahead a few hundred years and talking about Moses. However, today marks 5110 days since the happiest day of my life and I want to talk just a little bit about my favorite love story.<br />
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It was sometime in May of 2001; I worked closing shift for a local TV station and often didn’t get home until 2:00am or later. I was never usually able to fall right to sleep, so I would stay up and kill time on the Internet until my eyes were glazed over. There was no Facebook or Twitter, so I would usually play online games or search aimlessly. One particular evening, as I was killing time on the Internet, I discovered some local online personal ads and I was really getting a kick out of them. Some were very cheesy; some were clearly designed to be seductive, while a few I actually found to be intriguing. I decided I would respond to some of the more intriguing ads; c’mon what’s the worst that could happen…<br />
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Alas, Yahoo did not allow you to respond to any ads unless you had posted one yourself. So, that’s what I did. I spent the next few minutes trying to put together a clever but not super cheesy online personal ad, once it was finally done, I was tired and I went to bed. Several days passed and I gave no more thought to the ad I had placed that night, nor did I ever contact any of the other people who had posted ads. Finally one night I was up late again, and I remembered the personal ads. I laughed and thought let me go see if I can find someone I want to respond to. To my surprise, someone had actually responded to my ad.<br />
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There was only one response and it was not super cheesy, nor did it seem provocative. I could almost read the nervousness in the response as I read it. The words were kind, and funny, but they were laced with a lack of confidence. She claimed she had responded because of a bet with her roommate but that I seemed nice. We wound up sending messages back and forth for a couple of weeks, sometimes multiple times per day. I began checking my Yahoo account almost constantly. I couldn’t wait for the next sweet, funny email from this young lady that I had not yet met. We got to know each other pretty well. We discussed our hopes, dreams and our lives up to that point. The more I learned, the more I wanted to know.<br />
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Finally, after about a month, we exchanged phone numbers. I was a little nervous the first time she called me. I wasn’t sure if I would hear some high-pitched shrill birdcall or some deep voiced man who had been tricking me this entire time. To my pleasant surprise, the voice I heard on the other end was sweet and soft and music to my ears. The first time I heard her laugh my heart skipped. I think we spent half of our days on the phone with each other. When we weren’t talking, I was looking forward to the next time that we would.<br />
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After about a month of talking on the phone, we finally agreed to meet. I am sure she was just as nervous as I was, if not more so. I had never met anyone like this before. What if she is grotesque? Seriously, I think I had already fallen for her before I ever saw her, but what if it had all been a ruse.<br />
She lived on the coast. I lived in Hattiesburg. We were about 1.5 hours away from each other. We made a plan to meet on the coast for our first date. Our story isn’t typical… It was the day before we were supposed to meet and I found myself with a day off. We were talking on the phone, as usual, when I jokingly made an offer to move our date up by a day.<br />
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“So, I know we are supposed to meet tomorrow night, but you should go ahead and come up here tonight. I am off work, Senor Frogs has quarter drinks all night and I have $2.00 with your name on it”<br />
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Yes, it was super cheesy! No, I didn’t think she would actually go for it. Somehow, I must have been a good salesman, because she said yes! I was so nervous the rest of the afternoon. I was hoping she was half as cute as I had imagined her being and I was hoping she wouldn’t see me and be repulsed. There was also this weird nagging fear in the back of my mind that she could actually be a psycho killer.<br />
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We agreed to meet at a restaurant. I made a loop around hoping to catch a glimpse of her before we actually met. To my surprise, she was not as cute as I was hoping; she was in fact breathtakingly beautiful! She had these beautiful kind eyes and the most wonderful smile I had ever seen.<br />
It was July when we met. The next few months were a whirlwind. We went to museums, theatres, and football games. We got to know each other’s families and friends. We even donated blood together after the 9-11 terrorist attacks. I remember our first movie, our first song and always our first kiss. It didn’t take me long to know I was in love!<br />
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A few months later, it was November of 2001 and I had come to realize that I absolutely had to spend the rest of my life with this incredible woman. She made me laugh, she made me smile, she made me want to be a better person. While I worked at the TV station, I worked behind the scenes. I sat in a dark room and pushed buttons to make sure the right thing was on TV when it was supposed to be. I decided that if I wanted this amazing woman to spend the rest of her life with me, I needed to be bold!<br />
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I approached the sports director and I asked him for a favor. I visited a local jeweler and placed a custom order. I called her mother, told her my plan, and I asked for her blessing. On a Saturday night, during a local football show called Sports Journal, the sports director allowed me to sit in front of the camera like a deer in headlights. I had written a very romantic statement, but I couldn’t remember any of it. All I know is I asked her to marry me. Somehow I must have been a good salesman, because she said yes! She said YES!<br />
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In January of 2002, I found another job; I moved to Yazoo County and worked in Jackson. She stayed behind in Hattiesburg, but we made plans to see each other often. We began planning our wedding. I even introduced her to all the crazies in my family. The next six months were pretty tough for me. I wanted to see her every day. I wanted to hold her every day. We would talk every day, but I missed her like crazy! Finally, in May, school was out and she began to spend more time close to me. I cherished every moment.<br />
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It was July when we got all of our family together for the first time. We wanted them to all know each other and know they would be spending the next 100 years as part of our ridiculous love story. We had planned a big wedding, but we changed our minds. Arkansas had no waiting period and it wasn’t that far away. After a little bit of an Internet search, we found the quaintest little wedding chapel in the mountains and it was only 20 Minutes from Branson Missouri, so we decided to forego all the hoopla, took off one weekend, and got married.<br />
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It was July 27, 2002. We drove all the way to Harrison, Arkansas and got checked in to the “Honeymoon Suite” of the Holiday Inn Express. We then had to drive several miles out of town to get our premarital counseling from the preacher that was to perform the ceremony. He agreed that we were ok to get married and he sent us about 20 miles into the mountain to have the county clerk sign our marriage license. When we arrived back at the little chapel, the minister asked us what color we wanted and if we had a song preference. He provided both. He then slipped a robe on over his Hawaiian shirt and we were getting married. The ceremony was sweet and unique, but it was certainly not anything extraordinary. In all honesty, it didn’t matter. I didn’t care about the flowers, or the mountains, or the colors, or the song, or what the preacher was wearing; all I cared about was that I was marrying and getting to spend the rest of my life with the most wonderful person I had ever met. My wife was the only person that I had ever met that made me smile every time I thought of her; and I couldn’t stop thinking about her.<br />
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Our wedding dinner was pizza from a gas station and Dr. Pepper. We spent our honeymoon as the youngest people in Branson. I could not imagine ever loving anyone more than I loved her at that moment!<br />
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Over the next few years, we had our first child – a sweet girl with a big heart. We moved from Mississippi to Lubbock, Texas, then from there to Little Rock, Arkansas. Every morning I woke up and I thanked God he was so generous to bless me with such a wonderful woman. Even on days when the world wasn’t right, I still felt that I was more blessed than I deserved. Through a confluence of events, I did one of the craziest things I have ever done; I quit a very good job. Hurricane Katrina had just happened and my wife needed to be in Mississippi helping her family recover, while I stayed behind to work. At work, I was in a tiny little office that I shared with a boss I couldn’t stand. Miserable at work, lonely at home, I quit my job with no plan in mind other than, we are going to move to Mississippi; it’s where my wife wanted to be.<br />
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I packed 3 suits into a rental car and spent 3 weeks plastering south Mississippi with resumes; however, so soon after Katrina there just were not a lot of jobs available. I took a job selling phone and internet service and decided we would make the most of it. Nine moths later, since I wasn’t making any sales, the company decided to let me go. I was 32 years old, I had an MA degree, and I took a job stocking groceries at Winn Dixie. You would think I would have gotten down on the situation, but my wife’s sweet smiling face kept me going. Every time I would get down, she would support me and lift me up. She was the primary breadwinner for a few months and she never openly complained at least not to me. I was getting to know not just her sweet kindness but also her strong resolution.<br />
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During this same time, my mom passed away. I tried to stay strong. I had to be strong for my brothers, my grandmother, and for my daughter. I couldn’t have been as strong as I needed to be without my wife holding me up.<br />
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Doctors told us to be grateful that we had one child; we would never have another. In August of 2009 they were proved very wrong. The sweetest most spirited little girl you ever met arrived on the scene. She struggled at first and spent 8 excruciatingly long days in the NICU. It was a very hard week. We paced, we cried, then finally we rejoiced!<br />
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After the new baby was born, we decided it made more financial sense for my wife to stay home to take care of our 2 precious little girls. We also made the decision that she would homeschool the girls. On top of all of her other amazing traits, my wife is a leader. Seeing a need in the homeschool community, she started a Christian based home school support group that is still thriving nearly 6 years later.<br />
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Being a one-income family meant we had to make some sacrifices, but my sweet, smart, funny, resolute wife was also resourceful. She became an expert couponer and even began showing others how to save hundreds and thousands of dollars using coupons. She was even featured on the local news!<br />
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When I got a promotion and we no longer had to be as dependent on coupons, she discovered another way she could help provide income for the family while still being able to stay home with the girls.<br />
She started out baking cakes for family and friends and has turned into one of the most requested bakers in the area. She is extremely talented!<br />
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It’s been 15 years since I met her. It’s been 14 years since she officially became my wife. The night we got married, I thought there is no way I can ever love anyone more than I love this woman right now, but I was wrong. Reagan Collum, you are the most wonderful person I have ever met. I still call home, just to hear your sweet voice, I still crack stupid jokes just to hear your amazing laugh, my heart still skips a beat every time I see you, I still love to look into those big brown eyes, and I still thank God every day that I get to wake up next to you. I love you more today than I did 14 years ago and I am quite sure that I will love you more tomorrow.<br />
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I sometimes forget to let you know I much I admire you, how special you are, and thank you for being so amazing, but you truly are a great wife, an awesome mom, and your love and support means the world to me. You are kind, caring, smart, strong, resolute, resourceful and quite simply amazing!<br />
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I loved you before I ever saw you, I love you even more now! I will love you with all my heart for the rest of my life!<br />
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Thank you for 5110 Incredible Days! Here's to at least 20,000 more!<br />
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<br />Broken Vesselshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05408090466248946652noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8516864117356534479.post-25729500679128512002016-07-20T21:50:00.000-05:002016-07-20T21:53:16.350-05:00Life's Roller CoasterI am going to be a little off topic this week. We have pretty much put a bow on the the Heroes from the book of Genesis and next week we will start looking at how God turned a stuttering murderer with a recurring anger issue into one of the biggest heroes in the Christian faith. This week I want to briefly recount a story from this last weekend.<br />
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Last Friday I left work about an hour early and we got on the road for a special 6 hour trip to Georgia to take the kids for their first visit to Six Flags. It was my first visit in about 25 years. I was looking forward to the trip like a little kid. I had some great times at Six Flags when I was a teenager and I was hoping to pass along some of that same fun to my little ones. It was a weird feeling walking through Six Flags as they had completely revamped most of the park since my teenage days, but still had some of my favorite rides. We all had a blast but I came to realize something about myself. Age has changed the way I experience things.<br />
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I will not recap every ride and every event for the entire day; but I do want to share my particular experience. I take so much joy from watching my kids experiencing the thrills and fun that I couldn’t stop smiling on the inside. I love the unbridled joy they experience everything with. Watching their faces as they came off of the thrill rides really made my day. I love seeing them embracing their fun<br />
Other than my sense of nostalgia and the joy of watching the kids; the other takeaway for me was the change in my own experiences on some of the rides. I loved roller coasters as a teenager. My all-time favorite ride was the Mind Bender. I loved the speed and the adrenaline. When we would arrive at Six Flags we would sprint to the biggest baddest rides and ride them as many times as possible. I remember the thrill of jumping off of the rides with my heart racing cheering for more. I was sure it would feel the same this weekend as it did back then. Not so much!<br />
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<a href="https://encrypted-tbn1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcT-Q8lkd780q8_9nYFxAuQwkUMAmIJYMTWUtrYM-_hB197NqQMG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="Image result for mind bender six flags" border="0" height="239" src="https://encrypted-tbn1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcT-Q8lkd780q8_9nYFxAuQwkUMAmIJYMTWUtrYM-_hB197NqQMG" width="320" /></a><br />
We did run straight for the roller coasters and as we got on the first one I was surprised at my internal dialogue. I climbed into the car and I found myself checking the seat belt not once or even twice; but several times. As the coaster began it’s slow ascent up the first hill I wasn’t pumping my fist shouting yes! Yes! Yes!. In fact, I noticed myself actually with a pretty tight grip on the handle bar in front of me. I wasn’t cheering for the ride to start; I was trying to determine how long the ride might last. As we crested the first hill I actually felt a sense of dread. Once the hills and tight turns began; I enjoyed the ride, but not like I did back then.<br />
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The somewhat sad thing is; after we got off the coaster, I was no longer looking forward to all the other coasters. I was not in a big hurry to jump right back in line. There was no overwhelming thrill of adrenaline coursing through my veins. All I was feeling was relief that I made it off the coaster alive, unharmed, and without embarrassing myself. Throughout the day on coaster after coaster I experienced the same thing. Dread as the ride started and relief as the ride ended. I enjoyed every ride; but I wasn’t getting the thrill I was expecting.<br />
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Finally, it was time for the favorite of my youth. It was 8:30 at night and my brother and I had just sprinted across the park to make sure we didn’t miss the opportunity to ride The Mind Bender. This was going to be different, this was going to help me rediscover the thrill I had been looking for all day. We got there and got right to the front of the line. We got in our car and to my dismay I didn’t feel excited; I felt anxious. I checked the safety bar multiple times. I stared at the 2 loops and helix that waited for me and I felt this stupid sense of dread. We began our initial slow ascent and I was having to give myself a pep talk. When we were just about to the top of the hill I told myself “This is your ride; stop being stupid and embrace it”<br />
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Then it happened! We dropped from the height and started toward the first loops and I screamed "Woo hoo!” As we were turning upside down I started laughing and screaming “Yeaaahhhhh!” The coaster finally screeched to a halt; my heart was racing I was finally feeling the exuberance I had been searching for. We found ourselves as grownups, sprinting across the park like kids on our way to the next ride. I had spent the entire day giving in to fear and dread and I had not truly embraced the thrill of the ride.<br />
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It didn’t hit me right then, but as I thought more about it, I realized we do this too often in our lives. We get to be adults and we see every problem and we think about every negative outcome. Too many times we white knuckle the safety bar and pray for the ride to just end safely. When life throws us for a sharp turn or turns us upside down we can either close our eyes and put a death grip on the safety bar, or we can put our hands in the air and enjoy the ride.<br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-size: large;">For God gave us not a spirit of fearfulness; but of power and love and discipline. 2 Timothy 2:7</span></div>
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I realized that if we are going to make a difference in our world. If God is going to use us to our maximum potential, we have to put away the dread and know that God is in full control of the roller coaster ride of our life. A great roller coaster has to be engineered, designed and built by experts. Every twist, every turn, and every loop have to planned and precise. We may feel like we are in the middle of chaos; but in fact we are always on a precise track.<br />
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God has not given us a spirit of fear and The Bible cautions not to give in to anxiousness Let’s trust that God has the entire ride planned to perfection, raise our hands up, and enjoy the ride.<br />
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Broken Vesselshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05408090466248946652noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8516864117356534479.post-76967122501763036092016-07-13T22:38:00.000-05:002016-07-13T22:46:18.366-05:00God's Plan is Bigger Than Joseph's<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 10pt;">
<span style="background-color: #fce5cd; color: #222222; font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">Over the last couple of weeks, the blog has taken a different
turn as it has focused more on my own brokenness and problems I have been
dealing with and less on our character studies of our Biblical heroes. I thank
everyone who may be reading for bearing with me. My grandmother’s health is
currently stable but we have a long arduous road ahead.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #fce5cd; color: #222222; font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">Getting back to form; let’s shift our focus back to studying
Joseph. Some of what follows will be a review from a couple of weeks ago.
While Joseph’s story is remarkable, many of his struggles are the same things
we deal with today.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #fce5cd; color: #222222; font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">Ever been at your lowest point, not real sure how to deal with
your problems and some well-meaning Christian reminds you that it’s all part of
God’s plan? Those words can bite. Why is it God’s plan for me to suffer? Why is
God’s plan so painful? There is simply no way to see God’s plan in your current
circumstances.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #fce5cd; color: #222222; font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">A few weeks ago as we looked at Joseph’s afflictions we were
able to see God’s hand of provision there for him the entire time even when he
probably felt like he was all alone. As Joseph went from favorite son, to
slave, to prisoner it was probably very difficult to even think that what was
going on was all part of God’s plan. God’s plan was bigger than Joseph
and his current situation. Around 200 years before Joseph was born, God had
already told his great grandpa what was going to happen.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #fce5cd;"><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">“And God said to Abram, “Know for
certain that your descendants will be strangers in a land that is not theirs,
where they will be enslaved and oppressed four hundred years. But I will also
judge the nation whom they will serve; and afterward they will come out with
many possessions” Genesis 15:13-14.</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #fce5cd; color: #222222; font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">God’s larger plan was probably the furthest thing from Joseph’s
mind while he was in prison. He was sitting in prison for a crime
he didn’t commit. It had been 13 years since his brothers had sold him into
slavery; I am sure the last thing he wanted to hear at the time was that it was
“all part of God’s plan.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #fce5cd; color: #222222; font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">Two years prior Pharaoh had thrown 2 of his officials; a
cupbearer and a baker into the prison Joseph was in. I imagine Pharaoh
had a bad meal and became sick. He had to blame either his cupbearer who had
allowed him to drink poison or the baker who had cooked him a bad
meal. Neither of the officials slept well that night and both had
disturbing dreams. Joseph was able to help them both understand their dreams.
Joseph predicted that the baker would be put to death and the cupbearer would
return to his job. Again, using my imagination I can picture Pharaoh
dealing with his food poisoning for a day or so than launching an investigation
to figure out which one of his servant had tried to kill him. I would
love to see a special CSI: Ancient Egypt to see exactly what processes he used
to finally determine the baker was guilty. Whatever the process, Joseph had
interpreted the dream correctly, the baker was dead and the cupbearer was back
on the job tasting pharaoh’s drinks. Joseph did ask one favor in return
from the cupbearer:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #fce5cd;"><sup><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">14 </span></sup><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">But when all goes
well with you, remember me and show me kindness; mention me to Pharaoh and get
me out of this prison. <sup>15 </sup>I was forcibly carried off from
the land of the Hebrews, and even here I have done nothing to deserve being put
in a dungeon.’ Genesis 40:14-15</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #fce5cd; color: #222222; font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">Despite Joseph being completely right about his fate, the
cupbearer forgot about Joseph. He left him them to languish for 2 more
years. Finally, one night Pharaoh had 2 dreams that disturbed him
greatly. He called for all of his magicians to help him interpret the dreams.
Keep in mind we aren’t talking about Chris Angel type magicians; these were
highly intelligent people who were trained in magic arts of the day but also
were trained in dream interpretation. They likely had interpreted many dreams
for Pharaoh. They were completely stumped this time though.
It was then, after watching all the wise men fail and watching Pharaoh grow
more and more uneasy that the cupbearer finally remembered Joseph. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #fce5cd; color: #222222; font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">Now 30 years old with nearly half his life spent as a slave and
a prisoner Joseph was getting called before Pharaoh. I am sure I would
have wanted to take this opportunity to plead my case before the ruler of the
land. Let him know my circumstances. Or at least bargain with him; “Sure, I can
interpret your dream, but in exchange I want my freedom.” Joseph didn’t do
either of those things; in fact, he humbly interpreted the dreams, letting
Pharaoh know that Egypt and the entire region could expect seven years of great
prosperity followed by seven years of extreme famine. Joseph didn’t stop
just with the interpretation though; he also laid out a plan for Pharaoh.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #fce5cd;"><sup><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">33 </span></sup><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">‘And now let
Pharaoh look for a discerning and wise man and put him in charge of the land of
Egypt. <sup>34 </sup>Let Pharaoh appoint commissioners over the land
to take a fifth of the harvest of Egypt during the seven years of abundance. <sup>35 </sup>They
should collect all the food of these good years that are coming and store up
the grain under the authority of Pharaoh, to be kept in the cities for food. <sup>36 </sup>This
food should be held in reserve for the country, to be used during the seven
years of famine that will come upon Egypt, so that the country may not be
ruined by the famine.’ Genesis 41: 33-36</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #fce5cd; color: #222222; font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">The king liked the plan so much that he immediately implemented
it, and chose Joseph to be the “discerning and wise man” in charge.
Pharaoh gave Joseph an Egyptian name and an Egyptian bride. He clothed him in
the clothing of an Egyptian ruler and had him adorned with fine jewelry. Joseph
even rode around in Pharaoh’s chariots. He was kind of a big
deal. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #fce5cd; color: #222222; font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">The prosperous years were great! Joseph implemented his plan and
the Egyptians looked like serious doomsday preppers, they put away some serious
stores of food getting ready for the hard times that were to come. When
the hard times started Egypt was ready, but much of the neighboring region was
not. This leads us to Joseph finally being reunited with his brothers.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #fce5cd; color: #222222; font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12pt;"> The famine had gotten bad in Canaan; Jacob and his family
were feeling the effects. Word got around that there was grain to be bought in
Egypt and Jacob’s boys went to go buy some. They had left their youngest
brother Benjamin at home to take care of their now elderly father. There
were people there from all over the region each having to see the Viceroy (or
Governor) of the land to make their purchase. That Viceroy was Joseph.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #fce5cd; color: #222222; font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">This is where the story gets intriguing to me. Here stood ten of
Joseph’s brothers waiting in line to buy food from him, he recognized them
immediately. These are the same brothers who had sold him into slavery a few
years prior. Whether it was because of the 22 years that had passed that had
turned Joseph from a boy into a man, or whether it was the Egyptian garb he was
wearing the brothers did not recognize him. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #fce5cd; color: #222222; font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">I can only imagine Joseph’s thoughts. If it was me I would be
thinking; what a great opportunity to get back at these jerks. All
the years of suffering Joseph had endured: the slavery, the imprisonment, being
taken away from him home and his loved ones; now he was finally going to get
his chance at revenge. He was governor over all of Egypt and these jerks were
now in front of him wanting to buy food. He could trump up charges and have
them thrown in jail. He could have them put to death. Look at them,
they didn’t even recognize him. They had probably forgotten all about him. They
would remember him now.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #fce5cd; color: #222222; font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">When we feel like someone has wronged us and caused us pain it
is easy to consider revenge. It is easier still to consider celebrating when
bad things happen to them. We see from the next couple of chapters that
Joseph struggles with this just like we do. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #fce5cd; color: #222222; font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">Joseph did not speak directly to his brothers; he used an
interpreter. He did not want to reveal himself. He accused them of being spies
and put them in prison for three days. On the third day, he same to them with
an ultimatum.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #fce5cd;"><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">“I am a God-fearing man. If you do as
I say, you will live. <sup>19 </sup>If you really are honest men,
choose one of your brothers to remain in prison. The rest of you may go home
with grain for your starving families. <sup>20 </sup>But you must
bring your youngest brother back to me. This will prove that you are telling
the truth, and you will not die.” Genesis 42: 18-20</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #fce5cd; color: #222222; font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">The brothers decide to leave Simeon behind and take the grain
and supplies back home. Scholars debate Joseph’s intentions here. Some suggest
he is merely testing his brothers and means no harm to come to them.
While that may be the case, knowing their history, knowing what they already
did to him, what confidence can he possibly have that they will come back for
Simeon? There is little in their history to think that other nine love
Simeon enough to endanger Benjamin by bringing him back to the Viceroy. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #fce5cd; color: #222222; font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">I wonder how Simeon must have felt being left behind. Wondering
if he would rot in prison or be put to death; how much confidence could he
really have in his brothers?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #fce5cd; color: #222222; font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">When they returned home and told their dad about the trip to
Egypt and about having to leave Simeon behind, he was distraught. He was not in
favor of sending them back for more food, especially with Benjamin.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #fce5cd;"><sup><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">38 </span></sup><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">But Jacob replied,
“My son will not go down with you. His brother Joseph is dead, and he is all I
have left. If anything should happen to him on your journey, you would send
this grieving, white-haired man to his grave.<sup>[<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis%2042&version=NLT#fen-NLT-1291b" target="_blank" title="See footnote b"><span style="color: #002060;">b</span></a>]</sup>”
Genesis 42:38</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #fce5cd; color: #222222; font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">It wasn’t until the family was almost out of food that Jacob
would even listen to an impassioned plea by Judah to go back to Egypt, get more
food, oh yeah and rescue Simeon. When the brothers finally arrived back
in Egypt they were afraid. They didn’t know if they could trust the Viceroy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #fce5cd; color: #222222; font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">I wonder if Joseph was surprised to see his brothers come back.
I wonder if he was surprised their dad had let them bring Benjamin.
Joseph didn’t want to reveal himself, he wants to remain aloof; but seeing
his brothers come back and seeing the baby brother he had never met caused him
to really struggle with his emotions.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #fce5cd;"><sup><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">24 </span></sup><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">The manager then
led the men into Joseph’s palace. He gave them water to wash their feet and
provided food for their donkeys. <sup>25 </sup>They were told they
would be eating there, so they prepared their gifts for Joseph’s arrival at
noon.</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: #fce5cd;"><sup><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">26 </span></sup><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">When Joseph came
home, they gave him the gifts they had brought him, then bowed low to the
ground before him. <sup>27 </sup>After greeting them, he asked, “How
is your father, the old man you spoke about? Is he still alive?”</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: #fce5cd;"><sup><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">28 </span></sup><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">“Yes,” they
replied. “Our father, your servant, is alive and well.” And they bowed low
again.</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: #fce5cd;"><sup><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">29 </span></sup><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Then Joseph looked
at his brother Benjamin, the son of his own mother. “Is this your youngest
brother, the one you told me about?” Joseph asked. “May God be gracious to you,
my son.” <sup>30 </sup>Then Joseph hurried from the room because he
was overcome with emotion for his brother. He went into his private room, where
he broke down and wept. <sup>31 </sup>After washing his face, he came
back out, keeping himself under control. Then he ordered, “Bring out the food!”
Genesis 43: 24-31</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #fce5cd;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Joseph has now seen his little brother for the first time. He
has found out his father is still alive and he is setting to dine with all of
his brothers for the first time in 22 years. What a swirl of emotions he must
have had; but he couldn’t show any emotions at all. He couldn’t even sit and
eat with his family because Egyptians viewed Hebrews as lower class than
them. </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #fce5cd;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">To me, Joseph’s next move was a bit curious. As his brothers
were preparing to head back home with the food they had purchased; he had his
servants hide his silver cup in Benjamin’s travel bag. After giving the
brothers a head start he then sent his guards after them to arrest them for
stealing his silver cup. After bringing the brothers back before Joseph he
decreed that whoever stole the cup would have to stay with him as his slave.</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #fce5cd;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">I find this curious because I am not sure how Joseph thought
this would play out or what he hoped he would accomplish. Was he has still
harboring anger and resentment for his brothers and this was the set up for his
final payback. Was he hoping they would sulk off and leave Benjamin there with
him so he could get to know his brother? Did he think they would try to fight
him? Did he think this would shame them and they wouldn’t come back to Egypt?
Did he consider how this would affect his father? Did he think Holding Benjamin
as his slave would get his Dad to come to Egypt for a big suspenseful reunion?</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #fce5cd;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">I don’t understand his motives, but I can’t imagine he fathomed
what would happen next. Judah, the same brother that had sold him so many years
ago, the same brother who had so little regard for anyone else was now
passionately pleading for Benjamin’s life and safety over his own. His long
plea ended with Judah offering himself as a slave instead.</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #fce5cd;"><sup><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">33 </span></sup><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">“So please, my
lord, let me stay here as a slave instead of the boy, and let the boy return
with his brothers.<sup>34 </sup>For how can I return to my father if the
boy is not with me? I couldn’t bear to see the anguish this would cause my
father!” Genesis 44: 33-34</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #fce5cd;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #fce5cd; color: #222222; font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">This outpouring was more than Joseph could bear. If he had
a diabolical plan still in store for revenge on his jerk brothers watching
Judah’s heart break in front of him had put it to rest. Judah was revealing his
heart in a way Joseph couldn’t have imagined. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #fce5cd; color: #222222; font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">I think Joseph knew God had a bigger plan the entire time, I
believe in this moment he was finally sure of it. I believe that until this
moment Joseph had doubts. He doubted he would ever see his family again. He
doubted sometimes if God was there in his suffering. He questioned if God
really had a bigger plan for him. I imagine he questioned right up to that
moment what he would do to his brothers. I firmly believe that in that
moment Joseph’s doubts and questions ended. I believe he knew at that point
that everything prior to that had been to prepare him to keep his family
through the famine. In that moment, Joseph understood that everything
that had happened to him had all been ordained by God.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #fce5cd;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #fce5cd;"><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Joseph could stand it no longer.
There were many people in the room, and he said to his attendants, “Out, all of
you!” So he was alone with his brothers when he told them who he was. <sup>2 </sup>Then
he broke down and wept. He wept so loudly the Egyptians could hear him, and
word of it quickly carried to Pharaoh’s palace.</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #fce5cd;"><sup><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">3 </span></sup><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">“I am Joseph!” he
said to his brothers. “Is my father still alive?” But his brothers were
speechless! They were stunned to realize that Joseph was standing there in
front of them. <sup>4 </sup>“Please, come closer,” he said to them.
So they came closer. And he said again, “I am Joseph, your brother, whom you
sold into slavery in Egypt. <sup>5 </sup>But don’t be upset, and
don’t be angry with yourselves for selling me to this place. It was God who
sent me here ahead of you to preserve your lives. <sup>6 </sup>This
famine that has ravaged the land for two years will last five more years, and
there will be neither plowing nor harvesting. <sup>7 </sup>God has
sent me ahead of you to keep you and your families alive and to preserve many
survivors.<sup>[<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis%2045&version=NLT#fen-NLT-1366a" target="_blank" title="See footnote a"><span style="color: #002060;">a</span></a>]</sup> <sup>8 </sup>So
it was God who sent me here, not you! Genesis 45: 1-8</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #fce5cd; color: #222222; font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">The brothers would return to Canaan and bring their entire
family back to live in Egypt even their dad, Jacob. Because of Joseph’s
relationship with Pharaoh the family was given a prime spot to live and
flourish in Egypt. They were safe from the famine and free to grow into the
mighty nation God had promised they would be. God’s Plan was bigger than anyone
could see.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #fce5cd; color: #222222; font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">Joseph didn’t want to hear about God’s plan when he was a slave
or a prisoner. We don’t always want to hear about it when we are going through
our tough times. His plan is always bigger and greater than we can possibly
understand. Though Joseph finally grasped part of it, he still didn’t
understand that his family would become slaves in Egypt. He didn’t know they
would grow while serving in Egypt into a great nation. He didn’t know that one
day through his family lineage a Savior would come and change our lives these
thousands of years later. Like Joseph it isn’t easy for us to see God in
our current suffering, but it is important to know he is there and that he his
plans are so much bigger than we could ever imagine.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #fce5cd; color: #222222; font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">The other lesson we can learn from Joseph in this encounter is
about how to treat those who have wronged us. I have been wronged many times,
but I have never been sold into slavery. Joseph would have been totally
justified in the modern eye to just totally go all savage on his brothers. If
we were watching on TV we would even cheer for him as he trounced them.
We will never know where his plan was taking him; he may have trounced them and
reveled in their destruction. Fortunately, God had worked in Judah’s heart and
never allowed Joseph’s to grow hard. Instead of a great revenge story we get a
great redemption and restoration story It is important that we have our hearts
open to forgive our brothers and sisters too, no matter how difficult. No
matter what others try to do to us; God’s plan is bigger.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #fce5cd;"><sup><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">20 </span></sup><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">You intended to
harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the
saving of many lives. Genesis 50:20</span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
Broken Vesselshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05408090466248946652noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8516864117356534479.post-76017229819655040492016-07-06T09:22:00.001-05:002016-07-06T09:22:46.395-05:00Thoughts During a Hotel Breakfast <p dir="ltr">I am typing this on my phone from the hotel breakfast bar,  so please forgive me if it's not as well edited as usual.  My editor and theological advisor are both in cabins in the woods leading the children of our church at summer camp.  I am very excited to hear all about their experiences.  </p>
<p dir="ltr">I worked part of the day yesterday than drove the 200 miles to Yazoo County to see my grandmother. I know for a fact I could not be an over the road truck driver,  I get bored and like to constantly have something to eat and drink at hand.  Anyway,  the trip was mostly uneventful,  which is always good. </p>
<p dir="ltr">When I got here my grandmother had been given some medicine to help her sleep.  Because I know she has a rough day ahead today I wanted to make sure she got some rest,  so I drove a mile up the road and checked into a hotel.  She is scheduled to have a heart cath this morning and I have to drive her from here to Jackson.  I am not sure how long she will be there or how she will react to the procedure,  but she is scared.  She has talked about her funeral more than once.  Please keep her in your prayers. </p>
<p dir="ltr">I still have not finished the next scheduled blog about Joseph.  I have just had too much else on my mind.  I do have another thought on my heart.  I want to share some thoughts on one of my favorite broken vessels. </p>
<p dir="ltr">I have focused a lot in this blog on God using those of us who are broken,  those of us who are flawed.  I talk a lot about redemption and a lot about grace.  </p>
<p dir="ltr">While grace is all powerful we can not see it as a free pass. Throughout the Gospel when Jesus would encounter sin he would forgive it; however he would also charge the sinner to "sin no more"</p>
<p dir="ltr">Our sins have consequences; they can hurt others and mostly they separate us from God. His forgiveness is always available to us, there is however a restorative process we go through. </p>
<p dir="ltr">Peter was a fisherman when Jesus called him to follow Him. Peter spent  the next several years by Jesus's side. He heard every lesson Jesus ever taught. He saw every miracle Jesus ever performed. He even walked on water with Jesus. </p>
<p dir="ltr">One of the reasons why Peter is one of my favorites is because despite how closely he was with Jesus he still never failed to show his human flaws. Moment after he's walking on water we see him fall under because he has a brief moment of doubt.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Even though he spent three years by Jesus's side the night they took Jesus to be tried and later crucified Peter denied knowing him. Peter didn't just deny him once he denied him three times and even cursed at the little girl asking him the question.</p>
<p dir="ltr">A lot of you already know Peter's failing did not disqualify him from future service. He went on to lead the early church gave an amazing message the first day of Pentecost that led thousands of people to follow Christ. However, Peter did not rise to become a church leader until after he had been forgiven in restored. </p>
<p dir="ltr">In John chapter 21 we see Peter and his crew had been out fishing when he a resurrected Jesus on the bank. When Peter finally and counters Jesus Jesus asks him three separate times "Peter do you love me"</p>
<p dir="ltr">Why did he ask him three times? Was it once for every time Peter had )my b n him?</p>
<p dir="ltr">My contention is this encounter these three questions were all part of Peters restoration. Peter had to come back under Jesus's Authority he had to acknowledge Him He had to confess his sins and he had to be restored if he was going to be a leader for Christ.</p>
<p dir="ltr">The amazing thing is Jesus's grace and Peter's  restoration was complete and completely free. The entire price had already been paid.  Christ's forgiveness is always there and easy to obtain. </p>
<p dir="ltr">The restoration can take a little longer,  it can be a process but it is a necessary encounter. We have to put Jesus back in authority of our lives and he will draw us ball to him. </p>
<p dir="ltr">Got to refill this tiny cup of hotel cofee and go do this medical transport.. maybe next week we will talk Joseph.</p>
Broken Vesselshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05408090466248946652noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8516864117356534479.post-70091596879017301712016-06-29T20:40:00.000-05:002016-06-29T20:40:15.517-05:00Unable to FocusIf you are a regular reader you know for the last several weeks I have tried to have a a regular blog post up early each Wednesday. This week I was not able to get that done. My intentions this week were to further discuss Joseph. I have written about a page and a half about his circumstances and was transitioning into explaining his reunion with his family and how he seemed to have to fight the urge to seek revenge. I was hoping to also going to point out how Joseph’s situation led directly to the fulfillment of one of God’s promises to Abraham a couple of hundred years earlier.<br />
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The problem is I am having a very difficult time focusing on the typical character study like we do each week. I have a lot of things pressing on my mind and my emotions that are really breaking my focus. I mentioned last week that I had a pretty tough early childhood. This is not a subject I broach often. It’s not that I am embarrassed by it; I just have never wanted it to define me. So, it’s kind of a big deal for me to mention it again in this space.<br />
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When I was born my mom was only 17 years old. She was thrust into a position of trying to raise a kid, when she was still a kid. Her parents were over the road truck drivers and weren’t around a lot, so she was forced to try to be responsible not just for herself, but also for me. As you may already know, 17 year olds aren’t known for making the best decisions and my mom was no exception. From as long as I remember she had always battled addictions to alcohol and to narcotics. She also was diagnosed as manic depressive and battled that as well. She tried to do right in raising me and 2 of my brothers, but she never could seem to get out of her own way.<br />
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As a kid, it seemed whenever mom would fall my grandmother was there to pick up the pieces and try to make things whole. My grandmother has her own issues, but as a kid I couldn’t see those. I put her on a pedestal because she presented this image of stability to me that my mom never presented. She didn’t seem to struggle with addictions nor did she seem to struggle for money. I Could eat as much as I wanted at Grandma’s house because she always had plenty. Looking back now I know some of my perceptions were faulty, but that’s the way I saw things as a kid. In my eyes my grandmother was a somehow a beacon of strength when everything was chaos.<br />
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It’s been 10 years ago that my mom passed away. While we weren’t as close in the end as I wish we were, it still was a hard blow to take and it still hurts sometimes now when I think of her. I still miss the good times and I admire that she always tried her best to overcome her demons. I wish she would have succeeded and my daughters could have gotten to know her. When she was clean and sober she was a remarkable woman she was smart, pretty, and very talented.<br />
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Over the last few years I have began to see my grandmother’s health deteriorate. I have seen her once sharp mind now fail her. I have begun to notice her telling me the same things repeatedly. I also began to notice her stories were seeming to get more confused and the details were a little different each time. It sometimes seemed like she was more ornery and cranky than she had been before. It was hard for me to accept that she wasn’t just getting older but that her mental health was starting to fail her.<br />
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Last fall I found out she had fallen victim to a sweepstakes scam that cost her and her thousands of dollars. Relunctantly I began to see more evidence that both mentally and physically she is simply unable to take care of herself. For months now My brothers and I have tried to convince her to move in with one of us or into an assisted living facility. For months she has found every reason to refuse.<br />
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She has been in a swing bed medical facility now for about 3 weeks. I have talked to her daily and I have talked to her nurses almost every other day. Her descriptions of what is going on have gotten more and more confusing. Finally this morning I got a call from her case manager at the facility telling me she isn’t showing the improvement that she needs to show to stay in the swing bed facility. She also confirmed what I already knew; that my grandmother can no longer take care of herself at home. What she needs is the level of care that can only be provided at a nursing home.<br />
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This is a tough pill to swallow. It’s going to be an even tougher pill to get this proud stubborn lady to swallow. I am dreading the next several weeks and months of trying to help her get everything in order and get moved into a place she doesn’t want to move in to. Emotionally I am already a wreck just thinking about what’s to come. I know a nursing home is the only alternative that allows her to get the level of care she needs, I also know that she views a nursing home as a place to send old people to die alone. She views going to a nursing home as giving up.<br />
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I know none of this is why any of you read this blog, but I just can’t get my mind or my heart to focus on Joseph’s story right now. The one thing I can take away from joseph is that no matter how bad things got as a slave or as a prisoner; he knew God was in control. That is a my biggest comfort to remember right now.<br />
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As we will continue to see once I pick Joseph’s story back up next week, God’s plan is bigger and his grace is all we can ever need.<br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-size: large;">Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Phil 4:6-7</span><br />
<br />Broken Vesselshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05408090466248946652noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8516864117356534479.post-4270594954637472582016-06-27T19:43:00.001-05:002016-06-27T21:26:27.185-05:00It's Not Too Much for God to Handle<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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There is an old saying: God won't put more on you than you can handle. I have come to believe that's not necessarily true. There is a lot of things that happen in our life that are probably too much for us to handle.<br>
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I think a better saying is that God won't put more on you than He can handle. As stress and circumstances mount up, it's important that we not wallow in stress and anxiety but instead that we take all of our needs and all our our desires to God.<br>
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It is through Prayer that he will bring us peace that eases our hearts and our minds.<br>
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Philippians 4:6-7 is one of my favorite passages in the Bible and it's one I needed to be reminded of tonight. I have about a million things on my mind and I just need to remember it's not my job to stress out and try to solve all my problems. It is my job to pray and seek God's will.<br>
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Just thought I would share because maybe some of you need the same reminder that i did.Broken Vesselshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05408090466248946652noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8516864117356534479.post-72545013466091077432016-06-21T22:27:00.000-05:002016-06-22T05:58:41.222-05:00Finding God's Glory: Slave, Prisoner, Dreamer, Ruler<div class="MsoNormal">
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Sometimes God’s glory is easy to see. Sometimes we are
sitting on top of the mountain watching the most breathtaking sunrise and the
entire world is going our way. More often than that, we find ourselves mired in
sin, suffering or other circumstances that make God’s glory seem miles
away. As we have progressed through our Biblical heroes we have seen a
lot of sin but we have also seen God’s amazing, redemptive power still uses
sinners for His glory. This week’s story, the focus isn’t about sin as
much as it is suffering and circumstance and how God’s grace and His glory are
still there even in the midst of it all.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">I have been asked to share my testimony before and I have
always said it wasn’t remarkable. I was about 7 years old when I walked down
the aisle of an old country Baptist church. I read John 3:16 and accepted Jesus
as my savior. So, if you fast forward 30 something years, I guess you
would expect everything from that point on to have been all smiles with nothing
but peace and prosperity. If that’s what you expect you would be wrong. My
testimony doesn’t necessarily speak to salvation as it does to God’s protection
and provision. My parents were probably too young to have kids when I was
born, both of them had addiction issues at the time and both would spend time
behind bars. I was passed around from grandparents to aunts and uncles,
returning to my mom’s care every time she would “get her life
together”. I didn’t really know my dad until I was older. I
remember having no food in the house at all. I distinctly remember the
beginning of the month when we would get our WIC basket with off brand cereal,
some fine yellow cheese, powdered milk, and that disgusting generic peanut
butter. I witnessed more domestic violence and substance abuse than any kid
should have to witness. I truly believe everyone involved in raising me
did the best they could at the time; however through no real sin of my own and
despite putting my trust in God at a young age I often times found it very hard
to see His glory. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">As I begin preparing for this week’s post looking at Joseph,
I started to wonder if, because of his circumstances, he too didn’t often find
it difficult to see God’s glory. In looking at Judah in a previous post I
talked a little bit about Joseph’s story, but nowhere near enough to do it
justice. In today’s post we are going to discuss some key events and how
God’s hand of providence was there even when Joseph felt like it was miles
away.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">As far as background, Joseph was Jacob’s 11<sup>th</sup> son
and his first son with Rachel, the woman he really loved. All of his other
children had been born to Rachel’s sister Leah or to one of his concubines.
Because of his love for Rachel, and because he had waited so long for Joseph,
Jacob preferred him to all of his brothers. Jacob’s
favoring of Joseph was not a secret; all of his brothers could see it. Even though he was the youngest, scholars
believe at the age of 17 he was already put in a position of authority over his
brothers. His dad had also made him a special coat that wasn’t just fancy to
look at but also was likely a symbol of the authority he had over his
brothers. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #0070c0; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">“Joseph,
a young man of seventeen, was tending the flocks with his brothers, the sons of
Bilhah and the sons of Zilpah, his father’s wives, and he brought their father
a bad report about them”. Genesis 37:2b<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">When the Bible mentioned that Jacob brought back a bad report
about his brothers some people immediately think this is referring to some type
of childish tattle telling. More likely
this is more of a supervisor reporting back to the “big boss” about workers who
were not behaving as they should be. Perhaps Jacob had put Joseph in the
authority role, but his older more experienced brothers didn’t respect him or
recognize his authority. In any case
between knowing their dad favored Joseph, being put under his authority, having
to look at his special coat their dad made for him, the animosity grew between
all the brothers to the point that they didn’t even speak to Joseph.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<sup><span style="color: #0070c0; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">3 </span></sup><span style="color: #0070c0; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Now
Israel loved Joseph more than any of his other sons, because he had been born
to him in his old age; and he made an ornate robe for him. <sup>4 </sup>When
his brothers saw that their father loved him more than any of them, they hated
him and could not speak a kind word to him. Genesis 37:3-4<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Joseph didn’t ask his dad to love him more, he didn’t ask his
brothers to hate him, but also didn’t help things either. I can see this 17
year old man-child relishing his role as favorite son. I can see him taking
advantage of the authority he was given. His biggest issue though may have been
he didn’t understand how much his brothers hated him. Joseph had a dream, in the dream it indicated
that he would reign over all of his brothers. Even after all the animosity was
already present, Joseph excitedly shared his dream with them. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #0070c0; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">His
brothers said to him, ‘Do you intend to reign over us? Will you actually rule
us?’ And they hated him all the more because of his dream and what he had said.
Genesis 37:8<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Perhaps Joseph was young and naive and thought his brothers
would be super excited about his dream, maybe he was an arrogant jerk who
wanted to rub their noses in it, or perhaps he just had no concept of how much
jealousy and resentment they had for him; either way, he shared not just the
one dream, but also a second dream that included his parents bowing down to him
as well. This dream was enough to not just get an angry response from his
brothers but also a rebuke from his dad as well. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">The next time the brothers took the livestock to graze, Jacob
sent Joseph to go check on them. As a kid I think I envisioned Joseph just kind
of bounding up full of teenage energy just kind of wanting to hang out. In
truth the brothers were close to 70 miles away from home and Joseph was most
likely being sent as a supervisor to check on them. He was to make sure they
were grazing the sheep the right way and that they weren’t misbehaving. As we
noted in some previous posts, based on some of their actions, they probably
needed someone to check on them; however they didn’t want it to be Joseph. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">As they saw him approaching all their hatred boiled over; I
am sure they thought “here comes daddy’s little boy in his fancy little jacket
to tell us how to do our jobs.” As we discussed in Judah’s story, the brothers
first wanted to kill Joseph but eventually decided to sell him into slavery
instead. So now Joseph is stripped of
his special coat and of his position of authority; he is taken from the home
where he is loved and now becomes someone else’s property. That must be a
pretty hard place from which to see God’s glory.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">The traders who bought Joseph took him on to Egypt where they
sold him to one of Pharaoh’s officials where he had become a household servant.
On a side note I have not found any accounts where slave traders or slave
owners in that time treated their slaves with any type of kindness or
dignity. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">God’s providence was still covering Joseph because he rose
quickly to a place of trust in his Egyptian Master’s home. Joseph worked hard
and took care of everything his master wanted him to take care of. The
household flourished and the master gave Joseph more and more trust and
responsibility. Joseph had again
ascended to a position of authority and even though he was now a slave, he was
treated well and given dominion over the other slaves. That is until once again
circumstances turned against him as his master’s wife began trying to seduce
him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #0070c0; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #0070c0; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Now
Joseph was well-built and handsome, <sup>7 </sup>and after a while his
master’s wife took notice of Joseph and said, ‘Come to bed with me!’<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<sup><span style="color: #0070c0; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">8 </span></sup><span style="color: #0070c0; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">But
he refused. ‘With me in charge,’ he told her, ‘my master does not concern
himself with anything in the house; everything he owns he has entrusted to my
care. <sup>9 </sup>No one is greater in this house than I am. My master
has withheld nothing from me except you, because you are his wife. How then
could I do such a wicked thing and sin against God?’ <sup>10 </sup>And
though she spoke to Joseph day after day, he refused to go to bed with her or
even to be with her.” Genesis 39: 6-10<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Like with his brothers Joseph tried to do the best he could
with the authority he had been given; but again things seemed to happen to him
that he couldn’t prepare for. After rebuffing her advances many times Joseph
again found himself alone with his Master’s wife. This time she was more persistent,
insisting he go to bed with her right then. In a moment of panic, Joseph ran
away; but he left his cloak behind. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #0070c0; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #0070c0; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">One
day he went into the house to attend to his duties, and none of the household
servants was inside. <sup>12 </sup>She caught him by his cloak and said,
‘Come to bed with me!’ But he left his cloak in her hand and ran out of the
house Genesis 39: 11-12</span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">I am sure there is probably some theological thought about
him leaving his coat/cloak behind every time something bad happens, but I am
not smart enough to know what it is. Angered
about being rebuffed yet again and probably scared that someone would find her
with Joseph’s cloak, the Master’s wife began to scream that Joseph had raped
her. She claimed that he had left his cloak behind when she started to scream
and resist him. Of course this made the Egyptian master extremely angry. He had
trusted Joseph with his household and now he is being told Joseph raped his
wife. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Surely one of Pharaoh’s officials could have had Joseph put
to death. He was nothing more than a Hebrew slave who had disrespected him and
defiled his wife. Some scholars believe the Egyptians actually believed Joseph,
others believe he was embarrassed by the entire situation. For whatever the
reason instead of having Joseph killed he threw him in prison. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Now through no real fault of his own, Joseph has gone from
the favorite son of a rich man in Canaan to a slave and now to a prisoner in an
Egyptian prison. Again these are tough circumstances from which to see God’s
glory and provision. Joseph remarkably still wasn’t broken; he continued to
always do his best and continued to serve the God of his father. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #0070c0; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #0070c0; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">But
while Joseph was there in the prison, <sup>21 </sup>the Lord was with him;
he showed him kindness and granted him favor in the eyes of the prison warden. <sup>22 </sup>So
the warden put Joseph in charge of all those held in the prison, and he was
made responsible for all that was done there. <sup>23 </sup>The warden
paid no attention to anything under Joseph’s care, because the Lord was with
Joseph and gave him success in whatever he did. Genesis 39:20-23<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Joseph had once again made the most of his circumstances and
had risen to a position of authority even amongst the prisoners. Even being in a position of authority, he was
still a foreigner in prison for a crime he didn’t commit, a place he wound up
staying for many years. It must have been very difficult, but Joseph never lost
sight of God’s glory and His provision, even though it would have been very
easy to. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">While in prison, Joseph interpreted a dream from Pharaoh’s
chief baker and his cupbearer. It was good news for the cupbearer, not so much
for the baker. The cupbearer promised
Jacob he would remember him when he got out of jail, but he didn’t, not for
another 2 years. Finally, when Pharaoh had a dream no one else could interpret,
the cupbearer remembered Joseph. After
languishing in prison for many years, Joseph was called to interpret the dream.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #0070c0; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #0070c0; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">So
Pharaoh sent for Joseph, and he was quickly brought from the dungeon. When he
had shaved and changed his clothes, he came before Pharaoh.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<sup><span style="color: #0070c0; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">15 </span></sup><span style="color: #0070c0; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Pharaoh
said to Joseph, ‘I had a dream, and no one can interpret it. But I have heard
it said of you that when you hear a dream you can interpret it.’<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<sup><span style="color: #0070c0; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">16 </span></sup><span style="color: #0070c0; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">‘I
cannot do it,’ Joseph replied to Pharaoh, ‘but God will give Pharaoh the answer
he desires.’ Genesis 41:14-16</span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Joseph had not lost sight of God’s power and glory despite
his circumstances. He was able to interpret Pharaoh’s dream and was not only
granted his release from prison, but was also granted a position working as an
official second only to Pharaoh himself. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<sup><span style="color: #0070c0; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></sup></div>
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<sup><span style="color: #0070c0; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">39 </span></sup><span style="color: #0070c0; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Then
Pharaoh said to Joseph, ‘Since God has made all this known to you, there is no
one so discerning and wise as you. <sup>40 </sup>You shall be in charge of
my palace, and all my people are to submit to your orders. Only with respect to
the throne will I be greater than you.’ Genesis 41:39-40<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">This is a seminal moment in history for the Egyptians, and
the Israelites. With Joseph having such a high position of power, he was
eventually able to move his father and his brothers to Egypt. This was
important for a few reasons. First it helped them survive the great famine that
occurred at the time. Secondly because of their status as foreigners the
Egyptians would not marry and procreate with the Israelites. This was important
to help them build their faith in God and hopefully turn away from some of the
behavior they had fallen into in their homeland. While living in Egypt, even
though they eventually became servants Jacob’s family, the Israelites grew to
be a mighty nation with a rich history and a deep culture. When Jacob and his
family arrived in Egypt there were 70 in there party. A couple hundred years
later the Bible says when the Israelites left Egyptian captivity there were
more than 600,000.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Despite every negative circumstance, despite how easy it
might have been to take his eyes off of God, Joseph was always under God’s
grace and provision. When his brothers hated him, when he was a slave, when he
was falsely accused of rape, and when he was a prisoner God was providing for
him in ways he couldn’t even imagine. In
our lives we encounter so much hardship every day; it’s so easy to lose sight
that God is still at work in our lives. It wasn’t easy for me to think God
could use me when I was growing up as a poor son of an addicted mom and a
broken family. It also isn’t easy to imagine He would want to use a slave that
became a prisoner from a family that didn’t even want him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">He can use us regardless of our circumstances. His grace is
always more than sufficient<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 18.4px;">Joseph dealt with a lot of circumstances but kept his eyes on God. We will look more at his life next week including how he sought to get a little payback at his jerky brothers.</span></div>
<br />
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54488/280/0251ABBE5764FE899F0C7C0E3156BF01.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0;" /></a>Broken Vesselshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05408090466248946652noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8516864117356534479.post-36796214430251163082016-06-15T06:00:00.000-05:002016-06-15T18:44:29.957-05:00Judah: Son, Brother, Father In Law<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Our families are our first examples of how to live. They are our closest confidants and they can also be our greatest source of frustration. This has been true for as long as families have existed. Our families bring us so much joy, but also so much baggage. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Over the last few weeks we have looked at the lives of some of the biggest heroes in the Bible. We have looked at the family that started with Abraham, Isaac, & Jacob. Last week we looked at the failings of a few of Jacob's sons. Unfortunately this was the first time we have seen pride and lack of repentance get in the way of God using someone. This week we will be looking at another of Jacob's sons, Judah. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Like I have mentioned in previous posts, sometimes the stories in the Bible are a bit more lurid than we might expect. They are not as safe and sanitized as we might believe. Again this week, I will do everything I can to make sure to keep this post family friendly, but I will not enhance or take away from the what the Bible has to say.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Judah's story can't be told without a little bleed over from some of his family's stories. Judah was Jacob's fourth son with Leah. His name meant praise and his birth seemed pivotal in the jealousy between the sister wives, Leah and Rachel. During his young life he would have witnessed the conflict and schemes between his dad and uncle, the hostility between his mom and stepmom/aunt, and I imagine he would have seen a lot dysfunction. His three older brothers were all prone to rash decisions and violence and he had a younger brother, Joseph, who his dad seemed to prefer over all the siblings. While Joseph is our primary subject next week; much of Judah's Story is wrapped up in Joseph's story as well, so we will be bumping into him a good bit throughout. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Joseph was Jacob's first and at the time only son with his wife Rachel, who he truly loved. He was favored by his dad and seemed to like to gloat about it. His dad even gave him a special coat that was multi colored. This didn't settle well with his brothers. At one point Joseph seems to relish in telling all of his brothers about dream he had in which they were bowing down to him. Growing up with four younger brothers I can almost guarantee if the youngest would have told me about a dream of me bowing down to him he would have wound up with a wedgie or worse. In this case Joseph probably should have known his audience because he wound up with more than a wedgie!</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The brothers felt like they had witnessed their dad favor Joseph long enough. They were tired of the little twerp walking around in his fancy multicolored coat and bragging about his dreams. So they decided to do something about it. As we have already discussed the older brothers were hot heads and were not afraid to get blood on their hands. They were cool with going ahead and killing little Joseph.</span><br />
<blockquote style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: blue; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="line-height: 24px;">“<span style="line-height: 22px; vertical-align: top;">[<a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&q=https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search%3DGenesis%252037%26version%3DNASB%23fen-NASB-1103l&source=gmail&ust=1466084114956000&usg=AFQjCNHi-7TKS2HStEAdGNO_OIKoYUpc8w" href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis%2037&version=NASB#fen-NASB-1103l" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #1155cc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: top;" target="_blank" title="See footnote l">l</a>]</span>Here comes this dreamer!</span><span style="line-height: 24px;"> </span><span style="line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; vertical-align: top;">20 </span>Now then, come and let us kill him and throw him into one of the pits; and <span style="line-height: 22px; vertical-align: top;"></span>we will say, ‘A wild beast devoured him.’ Then let us see what will become of his dreams!” Genesis 37:19-20.</span></span></blockquote>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Judah however thought of an even more sinister plan. A plan that would keep his hands clean, still get rid of his pesky little brother forever and put a little silver in his pocket. As some traders approached heading towards Egypt, Judah shared his plan.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<blockquote style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: blue; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> <span style="line-height: 24px;"> <span style="font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; vertical-align: top;">26 </span>What profit will it be for us if we just kill our brother and conceal the crime? </span><span style="line-height: 24px;"></span><span style="line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; vertical-align: top;">27 </span>Come on, let’s sell him to the Ishmaelites <i>instead</i>. We won’t have to lay a hand on him then. He is, after all, our brother, our own flesh <i>and blood</i>. Genesis 37: 26-27</span></span></blockquote>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Judah convinced his brothers this was the plan to go with and just like that they sold Joseph into slavery for 20 pieces of silver. They also stripped him of his fancy coat, dipped it in goat's blood and took it back to their dad to trick him and tell him what a horrible death Joseph had suffered. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Do we look at Judah here as a villain or a hero? In theory he saved his brother's life, but he only did it to keep his conscience clear and to make a profit. We know at this point Joseph was around 17, so we can imagine that Judah is likely in his early 30's. It's hard to write this off as a stupid, youthful decision. Seems more like a calculated decision based on jealousy and greed. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The questionable decisions for Judah don't stop there though. The next event is a little unsettling, but it's historically pivotal. Let's set the scene. A few years have past, Judah is now a successful shepherd who is married with 3 sons. He arranges a marriage for his oldest so, Er, to a young woman named Tamar. All we know about Er is the Bible describes him as a "wretched human" and that God took his life. Not sure what that's all about but doesn't sound like Er was a good dude to hang out with.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Custom at the time, later becoming Mosaic law, was that if your brother had a wife and no children when he passed away it was your responsibility to marry his wife and provide a child. This was a custom that ensured the wife an inheritance and ensured your brother a legacy. With that in mind, after Er passed away Tamar had to marry Judah's next son Onan. I don't know if Onan was greedy and didn't want to share his inheritance, if he didn't want to create a child that wouldn't be considered his, or if he had some other issue, but when it came time for him to complete his husbandry duties...well, let's just go with the Biblical description and say he purposely "spilled his seed." This was a disrespectful act to his brother, his father, Tamar, and to local customs. The Bible said because of this, he died. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">So, now Tamar has lost 2 husbands and Judah has lost 2 sons. Judah's youngest son was too young to marry and provide children so, Judah sent Tamar back to her hom until his son became old enough. Judah let several years go by; He thought a lot about how both of his sons had died after marrying Tamar and begin to doubt whether he wanted to let her marry his third son. He had an obligation to Tamar. When he sent her home, he promised her he would send for her as soon as his son was old enough, but he didn't. Judah decided he didn't want to risk his third son; to protect his son, he lied and deceived Tamar. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">A few years later, Judah's wife had passed away and he was traveling for business. He was feeling a bit lonely. Tamar had grown tired of waiting and wanted her rightful inheritance. She heard that Judah was traveling to the city for business and decided to take action. Tamar wore a veil and dressed like a prostitute and waited for Judah to show up.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">It had been a long time since Judah had seen Tamar and apparently with the veil on he didn't recognize his daughter in law. He agreed to give her one of his finest goats for a night together. He didn't have the goat with him so he left his "lady of the night" with his staff and seal as identification and as a promise to pay.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Judah tried to send the goat back, but no one had every seen that particular prostitute before. So, Judah thought he had gotten his night of pleasure for free. Well, he had left behind his seal and staff, but those can be replaced. As time went on, word got to Judah that his daughter in law was pregnant. This was a huge problem, even though he hadn't done his part by sending his son to her, she had not done hers and stayed pure. Now she was carrying someone else's child. That's considered adultery and she should be put to death! Judah was outraged, he commanded that she be captured and burnt to death. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Imagine Judah's surprise when Tamar presented the staff and seal of the man who had impregnated her. Here he was about to have his daughter in law put to death for a sin that he committed with her. There is a lot to wrap his brain around; he had deceived Tamar and never sent his youngest son, now she had deceived him and was carrying his child. Not only that, she had the proof of what he had done. With all the new information, Judah had to admit he was wrong and Tamar escaped any punishment.</span><br />
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<blockquote style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: blue; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; vertical-align: top;">25 </span>It was while she was being brought out that she sent to her father-in-law, saying, “I am with child by the man to whom these things belong.” And she said, “<span style="line-height: 22px; vertical-align: top;"></span>Please examine and see, whose signet ring and cords and staff are these?”</span><span style="line-height: 24px;"> </span><span style="line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; vertical-align: top;">26 </span>Judah recognized <i>them</i>, and said, “<span style="line-height: 22px; vertical-align: top;"></span>She is more righteous than I, inasmuch as <span style="line-height: 22px; vertical-align: top;"></span>I did not give her to my son Shelah.” And he did not <span style="line-height: 22px; vertical-align: top;">[<a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&q=https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search%3DGenesis%252038%26version%3DNASB%23fen-NASB-1146w&source=gmail&ust=1466084114956000&usg=AFQjCNEeRlnW0aDcyq3Ta95fs0i8Z08Rew" href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis%2038&version=NASB#fen-NASB-1146w" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #1155cc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: top;" target="_blank" title="See footnote w">w</a>]</span>have relations with her again. Genesis 38:25-26.</span></span></blockquote>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">We don't see Judah let his pride get the better of him. He was well regarded in the community and could have fought to maintain his pride instead of humbling himself and admitting he was wrong. We don't see Judah seek redemption per se; but we do see a small glimpse into his heart here. The next time the Bible mentions Judah by name he and his brothers have found themselves in a tough spot. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">A famine has hit the land and they have gone into Egypt to try to buy food. They did not know the brother they had previously sold into slavery had risen to become a powerful viceroy in Egypt. It was Joseph , their brother, who was responsible for disbursing the food. He recognized his brothers but they did not recognize him. Whatever his motives, he accused them of being spies. Joseph made them leave one of the brothers behind, saying he would only release him if they would bring back their youngest brother Benjamin who had not traveled with them. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Benjamin had grown exceptionally close to Jacob since Joseph's alleged death. He had stayed behind to take care of his dad, also so his dad could make sure he was safe. When Jacob heard about the viceroy in Egypt holding one of his other son's hostage he was still not convinced that he trusted the other sons with his youngest and closest son, Benjamin. The famine however grew worse and times became desperate.We see Judah step up as a leader here and we start to see how far his heart has changed since the day he agreed to sell his brother for silver.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: blue; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; vertical-align: top;">8 </span>Judah said to his father Israel, “Send the lad with me and we will arise and go, <span style="line-height: 22px; vertical-align: top;"></span>that we may live and not die, we as well as you and our little ones.</span><span style="line-height: 24px;"> </span><span style="line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; vertical-align: top;">9 </span><span style="line-height: 22px; vertical-align: top;"></span>I myself will be surety for him; <span style="line-height: 22px; vertical-align: top;">[<a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&q=https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search%3DGenesis%252043%26version%3DNASB%23fen-NASB-1300d&source=gmail&ust=1466084114956000&usg=AFQjCNEuGev8f1VYeLmCw6pEPB2nt4P0Fw" href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis%2043&version=NASB#fen-NASB-1300d" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #1155cc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: top;" target="_blank" title="See footnote d">d</a>]</span>you may hold me responsible for him. If I do not bring him <i>back</i> to you and set him before you, then <span style="line-height: 22px; vertical-align: top;">[<a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&q=https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search%3DGenesis%252043%26version%3DNASB%23fen-NASB-1300e&source=gmail&ust=1466084114956000&usg=AFQjCNGWeMqqML9Bk285wGDSKcvDjNXQbQ" href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis%2043&version=NASB#fen-NASB-1300e" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #1155cc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: top;" target="_blank" title="See footnote e">e</a>]</span>let me bear the blame before you forever. Genesis 43:8-9</span></span></blockquote>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">At first Joseph seemed like he was going to uphold his end of the bargain. Once he saw the brothers return with Benjamin, he released their other brother; he fed them and he allowed them to take provisions back home to Canaan with them. However, as they were leaving, he set them up. He had one of his workers hide his special silver cup in Benjamin's belongings. As the brothers began to make their way back home with the food Joseph's people stopped them. He accused them of stealing his cup and told them if he found the cup on one of them, that brother would become Joseph's slave. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Of course they found the cup with Benjamin, since Joseph had planted it there to begin with. Judah knew he could not return home without his youngest brother. He knew what that would do to his father. This is when we see Judah's true character shine through. He gives a long plea, humbling himself before Joseph and putting his own life on the line. He explains how much Benjamin means to his father and begs Joseph to keep him as a slave instead.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: blue; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; vertical-align: top;">32 </span>For your servant <span style="line-height: 22px; vertical-align: top;"></span>became surety for the lad to my father, saying, ‘If I do not bring him <i>back </i>to you, then let me bear the blame before my father forever.’</span><span style="line-height: 24px;"> </span><span style="line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; vertical-align: top;">33 </span>Now, therefore, please let your servant remain instead of the lad a slave to my lord, and let the lad go up with his brothers.</span><span style="line-height: 24px;"> </span><span style="line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; vertical-align: top;">34 </span>For how shall I go up to my father if the lad is not with me—for fear that I see the evil that would<span style="line-height: 22px; vertical-align: top;">[<a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&q=https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search%3DGenesis%252044%26version%3DNASB%23fen-NASB-1359k&source=gmail&ust=1466084114957000&usg=AFQjCNFQe4aDXSei7ymy6iO_ksCpVw-Q3g" href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis%2044&version=NASB#fen-NASB-1359k" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #1155cc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: top;" target="_blank" title="See footnote k">k</a>]</span>overtake my father?” Genesis 44:32-34</span></span></blockquote>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">This is a long way from the same guy who had once sold his own brother without any regards to how that would effect anyone else. Now he was thinking of everyone but himself. He knew how important Benjamin was to his father and he was willing to make the sacrifice of staying behind himself, as a slave, to avoid causing his father any more pain, Judah's pleas did not fall on deaf ears. In fact they led to Joseph finally revealing to his brothers who he was and it led to the family finally being reunited. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Like his brothers we looked at last week, Judah had some serious flaws happening; unlike them, he had a humble heart and found God's redemption. When his brothers inheritance was taken away and their descendants were scattered, Judah was given a huge blessing by his father and his descendants became royalty. </span><br />
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<blockquote style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="color: #222222; line-height: 0;"> </span><span style="line-height: 0;"><span style="color: blue;"><b>8</b></span><span style="color: blue;"> </span></span><span style="color: blue;">But Judah, your brothers will praise you.</span></span></span></blockquote>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: blue; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="line-height: 24px;"> </span><span style="line-height: 24px;">Your hand will <i>firmly</i> grasp the neck of your enemy,</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: blue; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> and your brothers will bow down before you <i>in respect</i>.</span></div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: blue; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="line-height: 24px;"></span><span style="line-height: 24px;"><span style="display: block; line-height: 22px; text-align: center; vertical-align: top;"><b>9 </b><span style="line-height: 0;"> </span><span style="line-height: 24px;">Judah is a lion cub;</span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: blue; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> my son, who rises from the prey,</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: blue; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="line-height: 0;"> </span>Who crouches down and stretches out like a lion,</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: blue; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> and like a lioness—who dares to rouse him?</span></div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: blue; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="line-height: 24px;"><span style="line-height: 0;"></span></span><span style="line-height: 24px;"></span><span style="line-height: 24px;"></span><span style="line-height: 24px;"></span><span style="line-height: 24px;"><span style="display: block; line-height: 22px; text-align: center; vertical-align: top;"><b>10 </b><span style="line-height: 0;"> </span><span style="line-height: 24px;">The scepter will not depart from Judah;</span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: blue; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> the ruler’s staff will rest <i>securely</i> between his feet.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: blue; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="line-height: 0;"> </span>Until the One comes to whom true royalty belongs,</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: blue; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> all people will <i>honor and</i> obey him. Genesis 49:8-10</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Judah's family would become the most successful of all the tribes of Israel. It is through Judah's descendants,and his one night with his daughter in law, that lead to King David's birth and all the kings who would follow him. It is also through Judah's line that we can trace the ancestors of both Mary and Joseph, the earthly parents of Jesus.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">God used a man,who out of jealousy and greed,sold his own brother into slavery. The same man,who out of lust,slept with his daughter in law when he thought she was a prostitute. Neither of those failures were big enough to keep God from using Judah. While we aren't shown the specific "wrestling with God" moment, we do see Judah gradually mature and we do see his heart transformed. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="color: blue; line-height: 24px;"><span style="line-height: 0;"></span></span><span style="color: blue; line-height: 24px;"></span><span style="color: blue; line-height: 24px;"></span><span style="color: #222222;"></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">God's grace can transform all of us. He can change our entire family tree. None of our failings are too much for Him to bear if we will give Him our heart first.</span><br />
<br />Broken Vesselshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05408090466248946652noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8516864117356534479.post-79908215944913455342016-06-10T11:24:00.001-05:002016-06-15T18:47:00.140-05:00Family Values Follow Up<p dir="ltr"><br>
I really struggled with my last blog I posted about Simeon, Levi, & Reuben. I have given it a lot of thought and I think the reason why I struggled so much with it is because it didn’t fit my narrative.  When I started the Broken Vessels Series I think I wanted to focus on how God used broken people. I wanted to look at figures throughout the Bible and throughout history who despite their brokenness have still been used by God to accomplish great things.</p>
<p dir="ltr">My humble childhood, my broken family, my shyness, my own failures have all been reasons why I have been afraid to step out in the past and let God work through me.  I knew I wasn’t a worthy vessel for him. I have recently discovered though through a lot of study and prayer that I am exactly the kind of broken vessel God wants to use for his glory. Initially I thought I would go through the Bible and pick those stories that proved my point. I think I originally envisioned doing profiles on the big heroes and showing they had flaws; and showing how those flaws didn’t prevent them from being used for God’s glory.</p>
<p dir="ltr">I believe strongly that God’s grace is bigger and stronger than any flaw or brokenness we may have.  I want to share that amazing news with everyone else who is broken like me.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Somehow I was moved from high level profiles of the most famous Biblical heroes to a more in-depth study that has led me through Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and now to Jacob’s family. The details have been fascinating and stories remarkable. Up to the point of the last study of Jacob’s children, the stories had still fit the narrative I had set for myself.  That’s where the challenge started.</p>
<p dir="ltr">As I studied the events at Schechem with Simeon & Levi and as I studied the “relationship” between Reuben and his stepmom, I didn’t see the grace or the encouragement I was looking for. I struggled and searched to find evidence to fit my narrative and it just wasn’t there.  I begin to wonder why these stories were even included. Jacob had 12 sons (13 children) and 7 of them are barely mentioned.  Why include these stories of failure at all? If these stories aren’t in the Bible to show God’s grace, why are they there?</p>
<p dir="ltr">Then it hit me these stories are just as important because they speak to the need for God’s grace. </p>
<p dir="ltr">Outside of God’s grace we are all broken sinners and left to our own devices we would be forced to endure the punishment for our sins. It is God’s grace that changes this outcome.</p>
<p dir="ltr">God’s glory is amplified when he accomplishes great things through humble means. These stories in the Bible point to the heart of the sinner. We have already looked at scammers, liars, drunks, and adulterers. We will examine murderers, thieves, doubters, and sinners of every ilk. God’s grace in every case is sufficient to redeem and use these people.  The difference between the broken sinners that bring God glory and those that are just sinners lies in their heart.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Despite being unqualified and having a propensity for the drink; Noah still had a heart for God. Despite doubting God’s promises and actually laughing at him Abraham had a heart to serve God.  Jacob was a scammer and had conflicts everywhere he went; but his jeart was still set on following God.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Reuben, Simeon, & Levi never show their heart for God.  We never see their heart ache from the sins they committed. We never see them wrestle with God as they try to make peace with their heart.  They had pride and stubbornness in their heart and that pride kept them from acknowledging their sins and seeking his grace.</p>
<p dir="ltr">These stories do not indicate that God’s grace is not sufficient. They do not indicate that his redemption is not available. These stories don’t indicate that these men were too broken for God to use.   I believe strongly if any or all of these three men would have opened his heart and accepted God’s redemptive grace their story would have a different ending.  There is too much evidence to deny this.</p>
<p dir="ltr">God’s grace is extremely powerful. He is able to redeem and restore even the greatest sinner; however not every sinner will turn their heart toward him. Not all sinners will humble themselves to allow God to work in them and through them.<br><br></p>
Broken Vesselshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05408090466248946652noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8516864117356534479.post-85147803629552498162016-06-08T06:00:00.000-05:002016-06-08T06:40:20.500-05:00Family Values: Vengeance & SexAs I mentioned previously; all the stories in the Bible are not sweet and innocent. Some can be quite lurid, I will do my best to give this account it's proper justice and keep it family friendly. The full accounting can be found beginning in Genesis Chapter 33.<br />
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So, after spending his life to that point in a state of constant conflict; Jacob began making peace. He made peace with his Uncle Laban, his brother Esau, and through a heated conflict he even made peace with himself and God (read more <a href="http://eruminations.blogspot.com/2016/06/treachery-mandrakes-and-wrestling-with.html">HERE</a>). Even though God changed Jacob's name and his heart he still had 13 kids (12 sons) with 4 different mothers and therefore the drama did not end. We will not look at all 13; instead will focus on 2 specific incidents involving some of the family. We will focus on two more brothers in the next 2 weeks.<br />
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="color: blue;"><span class="text Gen-35-23" id="en-VOICE-1022" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">23 </span><i style="box-sizing: border-box;">Now Jacob (Israel) had twelve sons.</i> Leah’s <i style="box-sizing: border-box;">six</i> sons were Reuben (Jacob’s firstborn), Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun. </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"></span><span class="text Gen-35-24" id="en-VOICE-1023" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">24 </span>Rachel’s <i style="box-sizing: border-box;">two</i> sons were Joseph and Benjamin. </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"></span><span class="text Gen-35-25" id="en-VOICE-1024" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">25 </span>Rachel’s servant, Bilhah, had <i style="box-sizing: border-box;">two </i>sons: Dan and Naphtali. </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"></span><span class="text Gen-35-26" id="en-VOICE-1025" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">26 </span>Leah’s servant, Zilpah, had <i style="box-sizing: border-box;">two</i> sons: Gad and Asher Genesis 35:23-25</span></span></blockquote>
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After Jacob and his family passed through the region where his brother Esau lived, they settled in a city called Shechem and bought a piece of property. His daughter Dinah went into the city and was raped by the son of the ruler of the city. Whether he felt guilty or whether his father was trying to make things right, the rapist came to Jacob and his family to ask for Dinah's hand in marriage.<br />
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He and his father made the case that he was madly in love with Dinah and they wanted to make peace. We don't know what Jacob would have said or done, but we know what his sons did. Simeon and Levi convinced the ruler and his son that they would be willing to allow Dinah to marry him if all the men in their family wold agree to get circumcised. If they would just do this one little thing they would live in peace together forever.<br />
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I am not sure what the procedure was then. I don't know what they used for the cutting or what they used for the anesthesia but I can't imagine it was a fun process. I am not sue what the motivation was, maybe guilt or maybe he was smitten, but the ruler and his son went along with this plan. They also convinced all the men of the city to go along with the plan as well.<br />
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As a grown man I can not imagine how much pain must have been involved in getting circumcised; especially without anything to dull the pain and with who knows what kind of tools. Apparently it hurt so bad that on the third day, Simeon and Levi were able to take swords and kill every man in the city without a fight. They didn't stop there! They also cut the tendons on all the oxen and beasts of burden in the city, rendering them almost useless. They basically looted and ransacked the city.<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="color: blue;"><span class="text Gen-34-25" id="en-NASB-1006" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">25 </span>Now it came about on the third day, when they were in pain, that two of Jacob’s sons, <span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NASB-1006K" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NASB-1006K" title="See cross-reference K">K</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 0.625em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></span>Simeon and Levi, Dinah’s brothers, each took his sword and came upon the city unawares, and killed every male.</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"> </span><span class="text Gen-34-26" id="en-NASB-1007" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">26 </span>They killed Hamor and his son Shechem with the edge of the sword, and took Dinah from Shechem’s house, and went forth.</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"> </span><span class="text Gen-34-27" id="en-NASB-1008" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">27 </span>Jacob’s sons came upon the slain and looted the city, because they had defiled their sister.</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"> </span><span class="text Gen-34-28" id="en-NASB-1009" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">28 </span>They took their flocks and their herds and their donkeys, and that which was in the city and that which was in the field;</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"> </span><span class="text Gen-34-29" id="en-NASB-1010" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">29 </span>and they captured and looted all their wealth and all their little ones and their wives, even all that <i style="box-sizing: border-box;">was</i> in the houses. Genesis 34:25-29</span></span></blockquote>
<br />
Part of me can't really blame them. This jerk had just raped their sister then had the gall to come around talking about how he loved her. Oh Heck NO! I can understand the desire to burn the city to the ground. This was an act of malice though. They had used deception to get the upper hand and then allowed their rage to take over. They didn't just punish the actual rapist or his father who was enabling him, they also killed lots of innocent people destroyed property, stole belongings and brutalized animals.<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Simeon and Levi felt justified. They had stuck up for their sister. Even when Jacob pointed out that their actions had put them at risk of attack from neighboring people's they held firm that they were right. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
On Jacob's deathbed he recounts the unchecked anger his two sons had exhibited and apparently had not made peace with. He is thankful that his sons will not be the judges of his soul. <span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="color: blue;"><span class="text Gen-49-5" id="en-NASB-1479" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; position: relative;">“<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NASB-1479E" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NASB-1479E" title="See cross-reference E">E</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 0.625em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></span>Simeon and Levi are brothers;</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;" /><span class="text Gen-49-5" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; position: relative;">Their swords are implements of violence.</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;" /><span class="text Gen-49-6" id="en-NASB-1480" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; position: relative;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: block; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; left: -4.4em; line-height: 22px; position: absolute; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">6 </span>“<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NASB-1480F" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NASB-1480F" title="See cross-reference F">F</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 0.625em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></span>Let my soul not enter into their council;</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;" /><span class="text Gen-49-6" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; position: relative;">Let not my glory be united with their assembly;</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;" /><span class="text Gen-49-6" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; position: relative;">Because in their anger they slew <span class="footnote" data-fn="#fen-NASB-1480e" data-link="[<a href="#fen-NASB-1480e" title="See footnote e">e</a>]" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 0.625em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">[<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis+49&version=NASB#fen-NASB-1480e" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: top;" title="See footnote e">e</a>]</span>men,</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;" /><span class="text Gen-49-6" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; position: relative;">And in their self-will they lamed <span class="footnote" data-fn="#fen-NASB-1480f" data-link="[<a href="#fen-NASB-1480f" title="See footnote f">f</a>]" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 0.625em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">[<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis+49&version=NASB#fen-NASB-1480f" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: top;" title="See footnote f">f</a>]</span>oxen.</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;" /><span class="text Gen-49-7" id="en-NASB-1481" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; position: relative;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: block; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; left: -4.4em; line-height: 22px; position: absolute; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">7 </span>“Cursed be their anger, for it is fierce;</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;" /><span class="text Gen-49-7" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; position: relative;">And their wrath, for it is cruel.</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;" /><span class="text Gen-49-7" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; position: relative;"><span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NASB-1481G" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NASB-1481G" title="See cross-reference G">G</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 0.625em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></span>I will <span class="footnote" data-fn="#fen-NASB-1481g" data-link="[<a href="#fen-NASB-1481g" title="See footnote g">g</a>]" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 0.625em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">[<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis+49&version=NASB#fen-NASB-1481g" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: top;" title="See footnote g">g</a>]</span>disperse them in Jacob,</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;" /><span class="text Gen-49-7" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; position: relative;">And scatter them in Israel. Genesis 49:5-7</span></span></blockquote>
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Jacob does not condone the defilement of his daughter, but he also doesn't condone the vengeance his sons wrought. Their anger and vengeance were the reason their tribes would later be scattered and their inheritance would be far lighter. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
The Bible doesn't tell us if either ever sought repentance. We do know that God still used Levi's offspring as the priests of the nation of Israel.<br />
<div>
<br />
The Bible is full of broken people who don't always make the right choices. Another example is Jacob's oldest son Rueben. As the family was moving on after the debacle in Schechem, he took an opportunity to sleep with his father's concubine Bilhah, aka his step mother. That has a certain ick factor to it. On top of just being really icky, Rueben showed disrespect for his father and his family by his actions. While I can easily relate to Simeon and Levi, I can't really understand Rueben. I guess they weren't technically related and all, but still. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Jacob cited Rueben as formerly being his strength but becoming as unstable as water. Because he defiled his father's marriage bed, he was left without an inheritance. <br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="color: blue;"><span class="text Gen-49-3" id="en-NASB-1477" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; position: relative;">Reuben, you are my firstborn;</span><span class="text Gen-49-3" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; position: relative;">My might and <span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NASB-1477C" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NASB-1477C" title="See cross-reference C">C</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 0.625em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></span>the beginning of my strength,</span><span class="text Gen-49-3" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; position: relative;"><span class="footnote" data-fn="#fen-NASB-1477b" data-link="[<a href="#fen-NASB-1477b" title="See footnote b">b</a>]" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 0.625em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">[<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis+49&version=NASB#fen-NASB-1477b" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: top;" title="See footnote b">b</a>]</span>Preeminent in dignity and preeminent in power.</span><span class="text Gen-49-4" id="en-NASB-1478" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; position: relative;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: block; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; left: -4.4em; line-height: 22px; position: absolute; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">4 </span></span><span class="text Gen-49-4" id="en-NASB-1478" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; position: relative;">“<span class="footnote" data-fn="#fen-NASB-1478d" data-link="[<a href="#fen-NASB-1478d" title="See footnote d">d</a>]" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 0.625em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">[<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis+49&version=NASB#fen-NASB-1478d" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: top;" title="See footnote d">d</a>]</span>Uncontrolled as water, you shall not have preeminence,</span><span class="text Gen-49-4" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; position: relative;">Because you went up to your father’s bed;</span><span class="text Gen-49-4" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; position: relative;">Then you defiled <i style="box-sizing: border-box;">it</i>—Genesis 49:3-4</span></span></blockquote>
</div>
<div>
<br />
Similar to his brothers we never see Reuben have a change of heart. We are left only knowing he failed and was punished. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
This was a particular hard blog for me to write. I believe we are all broken. I believe we all fail. I believe we all have anger, sexual sin or other things that normally would separate us from God. In looking at these stories about Jacob's sons I kept searching for the encouragement. I kept searching for where God was going to change their hearts and use them.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I had to be reminded there's not always a happy ending. While God specializes in using broken flawed people just like me, he doesn't use them against their will and he doesn't use every broken person.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
As we have looked at Abraham, Isaac and Jacob we saw that each one of them was very broken but we saw that each one of them gave their heart to God. With their willing heart God was able to use them despite their brokenness or some could argue because of their brokenness. In the case of Simeon, Levi and Reuben we just never see them give their heart to God.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
So as I look for encouragement in this passage the only encouragement I can truly find is that I know that when I fail when I come up short when I let anger get the best of me I can turn to Jesus for forgiveness and not lose my eternal inheritance.</div>
<div>
<br />
Next week we will look at Judah, another one of Jacob's sons. We will compare his failings to his brothers and his heart to his brothers as well. I think we will find it much more encouraging.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54488/280/0251ABBE5764FE899F0C7C0E3156BF01.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0;" /></a></div>
</div>
Broken Vesselshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05408090466248946652noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8516864117356534479.post-22732430379352101992016-06-01T22:05:00.003-05:002016-06-01T22:05:52.977-05:00Treachery, Mandrakes, and Wrestling with God<div class="MsoNormal">
Bible stories aren’t always safe and sanitized. Sometimes
they can be a little wild, and a little risqué. I did my best to keep this
particular story family friendly. For the entire saga you can read in Genesis Chapters 27-33.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I didn’t grow up in the most normal of nuclear families. I
had brothers, half-brothers, step brothers, a step mother, step dads, and a foster
sister. Trying to explain it all can be
a little complicated; but we were family.
This is an account of a family even more complicated to explain than
mine.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
So, in the aftermath of Jacob scamming his dad and stealing
his brothers rightful blessing and birthright <span style="color: #0070c0;"><a href="http://eruminations.blogspot.com/2016/05/the-hunter-schemer.html">(see the full account here</a>)</span> Jacob went into a bit of exile to keep his
brother from harming or killing him. He
moved in with his Uncle Laban, his mom’s brother. Jacob wanted to represent his mom well and
wanted to earn his keep so he worked very hard for his uncle. After a month Uncle Laban felt bad for making
Jacob work hard and not paying him, so he approached him and began negotiating
a salary.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Laban had 2 daughters; Leah who was older and Rachel. The
Bible described Rachel having “a lovely figure” and “being beautiful.” Jacob was immediately smitten with her from
first sight. He also had no money or
belongings with him for a traditional dowry. So when it came time to discuss
salary there was only one thing Jacob wanted, Rachel. He agreed to work for Laban with his
livestock for 7 years in exchange for Rachel’s hand in marriage.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The years had to be long for Jacob. We know he preferred to
be inside but was stuck outside with the livestock. However the Bible said the
time flew by because he was so excited to get through it and marry Rachel.
His love for her was intense. When the time had finally come he went to Uncle
Laban and reminded him of their deal. He
could not wait to consummate their marriage. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
You would think being the scammer he was, Jacob would have
seen the next move coming, but he didn’t.
Laban threw a huge party to celebrate his daughter’s wedding. Of course
there was a lot of food and a lot of wine. Once the party was winding down Jacob expected
Rachel to be brought to him for their first night together. Instead Laban brought
his oldest daughter Leah to Jacob; and they slept together. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Jacob went to bed ecstatic! He was finally getting to marry
the woman he had loved for 7 years. He was finally going to get to… well, let’s
keep this post family friendly. He must have woken up distraught and furious.
He had just consummated his marriage to the wrong sister.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
He ran to confront Laban- “What did you do to me?”” We had
an agreement!” Laban scammed him badly; but it was the custom in that culture
that the oldest daughter was to be married first. Laban agreed that if Jacob
would stay on and keep working for him for another 7 years he could marry
Rachel as well. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So now Jacob is not just married to two women; he is married
to 2 sisters. Even more so he is married to two sisters while he lives with
their father for at least 7 more years. Another element to consider is that he
actually only loved one of the sisters but he was now committed to both. Sounds like a recipe for a smooth easy life,
right?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Things didn’t get better for Jacob when Leah becomes
pregnant and gives Jacob his first son. Leah hoped having a son would make
Jacob love her, it didn’t. He did continue to fulfill his husbandly duties
though and she had another son., and another, and another. At this point, Jacob has 4 sons with Leah
and has not yet had one with the woman he loves. This created some serious jealousy and
animosity. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Rachel was angry with Jacob, she was angry with Leah, she
was angry with herself, and she was angry with God. She decided to give her
servant to Jacob for him to sleep with so she could claim that child. Jacob had 2 children with Rachel’s servant,
which caused Rachel to feel vindicated that she could now claim to have children with her husband as well. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
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" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="Image result for bible mandrakes" border="0" height="320" 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" width="222" /></a>The sisters continued to compete for
their husband’s love and when they didn’t conceive they found proxies. Since Rachel had used her servant to have 2
kids with Jacob; Leah used her servant as well. Of course she conceived. That’s now 7 children with 3 different moms.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<div style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;">
</div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
Jacob’s love and affection for Rachel were greater than for
Leah and everyone noticed it. That led to one of the strangest deals I have
ever heard of. Leah’s son had gone out
into the wheat fields during harvest and brought in some mandrakes for his
mother. Mandrakes were also referred to as “love apples” and apparently were
fragrant if odd looking and are revered for their aphrodisiac qualities. Many
of the Google search images of mandrakes look like they have faces or
bodies, kind of creepy.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
When Rachel saw the
mandrakes she wanted some of them as well.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a 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" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><span style="color: #0070c0;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #0070c0;">“…Rachel said to Leah, “Please
give me some of your son’s mandrakes.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><sup><span style="color: #0070c0;">15 </span></sup><span style="color: #0070c0;">But she said to her, “Wasn’t it enough that you took away
my husband? Will you take my son’s mandrakes too?”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #0070c0;">“Very well,” Rachel said, “he
can sleep with you tonight in return for your son’s mandrakes.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><sup><span style="color: #0070c0;">16 </span></sup><span style="color: #0070c0;">So when Jacob came in from the fields that evening, Leah
went out to meet him. “You must sleep with me,” she said. “I have hired you
with my son’s mandrakes.” So he slept with her that night. “ Genesis 30:14-17<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So, if you read that the same way I did, Rachel just sold a
night with her Husband to her sister for a few plants. Wow! As you might have guessed following that night
Leah became pregnant again. She later
had a sixth son and a daughter with Jacob as well. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
That was now 10 kids for Jacob before finally he had a son
with Rachel. They were both very happy
to have a son. They would eventually have one more rounding the total family
out to 12 Kids with 4 different women.
That had to be fun at Sunday dinner.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
After Jacob had completed his 7 years of service for Leah
and now his 7 years of service for Rachel he was anxious to get back home to
his homeland, but Laban convinced him to stay on and keep working for him. The wages they worked out were going to be
good for all parties, but both Jacob and Laban were schemers and both tried to
make sure they were getting the better of the deal. Both plotted and schemed to try to get the
better of the other.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
After several years of this animosity rose between the two
and Jacob decided to hit the road. After 20 years living on Laban’s land working
for him, marrying his daughters and providing him grandchildren Jacob took his
family and all his possessions and left without telling anyone they were
leaving. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The Bible tosses in a nice little side story about how when
they were headed out Rachel stole some household items from her father. When
Laban caught up with the group she continued to hide the items she had stolen
and even told her dad she couldn’t get up from where she was seated because it
was her time of the month. No surprise Rachel was deceptive since she had
learned from both her husband and her father. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Laban had a vision from God that warned him not to cause
harm to Jacob. He and his men eventually caught up to Jacob and his family. After
each posturing and getting in each other’s faces they were able to talk out
their differences and seem to part amicably. They worshipped together, dined
together and Laban got to have a proper send off, kissing his daughters and
grandkids good bye.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
As Jacob and his family traveled back toward his homeland he
began to worry about what might happen when he finally came face to face with
Esau. This is where we see Jacob’s heart. This is where we see him humble
himself in prayer; this is also where we see him humble himself in the eyes of
the brother he wronged. I believe this
was the moment where Jacob dealt with his anguish, he dealt with his deceptions,
he dealt with his past, and with his future. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The Bible says he wrestled with the Lord until daybreak. We
have all had that moment when we feel our life is out of control; we have
reached our wits end. That’s where Jacob
was. That’s where his true character was revealed. In wrestling with the Lord; I am sure he
wrestled with his relationships with his parents, his relationships with his
wives, his relationships with his children, mostly his relationship with God
himself. I imagine his fear, his doubt, his anguish, and his uncertainty all
drove him to keep fighting with God. He
passionately fought with God seeking solutions to his problems.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Jacob was left with 3 reminders of his conflict with God
that night; a noticeable limp, a new name, and seemingly a new peace and
humbleness in his life. From this point forward Jacob was known as Israel and
his children grew into the Twelve Tribes of Israel and later into the nation of
Israel.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Jacob, had spent his entire life in conflict. He had
problems with his dad, his brother, his uncle, his wives, and his uncle’s
family. Some of his problems were his own creations and some were because of
others. None of that stopped God from bringing him peace and using him. Fear, abuse, sin, broken relationships,
deceit, nothing is bigger than God’s grace. He will use us despite it all. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
Broken Vesselshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05408090466248946652noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8516864117356534479.post-2565886520643849102016-05-25T06:00:00.000-05:002016-05-26T11:06:10.292-05:00The Hunter & The Schemer<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I grew up with 4 younger brothers. If you have siblings,
there is a good chance you had at least one fight with them. These are the
people you grow up next to, the people who share the same life experiences as
you and the people you sometimes can’t stand.
Could be you have a younger sibling that just annoys you; or an older
sibling that doesn’t want to include you. Sometimes we think our parents like
our siblings more than they like us.
Perhaps you are like me and your siblings are all just jealous of you
because of your good looks. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The problems with your siblings can be small petty things
that you laugh about later or they can be huge issues that define your entire
familial relationships. A sibling
rivalry can push both brothers to success to try to out-do one another or it
can push them apart. The Bible is choke full of sibling rivalries; Cain and
Abel, Isaac and Ismael, David and his brothers, and of course Jacob and Esau.<o:p></o:p><br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Jacob and Esau were twin sons born to Isaac and Rebekah. Esau
was the oldest but the bible says Jacob came out holding his heel… so not too
far apart. Jacob is the more noted “hero” in the Bible; There’s the whole name
change to Israel and all the whole Jewish nation being named after him and all,
but both offer a lot to learn from.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The brothers were a bit different. Picture Esau as a big red
haired guy; with big hairy arms. He liked to hunt and fish and probably wore
a baseball cap with a hook on the bill, owned a John Deere tractor and drove a
pick up. Jacob was described as the kind
of guy who like to stay at home in the tent. I picture him as more of the guy
with a book in his hand; maybe he’s trying the new recipe on Tasty, or maybe
he’s binge watching Netflix; not really a care about going hunting.<o:p></o:p></div>
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We see the first sign of a rift between them when the Bible
points out that Dad (Isaac) referred Esau but mom (Rebekah) preferred
Jacob. Never good when parents are
picking favorites. As a matter of tradition the oldest son in their culture was
the one who was supposed to receive the father’s blessing and the most inheritance.
This is the case even if the brothers are only a few seconds apart. Jacob, however, was a bit of a schemer and a
bit ambitious. He did not want the fact
he was a few seconds younger stop him.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://encrypted-tbn1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRe_-1HNhn-tvBv7a-BhTNpgYGMCbPKwvF3byk5TE59dxB4hSoNCQ" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="Image result for bowl of soup" border="0" height="264" src="https://encrypted-tbn1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRe_-1HNhn-tvBv7a-BhTNpgYGMCbPKwvF3byk5TE59dxB4hSoNCQ" width="320" /></a>Esau came home from a long hard hunting trip, tired and
starving and there was little bro in the kitchen making some delish stew. Jacob saw an opportunity; he could take
advantage of big brother’s hunger. Apparently the stew smelled good; perhaps it
was a Jacob specialty, in any case Esau really wanted some. Jacob took this opportunity to persuade Esau
to give up his birthright in exchange for a bowl of stew.</div>
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Let’s get some perspective here. Isaac was pretty rich; he
had inherited everything from Abraham and had added onto the wealth. Esau was in line to get quite the bounty and
he traded it all for a bowl of stew. I will make no judgments about Esau’s
intelligence; I will say Jacob really outwitted him here. <o:p></o:p></div>
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The boys grew older and we know Esau got married; we also
know his parents didn’t approve of his wives. I am sure this made Sunday
dinners that much more pleasant. Here’s Esau he has sold his birthright for a
bowl of soup and has married 2 women that his parents hated. <o:p></o:p></div>
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This sibling rivalry took an even more serious turn when
Isaac got old. He felt like he was at
the end of his life and still wanted to give Esau a first son type of
blessing. He wanted Esau to go into the
woods kill something wild and yummy and bring it back to him and then he would
give him his blessing. Getting Isaac’s blessing was a very big deal. It was a
status symbol as well as a confirmation of who the leader of the family would
be. Ambitious as ever with the help of
his mom Jacob swooped in and stole Esau’s blessing. Jacob and mom went all in on this scheme, they
prepared a wild game dinner and even put material on Jacob’s arms to trick a
blinded Isaac. Jacob even went so far as
to credit God ‘s provision for how quickly he had been able to prepare the dish
so quickly.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<i><span style="color: #0070c0;">“Isaac said to his son, "How is it that you have it
so quickly, my son?" And he said, "Because the LORD your God caused
it to happen to me." 21Then Isaac said to Jacob, "Please come close,
that I may feel you, my son, whether you are really my son Esau or not."
22 So Jacob came close to Isaac his father, and he felt him and said, "The
voice is the voice of Jacob, but the hands are the hands of Esau. 23He did not
recognize him, because his hands were hairy like his brother Esau's hands; so
he blessed him. 24And he said, "Are you really my son Esau?" And he
said, "I am."” Genesis 27:20-24<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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Seems like dad may have suspected he was being scammed but
still fell for it. Scheming Jacob had
struck again! In one stroke he had lied to his father, and stolen what rightfully
belonged to his brother, again! Esau
was obviously irate and was pretty much out to destroy Jacob. So Jacob went into hiding. He moved back to
his mom’s homeland with his uncle and tried to lay low.<o:p></o:p></div>
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For 20 years the brothers were apart. They did not see each
other the entire time and they weren’t able to follow each other on
Facebook. When things went sideways for
Jacob at his uncle’s house he decided to go back home. He was afraid the
brother he has scammed would still be angry after all these years. Jacob had come to realize he was wrong and he
was fearful Esau had held on to his anger for the whole time he was gone. As he got closer to home Jacob didn’t know if
Esau would try to kill him. He
approached very humbly and sent teams ahead with gifts for his brother hoping
to gain his forgiveness.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Esau had every reason to hate Jacob. He had every reason to
want harm to come to him. He had stolen his birthright, he had stolen his
blessing and now he had disappeared for 20 years while he had tended to their
elderly parents. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<i><span style="color: #0070c0;"><br /></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="color: #0070c0;">But Esau ran to meet Jacob and embraced him; he threw his
arms around his neck and kissed him. And they wept. Genesis 33:4<o:p></o:p></span></i><br />
<i><span style="color: #0070c0;"><br /></span></i></div>
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Esau had been wronged by his brother, but he still had a
deep love for him. If you have wronged
your brother or your brother has wronged you, Esau and Jacob set a great
example. Jacob is humble and seeks forgiveness, Esau forgives.<o:p></o:p></div>
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God blesses both Esau and Jacob with many descendants and
with many belongings. Neither lost out on God’s grace because of their
mistakes. Esau was rash and impulsive when he traded his birthright for stew;
Jacob was dishonest and ambitious when he tricked his father and his brother
neither was too far gone for God to use.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54488/280/0251ABBE5764FE899F0C7C0E3156BF01.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0;" /></a>Broken Vesselshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05408090466248946652noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8516864117356534479.post-18296658444596934962016-05-23T07:28:00.001-05:002016-05-23T07:28:25.057-05:00Beauty in the Weeds<p dir="ltr">The lot next to my house is vacant and overgrown.  The county maintains it because it has a drainage ditch that runs through it.  </p>
<p dir="ltr">A couple of months ago the county came through and "cleared" a large portion of the lot removing a lot of the trees that had blocked my view of the main road.  What they left behind was an open mess. </p>
<p dir="ltr">As the rains came and now the warmer weather the lot became full of weeds.  </p>
<p dir="ltr">Last week some of the weeds began blooming turning the eyesore into some thing more splendid. </p>
<p dir="ltr">Seems like God does the same for us.  We should not be anything but an ugly weed but somehow He allows <u>us</u> to bloom and bring some beauty into the lives of others. </p>
<p dir="ltr">This post may be a bit hokey, but maybe someone needs to heat it. </p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU10ORZQUw0jOLA3JX9Ng61boVzAuvV25QHx7dnOUWGwZOHwpr9Ewr3vA2KH1w0jIGMuYGTJyNNgPy5pu9e8qZ6Apy_dRO8m8QLZycu90QZkaqzOHpLCwGI5vg_uQ_DPizJM0Gu23m6od4/s1600/20160521_080235.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU10ORZQUw0jOLA3JX9Ng61boVzAuvV25QHx7dnOUWGwZOHwpr9Ewr3vA2KH1w0jIGMuYGTJyNNgPy5pu9e8qZ6Apy_dRO8m8QLZycu90QZkaqzOHpLCwGI5vg_uQ_DPizJM0Gu23m6od4/s640/20160521_080235.jpg"> </a> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia02gqJkcPV88iR6ishSy1ksjURLMhLpERF8P_mEWKhjeHg_mjcGkPH-EBRvTUT7l2Rxx6dJJEn-Rzel2empVHd9UYpGfjWSaSwaJle-Ho4so_vRcOY2ZD34Dv_J2TKgRuaa5Cq-4Jp8id/s1600/20160521_080227.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia02gqJkcPV88iR6ishSy1ksjURLMhLpERF8P_mEWKhjeHg_mjcGkPH-EBRvTUT7l2Rxx6dJJEn-Rzel2empVHd9UYpGfjWSaSwaJle-Ho4so_vRcOY2ZD34Dv_J2TKgRuaa5Cq-4Jp8id/s640/20160521_080227.jpg"> </a> </div>Broken Vesselshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05408090466248946652noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8516864117356534479.post-69692471811971858482016-05-18T23:31:00.000-05:002016-05-18T23:31:46.426-05:00Like Father Like Son<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 16.8667px; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
Almost every dad will know the feeling; you are holding this tiny precious little life in the palm of your hands, you are overwhelmed with pride, joy and a healthy dose of fear. I remember the first time I looked into the sweet brown eyes of my first born. I remember promising myself I would do everything I could to show her the right path. I wanted to teach her all the good things and protect her from all the bad things.<u></u><u></u></div>
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I can only Imagine Abraham having those same thoughts as he held Isaac. As we talked about previously, God had promised him this son for many years and now FINALLY He had kept his promise. (check out the previous post about <a href="http://eruminations.blogspot.com/2016/05/the-man-who-laughed-at-god.html">Abraham (click here</a>) You know Abraham had to be so thankful to God; you know he promised he was going to teach Isaac to always believe, and to never do any of the bad things he had done. Abraham surely committed, like most of us to do everything he could to help Isaac learn to follow God.<u></u><u></u></div>
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<a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&q=http://www.bing.com/images/search?q%3Dabraham%2B%2526%2BIsaac%26view%3Ddetailv2%26%26id%3DA1F0FC77B8D588037280F21E7B8679E70D72C8BA%26selectedIndex%3D3%26ccid%3D34OFwwVY%26simid%3D608038881880834436%26thid%3DOIP.Mdf8385c30558788283e8f5b466b74787o0&source=gmail&ust=1463616749034000&usg=AFQjCNFJyIXDjaGhHAOGhXmeBtFtc5p-tA" href="http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=abraham+%26+Isaac&view=detailv2&&id=A1F0FC77B8D588037280F21E7B8679E70D72C8BA&selectedIndex=3&ccid=34OFwwVY&simid=608038881880834436&thid=OIP.Mdf8385c30558788283e8f5b466b74787o0" style="clear: left; color: #1155cc; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img align="left" alt="http://tse1.mm.bing.net/th?&id=OIP.Mdf8385c30558788283e8f5b466b74787o0&w=300&h=218&c=0&pid=1.9&rs=0&p=0&r=0" border="0" class="CToWUd" height="232" hspace="12" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/?ui=2&ik=f3576d53e6&view=fimg&th=154bffbf3a16c027&attid=0.1&disp=emb&attbid=ANGjdJ8PgbIcsHp9tiFRagWgblw1JPXBd2AxAYN6QskamlcdbBIAX7pMDRTlzegzIhyY3rPKKPm9Kf7kdmUvKkgGBq-Vba8hXvFySlvHtzNs4Ezq88Rul_y7JtftwsU&sz=w600-h436&ats=1463530349032&rm=154bffbf3a16c027&zw&atsh=1" title="" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 16.8667px;">Abraham gets some serious kudos for his efforts. The Bible recounts that God tested Abraham. He asked him to bring Isaac to a mountain and sacrifice him to show his trust in God. So, here is Abraham, now somewhere around 120 years old with a son that most historians believe is a grown man. This the son that God had promised for decades and now he is asking him to take him to the mountain and sacrifice him. Abraham had laughed at God before; this would have been a good time for him to do it again. Abraham didn’t laugh though, he complied.</span></div>
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I believe what happened next shows how Abraham had worked to instill faith and obedience in Isaac. After his dad led him up the mountain and the reality began to set in for Isaac that they didn’t bring an animal with them for sacrifice he could have easily resisted. Let’s be real he was a strong young man and his dad was pretty old, it wouldn’t have been that hard for him to give the old guy a swift kick and run away. Not like the old dude could have really taken him right? Isaac showed the faith and trust in God and in his dad by going along with the plan. I am sure he was confused and scared, but his faith was remarkable.<u></u><u></u></div>
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Abraham loved and favored Isaac. He eventually passed along everything he owned to his son. Isaac inherited Abraham's wealth, his flocks, his land, and his servants. The one thing he could't inherit was his dad's faith. The same is true for us today; we can do our best to teach and guide our kids; but we can't have a relationship with Jesus based on our parents' faith. Abraham began to see his best efforts payoff with Isaac's display on the mountain. Isaac eventually formed his own covenant with God.</div>
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The example we as parents set goes a long way to how our kids turn out. Our kids learn not just from the words we say, but from our actions. That’s why I was so very proud when my daughter ran her first 5k race. She was learning healthy habits from me. Unfortunately our kids learn our bad habits as well. For those who don’t know this I have a tendency to be a bit sarcastic. I have to remind myself of this part of my character when my newly minted teenager pops off with a sarcastic remark.<u></u><u></u></div>
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Isaac was no different. He learned to fear and worship the Lord from his dad’s example, but he also picked up a bad habit or two as well. Much like his father when Isaac fled his homeland during a famine he took refuge in the kingdom of Abimelech. Also like his father, Isaac told the king that his wife was actually his sister. This caused a bit of distress when Abimelech saw Isaac fondling her. Isaac’s dishonesty could have caused a major problem for him and for his wife Rebekah. It was eerily similar to what his father had done years before. <span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 16.8667px;">Isaac also, like his dad, had a bit of a feud and later a truce with Abimelech. He also had disputes with others regarding wells and land his father had once claimed.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 16.8667px;">Isaac eventually had his own sons. Like his dad and all of us, he did the best he could, but he made a lot of mistakes too. The bible says he even favored one son over the other. He is still honored as one of the </span><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; line-height: 16.8667px;">patriarchs of our faith.</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 16.8667px;"> </span></span></div>
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Just being Abraham's son brought a lot of benefit; but it didn't stop him from making mistakes and it didn't guarantee his faith. Abraham & Isaac were both faced with the same challenges we are today. We want to do our best for our children and we have to reconcile our own faith. We will make mistakes along the way but like Isaac if we trust God, He will guide us. </div>
<br />
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54488/280/0251ABBE5764FE899F0C7C0E3156BF01.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0px;" /></a>Broken Vesselshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05408090466248946652noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8516864117356534479.post-75512989595279266212016-05-15T21:03:00.001-05:002016-05-15T21:30:52.550-05:00It Just Really Doesn't Matter. <div dir="ltr">
In the third chapter of his letter the the Philippians the Apostle Paul lays out his resume. As soon as he lauds his credentials he then says none of them really matter. He basically says his past and all his accomplishments are garbage compared to the grace and reward he found in Jesus.</div>
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<br /></div>
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Truth is, whether you have an impressive resume or whether you have never accomplished anything; it doesn't matter. You may be an addict or you may be abused. You may be highly educated or unable to read. You may be a billionaire or you may not know where your next meal is coming from. </div>
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Our past, our education, our tax bracket, our gender, our race, nor our social status; none of it really matters.</div>
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The only thing that really matters is Jesus' love and grace. </div>
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Through Him we find real joy. Through Him we find true peace. Through Him we learn to serve others. Through Him we receive life!</div>
Broken Vesselshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05408090466248946652noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8516864117356534479.post-55507591559150923772016-05-11T06:00:00.000-05:002016-05-11T06:12:24.284-05:00An Uneducated Reluctant Warrior<br />
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.<o:p></o:p><img alt="Image result for alvin c york" src="https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQBoP23vg5mZ8dDLun5NkNf_1EwRxdrmS3fxEuze5mJ8l1Vsdt2" /></div>
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<b><span style="color: #0070c0;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: #0070c0;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“<i>Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good
courage; do not be afraid nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you
wherever you go. "Joshua 1:9</i><o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: #0070c0;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></i></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">There are days in our life that we will never forget. Alvin
York had a day that would change his life forever; and it wasn’t the day he is
most notable for.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">On October 8, 1918 as a corporal in the United States Army he became one of the most famous and highly decorated soldiers in history. His story of gallantry is well
documented. During the Battle of Argonne,
along with a small group of men, York went on a raid of a German camp. After
pretty easily defeating the camp, the men found themselves pinned down by
German machine guns.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“And those machine guns were spitting fire
and cutting down the undergrowth all around me something awful. And the Germans
were yelling orders. You never heard such a 'racket in all of your life. I
didn't have time to dodge behind a tree or dive into the brush... As soon as
the machine guns opened fire on me, I began to exchange shots with them. There
were over thirty of them in continuous action, and all I could do was touch the
Germans off just as fast as I could. I was sharp shooting. I don't think I
missed a shot. It was no time to miss… All the time I kept yelling at them to
come down. I didn't want to kill any more than I had to. But it was they or I.
And I was giving them the best I had." Diary of Alvin York.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">York felled 17 Germans with 17 shots. After that, a group of
Germans charged at his unit and York shot 8 more with only 8 more shots. It was a remarkable show of
marksmanship. Following that he led his
small unit back to the Allied base and captured as many as 132 German Prisoners
along the way (although numbers vary). York received The Distinguished Service
Cross, the Croix de Guerre and Legion of Honor from France, the Croce de Guerra
from Italy, The War Medal of Montenegro, and the United States Medal of Honor.
He received a Heroes welcome home from the war and a ticker tape parade in New
York City. That day in Europe made York
famous. A few years later, Gary Cooper won an Oscar portraying him on the big screen. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">That heroic day was not however
the day that Sergeant York would point to as the most significant day in his life. That day actually took place a few
years earlier.<span style="color: #943634;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #943634; mso-themecolor: accent2; mso-themeshade: 191;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">As the third of 11 kids on a small farm in Tennessee, York
grew up dirt poor and a little rowdy. The family farm was too far away from
school and chores had to be done, so he wasn’t well educated. When his father
died young it hit him hard. He developed quite a reputation for drinking too
much moonshine and getting into too many fights. He also was known to be a bit
of a gambler. When he was 27 years old most thought Alvin York would “never
amount to anything.” </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><o:p></o:p>On January 1, 1915 he attended a church revival meeting. At
that meeting York’s poverty, nor his temper, nor his drunkenness, nor his
gambling, nor his lack of education, kept him from committing his life to
Christ. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">York described the events at the revival of feeling like he
was hit by lightning. He gave up all the
habits that had been keeping him in trouble. He got involved in a local church
became a deacon, Sunday school teacher, and even led worship. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">His faith went so deep it almost kept him from ever becoming a hero. The congregation he was part of was staunchly pacifist; they held firm to the tenant, </span><i style="color: blue; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> "Blessed are the Peacemakers." </i><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> When York was drafted he originally replied that he was a conscientious objector, but his case was rejected and he was sent to boot camp.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">It took a lot of soul searching before he was able to reconcile his patriotism and his faith. He truly wanted to defend his country but did not want to fight. Through a lot of prayer and Bible study he finally came to accept that by fighting he could help make peace. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The faith he found that night at the revival sustained him
throughout his experiences in World War I and gave him a new perspective on his
life. No longer was he concerned about
his own well-being. His heart was now fixed on helping other people. </span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #7030a0;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Alvin York could have used his hero status to better
himself. He could have cashed in. He knew God didn’t choose him because he was
a hero. God made him a hero and opened his heart to others. </b><b>He
could have done anything. He had countless offers. He had the world in the palm
of his hand, but his heart led him back to Tennessee. </b><span style="color: #7030a0;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #7030a0;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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</v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">In the Tennessee hills was the “girl
who had waited” as well as generations of youth that he wanted to make sure had
a better opportunities than he did. He
also returned to his role at the church. York worked tirelessly to improve things for
his local community. He fought for roads, employment, and mostly
education. His biggest dream was to
provide a high quality education to those like himself who were not going to
receive it at the far away city school. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Maintaining a family farm and giving every other penny he
had to church or towards the school made life tough financially. Through the
sacrifice, York first was able to offer
some classes at the York Agricultural Institute in the mid-1920s. During the
Great Depression and the subsequent lead up to World War II, York’s dream seemed
destined not to ever be fulfilled. That’s why he agreed to allow Hollywood to
tell his story.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<a href="https://c2.staticflickr.com/8/7194/6875575827_fe5dd91ba9_b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://c2.staticflickr.com/8/7194/6875575827_fe5dd91ba9_b.jpg" width="400" /></span></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The money he made from the movie went to finish and better
the school that was now known as The York Institute. Despite his status as a war hero and despite
that the funds were used for a school; the nice people at the IRS decided York
hadn’t paid enough taxes. They charged
him with tax evasion claiming he underpaid by over $80,000. The IRS being the
awesome organization they are also added $80,000 more in penalties. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">In the late stages of his life York was partially paralyzed, blind, and practically penniless. Not
the life you would imagine for one of America’s greatest warriors. <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="color: #7030a0;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">He saw the horrors of war, he
struggled financially, his health failed him, but through all of it, Alvin York
clung to the faith he found January 1, 1915. <span style="color: #7030a0;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #0070c0;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><span style="color: #0070c0;"><i>But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have
counted as loss for the sake of Christ. </i></span></b><b><span style="color: #0070c0;"><i>More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of
the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered
the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ. - Philippians 3:7-8</i><o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Most people who recognize his name remember him for his
great exploits that will live on in history books and maybe Red Box, through
Gary Cooper’s performance. In rural Tennessee he is better known for his faith
and for the school that is still open and educating young people today. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Despite that he was born into poverty, despite that he
turned his back on his parent’s religion, despite the fact he had little
education and some would say “nothing to offer” God still chose to use Alvin
York. None of those things defined Alvin
York. Neither did that one day in The Battle of Argonne. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">G<b><span style="line-height: 115%;">od sought Alvin York out where he was and put him where he needed to be.</span></b>
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Christ isn’t looking for us because we are heroes. He will
make us heroes flaws and all. The grace he gives out will far surpass anything
we could ever gain without him <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54488/280/0251ABBE5764FE899F0C7C0E3156BF01.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0;" /></span></a>Broken Vesselshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05408090466248946652noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8516864117356534479.post-91405925919657978282016-05-04T05:30:00.000-05:002016-05-10T22:38:32.656-05:00The Man Who Laughed at God<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Have you ever felt a little impatient? Ever make a rash decision for immediate gains instead of being patient and waiting on God’s timetable? Ever make a bad decision because of your impatience and have to deal with the consequences? You are not alone! </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">One of the biggest heroes in the bible, a man noted for his faithfulness and obedience, suffered from the same impatience and bad decision making that you and I do. Abraham is referred to as the father of the faith and is a seminal figure in three of the world’s great religions; but he wasn’t perfect. In fact, when left to his own devices, he was a lot like me; pretty messed up.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<a href="https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTeYBDII_e6r-SUjdARpgInFQu-hvKSjnPBn_mna_Z0KHMHhVYx" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="Image result for abraham bible character" border="0" height="247" src="https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTeYBDII_e6r-SUjdARpgInFQu-hvKSjnPBn_mna_Z0KHMHhVYx" width="320" /></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We first meet Abraham in Genesis Chapter 11 while he is still using his given name Abram. We see his family tree and learn about him marrying a lovely woman named Sarai. God called him to leave his homeland and promised him the He would make him a great nation. God led him to his future promised land, and repeated his promise to him. Everything was going so well, until the first time adversity showed up. Even though God had set Abram up with some sweet land and made a pretty awesome promise to him twice, when a famine came over the land, Abram freaked out. </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ok, freaked out, may sound like a harsh term to use, but let’s examine what happened. Due to the famine, Abram took Sarai to Egypt to seek refuge. Because Egypt was not the friendliest of places Abram was afraid for their safety and came up with the genius plan of telling Pharaoh that Sarai was actually his sister not his wife. The Bible describes Sarai as a great beauty and Pharaoh was very interested in making her his bride. He was so interested he gave Abram a huge dowry for her. Abram, out of fear and just not knowing what to do was pretty much going to let Pharaoh have his wife. Fortunately, God intervened and Abram and Sarai were kicked out of Egypt, but somehow he got to keep all the cool things Pharaoh had given him. </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">So, Instead of trusting God through the famine, Abram thought he knew better. He fled, he lied and he almost lost his wife to Pharaoh.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">After this, God reiterated his promise to Abram, promising him lots of land and many heirs. We see through the next couple of chapters the faithfulness Abram became famous for. He builds altars to God, he leads a valiant rescue of his nephew and he gives us a great example of tithing. </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Many years pass and while Abram had the land God promised and had accumulated great wealth, he still didn’t have the heirs God had promised him. In Chapter 16 we start to see some of the doubt creep in as Abram questions God’s plan </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #0070c0; font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #0070c0; font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 8.799999999999999px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: super; white-space: pre-wrap;">2 </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #0070c0; font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">But Abram answered, “Lord All-Powerful, you have given me everything I could ask for, except children. And when I die, Eliezer of Damascus will get all I own.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #0070c0; font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 8.799999999999999px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: super; white-space: pre-wrap;">[</span><a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis+15%3A2-3&version=CEV#a" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #0070c0; font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 8.799999999999999px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: super; white-space: pre-wrap;">a</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #0070c0; font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 8.799999999999999px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: super; white-space: pre-wrap;">]</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #0070c0; font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #0070c0; font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 8.799999999999999px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: super; white-space: pre-wrap;">3 </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #0070c0; font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">You have not given me any children, and this servant of mine will inherit everything</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #0070c0; font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">.”</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Much like when we question and get impatient, God calmed Abram and reminded him yet again of his promise to him. God was still the same and his promise had not changed. </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #0070c0; font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Lord replied, “No, he won’t! You will have a son of your own, and everything you have will be his.” </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #0070c0; font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 8.799999999999999px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: super; white-space: pre-wrap;">5 </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #0070c0; font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Then the Lord took Abram outside and said, “Look at the sky and see if you can count the stars. That’s how many descendants you will have.” </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #0070c0; font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 8.799999999999999px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: super; white-space: pre-wrap;">6 </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #0070c0; font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Abram believed the Lord, and the Lord was pleased with him</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ever get that amazing feeling that everything is going so great, you are just on top of the world. Ol' Abram felt that way for a bit, until doubt and impatience crept in again. He and Sarai were starting to get up in age, still had no children and decided they would help God along with his promise. Instead of waiting on God to fulfill the promise he had now give to Abram 3 times, he and Sarai decided to fix this heirless issue with their own little plan. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sarai had Abram procreate with one of her servants, Hagar. What could possibly go wrong with this idea? In a not so surprising turn of events after Hagar became pregnant with Abram’s son Sarai became jealous and things were not smooth and happy. Kinda saw that coming, huh? </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">So, again Abram got impatient, and didn’t wait on God. Again, it didn’t turn out well for him. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Abram was 99 years old, still only had the one child, with Hagar, when God showed up again to remind him of their covenant. This time though, God seemed to want Abram to remember the promise so H</span><span style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 14.6667px; line-height: 1.38; white-space: pre-wrap;">e threw in a couple of little reminders. God changed his name from Abram to Abraham and instituted the covenant of circumcision. God gave instructions going forward as to who was to be circumcised and when, but also made Abraham, his son Ishmael, and all of his servants get circumcised immediately. A tip of the cap to Abraham as the bible records he obeyed God that same day. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">On a side note, who had that job? Who had the fun job of removing foreskin from grown men with their pocket knife? I also imagine there were not a lot of people clamoring to be at the front of the line. Also, who had the job of going around and checking to make sure everyone obeyed? But I digress.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #0070c0; font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 8.799999999999999px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: super; white-space: pre-wrap;">15 </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #0070c0; font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">God also said to Abraham, “As for Sarai your wife, you are no longer to call her Sarai; her name will be Sarah. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #0070c0; font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 8.799999999999999px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: super; white-space: pre-wrap;">16 </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #0070c0; font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I will bless her and will surely give you a son by her. I will bless her so that she will be the mother of nations; kings of peoples will come from her.”</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #0070c0; font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 8.799999999999999px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: super; white-space: pre-wrap;">17 </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #0070c0; font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Abraham fell facedown; he laughed and said to himself, “Will a son be born to a man a hundred years old? Will Sarah bear a child at the age of ninety?” </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Whoa! Did you catch that, Abraham just laughed at God?</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Let’s not be too hard on ol’ Abraham though, God had been making this promise now for decades and he and Sarah still had no kids. It must have been laughter of not just amusement, but frustration. “C’mon God, you have been telling me that for 50 years now!” </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 14.6667px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Like Abraham, I have laughed at God. For a number of years I felt like he was calling me to do something and I never felt worthy. I also never felt like he was fully revealing how he wanted to use me; only that he wanted to use me. "Ha, good one God, you are going to use me, that’s funny!" I still am not sure how He plans to use me, but I am know he will and I can hardly wait.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">So, now our father of the faith has had his name changed and foreskin removed and God confirmed and specified his promise </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">yet again. Maybe this time it will sink in?</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We do see Abraham’s passion for God and his passion for others as he intercedes and pleads for the lives of those in Sodom. But then we also see Abraham returning to one of his old mistakes. For whatever reason after Sodom was destroyed Abraham picked up and moved to a new territory. This territory was ruled by a guy named Abimelech. Despite how poorly it almost turned out the last time he tried this stunt, Abraham told Abimelech Sarah was his sister and almost lost her again before God intervened yet again. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">God took care of Abraham, despite his lying, despite his lapses of judgment, despite impatience. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #0070c0; font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Now the Lord was gracious to Sarah as he had said, and the Lord did for Sarah what he had promised. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #0070c0; font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 9.6px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: super; white-space: pre-wrap;">2 </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #0070c0; font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sarah became pregnant and bore a son to Abraham in his old age, at the very time God had promised him.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We get impatient, we get frustrated, we doubt, we may even laugh at God, but He is faithful to complete what He has promised. God didn’t choose Abraham because he was worthy. God didn’t give up on Abraham when he failed. God made Abraham worthy and stood by him despite his flaws and He will do the same for us. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 700; line-height: 1.38; white-space: pre-wrap;">On one last side note…. When God changed his name all he added was Ha. So when Abraham laughed at God; God had the last laugh?</span></div>
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54488/280/0251ABBE5764FE899F0C7C0E3156BF01.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0;" /></a>Broken Vesselshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05408090466248946652noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8516864117356534479.post-109196200818938812016-04-30T21:22:00.001-05:002016-05-03T22:33:09.286-05:00Watching Puddles Gather Rain. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWPUYQ9wkcyCHmZ_XUQ8td_kHdY0UG-GUZ1amSVSwfmRiJzLi05UcQ7ro9d5MqUBCwGiCeD52aEplpD7qzNKx9sig7-DodUGkYUvm8QIgJpcbVjK9kfsmftPNOZnD6xV9WT8lNsaxlYrJp/s1600/20160430_175316.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWPUYQ9wkcyCHmZ_XUQ8td_kHdY0UG-GUZ1amSVSwfmRiJzLi05UcQ7ro9d5MqUBCwGiCeD52aEplpD7qzNKx9sig7-DodUGkYUvm8QIgJpcbVjK9kfsmftPNOZnD6xV9WT8lNsaxlYrJp/s320/20160430_175316.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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I find myself standing here by myself typing this blog on my phone while I watch puddles gather rain. This is not how today was supposed to go. </div>
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I am not frustrated, I am instead reminded of the old tried and true adage; if you fail to plan, you plan to fail. </div>
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I had a lot of things I wanted to do today. I wanted to wake up early, run a few miles, hit the gym, cook a delicious omelette for breakfast, work on tomorrow's bible study, watch the NFL draft, do some yard work, and take my teenage daughter to her first prom. </div>
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I said I wanted to do all those things; what I didn't do was plan to do those things. I didn't check to see if I had clean running clothes, I didn't make sure we had all the ingredients for my omelette, I didn't check the weather, and I didn't make sure I was registered to take my daughter to her prom on the air force base. </div>
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Because I failed to plan for the day, I had to postpone my run and my trip to the gym because I didn't have clean clothes. . I didn't get to make my omelette because we didn't have the proper ingredients. I didn't do any yard work because it rained, My coverage of the draft was interrupted because i was making up for my missed run. And I am standing here watching it rain while My Favorite is taking pictures and gushing over my daughter because I am not registered to get on base. </div>
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So, today's little reminder to me; It's great to have goals to accomplish but if you don't make take the proper steps in the planning stage; you won't accomplish the things you want to. </div>
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By the way she was beautiful, but growing up too fast. More on that next week. </div>
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Broken Vesselshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05408090466248946652noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8516864117356534479.post-81202119480790788002016-04-27T05:00:00.000-05:002016-05-03T22:34:15.130-05:00God Uses A Foul Mouthed Slave Trading Atheist. <br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Many times we feel like the things that have happened in our past can disqualify us from God's service. I can think of no better story to illustrate the fallacy of this thinking than the story of John Newton.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Newton was born in 1725 in England. His mom died just before he turned 7 and he lived a very tough early life before being enlisted in the British Navy. Newton was part of the most profitable mission the British Navy had at the time; transporting slaves. Newton wasn't popular with his fellow sailors; he attempted to dessert and was treated to a public lashing. He was known as "the Great Blasphemer" because of his coarse language and profanity. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">He was so unpopular with his fellow sailors at one point they left him behind in Africa where he became a servant to a tribal princess. He was treated violently and with complete disregard by his captors. Despite his treatment, once he was rescued he returned to the slave trade and seemed to have no regard for the lives he was hauling across the Atlantic Ocean like they were nothing more than cargo. He took thousands of slaves across the Atlantic. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">It was while he was at sea in the middle of a huge storm that Newton, who until that point had been a staunch atheist, came to find faith in Christ. He still struggled for many years to reconcile his faith with what he was doing for a living. A man who had been part of one of the great blights on all of humanity and who was struggling with his faith had trouble believing God had a purpose for him. Newton had previously rejected the teachings but now began reading the Bible and other religious works, he also began to seek out a mentor to help him grow in his faith.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Finally after wrestling with his conscience for many years Newton left the slave trade to become a tide surveyor and at age 39 became an ordained minister. Newton's faith and passion grew. He spent the next 40 years preaching and teaching throughout England becoming a mentor to many great missionaries including William Carey. Newton's faith changed him and he became a strong abolitionist voice and one of the leaders in England abolishing it's slave trade in 1805.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Despite his troubled past God used John Newton in an amazing way. His legacy lives on today. Even if you have never of John Newton before, you have heard a hymn he once wrote about his redemption. While he wrote over 280 hymns, one has touched hearts for centuries. It was sung by both sides during the U.S. Civil War, it was seminal during the Civil Rights movement. It was sung to help our nation heal after 9-11. It has been recorded by Sam Cooke, Aretha Franklin, Johnny Cash, Joan Baez and countless others. Amazing Grace is one of the most recognized and moving songs in the world. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The Lyrics of "Amazing Grace" capture Newton's heart at the time he accepted Jesus and have touched many hearts since then.</span><br />
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<i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Amazing Grace how sweet the sound</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">that saved a wretch like me</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I once was lost but now I'm found</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">was blind but now I see </span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>’Twas grace that taught my heart to fear,</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>And grace my fears reliev’d;</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>How precious did that grace appear,</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>The hour I first believ’d!</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>Thro’ many dangers, toils and snares,</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>I have already come;</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>’Tis grace has brought me safe thus far,</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>And grace will lead me home.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>The Lord has promis’d good to me,</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>His word my hope secures;</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>He will my shield and portion be,</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>As long as life endures.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>Yes, when this flesh and heart shall fail,</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>And mortal life shall cease;</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>I shall possess, within the veil,</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>A life of joy and peace.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>The earth shall soon dissolve like snow,</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>The sun forbear to shine;</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>But God, who call’d me here below,</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>Will be forever mine.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">John Newton could have believed that his checkered past disqualified him from God's service, but God filled him with grace, using him to touch millions of lives with the words written by a unworthy, former slave trading atheist.</span><br />
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<span style="color: blue;">For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord , “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." </span><span style="color: blue;">Jeremiah 29:11 NIV</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">God gave this word to the nation of Israel while they were in rebellion. The same words were true for John Newton and they are true for us as well. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">In Newton's last days he was still amazed by God's grace. </span><br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 20px;">"My memory is nearly gone; but I remember</span></span></b> </blockquote>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 20px;">two things: That I am a great sinner, and that</span></span></b></blockquote>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 20px;">Christ is a great Savior."</span></span></b></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">
We can't let the things we have done convince us God can't use us. He can and will. His Grace is greater and more amazing than anything we could ever do. We are not disqualified by our past, we are qualified by His grace. </span></span><br />
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Broken Vesselshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05408090466248946652noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8516864117356534479.post-88581690070864448672016-04-23T21:15:00.001-05:002016-04-23T21:19:00.937-05:00Late, Thirsty and Mad. A Great Day!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoF_dgRIFY0eIPkpATyDNusf_ssMIp7GVZo7hHg6OPa20NUqg1vfz2_a1p-YoZRTxV1ImCGohEiNfYrfYmyEldvcGUYXiZwVltNIcUdBZb3Pa5FdeRuqul6FSN_AY8B5LwkFavuEe4vuJj/s1600/20160423_172120.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoF_dgRIFY0eIPkpATyDNusf_ssMIp7GVZo7hHg6OPa20NUqg1vfz2_a1p-YoZRTxV1ImCGohEiNfYrfYmyEldvcGUYXiZwVltNIcUdBZb3Pa5FdeRuqul6FSN_AY8B5LwkFavuEe4vuJj/s640/20160423_172120.jpg"></a>Never let someone else or any event define your attitude for you. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Today could have taken an ugly turn early, thankfully it didn't. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Left the house headed to Southern Miss spring football game around 9:30 this morning. The Gator, The Bear, and My Favorite all wanted breakfast. In an effort to be as expedient as possible we decided to go through a drive thru. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Patience not being my strong suit, I did not stop at the Golden Arches when I saw a line around the building, instead we went across the street to Sonic. We placed our order at 9:40, nothing complicated. I paid at the fancy sign with my debit card and we waited , I won't claim patiently. We watched some boy scouts play in water while their patents washed cars and we talked about how excited we were for our day. Finally at 9:54 the car hop arrived with almost all of our order. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Allegedly my coffee was still brewing. You would think that's kind of an important thing to have at breakfast and since it had already been 14 minutes they would have had ample time to prepare it. I was polite and agreed to wait... I like coffee and people like me better with coffee. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Finally, after I had to push the red button 2 more times a different car hop arrived with my coffee, a very half hearted apology, and a coupon card. It was now 10:02, and I was not thrilled. I was almost sent over the edge when I took my first sip of nature's finest beverage. It was barely warm! After 22 minutes these people bring me cold coffee! I was honestly too mad to complain, I was madder than I should have been. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">22 minutes is a very long time to wait, especially for a completely unsatisfactory experience. Now we were running late, I was thirsty, I have had no coffee, and I was mad. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">We gave serious consideration to not making our trip. I am eternally grateful that we chose to press on. Had we allowed the service failure to dictate our attitudes we would have missed one of my favorite days. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">We made it to campus in plenty of time. We had a good time at the game and an even better time afterward at the little festival. There was free food, bounce houses, and games. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">After cruising around for a bit we then had the best time at a new burger joint that opened not long ago. I could spend another 1000 words on how much I liked this place but will spare you. However, if you find yourself in Hattiesburg, MS do yourself a favor and have a meal at Ed's Burger Joint. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Despite the early set back I had an amazing day with three of my favorite people!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Never let something or someone else determine what type of day you will have. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmF3y1VMoo5zPqTKPFcytgp2ahkv1eB31E27FAFheH9uNF36mLSV03yuqMrfHFLxM1oYUJnTmjAfEK1Dp3JmYaM9ePZRtXJFCgE4HaO1-KIP8gypt1DcS9j2gB2RtLprQ8kFBYZdjUeui4/s1600/20160423_171638.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmF3y1VMoo5zPqTKPFcytgp2ahkv1eB31E27FAFheH9uNF36mLSV03yuqMrfHFLxM1oYUJnTmjAfEK1Dp3JmYaM9ePZRtXJFCgE4HaO1-KIP8gypt1DcS9j2gB2RtLprQ8kFBYZdjUeui4/s640/20160423_171638.jpg"> </a> </div>Broken Vesselshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05408090466248946652noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8516864117356534479.post-16887895964405042112016-04-20T08:00:00.000-05:002016-04-20T08:00:25.812-05:00A Farmer Builds a Boat, Gets Drunk & Naked<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">If I were in charge of hiring someone to build a grand impressive ship to exacting dimensions, I would be looking for someone eminently qualified. I would want someone who has an engineering background. Someone who has extensive experience on similar size projects. Someone with great leadership abilities who could keep a crew focused and get the job done.<br /><br />Not only is this project going to require building a grand ship; following precise specifications, it will also require years of thankless manual labor with a very small crew. It will also require some very unique skills. Once built the shipbuilder will then need to navigate the newly built and untested ship for nearly an entire year with the closest members of his family and approximately 7,000 different animals of all species.<br /><br />If I knew this project was extremely important and actually meant the ultimate survival of all mankind, I would cast a wide net and insist on bringing in the most qualified people in the world, regardless of expense. My job posting on Indeed.com would be exhaustive. I would want to check every reference and see countless examples of past projects. Since I need some cross between an engineer, a shipbuilder,a carpenter, a CEO, a ship captain and a Zoologist; how do I even began the post? What would you call such a position? Who could possibly be qualified?<br /><br />I could never imagine filling such a position with a 450 year old farmer.</span><br />
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<a href="http://www.datemplate.com/postpic/2015/09/noah-s-ark-animals_431499.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://www.datemplate.com/postpic/2015/09/noah-s-ark-animals_431499.jpg" width="400" /></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The story of Noah’s Ark is one of the most famous stories from the Bible. We have all heard it, we have colored the pictures, we have sang the songs; but have you ever considered just how unqualified a hero Noah really was?<br /><br /><i><span style="color: #783f04;"><b>The entire story is available in Genesis chapters 6-9</b></span></i><br /><br />God didn’t look for any of the qualifications humans would have. He looked for a man who walked with him and who was obedient to Him. God chose him to build the boat because Noah “found favor” with Him.<br /><br /><span style="color: #783f04;"><b><i>6:9 This is the account of Noah and his family. Noah was a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time, and he walked faithfully with God.</i></b></span><br /><br />Noah was the 10th generation from Adam and according to the first 5 chapters of Genesis, mankind had fallen in a tremendous way since the Garden of Eden. Noah wasn’t perfect but he followed God and did not succumb to the wickedness of his time. The decadence and evil had grown so intense the Bible recounts God regretted creating humans at all<br /><b><i><span style="color: #783f04;"><br />6:6 The LORD regretted that he had made human beings on the earth, and his heart was deeply troubled.</span></i></b><br /><br />So, despite not much of a resume God commissioned the 450 year old farmer and his family to build the massive ship that stretched around 500 feet in length and was around 80 feet wide. The impressive specs continue as the ship was also close to 50 feet tall and was built with 3 separate decks inside. Not through his own skill but through his obedience; Noah built the huge boat<br /><b><i><span style="color: #783f04;"><br />6:22 Noah did everything just as God commanded him</span></i></b><br /><br />Then, despite Noah having zero zoology expertise; God sent animals to him to fill the giant vessel. Noah had to convince the lions not to eat the gazelles and coax the elephants and the monkeys into their spot in the boat. He then, without a lot of leadership skills to boast about had to somehow convince his wife, kids, and family to get on the giant boat with all the animals. Not through his own skills; but through following God’s will Noah got the ark loaded before the rain and water began to come.<br /><br /><span style="color: #783f04;"><b><i>7:3 And Noah did all that the LORD commanded him</i></b></span><br /></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br />I focus a lot on what I can’t do because of my lack of skills, my lack of abilities, my lack of time, my lack of money. However, through my obedience, the God of the universe can do amazing things through me. <b>God will call us to do things outside of our comfort zone to serve Him and to help others. While we aren’t even remotely qualified, His grace qualifies us.</b><br /><br />After nearly a year stuck inside this boat with his family and a bunch of smelly animals, God finally opened the doors and let Noah out onto dry land. Noah immediately built an altar and worshiped God.<br /><br />Wouldn’t it be sweet and a perfect ending if that’s where the story ended? If it was Hollywood, as Noah worshiped God, a rainbow would cross the screen, we would get a sweet song from Billy Joel, and the credits would begin to roll. The Bible isn’t that kind to our heroes though. The Bible seems to go out of it’s way to prove to us that our "Heroes of the Faith" are just as flawed as we are.<br /><br />Not long after getting out of the Ark and forming a new covenant with God; good ole Noah planted a vineyard. Noah then enjoyed the fruits of his vineyard. Genesis doesn’t sugar coat it, Noah got drunk, got Naked and passed out in his tent.<br /><br />It’s odd that the last thing we hear from the hero of our story is of a failure. It’s not however an attempt to shame or tear down Noah. Adding Noah’s drunk and naked story to the end of the flood story is a reminder instead to all of us, that without God’s grace, Noah just like all of us was an unqualified flawed vessel.<br /> <br /><br />On a side note scientists have recently found, that built to the exact dimensions stated in Genesis, the Ark could have absolutely carried the weight of the 7000 and stayed afloat. <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/scientists-noahs-arc-would-have-floated-with-70000-animals-if-built-by-dimensions-in-the-bible-2014-4">http://www.businessinsider.com/scientists-noahs-arc-would-have-floated-with-70000-animals-if-built-by-dimensions-in-the-bible-2014-4</a></span><br />
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54488/280/0251ABBE5764FE899F0C7C0E3156BF01.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0px;" /></a></span>Broken Vesselshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05408090466248946652noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8516864117356534479.post-82366772270461679372016-04-16T07:21:00.000-05:002016-04-16T07:21:20.469-05:00I am a Broken Vessel<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A few years ago when I was on a weight loss journey I started this blog. I enjoyed having a place to share my experiences with others; but at some point, I felt like I just didn’t have anything more to say. However, there has been a stirring in my soul for quite some time now. This stirring is telling me I do have something I need to say; and I have something others need to hear. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">While my previous blogging experience was mostly about physical development with a few random thoughts and book reviews mixed in; this time I feel led to focus on something a bit more spiritual. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> For years I have considered myself unworthy to talk about things spiritual. I know where I came from, I know the things I have done. I know the thoughts I have had. There are so many reasons why God wouldn’t or even couldn’t use me. </span></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b id="docs-internal-guid-a8cd52fb-064b-dc72-8269-7e5d1a371790" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I am a Broken Vessel</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In biblical days and in many cultures today clay pots are very valuable. Without running water, it is the means to carry water for drinking or cleaning, from the river or the well back to the home. It could be ornate and beautiful but even the plainest clay pot still served a great purpose. However if for any reason the vessel was broken, it became useless. You can’t carry water in a broken vessel. Imagine walking all the way from your house to the well, you fill your vessel and begin to return home. When you arrive home your pot is only slightly full and you have wasted it as it has poured and splashed out all along your path home. In some cultures this would be even more frustrating. Many cultures will carry the vessel on their head for balance and to relieve the muscle strain. A broken vessel would not just yield little usable water but would also result in a very wet head. </span></span></div>
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<a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/LY95G-b5KRJ_xN4Z4Q79UmT__aPf9dGR00bC0yInZqaLyIfpYti2tnIcTItrBbv3FtSHJp9SY_gQBixN62imQca3M4uJdvqt2vo4ZyzHb16pzELoFYJ8C62Km0QKWlwl31fOeuwNvpg2JgQNpw" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="http://tse1.mm.bing.net/th?&id=OIP.M90430a4f644d2725ec7aaa4de8b12db7H0&w=300&h=196&c=0&pid=1.9&rs=0&p=0&r=0" border="0" height="196" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/LY95G-b5KRJ_xN4Z4Q79UmT__aPf9dGR00bC0yInZqaLyIfpYti2tnIcTItrBbv3FtSHJp9SY_gQBixN62imQca3M4uJdvqt2vo4ZyzHb16pzELoFYJ8C62Km0QKWlwl31fOeuwNvpg2JgQNpw" style="border: none; transform: rotate(0rad);" width="300" /></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: black; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; line-height: 1.38; white-space: pre-wrap;">There are many ways a vessel can become broken. While each piece of pottery is hand made for a specific purpose many factors determine how well it will serve it's purpose. Some potters are more skilled than others and will make a better more sturdy pot. The material used is also important as lesser clay will not be as durable. Once the pot is crafted and put to use how it is cared for will determine how long it will function. A poorly made vessel, one made with lesser materials or one handled too roughly will crack, chip and eventually break. </span><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; line-height: 20.24px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Once this happens,</span><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; line-height: 1.38; white-space: pre-wrap;"> the vessel is no longer able to fulfill it’s purpose. There are ways that try to patch or mend the holes and the brokenness, but those fixes are very temporary, eventually the broken vessel will have to be discarded. </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">While I know; God is the ultimate potter and made me for a specific purpose I also know he wasn't working with the highest quality piece of clay. When I was young I wasn’t always “handled with care”. As I got older, many times I chose the wrong path; and while that has left me with some interesting stories it has also put quite a few cracks, chips, and breaks. I tend to think, there’s not a whole lot of use that even God can get out of this broken, chipped, cracked, patched, leaky piece of pottery. I tend to think He would only wind up with a sip of water and a soaked head.</span></div>
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<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/HYM2tSGWjE1aL3U-Ox4ok8rsMr3vCibfvJzlAEcpcjeh9e4-cXdyqA4gWqL8XSCEZoJVGrzTyQgP0xCk0NQ_gMDjgXh-ipzlQlRuYFCTe0Xq3vhBqvb-kM0mYJBlbHoqz08PfS2HxHowc9m06Q" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="http://tse1.mm.bing.net/th?&id=OIP.M616113a569f79c2ca0498c5449464cd1o0&w=218&h=164&c=0&pid=1.9&rs=0&p=0&r=0" border="0" height="214" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/HYM2tSGWjE1aL3U-Ox4ok8rsMr3vCibfvJzlAEcpcjeh9e4-cXdyqA4gWqL8XSCEZoJVGrzTyQgP0xCk0NQ_gMDjgXh-ipzlQlRuYFCTe0Xq3vhBqvb-kM0mYJBlbHoqz08PfS2HxHowc9m06Q" style="border: none; transform: rotate(0rad);" width="218" /></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In my mind it is easy to believe God wants to use the exceptional. God wants to use the vessel that is flawless, beautiful and ornate. God wants to use the best of the best. It’s easy for me, and surely others to believe; that God is looking to use the most worthy vessels. Since I am not worthy, God is great and will find someone who is.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Here’s the thing, my thinking couldn’t be more wrong. The purpose of this blog is to show that God isn’t concerned with finding the perfect vessel. God wants to show His power by using unworthy, leaky, broken, flawed vessels; just like me. The great “heroes” of the faith were not shiny or spotless; they were ordinary; they were flawed, they were broken. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This is the direction this blog is going to take. We will focus on God’s amazing grace filling and overflowing broken vessels throughout history and how that same grace can fill us and how God can use us cracks, chips, breaks and all. Each week we will take a look at a hero that God used for His kingdom and how He chose them despite how unworthy they all were. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Next week we will look at how God used a naked drunk to save the world!</span></div>
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<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54488/280/0251ABBE5764FE899F0C7C0E3156BF01.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0;" /></a>Broken Vesselshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05408090466248946652noreply@blogger.com0