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Category: Religion

re·li·gion: a set of beliefs concerning the cause, nature, and purpose of the universe, esp. when considered as the creation of a superhuman agency or agencies, usually involving devotional and ritual observances, and often containing a moral code governing the conductof human affairs. Posts in this category pertain to religious matters and issues.

  • Flag Burning and Cross Building

    Surely, if we can even discuss whether burning the American flag is a form of protected political expression (not speech), then a church building a cross must be protected religious exercise.

    When it comes to tony Town and Country, some residents like to say there’s an understated character in the city.

    So imagine the response in this enclave of million-dollar homes and manicured estates when a church proposed building an illuminated cross on its grounds adjacent to Highway 40. And not just any cross. This one would be made of glass and steel, soaring 99 feet into the air – a height equivalent to five streetlights stacked on top of each other.

    …

    He claimed that when the church first approached the city with its intention to erect the cross, the city had no such height restrictions, but added them soon after. He called that “an effort to erect obstacles to the exercise of our rights of religious freedom.”

    Hey Town and Country, remember this pesky little line?

    Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.

    I’m sure you do so hate it when the Constitution gets in the way…

  • OYB March 15

    Today´s reading:
    OT: Numbers 22:21-41, Numbers 23
    NT: Luke 1:57-80
    Ps: Psalm 58
    Pr: Proverbs 11:12-13

    Today´s notable verse:

    God is not a man, that he should lie,
    nor a son of man, that he should change his mind.
    Does he speak and then not act?
    Does he promise and not fulfill?

    Numbers 23:19 (NIV)

    I love this characteristic of God: if He says it, it is so; if He promises it, He will fulfill it. We cannot impose our will on God any more than Balak could compel God to curse the Israelites whom He had already blessed. No matter how many times he asked, no matter how many sacrifices he offered, no matter which of the Israelites he desired cursed – God willed that the Israelites be blessed.

    No matter whether the general, unconditional revelation and promises of Scripture (logos), or personal, conditional words of prophecy (rhema), we can trust without any doubt whatsoever that what God promised will come to pass. (This space is too limited to get into the difference between the unconditional Word of Scripture, and words of prophecy contingent upon their conformance with and our own obedience to the Word of Scripture.) Thank God for His faithfulness and trustworthiness!

    The One Year Bible Blog asks:

    What verses or insights jumped out for you in today’s readings?

    For once, Mike and I focused on different verses!

  • OYB March 14

    Today´s reading:
    OT: Numbers 21, Numbers 22:1-20
    NT: Luke 1:26-56
    Ps: Psalm 57
    Pr: Proverbs 11:9-11

    Today´s notable verses:

    That is why the Book of the Wars of the LORD says…

    Numbers 21:14 (NIV)

    What is the Book of the Wars of the Lord? From Wikipedia:

    The Book of the wars of The Lord, or The Book of the wars of Yahweh, is one of several books referenced in the Hebrew Bible, of which no copies are known to exist. It is mentioned in Numbers 21:14-15, (verses 13-15)… Amongst academics, it is generally thought to be a collection of victory songs/poems, although some non-academics have proposed it may be a prose military history.

    The Book of the Wars of the Lord is only one of a few “lost” works we will encounter this year.

    Israel captured all the cities of the Amorites and occupied them, including Heshbon and all its surrounding settlements.

    Numbers 21:25 (NIV)

    The Israelites occupied the erstwhile Amorite cities, and settled there. Was this settlement permanent – did some of the Israelites never enter the promised land – or was it temporary – only until the assembly moved on?

    The One Year Bible Blog asks:

    Proverbs chapter 11 verse 11 is a great reminder to each of us to be good citizens – “Upright citizens bless a city and make it prosper.” Are you striving to be an upright citizen blessing your city and helping to make it prosper?

    Reading this verse, I was struck by how part of our witness of Christ is that our cities – our communities – are to be blessed through us. This blessing is to be especially in contrast to the curse that the wicked bring to a city/community. I wonder how often the body of Christ is recognized – or, worse, even recognizable – as a blessing to our community? This thought is certainly sobering. I pray that God would use His church to bless the cities in which His believers live – starting with me!

  • OYB March 13

    Today´s reading:
    OT: Numbers 19, Numbers 20
    NT: Luke 1:1-25
    Ps: Psalm 56
    Pr: Proverbs 11:8

    Today´s notable verse:

    10 In God, whose word I praise,
    in the LORD, whose word I praise-
    11 in God I trust; I will not be afraid.
    What can man do to me?

    Psam 56:10-11 (NIV)

    Anyone who has kept up with the events of my life over the past several days will understand why these verses have special significance to me, especially right now.

    The One Year Bible Blog asks:

    What verses or insights jumped out for you in today’s readings?

    Noted above… I apologize for today’s brevity; things are rather hectic!

  • OYB March 12

    Today´s reading:
    OT: Numbers 16:41-50, Numbers 17, Numbers 18
    NT: Mark 16
    Ps: Psalm 55
    Pr: Proverbs 11:7

    Today´s notable verses:

    He stood between the living and the dead, and the plague stopped.

    Numbers 16:18 (NIV)

    I read this line and immediately thought of Christ. God had sent a plague to deal with the rebellious and grumbling Israelites. Aaron took incense into the midst of them to make atonement for their sin – just as Christ became the atonement four our sin; the plague stopped – just as we are saved from the plague of sin in our lives.

    The next day Moses entered the Tent of the Testimony and saw that Aaron’s staff, which represented the house of Levi, had not only sprouted but had budded, blossomed and produced almonds.

    Numbers 17:8 (NIV)

    God here is either demonstrating a lack of ambiguity to the point of absurdity, or else revealing a glimpse of His sense of humor/irony. Either way, He made His will obvious, and left no room for doubt or contention. I just find humor in the imagery of Aaron’s staff sprouting, budding, blossoming, and bearing almonds!

    Cast your cares on the LORD
    and he will sustain you;
    he will never let the righteous fall.

    Psalm 55:22 (NIV)

    Just a continuation of my thoughts from yesterday. I thank God that He has proven these words to be so true in the circumstances of my own life!

    The One Year Bible Blog asks:

    What verses or insights jumped out for you in today’s readings?

    As has become usual, Mike and I focused on the same verses!

  • OYB March 11

    Today´s reading:
    OT: Numbers 15:17-41, Numbers 16:1-40
    NT: Mark 15
    Ps: Psalm 54
    Pr: Proverbs 11:5-6

    Today´s notable verse:

    Surely God is my help;
    the Lord is the one who sustains me.

    Psalm 54:4 (NIV)

    When my engagement ended, of all the things I went through emotionally, the one constant I knew without a doubt was that I was sustained. Through it all, I always knew that God was with me: helping me, sustaining me. As life went on from that moment, I never faced depression, or despair; I couldn’t describe my state of being in any other way than that one word: sustained. I had absolute peace that God was in control, that He had a good plan, and that He would work out even this situation for good. While there are still several things that I don’t understand, I am content knowing that I may never understand – and I know that understanding isn’t the desired end, but rather faith. I thank God for – at the very least – using this experience to develop in me absolute and utter reliance upon Him, and Him alone, to sustain me in every circumstance.

    The One Year Bible Blog notes:

    “Trial By Fire” – ever hear this term? I think this term may have gotten its genesis here in Numbers chapter 16. Korah’s rebellion caused Moses to explain how this true trial by fire would go down in verses 4 through 7

    I am reminded of Paul’s words: that our lives – what we have “built up” – will be tested by fire, and we willl all pass through. Either we will come out with the testimony of our lives refined as precious stones or precious metal, or else that testimony will be burned up like so much chaff and we will escape with naught but our salvation – our foundation of Christ:

    10 By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as an expert builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should be careful how he builds. 11 For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 If any man builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, 13 his work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man’s work. 14 If what he has built survives, he will receive his reward. 15 If it is burned up, he will suffer loss; he himself will be saved, but only as one escaping through the flames.

    I Corinthians 3:10-15

    This day will be our own “trial by fire.” May what I am building be revealed to be worthy!

  • OYB March 10

    Today´s reading:
    OT: Numbers 14, Numbers 15:1-16
    NT: Mark 14:53-72
    Ps: Psalm 53
    Pr: Proverbs 11:4

    Today´s notable verses:

    The fool says in his heart,
    “There is no God.”

    Psalm 53:1a (NIV)

    Having spent a great deal of time with the group of people constituting one of the great bastions of secular humanism – scientists and scientific academia – I really believe that the so-called athiesm of this group is less a genuine belief, and more of a willful denial; calling oneself an “athiest” becomes a facade, allowing such person an appearance of plausible deniability of his own conscience. I don’t know which is worse: this person, or the fool whom the Psalmist says actually believes (“says in his heart”) that God does not exist. Perhaps, the latter is the end result of the former: someone willfully denies the truth for so long that eventually he genuinely believes the lie with which he has replaced it.

    Wealth is worthless in the day of wrath,
    but righteousness delivers from death.

    Proverbs 11:4 (NIV)

    I don’t ever plan on being wealthy – emphasis on plan; if it happens, it will be by God’s will, and not my own effort – outside of my attempts to be a good and faithful steward of that with which God entrusts me. I think someone who would attempt to rely on money to save him on the day of wrath does so because he has placed his wealth before God. But a life of righteousness – in wealth or poverty – saves him from facing God’s wrath altogether on that day.

    The One Year Bible Blog asks:

    What verses or insights jumped out for you in today’s readings?

    Starting to sound repetitive, but: see above. 🙂

  • OYB March 9

    Today´s reading:
    OT: Numbers 11:24-35, Numbers 12, Numbers 13
    NT: Mark 14:22-52
    Ps: Psalm 52
    Pr: Proverbs 11:1-3

    Today´s notable verse:

    2 When pride comes, then comes disgrace,
    but with humility comes wisdom.
    3 The integrity of the upright guides them,
    but the unfaithful are destroyed by their duplicity.

    Proverbs 11:2-3 (NIV)

    Great wisdom here; pride always leads to disgrace, yet humility leads to wisdom. And the second is like it: integrity guides us in the way we should go, but duplicitiousness will ultimately destroy us. These thoughts are both sobering and inspiring: if I act of my own accord, disgrace and destruction will be my ultimate end, but if I act in humility and with integrity, my path is sure, and I will grow in wisdom.

    The One Year Bible Blog asks:

    Comments from You – What verses or insights stand out to you in today’s readings?

    See above. 🙂

  • Christian Carnival 112

    This week’s Christian Carnival is up, hosted by Adam’s Blog. No particular theme this week, though every contribution is associated with a verse. My contribution is associated with James 1:8.

  • OYB March 8

    Today´s reading:
    OT: Numbers 10, Numbers 11:1-23
    NT: Mark 14:1-21
    Ps: Psalm 51
    Pr: Proverbs 10:31-32

    Today´s notable verses:

    10 Create in me a pure heart, O God,
    and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
    11 Do not cast me from your presence
    or take your Holy Spirit from me.
    12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation
    and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.

    Psalm 51:10-12 (NIV)

    I hear these verses and am reminded of an old campfire song, “Create In Me a Clean Heart” – beautiful words themselves, and a powerful prayer; but what stands out to me is the next verse:

    Then I will teach transgressors your ways,
    and sinners will turn back to you.

    Psalm 51:13 (NIV)

    A foreshadowing of the Great Commission! What is the reason (or outcome/result) of this prayer? To spread the Word, and to reach the lost! I always considered the “campfire song” to be introspective – but the Psalmist considered it to be a means or motivation to proclaim God to the world. Wow – what a paradigm shift!

    A little further down we find these verses:

    16 You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it;
    you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings.
    17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit;
    a broken and contrite heart,
    O God, you will not despise.

    Psalm 51:16-17F (NIV)

    Yet more prophetic insight from the Psalmist: what wisdom and understanding, to realize that the sacrifices – and thus the Law – reflected something greater, and represented something much deeper and more intimate. God didn’t desire the sacrifice, but the contrition of heart that led to the sacrifice. What a revelation!

    The One Year Bible Blog asks:

    Comments from You & Question of the Day – How does Psalm 51 speak to you? Can you imagine yourself praying any of these lines to God? Have you ever prayed Psalm 51 to God? Or have you prayed other Psalms to God?

    In this Psalm, David’s openness, honesty, forthrightness, and humility stand out. I am reminded that Godly sorrow leads to this same brokenness of spirit and contrition of heart, and produces Godly results (II Corinthians 7:10-11).