Bible

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Myths, Urban Legends, Mom Said …


Working in a Christian Bookstore you hear so many interesting “truths”.  People come in wanting to find a plaque, or a bookmark, or maybe a book containing certain sayings or facts.  I often want to say, “well, if it is in the Bible, why not find it there?”.  The truth is, most do not know what is really in the Bible.  It is just something they heard someone tell them and that made it so.

This past week a woman came in and wanted a plaque that said, “when God closes a door, He opens a window.”  She was shocked we did not carry someone like that.  Of course you know me, I jumped right in with my “take” on the subject of God and His using only the FRONT DOOR (previous blog).  It is surprising how many times we say we only want to get to know Him better.  We want to know His will.  Yet, somehow, we never look to the obvious source for that information.

I have a grandson named Noah and working in a Christian bookstore, we have plenty of books and items with Noah depicted.  Through the ages people have taken what God’s word says  about Noah and the animals in the ark, and changed it to say only two of every animal entered the ark (2×2).  But, look at what God’s word really says:

Genesis 7:2-3 (NASB) “2 You shall take with you of every clean animal by sevens, a male and his female; and of the animals that are not clean two, a male and his female;    3 also of the birds of the sky,by sevens, male and female, to keep offspring alive on the face of all the earth.”

That is FOURTEEN, not two!

Growing up I remember that when there was a freak storm someone would say it was getting close to the end times because that is when the seasons would swap.  That myth came from Padre Pio, a Roman Catholic priest who was quoted as saying,  “You will know when that time is approaching because the seasons will change so the only way you will know the seasons is by the leaves on the trees.”  The Bible actually says the exact opposite in God’s promise to Noah saying He would never destroy the earth by flood again.

Genesis 8:22 “While the earth remains, seed-time and harvest, And cold and heat, And summer and winter, And day and night Shall not cease.”

Now you have all heard, “cleanliness is next to Godliness” right?  Not in there – you will not find it in the Bible.   How about, “God helps those who help themselves?”  Not in the Bible.  How many tribes were there?  13, not 12.  People say 12 because the Levites were not given land, but the tribes were made up of Jacob’s 11 sons and Joseph’s 2.

How many of you believe Mary rode to Bethlehem on a donkey or other animal?  Luke 2 Three Wise Men? Matthew 2  Or, how about the unicorns mentioned in the Bible?  The actual Hebrew word referred to a two-horned animal, but King James people thought one horn and put in unicorn (nine times in the O.T.).  Contrary to popular myth, they did not “miss the boat” (Ark).  What about the popular Mizpah jewelry symbolizing love and friendship and quoting Genesis 8:49, “The LORD watch between me and thee, when we are absent one from another.” ?   Actually, it was a covenant between Jacob and Laban based on their past differences, a warning that God was keeping an eye on their actions.

So my point is that we have a bad habit of listening to what others say, preach, teach, and take it as “gospel” when in actuality it is not IN THE GOSPEL.   As Christians  you need to know what the Bible actually says, teach and walk what it says, and not just keep passing on misinformation.  Make a point of knowing what you are talking about and not just being a puppet or minor bird , repeating what others say.  Make sure your kids are raised with what the Bible actually says.   I tell others to study APOLOGETICS – be prepared to give the reasons for what you believe.   In other words, know what you believe and why with NO APOLOGIES.   Make sure God’s word really said it, before you repeat it.

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Just DO IT!


A popular logo on sportswear/equipment uses the slogan,

The world sets standards and we push to prove ourselves to the world.  We think nothing of it as we strive to be better than the next person.  Our ego wants us to be better than them in all ways imaginable:  better car, better house, better looking, better kids, better at this and better at that.  The media pushes it at us from every direction; clothing, billboards, commercials.  It is subliminal sometimes and we buy into the mindset.

Yet, when it comes to our spiritual life we become wimps, milk-toast, wall-flowers.  Scared about what His word tells us to do.  Scared to take a stand.  We buy into satan’s* lies and hide.  We cannot DO IT!  We do not know how to DO IT!  Excuses, we have plenty.  The Holy Spirit urges you to spend more time with your family in His word, in worship.  You see a need and you think, “next time”.  That hurting homeless person on the side of the street you see gets a “quickie” prayer, “Lord help them.”  Your child’s classmates need shoes.  The elderly neighbor just wants someone to take time to talk with them.  The Spirit nudges and you keep moving, in the opposite direction … too busy to JUST DO IT.

We are so prone to talk about the things we are going to do when we have time.  A mission trip, the soup kitchen, the coat drive…. making up handouts for the homeless**. Jesus’ first miracle recorded  in John 2, tells of His mother asking for help.  She told the others, “do what He tells you to do”.  And they simply did as they were told.  It would be so wonderful if we would simply do as we are led.   Our cups overflow with His love through His gift of salvation.  He wants you to share His love.  JUST DO IT.

Start each day asking the Lord to use you in His will.  When He shows you a need JUST DO IT.  Do not stop and think you are not capable.

ROMANS 8:26-28  26 In the same way the Spirit also joins to help in our weakness, because we do not know what to pray for as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with unspoken groanings. 27 And He who searches the hearts knows the Spirit’s mind-set, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. 28 We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God: those who are called according to His purpose.

He has a plan for your day.  Open yourself up to the possibilities.  As a parent, grandparent, co-worker, spouse … God uses each of us each day IF we allow Him.  We are not puppets and He is not a puppet master.  It is our choice.  Do not think about it, JUST DO IT!  No matter what He is asking you to do today, no matter what obstacles and trials He allows you to go through, it is for a reason.  He is there through it all, working it for GOOD.

NEVER forget that the day ahead of you carries no task or trial that is greater than the POWER behind you as a Christian.

*satan – I know people capitalize the “S” but, I don’t.  I refuse to give him any status of importance.  He’s a snake, so satan, devil, etc. are lower case, as he is one.

** Homeless handouts: NEVER give cash, but you can carry several 1 gallon zip lock bags (something they can use later when it is empty) filled with: Tuna packet, crackers, snack size nuts, etc..  Include: package of  tissues, comb, trial sizes of hand sanitizer, soap, shampoo, toothbrush, etc.  You can put a New Testament or Christian track in there as well.

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“Walks like a duck, swims like a duck …” (a photo essay)


must be a duck … right?  What kind of  “duck” are you?

Camouflage duck…

 

Pretending to be a duck

Backsliding duck

Popular but hard to understand duck

 

Robot duck

 

Just along for the ride duck

 

Duck in hiding

Fanatical duck

Mere reflection of your old self duck

Bound by circumstances duck

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away, and look, new things have come.” 

2 Corinthians 5:17 (HCSB)

 

What kind of Christian are you?  Are you a new creation, or another version of the old you?  Who do you reflect?

RBGREENDESIGNS.COM 2021

 

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Depending ….


February 1 …. everyone should have their W2’s from the previous year.  It is time to look at taxes.  Did you claim enough dependents? Was there enough withholding?  Do you owe?

Dependent.  I looked the word up and it is one of those words with so many meanings, “depending” on what you want to say.  This time of year we are looking at how we claimed dependents.  Dependents are those that lean on us for their needs, so we claim them to reduce our taxes.

Just the 2 of Us

Our children are grown and married so my husband and I only have each other to claim for tax purposes.  “Depending” on how you claimed your “dependents” in the previous year, you now look to this year’s W4 to decide on withholding based on dependents.  Confused?  That is just one way to look at dependency.

Co-dependency, chemical dependency, alcohol dependency, (Starbucks dependency :-D) ; the lists go on and on.  As Christians we can claim one kind of dependency that takes care of all our needs.   This is the dependency we need to pass on to our children.   Christ.   We need Him every hour, every breath.  So many days we hit the ground running without recognizing our need for Him in our life and then at the end of the day when we have made a huge mess of things, it hits us.  We ran around in our own power.  That is like running around on a skate board when you have a fine tuned race car in the garage.  What are you waiting for?  Pull it out and start the engine.

2 Peter 1:3  (HCSB)  “3 His divine power has given us everything required for life and godliness through the knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and goodness.”

Christ is all you need.  He is all the power you need.  You need Him every hour and He is there.  You can lean on Him.  You can trust Him.

I see people daily running to books and pastor’s, church groups and help groups bypassing the power of going to Him.  It would be amazing to see what would happen if the first stop on everyone’s day was in His word and in prayer talking with Him.  There is nothing wrong with Bible studies, reading books and seeking pastoral advise.  I write my blog to help others.   We learn from others and it is Biblical.

2 Corinthians 1:3-4 (ESV) “3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.“

But, for Christians to continually seek help outside of Him is the wrong kind of dependency.   Our problems occur when we only recognize our need for Him because we are in trouble.   The truth is we need Him every hour, not just in hard times.   IF we only run to Him when we are in  trouble, then we have not realized our true need.  Recognizing our need for Him, leaning on Him daily in His word and in prayer, carries us through the trials of life.   Yes, God will use the pastor and church as well as it’s members, to help in time of need.  But, just as we should not expect the schools to help raise our kids, we should not expect the church to meet our needs.  God meets our needs … sometimes using the church.  Unfortunately, some people will never step pass their needs to recognize all they need is Him.

Today we need the Lord.  Where is your dependency?  What or whom are you leaning on?  What gets you through your day?  Your kids, your family, your friends, co-workers …. they need to see your dependency on Him.

So when they meet you today, will they meet Him because you are leaning on Him?

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“A little dab a do ya!”


HAPPY NEW YEAR! 
Got resolutions? 
Broke any yet?
 

I have watched so many over the holidays trying to “cram in” all they did not get done in 2011.  One thing in particular I noticed was God.  People were running around stores looking for symbols of their faith to show others they “got Christ”.  Unfortunately, many get by with “a little dab a do ya”.  Now I know I have dated myself because most of you reading this blog have no idea what product had that slogan.  Brylcreem … a little dab a do you.  (Click on Brylcreem for a good laugh).  Many Christians treat God that way, “a little dab a do ya”.

Wearing a cross, a fish on the car … a service a week; this is how we treat God.  Daily reading of His word?  Praying more than grace, or “fix this Lord”?  At the end of the year with all the commercialization Christians get that guilt complex.  When looking around you see that the children and grandchildren are wrapped up in the holidays as portrayed by the world and not as portrayed by His word.  Why is it every December all the Christians are wearing buttons that say, “Keep Christ in Christmas” or “Jesus is the Reason” ? Only in December are their cars and homes  depicting the Nativity and other Christian symbols .  What about the other 11 months?  What are we Christians saying?  Sadly, “a little God will do us”.

NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTION:  Keeping Christ in everyday. You cannot do this in your own strength.  You will need His.  So rise early to read His word and pray.    You make time for other things in your day.  Can you find more then “a little dab” of time for Him?   Unlike other religions, our FAITH allows us to pray unceasingly … anytime, anywhere.  It is a symptom of our heart’s condition.  Walking with Him by our side talking anytime, any where, any how.  Make your relationship with Him by faith.  Not a religious practice.  Then, the other 11 months of the year, people are SEEING you keep CHRIST in the whole year by how you keep Him in your life daily.

By God’s grace and strength this year I will:

Romans 12
” 1 Therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, I urge you to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God; this is your spiritual worship. 2Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.  3 For by the grace given to me, I tell everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he should think. Instead, think sensibly, as God has distributed a measure of faith to each one. 4 Now as we have many parts in one body, and all the parts do not have the same function, 5 in the same way we who are many are one body in Christ and individually members of one another. 6According to the grace given to us, we have different gifts: If prophecy, use it according to the standard of one’s faith; 7 if service, in service; if teaching, in teaching; 8 if exhorting, in exhortation; giving, with generosity; leading, with diligence; showing mercy, with cheerfulness. 9 Love must be without hypocrisy. Detest evil; cling to what is good. 10 Show family affection to one another with brotherly love. Outdo one another in showing honor. 11 Do not lack diligence; be fervent in spirit; serve the Lord. 12 Rejoice in hope; be patient in affliction; be persistent in prayer. 13 Share with the saints in their needs; pursue hospitality. 14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. 15 Rejoice with those who rejoice; weep with those who weep. 16 Be in agreement with one another. Do not be proud; instead, associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own estimation. 17 Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Try to do what is honorable in everyone’s eyes. 18 If possible, on your part, live at peace with everyone. 19 Friends, do not avenge yourselves; instead, leave room for His wrath. For it is written: Vengeance belongs to Me; I will repay, says the Lord. 20But, if your enemy is hungry, feed him. If he is thirsty, give him something to drink.  For in so doing you will be heaping fiery coals on his head.21 Do not be conquered by evil, but conquer evil with good.” (HCSB)
 

You may be the only Christ some people see; the only Bible they will ever read.

Happy New Year … May You Feel Jesus Near, Every Day Of  This Year!