"Jesus said to them, you will indeed drink from my cup, but to sit at my right or left is not for me to grant. These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared by my Father'". Matthew 20:23
The mother of Zebedee's sons asked Jesus to reserve the places on his right and left for her sons. Isn't that just like humans? Everybody wants to be number one. They seek out celebrities and nurture as good a relationship with them as they can. It's as though they think that being near great people makes them great.
But Jesus told her and her sons that it was not his choice, but God's, who would be on his right or left. God would make the decision as to who would touch shoulders with the Messiah.
Nothing's ever good enough for humans, is it? Jesus had chosen just twelve disciples from an earth full of people, but Zebedee's wife and sons wanted first and second seats.
They should have been thanking the Almighty that they got to be in the presence of His son -- even in a crowd of onlookers -- much less wanting to be at the head table. No wonder Jesus said, blessed are the meek. He advised all present at the Sermon on the Mount that it was the meek who would inherit the earth, not the status seekers.
Thursday, July 3, 2014
Wednesday, June 25, 2014
The Signs Of Miracles
". . . You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times. A wicked and adulterous generation looks for a miraculous sign, but none will be given it. . .". Matthew 16:3-4
Don't we all sometimes wish we had signs of what is to come? Well, there were multitudes surrounding Jesus and they were asking for signs. How many did they need? Feeding thousands with loaves and fishes, as well as healing the sick and raising the dead weren't enough?
If I understand correctly, he accused them of learning to interpret the signs of nature, but not the signs of future events.
Then he called them a wicked and adulterous generation who would get no miraculous signs. In this case, it seems he is, once again, using the term adultery to imply a lack of faithfulness to God, not a mate.
Don't you wonder how they could sit around the real miracle -- Jesus -- and ask for a miracle? He was quite justified in telling them they could not read the signs of miracles, or of the times.
How frustrated he must have been.
Don't we all sometimes wish we had signs of what is to come? Well, there were multitudes surrounding Jesus and they were asking for signs. How many did they need? Feeding thousands with loaves and fishes, as well as healing the sick and raising the dead weren't enough?
If I understand correctly, he accused them of learning to interpret the signs of nature, but not the signs of future events.
Then he called them a wicked and adulterous generation who would get no miraculous signs. In this case, it seems he is, once again, using the term adultery to imply a lack of faithfulness to God, not a mate.
Don't you wonder how they could sit around the real miracle -- Jesus -- and ask for a miracle? He was quite justified in telling them they could not read the signs of miracles, or of the times.
How frustrated he must have been.
Friday, June 20, 2014
Be Careful About "Just Talking"
"You hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you: 'These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. They worship me in vain; their teachings are but rules taught by men.'" Matthew 15:7-9 The New International Rainbow Study Bible
When we talk about the Ten Commandments and realize we are told not to take the Lord's name in vain, we are taught by men that it means not to say "oh my god" or similar little sayings. I don't think that's what is meant by taking His name in vain and this scripture is one of the reasons.
According to Jesus, worshiping in vain has to do with saying religious things when you don't believe or feel them. It means simply spouting the words we have heard from men, not from Jesus or God.
I once had a group of friends, members of a book club. We were discussing parts of the New Testament one night. Several of the members spoke with great authority about the scriptures they had studied in various Christian denomination churches. During the evening it became apparent to all of us that they did not believe in the virgin birth or that Jesus rose from the grave. This, I believe, is what Jesus meant when he said people worship him in vain and what God meant in his commandment.
Being a Christian does not mean mouthing the words we read or hear from sermons. It means really believing the unbelievable -- what is hard to swallow.
We are not taught it is easy to be Christian. We are told it is very hard. People look to believers for the truth.
If we don't really believe with our hearts and minds, we are just talking when we speak of God, the Father, and Jesus.
When we talk about the Ten Commandments and realize we are told not to take the Lord's name in vain, we are taught by men that it means not to say "oh my god" or similar little sayings. I don't think that's what is meant by taking His name in vain and this scripture is one of the reasons.
According to Jesus, worshiping in vain has to do with saying religious things when you don't believe or feel them. It means simply spouting the words we have heard from men, not from Jesus or God.
I once had a group of friends, members of a book club. We were discussing parts of the New Testament one night. Several of the members spoke with great authority about the scriptures they had studied in various Christian denomination churches. During the evening it became apparent to all of us that they did not believe in the virgin birth or that Jesus rose from the grave. This, I believe, is what Jesus meant when he said people worship him in vain and what God meant in his commandment.
Being a Christian does not mean mouthing the words we read or hear from sermons. It means really believing the unbelievable -- what is hard to swallow.
We are not taught it is easy to be Christian. We are told it is very hard. People look to believers for the truth.
If we don't really believe with our hearts and minds, we are just talking when we speak of God, the Father, and Jesus.
Friday, June 13, 2014
Why Parables?
". . . The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them." Matthew 13:11
The disciples wanted to know why Jesus spoke to the crowds in parables. His answer was that they (the disciples) had more knowledge of heaven than the people in the crowd.
He went on to say that the people, though seeing do not see, and though hearing, do not hear. Jesus reminded them that Isaiah had prophesied that people would always hear, but never understand and always see, but never perceive. He said the people had become calloused. They had shut their ears and eyes and hearts.
In order for Jesus to heal the people in the crowds, he needed them to open up their minds and hearts so that they could more clearly grasp what he was teaching.
So Jesus taught with stories so that he might catch the attention of all who attended his gatherings. He said he would speak in parables and thereby would tell the crowds things that had been hidden since creation.
He made the truths easier to understand. It was their job to look, listen, comprehend and believe.
A Prayer For Reading Scripture
Father, please help me to read the words you want me to read.
Then, teach me to understand what I have read.
And further, to communicate this new knowledge to others,
So that they can understand as well.
Lou Hough
The disciples wanted to know why Jesus spoke to the crowds in parables. His answer was that they (the disciples) had more knowledge of heaven than the people in the crowd.
He went on to say that the people, though seeing do not see, and though hearing, do not hear. Jesus reminded them that Isaiah had prophesied that people would always hear, but never understand and always see, but never perceive. He said the people had become calloused. They had shut their ears and eyes and hearts.
In order for Jesus to heal the people in the crowds, he needed them to open up their minds and hearts so that they could more clearly grasp what he was teaching.
So Jesus taught with stories so that he might catch the attention of all who attended his gatherings. He said he would speak in parables and thereby would tell the crowds things that had been hidden since creation.
He made the truths easier to understand. It was their job to look, listen, comprehend and believe.
A Prayer For Reading Scripture
Father, please help me to read the words you want me to read.
Then, teach me to understand what I have read.
And further, to communicate this new knowledge to others,
So that they can understand as well.
Lou Hough
Friday, June 6, 2014
Prophesy
"Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you." Matthew 5:12
This scripture comes right after the blessings Jesus announced during the sermon on the mount. He had just told the people they were blessed when men reviled and persecuted them and told lies about them for righteousness sake.
How like we citizens of this world to go into attack mode about someone we assume to be a good person. Haven't you noticed that? The criminal element doesn't receive nearly as much bad mouthing as the "Sandra Dees" of this world. Remember that song sung by "Rizz: in Grease? "Look at me, I'm Sandra Dee, lousy with virginity."
But on and on people go, ignoring and cutting down the Christians of the world for being too good. Haven't you heard people accuse others of being honest to a fault? The intonation says that there is something bad about being honest, rather than good. Haven't you known people that think their worldly ways made them understand the scripture more than the unworldly. Then the unworldly think their way is better and they understand more than the worldly.
It's kind of a stuffed shirt duo duking it out to determine for themselves who is the best, when that is God's judgment, not our own that counts.
Then, we have the ones who retaliate. At the very least, they bad mouth and gossip. In some times and some places, these have caused destruction, even death.
May the good Lord forbid that we should ever have another real prophet. I guess they would have to create another martyr. Their fear? Someone should know more than they! Their response? That person should be hurt for their knowledge. Their opinion? Like Jesus, they should be hung on the cross until dead. The result of not being able to crucify modern day prophets? Attack instead with words -- or engage in terror tactics.
May God bring peace to this world.
This scripture comes right after the blessings Jesus announced during the sermon on the mount. He had just told the people they were blessed when men reviled and persecuted them and told lies about them for righteousness sake.
How like we citizens of this world to go into attack mode about someone we assume to be a good person. Haven't you noticed that? The criminal element doesn't receive nearly as much bad mouthing as the "Sandra Dees" of this world. Remember that song sung by "Rizz: in Grease? "Look at me, I'm Sandra Dee, lousy with virginity."
But on and on people go, ignoring and cutting down the Christians of the world for being too good. Haven't you heard people accuse others of being honest to a fault? The intonation says that there is something bad about being honest, rather than good. Haven't you known people that think their worldly ways made them understand the scripture more than the unworldly. Then the unworldly think their way is better and they understand more than the worldly.
It's kind of a stuffed shirt duo duking it out to determine for themselves who is the best, when that is God's judgment, not our own that counts.
Then, we have the ones who retaliate. At the very least, they bad mouth and gossip. In some times and some places, these have caused destruction, even death.
May the good Lord forbid that we should ever have another real prophet. I guess they would have to create another martyr. Their fear? Someone should know more than they! Their response? That person should be hurt for their knowledge. Their opinion? Like Jesus, they should be hung on the cross until dead. The result of not being able to crucify modern day prophets? Attack instead with words -- or engage in terror tactics.
May God bring peace to this world.
Tuesday, May 27, 2014
On A Prayer
". . . Talmudic scholars teach that every verse in the Torah has forty-nine different interpretations, each equally valid. . .". Spoken by Paul Merlowitz, a character in Dark Spector by Michael Dibdin, Pantheon Books, 1995.
If you say so. As I reread this statement this morning, I am bombarded with thoughts of my own. Suppose I have forty-nine thoughts?
Perhaps you are wondering why a Christian woman is concerned with the Torah, the Jewish sacred scriptures. I am reminded of the shock on Barbara Walters' face when she learned that Christians are somewhat concerned with Jewish beliefs. You see, books from the Torah are part of the Christian Old Testament, part of our Bible.
Don't you know Christians who are totally overbearing in spouting that their interpretation of the scriptures is the one and only right way to view them? And here we are told that the Jewish Talmudic scholars, themselves, can see a variety of ways to interpret every single verse.
We follow God's teachings, His will, on a wing and a prayer. Now that last word, prayer, is the answer. "Lord, please open my eyes and my mind so that I can learn what it is you want me to learn today. Lead me to understand your ideas and your will".
Christians do have one helpful key to understanding. We are instructed that when the Old Testament and Jesus' words seem in conflict, we are to follow the words of Jesus.
Happy reading, more understanding -- on a prayer.
If you say so. As I reread this statement this morning, I am bombarded with thoughts of my own. Suppose I have forty-nine thoughts?
Perhaps you are wondering why a Christian woman is concerned with the Torah, the Jewish sacred scriptures. I am reminded of the shock on Barbara Walters' face when she learned that Christians are somewhat concerned with Jewish beliefs. You see, books from the Torah are part of the Christian Old Testament, part of our Bible.
Don't you know Christians who are totally overbearing in spouting that their interpretation of the scriptures is the one and only right way to view them? And here we are told that the Jewish Talmudic scholars, themselves, can see a variety of ways to interpret every single verse.
We follow God's teachings, His will, on a wing and a prayer. Now that last word, prayer, is the answer. "Lord, please open my eyes and my mind so that I can learn what it is you want me to learn today. Lead me to understand your ideas and your will".
Christians do have one helpful key to understanding. We are instructed that when the Old Testament and Jesus' words seem in conflict, we are to follow the words of Jesus.
Happy reading, more understanding -- on a prayer.
Wednesday, May 21, 2014
But How Is Your Heart?
The Christian Bible suggests that we should sing and dance for joy. Today's arrests in Iran because six young people did just that and posted the video on the internet, is an example of how warped religious zealousness can get. Even some Iranians are saying a little leniency might be in order.
I'm reminded of the book/movie One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest where the psycho toxic nurse shamed a young mentally ill man over his sexual needs. It resulted in his suicide.
History is rife with the toxic side effects of religious nuts and their habit of trying to force their uptight rules on others. We've got stories of wars ranging from Christianity through Islam . . . from Protestants to Catholics . . . throughout the world.
I want to ask them all, but how is your heart? Jesus noted that men were as they thought in their hearts.
Is your heart filled with love or killing? Is it filled with compassion or with compulsion? Which do you think your god or my God would want to feel emanating from you?
Really people, besides the fact that cramming your beliefs down someone else's throats is not very effective, it's not very smart.
What is effective is holding love in our hearts. The forcing, raging and killing are not love. You can catch more converts with the love.
I'm reminded of the book/movie One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest where the psycho toxic nurse shamed a young mentally ill man over his sexual needs. It resulted in his suicide.
History is rife with the toxic side effects of religious nuts and their habit of trying to force their uptight rules on others. We've got stories of wars ranging from Christianity through Islam . . . from Protestants to Catholics . . . throughout the world.
I want to ask them all, but how is your heart? Jesus noted that men were as they thought in their hearts.
Is your heart filled with love or killing? Is it filled with compassion or with compulsion? Which do you think your god or my God would want to feel emanating from you?
Really people, besides the fact that cramming your beliefs down someone else's throats is not very effective, it's not very smart.
What is effective is holding love in our hearts. The forcing, raging and killing are not love. You can catch more converts with the love.
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