Siloam vs Bethesda

The idea of a pool today evokes thoughts of peace, healing, comfort, luxury.  However, in Jesus' time, pools were about physical healing or cleansing - either physically or spiritually.  A week or so ago, posted this link to the stories in John 8 & 9.  Today though, I want to go a little deeper into this question:

Why the Pool of Siloam and not the Pool of Bethesda?

Anchor Points - Though He Slay Me...

In my 20s, life took a turn and within five years, my parents, 3 grandparents and an aunt died.  Of course - most traumatic was the death of my parents.  My younger sister and I struggled through the lingering illnesses and the details that wrap up the life of a loved one. 

As I traversed the peaks and valleys that characterized my loss, Jesus interposed a verse and I clung to it.  The first part of Job 13:15:

Job 13:15

New King James Version (NKJV)

¹⁵ Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him.

Anchor Points - The Song

Cargo Ship with Multiple Anchors

Living in the NorthWest, ships and barges of various types are frequent sights.  The picture above is fairly typical of all cargo vessels - they generally have multiple anchors.

Of late, the song lyric below has been on my mind...

The 7 Spirit Sayings

A Gentle Wind Blowing Tall Grasses

Today a dear friend came by.  A dear friend, who has a heart after God.  He has been forgiven much and he loves much.  And an ill wind blew.  You see, our friend desperately wants to 'do something' for God.  For the One who has done so much for him.  So he finds himself drawn to messages containing - at their core - some difficult hard to be understood truths.  Thus - his experience is not always that of the tall grass gently blown by the sweet sweet Spirit.

The Circle of the Earth

Dear Jesus - We confess it is difficult to discern the literal truths You long to teach us from Your Word sometimes.  Please help us to live more and more in the way of Your Spirit...

In the 9th grade, I was blessed to have an English teacher who believed in incorporating the subject of astronomy and the Bible into English class.  Her name was Alice Straw - and I still have the notebook we were required to make in that class.

Bible Filter - ACTIVATE!

Alrighty now - get that Bible filter going....  Here's a lovely verse - but is it Biblical?

My God and His Angels watch over me, 

and should there be a need, 

they are never more than a prayer away.  

My filter screams over this one - ALERT ALERT ALERT!

Fruit or Fruits?

Dear Jesus - I praise You for the quality of life You long to give each of us.  Help us to really understand that truth in the deepest parts of our soul...

Galatians 5:22-23

New American Standard Bible (NASB)

²² But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³ gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

Have you ever noticed that verse 22 says 'fruit' not 'fruits'? 

How Old ?

The question periodically rattles around in my head as I read the Bible.  Because, I wonder what I would have done had I been there.  Was the character older or younger than me?

Bible Filter - ACTIVATE!

A friend posted this on Facebook.  I was taken aback - could the Bible really say that?

In the same way I will not cause pain
    without allowing something new to be born,” says the Lord.
“If I cause you the pain,
    I will not stop you from giving birth to your new nation,” says your God.

Problems at Church?

For some reason, it seems there are occasions when we church-goers are confronted with problems at church that interfere with our capacity to receive God's blessing during our all-to-brief time in the sanctuary. 

Just For Fun.... :-)

Yup - I did really do this - and then wonder why I got the error...   'cause no matter how much I may want it to be, Deuteronomy is not in the New Testament... :-)

1 Verse Unlocks a Chapter

Huntingtower Castle, Perth

Dear Jesus - I just praise You for the literalness of the help You make available to me!  Thank You!

Ever just plain "had it" with the Pharisees?  Sometimes reading the Gospels can seem a bit hopeless as one gets a glimmer of the spiritual state of things.  Wooops - better check myself before I condemn myself!  Been attending a weekly study that is going through all 4 Gospels at one time in time sequence.  The latest study just blew me away as I sat there.  'Cause I saw myself - and well, the only good thing about that was the end of the story!

Forest or the Tree...

Dear Jesus - Please send Your Spirit to soften our hearts and open our eyes to the truths You have for us....

When I first started studying the Bible - as opposed to reading it - I was all excited to do a big old study.  Committed.  Going to put all this into practice with my daily Bible reading plan I was doing a the time.  The very next morning upon my return home, I excitedly opened my daily reading plan to see what would be there.  Genesis 38 was there.  I can think of probably less than 5 other chapters in the Bible I find more disgusting.

Bible Filter - ACTIVATE!

How's your practice activating that Bible-filter going?

Here's a doozy for you....  Saw this the other day.

Jesus Stills the Sea

Dear Jesus - Thank You so much for my friend Don Herd who takes so many great pictures.  Please bless his talent richly.  Today, oh please please open our eyes to see the personal applications You have for each of us in this amazing story...

This is a familiar story so let's get right to it.  Below is the story Luke recounts (NASB). 

My Rescuer

Dear Jesus - Please keep my eyes on You.  Cause me never to forget You are my only Rescuer...

Today this really hit home with me.  Sin, at its core, is slavery.  In our world - slavery does exist.  One of the most common forms of slavery today is addiction.  If we could help ourselves, we would - right?  

Deutoronomy 31:6 - WORD Power

Here is a new little feature.  Just did it - and blew me away!  God is soooo good...

Dear Jesus - Please speak to us specifically in this verse...  Thank You!

Instructions:

• Click link below
• Read the verse in all the listed versions
• Read sequentially all the Cross Reference verses to the right.

Be amazed at the story and the power of the WORD!  Thank You Jesus!


WORD Power Link

Getting My Walk On...

Don't you just love the Bible?  It is such an amazing, living, transforming, supernatural entity!  Uh - yeah - 'cause it's Jesus!   Getting fired up just thinking about this!

What Color Were the First 10 Commandments?

Sapphire Stone

Dear Jesus - Please circumsize our hearts so we can hear You speak to us!

Found this the other day - amazing!  Check it out yourself.  The link to the original is at the bottom...

Can Despising Be Good?

I'm on a 90-day devotional journey using the book Prayer90X - 90 Days to a Spiritually Fit You. 

Day 1 - mostly just freaked out.  Had to just repeat the Memory Text the E.N.T.I.R.E. day.  You can probably guess what that was:  Thou wilt keep her in perfect peace whose mind is stayed upon Thee because she trusteth in Thee.  Thought I trusted God - and I do.  Just apparently not with my actual life.