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puzzlingmind
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Name: Martin
Interests: Jesus, Dilbert, phdcomics, sports, computer, Internet
Occupation: Computer related (Internet)
Industry: Computers (Internet)
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Member Since:
7/29/2003
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| Haggai 1-2 talks about the priority in our live: how much does the Kingdom's business weight in our hearts? Haggai 2:15-29 is a wonderful promise from the Lord to all of us who are working in this world:
15'But now, do consider from this day onward: before one stone was placed on another in the temple of the LORD,
16from that time when one came to a grain heap of twenty measures, there would be only ten; and when one came to the wine vat to draw fifty measures, there would be only twenty.
17'I smote you and every work of your hands with blasting wind, mildew and hail; yet you did not come back to Me,' declares the LORD.
18'Do consider from this day onward, from the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month; from the day when the temple of the LORD was founded, consider:
19'Is the seed still in the barn? Even including the vine, the fig tree, the pomegranate and the olive tree, it has not borne fruit. Yet from this day on I will bless you.'" | | |
| When Jonah says, "He prayed to the LORD, "O LORD, is this not what I said when I was still at home? That is why I was so quick to flee to Tarshish. I knew that you are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abounding in love, a God who relents from sending calamity. Now, O LORD, take away my life, for it is better for me to die than to live.", it is a mistake, for we don't have the right to decide for what the Lord will do. We cannot under-estimate God's mercy, and we need to leave everything to Him. | | |
| In Jeremiah 45, the Lord told Baruch "not to seek great things for yourself". It is unclear what Baruch wanted to do. Perhaps he wanted to do something political in order to revert the declining moral and religious situations of the Kingdom of Judah. Perhaps he wanted to be a prophet as great as Jeremiah. We do not know, other than the fact that he said, "the Lord has added sorrow to my pain."
Most of us have our ambitions, but the Lord can ask us to give them up. Can we do that?
Oct 23
2 Timothy 2:4 says, "No one serving as a soldier gets involved in civilian affairs—he wants to please his commanding officer". In order for us to succeed, we need to focus on our priorities. Do we have that focus on the heavenly reward, or are we distracted by earthly things, such as money, career, health, or relationship?
Oct 22
Paul has written in 2 Timothy 1:11-12 that, "And of this gospel I was appointed a herald and an apostle and a teacher. That is why I am suffering as I am. " Suffering is the norm, not the exception. When we serve and spread the Gospel, there are moments of distress, heart-breaking, and disappointment, but we need to press on.
Oct 21
Proverbs 25:28 says, "Like a city whose walls are broken down is a man who lacks self-control.". The Chinese translation use "heart control" instead of self-control. In a lot of times, our heart can fail me -- people can disappoint us, and we can just suddenly feel gloomy. But still, we need to control, or it will be like a city with no wall -- no protection against the attack of the enemy, and no defense against temptations.
Oct 20
In Psalm 118, in the midst of praising the power of the Lord, it is written, "The LORD has chastened me severely, but he has not given me over to death.". The Lord loves and the Lord disciplines, but even so we'll be able to see the power of the Lord. | | |
| 1 Tim 4:8 talks about "godliness training". This could be a subject of a whole book, but at least in this chapter, this can include
* Have nothing to deal with godless myth (v7)
* put our hope in living God (v10)
* Command and teach the truth (v11)
* Set an example in speech, in live, in love, in faith and in purity (v12)
* public reading of scripture (v13)
* do not neglect spiritual gifts (v14)
* watch our life and doctrine closely (v16)
* preserve (v16) | | |
| In Jeremiah 32, Jeremiah was facing a conundrum: the Lord has asked him to buy a piece of land from his relative (v8). He was not sure that he heard the Lord correctly, but because things did happen as the Lord said, so he obeyed. However, he was still confused, because the kingdom of Judah was going to be eradicated by Babylon soon, and it just looked illogical for him to make a investment in real estate. The Lord's command looked so counter-intuitive. However, later (v44) the Lord said that the people of Judah would return, and fields would be bought and sold once again.
There are many times in our lives that things happened are so counter-intuitive. We are confused why the Lord does such and such. However, the Lord still has His plan, and we need to trust Him -- He knows what He is doing. | | |
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