Catching Up

Where in the world have I been?
Well, another week of travel happened this past week. Tuesday through Thursday was spent in the Salt Lake City UT area. Friday was spent at home while our radon evacuation system was installed. Please check your radon level if you have not done so.
In my quiet times I transitioned from Ruth to 1 Samuel to 2 Samuel in the Old Testament. Here are some thoughts:

• John 6:43 states that no one can come to Jesus unless the Father draws him. This is a very sobering passage to me and really make me think about what I believe related to election.
  

• A gentle answer turns away wrath, a harsh word stirs up anger ~ Proverbs 15:1
  

• In John 7 men did not understand Jesus or who he was; Jesus pointed people to God the Father

• In John 8 there is a woman who was caught in adultery, Jesus taught that all have sinned; Jesus forgave her and challenged her to sin no more

• 1 Samuel 18:5 Saul tasked David, David accomplished his task well, Saul promoted David. This illustrates the point of doing your work well before expecting a promotion.
  

• 1 Samuel 19:1 illustrates that close personal relationships are stronger than other formal structures like boss-employee or father-son

• John 8:31 states that a person must hold to Jesus' teaching to be a true disciple

• John 9:15 contains a simple testimony: He put mud on my eyes, I washed them like He told me to, and now I can see

• Proverbs 15:20 is true of my son Darren; a wise son brings joy to his father

A Week of Travel

This past week (Monday through Friday) was spent in southern California on business. As a result my time in Scripture was less than normal. Here are a few thoughts:

• In Judges 15 the Spirit of God came upon Sampson with such power he killed 1000 men with a donkey jawbone. Then in Judges 16 the details of Sampson’s demise are detailed as he becomes a victim of “love”

• In John 2 Jesus performs his first miracle by turning water into wine. I thought it an interesting statement when it says that Jesus did not entrust himself to men because he knew them.

• Jesus personally teaches Nicodemus to believe in Him and to have eternal life (John 3)

• Judges 19:17 “Where are you going? Where did you come from?” How would you answer?

• Judges 20 illustrates how one act of violence can cause such great damage

• Jesus spent time with his disciples and baptized people (John 3:22)

• Proverbs 14:23 states that hard work brings profit and mere talk leads to poverty

Also this week I transitioned from the book of Judges to the book of Ruth in my Old Testament reading.

Blessings to you.

A Focus on God and Jesus

This past week I spent a couple of days in Indianapolis at Rolls Royce where they manufacture the engine for the Global Hawk air vehicle.

The following observations are from my time in Scripture this week:

• In Judges 6 God used the weakest and least to accomplish his work; Gideon tested the Lord with a fleece

• In Judges 7 God reduced the fighting men with Gideon from 32,000 to 10,000 to 300 and then Gideon’s first thought was to worship God
• Simon was made to literally carry the cross of Jesus (Luke 23:26)

• In Luke 24 even Peter, one of the disciples, went away from the empty tomb wondering what had happened

• When does you heart burn within you? (Luke 24:32)

• Jesus opened their minds so they could understand Scripture (Luke 24:45)

• John came as a witness to the Life, Word, Jesus (John 1)

• In John 1 Jesus starts calling his disciples

• A prudent man thinks about his steps; a wise man fears God and shuns evil (Proverbs 14:15-16)