Romans 7; Proverbs 8:1-11

Saturday's Bible Reading: Romans 7; Proverbs 8:1-11

Romans 6; Proverbs 7:6-27

Friday's Bible Reading: Romans 6; Proverbs 7:6-27

Isaiah 20; Proverbs 7:1-5

Thursday's Bible Reading: Isaiah 20; Proverbs 7:1-5

We made it to Philadelphia last night later than we expected, but no major glitches—our plane was an hour late leaving Detroit, and then we had an incompetent worker at the car rental place assign us to three WRONG cars before we finally got one we could really use.

Isaiah 18-19; Proverbs 6:20-35

Wednesday's Bible Reading: Isaiah 18-19; Proverbs 6:20-35

5 Tishrei on the Jewish calendar

In 134 CE, the great Talmudic sage, Rabbi Akiva, was taken captive by the
Romans, and executed five days later in Caesarea, Israel. Rabbi Akiva had been a
40-year-old shepherd who could not even read the Aleph-Bet. One day, he came
across a stone that had been holed out by a constant drip of water. He
concluded: If something as soft as water can carve a hole in solid rock, how
much more so can Torah -- which is fire -- make an indelible impression on my
heart. Rabbi Akiva committed himself to Torah study, and went on to become the
greatest sage of his generation, with 24,000 students learning under him at one
time. The Roman authorities eventually arrested him for "illegally" teaching
Torah. As he was being tortured, Rabbi Akiva rejoiced in fulfilling the biblical
command to "love God with all your life." As he died, Rabbi Akiva uttered the
words of Shema Yisrael. His self-sacrifice for Torah continues to inspire Jews
till today. —from Aish.com

Imagine this . . . !

In that day there will be a highway from Egypt to Assyria. The Assyrians will go to Egypt and the Egyptians to Assyria. The Egyptians and Assyrians will worship together. In that day Israel will be the third, along with Egypt and Assyria, a blessing on the earth. The LORD Almighty will bless them, saying, "Blessed be Egypt my people, Assyria my handiwork, and Israel my inheritance." —Isaiah 19:23-25

Isaiah 16-17; Proverbs 6:12-19

Tuesday's Bible Reading: Isaiah 16-17; Proverbs 6:12-19

Happy Birthday, Dad!

Today is also the birthday of T.S. Eliot, author of one of my favorite poems, "Choruses from 'The Rock'" (1934).

The endless cycle of idea and action,
Endless invention, endless experiment,
Brings knowledge of motion, but not of stillness;
Knowledge of speech, but not of silence;
Knowledge of words, and ignorance of the Word.
All our knowledge brings us nearer to our ignorance,
All our ignorance brings us nearer to death,
But nearness to death no nearer to GOD.
Where is the Life we have lost in living?
Where is the wisdom we have lost in knowledge?
Where is the knowledge we have lost in information?
The cycles of Heaven in twenty centuries
Bring us farther from GOD and nearer to the Dust. —from stanza 1

Isaiah 15; Proverbs 6:1-11

Monday's Bible Reading: Isaiah 15; Proverbs 6:1-11

Remember when 50 degrees outside felt warm? It no longer does!

Psalms 6-8

Sunday's Bible Reading: Psalms 6-8

Sunday's Sermon: Jim Samra, How Much Is Enough?—Journey to Jerusalem #3

Romans 5; Proverbs 3:1-10

Saturday's Bible Reading: Romans 5; Proverbs 3:1-10

Rosh Hashana. 1 Tishrei on the Jewish calendar.

Rosh Hashana, the Jewish New Year, commemorates the creation of mankind. God gave Adam a soul, distinguishing him from all other living beings, in his ability to make moral choices and to build a relationship with the Creator. On Rosh Hashana, each person's allotment of life and livelihood is subject to renewal. The Talmud says that on Rosh Hashana, the prayers of the barren women -- Sarah, Rachel and Chana -- were answered; on this day they became pregnant with Isaac, Joseph and the prophet Samuel, respectively. (Sarah's story is the Torah reading on the first day of Rosh Hashana, and Chana's story is the Haftarah.) —"Today in Jewish History," aish.com

Romans 3-4; Proverbs 5:1-14

Friday's Bible Reading: Romans 3-4; Proverbs 5:1-14

Summer ends today.

Isaiah 13-14; Proverbs 4:18-27

Thursday's Bible Reading: Isaiah 13-14; Proverbs 4:18-27

The ninety-second day of summer.

But autumn is barking at the gate . . . The Electronic Sky

Babylon Today . . .













Babylon, the jewel of kingdoms,
the glory of the Babylonians' pride,
will be overthrown by God
like Sodom and Gomorrah.

She will never be inhabited
or lived in through all generations;
no Arab will pitch his tent there,
no shepherd will rest his flocks there.

But desert creatures will lie there,
jackals will fill her houses;
there the owls will dwell,
and there the wild goats will leap about.

Hyenas will howl in her strongholds,
jackals in her luxurious palaces.
Her time is at hand,
and her days will not be prolonged. —Isaiah 13:19-22


by dellt211

Isaiah 11-12; Proverbs 4:1-17

Wednesday's Bible Reading: Isaiah 11-12; Proverbs 4:1-17

The ninety-first day of summer.

Isaiah 10; Proverbs 3:27-35

Tuesday's Bible Reading: Isaiah 10; Proverbs 3:27-35

The nintieth day of summer.

Isaiah 8-9; Proverbs 3:11-26

Monday's Bible Reading: Isaiah 8-9; Proverbs 3:11-26

The eighty-ninth day of summer.

25 Elul on the Jewish calendar.
In Jewish history, "This is the traditional day of the beginning of Creation, as recorded in the first chapter of Genesis. (The holiday of Rosh Hashana commemorates the birth of mankind, on the sixth day of Creation.) Much has been written in recent years in an attempt to understand the biblical account, in light of scientific discoveries of the age of the universe. Some rabbinic writings from 1,500 years ago describe the six days of Creation as epochs, rather than literal 24-hour days. Time as we know it didn't begin until after the six days, and given the law of relativity, mathematical formulas suggest that those initial days can be viewed as time periods spanning billions of years." Aish.com

Psalms 3-5

Sunday's Bible Reading: Psalms 3-5

Sunday's Sermon: Jim Samra, And Jesus Smiled—Journey to Jerusalem #2

The eighty-eighth day of summer.

Romans 2; Proverbs 3:1-10

Saturday's Bible Reading: Romans 2; Proverbs 3:1-10

The eighty-seventh day of summer.

Romans 1; Proverbs 2:12-22

Friday's Bible Reading: Romans 1; Proverbs 2:12-22

The eighty-sixth day of summer.

It was a long but good day at Maranatha yesterday. I received quite a bit of positive feedback after my workshop. To everyone who commented on how interesting it was I said, "That's an answer to prayer because I was afraid it was going to be boring so I had friends back home praying specifically that it wouldn't be. All I can say is that God must have intervened because my presentation was definitely boring but God made them see / hear something that wasn't! Praise the Lord!

I wasn't able to go to the premiere showing of the Dutch Resistance documentary produced by Storytelling Pictures because I had to stay at Maranatha for conferences with participants. Jay went however and came home nearly speechless because it was so moving. He couldn't even stay for the reception after because he was so choked up. Apparently Corey and company have put together a very moving piece of filmwork.

The Ruth Tucker / Calvin Seminary saga broke the media barrier this week. What I've read so far concerns me. I'm all for equal rights for women, but, as Jay keeps reminding me, not everything bad that happens to women is due to their gender. Unfairness is no respecter of gender. Men get treated badly too.
Grand Rapids Press story.
Ruth Tucker's website.

Isaiah 6-7; Proverbs 2:1-11

Thursday's Bible Reading: Isaiah 6-7; Proverbs 2:1-11

The eighty-fifth day of summer.

Off to the Maranatha Writers Conference to do a workshop on "How to Think Like an Editor."

Isaiah 5; Proverbs 1:2--33

Wednesday's Bible Reading: Isaiah 5; Proverbs 1:2--33

The eighty-fourth day of summer.

Isaiah 3-4; Proverbs 1:18-19

Tuesday's Bible Reading: Isaiah 3-4; Proverbs 1:18-19

The eighty-third day of summer.

This morning I'm watching NASA TV. Amazing. It's live coverage of the shuttle crew installing a 17-ton piece of the space station. What a contrast to yesterday when all eyes were focused on the evil use of aeronautical technology as we remembered 9-11, that fateful day five years ago when four planes, full of unsuspecting people, were hi-jacked by the enemies of progress and used to take down the two towers of the World Trade Center, part of the Pentagon, and another target in our nation's capital. They failed to reach their fourth target because people onboard took control and ditched the plane in a Pennsylvania field, sacrificing their own lives but saving who knows how many others.

One of the interesting things about the contrast between yesterday and today is that few people are watching the NASA crew build the space station. It's being broadcast on a cable channel that I have to watch via the Internet. Construction is slow, tedious, and boring. Destruction is quick, exciting, and riveting. No wonder the destroyers get all the attention.

Today in Jewish History
19 Elul from Aish.com

In 1941, Charles Lindbergh, who achieved fame by being the first person to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean, delivered an anti-Semitic speech on the radio. Lindbergh became an outspoken supporter of Nazi Germany, even recommending in testimony before Congress that the U.S. negotiate a neutrality pact with Germany. At a rally in Des Moines, Iowa, he made an infamous speech claiming that Jews, "for reasons which are not American, wish to involve us in the war... We cannot allow the natural passions and prejudices of other people to lead our country to destruction." Lindbergh also made an implicit threat against Jews, stating: "Instead of agitating for war, the Jewish groups in this country should be opposing it in every possible way, for they will be among the first to feel its consequences."

Isaiah 1-2; Proverbs 1:1-7

Monday's Bible Reading: Isaiah 1-2; Proverbs 1:1-7

The eighty-second day of summer.

Remembering 9-11.

Interesting news coverage . . .

Fox News. The names are being read; simultaneously hymns are being sung (Amazing Grace and God Bless America) and Scripture is being read—so far from Isaiah and Matthew's Gospel (the Beatitudes). After the second moment of silence Chris Wallace starts talking. Apparently someone thinks that hearing him talk is more important than hearing the names of the dead.

CNN. "Journalists" talking. People remembering.

NBC. Just talking by Tom Brokaw and Matt Lauer.

CBS. No talking, just the names being read.

ABC. Regis and Kelly!

They all talk about the importance of remembering, but they're not able to shut up and let us do it!

Psalms 1-2

Sunday's Bible Reading: Psalms 1-2

Sunday's Sermon: Jim Samra, A Time to Die—Journey to Jerusalem #1

The eighty-first day of summer.

The eve of the fifth anniversary of 9-11.

Our new pastor was "installed" tonight. Only in a church are things expected to work before they've been installed!

Acts 28; Proverbs 31:10-31

Saturday's Bible Reading: Acts 28; Proverbs 31:10-31

The eightieth day of summer.

Later this afternoon we'll be going to an all-church picnic as part of "installation weekend" for our new pastor, Jim Samra. Too bad that today is the first "fallish" feeling day we've had. Yesterday the temperature was in the eighties; today it's only going to reach the high sixties.

Acts 27; Proverbs 31:1-9

Friday's Bible Reading: Acts 27; Proverbs 31:1-9

The seventy-ninth day of summer.

2 Chronicles 35-36; Proverbs 30:21-33

Thursday's Bible Reading: 2 Chronicles 35-36; Proverbs 30:21-33

The seventy-eighth day of summer.

Busy day . . . meetings all morning, then lunch, then home to take Maggie outside, then off to Judy Schreur's retirement reception, then over to pick up Jenna from school.

2 Chronicles 33-34; Proverbs 30:10-20

Wednesday's Bible Reading: 2 Chronicles 33-34; Proverbs 30:10-20

The seventy-seventh day of summer.

2 Chronicles 31-32; Proverbs 30:1-9

Tuesday's Bible Reading: 2 Chronicles 31-32; Proverbs 30:1-9

The seventy-sixth day of summer.

Time to put away all my white clothes. What a stupid rule!

Music to my ears! Sometimes procrastination pays off.

2 Chronicles 29-30; Proverbs 29:21-27

Monday's Bible Reading: 2 Chronicles 29-30; Proverbs 29:21-27

The seventy-fifth day of summer.

Labor Day. Today's Bible reading has an intriguing Labor Day application. More later . . .

Went to Grand Haven, walked to the lighthouse, came back and had yummy pizza (but slow service!) on Kirby's upstairs deck.

Psalms 149-150

Sunday's Bible Reading: Psalms 149-150

The seventy-fourth day of summer.

This morning in church we sang "I am a friend of God." Then I came home and read commentary on this week's Torah portion, and I was humbled by my own low view of friendship. God truly is my friend in the highest sense of the word, but I have not proven myself to be a very good friend of his. Read Ki Tavo to find out what I mean.

The Power of Commitment, sermon by Jim Samra
1 Corinthians 12, Scripture text

Acts 26; Proverbs 29:8-20

Saturday's Bible Reading: Acts 26; Proverbs 29:8-20

The seventy-third day of summer.

Intimate Confessions. Is it any wonder that the weight of the sin of the world crushed and killed Jesus?! And this represents such a small slice of time.

Acts 25; Proverbs 29:1-7

Friday's Bible Reading: Acts 25; Proverbs 29:1-7

The seventy-second day of summer.