City On A Hill

Job 24-26 This week has been pretty crappy and I was flipping through my Relevant issue that just arrived and started reading this article about child slavery and then I realized that for some of those girls that is their life. Except there is no hope at all and they live and die a life of sad circumstances and I am sure many die before reaching adulthood. Anyway poor Job had hope and even though his current state is pretty dire he still has this hope somewhere deep down the understanding that God is great and will have compassion. It just seems pretty crappy for the time being.

I didn't do my readings last week :( - so I'm playing catch-up this week. NO excuses though, I was distracted and I shouldn't be. Sorry.

You will all have to forgive me for taking so long to get back to you on the Thailand trip. It has taken me a great deal of time to process all that has happened over the past three months.

Download the interview with Alyssa Kennedy regarding Thailand.

Job 9-10 Its kind of crazy how even in his distress Job seems pretty clearheaded about his situation in that obviously he can't really complain to God about his condition even if he wanted to. Then in the second half he does anyway which is kind of funny but I like his whole argument in the first part of these chapters as he realizes that Only God can help him and if He had wanted to He would have already.

Luke 19:1-10 Remember earlier in Luke there was the rich man who wouldn't give up his riches to follow Jesus and he went away sorry. And Jesus talked about how difficult it was for a rich man to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven, and then the disciples basically said, then who is going to get into the Kingdom, and Jesus said with man it is impossible but with God all things are possible - here's the example of the possibility. We should be careful not to misunderstand, for example if we say that if we give half or more of what we have then we get in - but that misses the story of Zacchaeus completely, why? Did you see how Zacchaeus received Jesus he hurried and came down and received him joyfully. I really think that's the crux of the matter, how we receive Jesus. Remember the disciples left all as well, why? Because Jesus is worth more than everything else, so will we be able to leave everything when He ask us to, yes but only if we first joyfully receive Him.

The unity of scripture is so amazing - did you see how Jesus says in Luke that : everything that is written about the Son of Man by the prophets will be accomplished.32 For he will be delivered over to the Gentiles and will be mocked and shamefully treated and spit upon.33 And after flogging him, they will kill him, and on the third day he will rise. Then Paul in Titus says Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, for the sake of the faith of God's elect and their knowledge of the truth, which accords with godliness,2 in hope of eternal life, which God, who never lies, promised before the ages began3 and at the proper time manifested in his word through the preaching with which I have been entrusted by the command of God our Savior; That's so awesome - Jesus is the fulfillment of the hope of eternal life. If we don't see and teach Jesus as the point of the Bible we teach/believe in something other than the truth. That's why Jesus says I am the truth.

Esther 6-10 God was totally looking out for Mordecai. I am sure Haman felt like such an idiot. Not only did he tell the king to go all out for Mordecai he actually had to carry it out. This is such a great story I love this ending Haman and all his foloowers and sons die and Esther is given her wish for the the jews and Mordecai is honored for basically following God. It's awesome!