Alive and Well

Make 2014 a year for sharing

“All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.” – 2 Timothy 3:16-17

Thousands of years have come and gone, since the time when men put the quill to the parchment and captured the thoughts of God for mankind.  Written mainly in Hebrew (with some Aramaic and Greek), the scriptures have led men and women toward righteousness for generations and generations.  The words of God Almighty captured by scribes, prophets and priests over centuries.  The likes of Moses, David, Ezra, the Prophets – Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel and others, Peter, Paul, John and Luke have captured the inspirations, teachings and words from God to us.  In a place called Qumran, in the Southeast corner of Israel, there is an ongoing archeological project to uncover the city, homes, and history of the scribes who lived here and spent their days writing.  In the hills just outside of Qumran, are the caves, where in the 1950’s, over 900 scrolls were found with references to nearly every book of the Old Testament. Keep in mind that scriptures were numbered and outlined as our modern day texts are, with books, chapters and verses.  It was a steady stream of written text copied by a scribe from the mouth of those inspired by God to speak His word.

More copies of the Holy Bible have been printed than any other book in the history of the world.  Certainly, translations from Hebrew and Greek to English and to nearly every other language may have watered down the original, the word of God remains rich and pure to all mankind.  We often question what God wants from us, what our purpose is, why certain things happen, and what is His plan for the future.  The reality is, that if we spent time in His word every day, and truly studied it for the richness that comes alive on the pages, we would have a better understanding. 

Most of us live in a “Cliff Notes” world though and want the answers without putting in the work of reading, studying and learning.  Many get lost in the heaviness of the scriptures, and others can’t seem to put it into perspective in their own life.  I have found that spending an hour in the morning reading His word and then taking mental notes of what it means in my life has continually strengthened my outlook on life.  Every time I open the scriptures I am learning something I didn’t know before.  There is no short-cut.  It takes time, effort and commitment to grow closer to God, His word and His purpose.  You have to put in the hard work and you have to seek Him, for He is not going anywhere.  He is, has always been and will always be exactly the same. 

The words inscribed on the pages of our Holy Bible are translated from God Almighty and are unchanging.  What He inspired upon the heroes of our faith is still just as important today as it was 4000 years ago.  Many will say that the “Old writings” don’t pertain to today’s world.  I say they are very wrong.  The law passed down from God to Moses for mankind has not changed and will not.

1.      Thou shalt have no other gods before me2.      Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image3.      Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain

4.      Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy

5.      Honor thy father and thy mother

6.      Thou shalt not kill

7.      Thou shalt not commit adultery

8.      Thou shalt not steal

9.      Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor

10.  Thou shalt not covet thy neighbors belongings

Why then, do we have such a hard time following His word as the truth?  Why are we so inclined to attempt and conform His truth to our way of life, rather than conforming our life to abide by His truth.  If we all took a stand to live by the truth’s revealed to us through the scriptures, we could solve 90% of the problems in the world today.  The real problem we face is that people only want the part of the scriptures that benefit them and their lifestyle, rather than the entirety.  As long as there is pride, ego and selfishness in this world, the scriptures will remain a distant record of history rather than a tool for our daily life. 

© Sondove Enterprises, 2014
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Words of a King – “Trust God”

It has been a few days since my last post.  I have been struggling with a message that I feel strongly should be told.  I have wrestled with the Holy Spirit on how to communicate it, and it took a few days to get my obstinate attitude out of the way. 

Read It, Learn It, Live It, Share It

“But He {Jesus} answered {devil} and said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.’”” – Matthew 4:4

What if we actually lived by the instructions and words that came from Jesus while He was here on earth.  For the next several days we will look specifically at His instructions as they pertain to our modern day society.  Perhaps, if we were more attuned to His word, we could actually make a change for the better in the world in which we live.

We all make choices each and every day on a number of different topics from clothing to wear, what to eat, spending money, our daily plan at work or school and who we talk to throughout the day.  You and I make a choice as to how much time we are spending with God and His word, learning, educating and growing in our faith and relationship with Him.  It’s no different than any other choice you make, but the results are dramatically different in the end.  You might choose a different route to the office each day and save 5 minutes in the commute.  You might choose a more healthy lunch or you might choose to spend 30 minutes longer at the gym and shave off a few pounds.  You prioritize your spending, your calendar and your time throughout the day – where does God fit?

Jesus first recorded words after He was baptized are captured above in Matthew 4:4.  In responding to the temptation that Satan has placed before him, He is teaching you and I how we should respond in the face of temptation, but He is also telling us to strengthen our walk each day by spending time with the Lord.  It’s not about what the world can give you (bread) but rather what God wants from you and will give you in return. 

This is counter-intuitive to what the world is telling you. “Make more money” “Buy bigger and faster” “Each man for himself”  “Keep your religious beliefs to yourself”, our lives should not be focused on what we are getting from the world.  Our lives should be focused on what we are giving back to the Lord, God Almighty, each and every day.  I believe in my heart you are agreeing with me and that you are looking for that deeper relationship, that intimacy with God in your life.  Are you waking up each morning asking God what you can do for Him today, or are you praying over your struggles, calendar and concerns each day?  Perhaps it is time for a change in how we are communicating to God. 

The scripture tells us to concentrate and “focus on every word that comes from the mouth of God.”  This requires you to know what God is saying.  Perhaps it’s not verbal voice, but the written word.  The Holy Bible is known as the Word of God, and when studied will bring you closer to an understanding of who God is and what does He say.  I’m saying study the Bible, not just read a passage or two, and consider your duty done for the day. 

If you are reading this, you have likely made a choice at some point and time to believe in Jesus Christ for eternal salvation.  That is the single most important decision you will make in this life.  But, it is also the single most dangerous decision you will make.  You see, choosing to believe in Jesus Christ is a requirement for your eternal destiny, but if you have not chosen to follow Him, and make Him the Lord of your life, you are simply convincing yourself that you are a Christian and walking in that lie.  God needs to be at the center of your life, period. 

It’s not a matter of saying the words, but a matter of changing your life and committing yourself to His purpose and His desire in your life.  It is not a light hearted raising of your hand on Sunday morning and then back to your “worldly life” on Monday morning.  Get into the word of God every day.  Study it.  Learn from it and Share it with others.  Take part in the greatest opportunity you have ever had in your life and trust that in doing so, you are becoming less like the world and more like the Christ that you have proclaimed as your King.

© Sondove Enterprises, 2013
For more Daily Thoughts go to: http://sondove.blogspot.com
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Passing it On

Read It, Learn It, Live It, Share It

“After three days they found him in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. Everyone who heard him was amazed at his understanding and his answers." – Luke 2:46-47

Twenty one, as in years. The Bible records the impact of Jesus’ life from the age of 12 through His death at the age of 33.  At the age of 12 he was in the temple with the Scribes and Pharisees, studying the word of God.  His father, Joseph, was a carpenter and his mother, Mary, was a strong, courageous woman who was loved by the one true God.  We must draw the conclusion that Jesus was raised learning and memorizing the scriptures, just like the other boys his age in Nazareth, as was the custom in those days.  For you see there was no Bible laying on the coffee table or nightstand.  There were scrolls for each book and chapter of the Torah (first five books of the bible), that had been written and re-written over the last 400 years prior to Jesus birth.  But these weren’t available to the common folk, they were stored in the Synagogue under the watch of the Pharisees and Scribes of the day.  No, Jesus would have memorized scripture from the teachings of his father and other men around Galilee.

I was fortunate enough to visit the Western Wall of the temple during one of my visits to Jerusalem many years ago.  I was invited to join a father and his family inside of the Western Wall, for their reading from Numbers in their native language.  I couldn’t understand a word that the man was saying, but to experience first-hand the love, passion and importance that this father spoke to his children with will forever be etched in my mind.  He unfolded the scroll, and read from the scriptures.  Then he had his eldest son read some as well, and then the family proceeded to pray together.  Closing the scroll, he kissed it and placed it back into the ark for storage until the next day.  This principal of reading the scriptures as a family unit was practiced for generations and generations, handed down over centuries.  In the days of Jesus the Torah was to be memorized and drawn upon for comfort, peace, law and governing.  The Holy Word of God was carried in the hearts and minds of every devout Jew and passed on to the children.

Where has this practice gone and why?  Is our life so much more under control that we no longer need to partake in the practice of teaching our children the scriptures?  I realize that we live in a much faster paced world than 1st Century AD, but by all means, this is not something we should have let fall away.  For it is in knowing the scriptures that we will be made stronger in times of struggle and strife.  As we face challenges in this life, drawing upon the wisdom found in the Holy Bible is where we will find the answers. 

I can comment to you today that this is a practice that will once again become common in the Palmer household for generations to come.  I am no longer content to study God’s word on my own and hope that my children are doing likewise.  I am going to take a proactive part in their learning and studying of God’s word.  I’m asking each of you reading this Daily Thought today, to take this practice seriously and begin anew reading scriptures with your children, grandchildren, parents and spouses daily.  Quit complaining about the demise of Christianity in the 21st century and do something about it.  Teach and learn from the One who wrote the book.       

             

© Sondove Enterprises, 2013
For more Daily Thoughts go to: http://sondove.blogspot.com
If you would like to be added to the email distribution please click here: Daily Thoughts

More Than That

Read It, Learn It, Live It, Share It with your friends

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the LORD” – Isaiah 55:8

  Some will say that the Bible is a book filled with stories of adventures, wars, trials, temptations, rules and guidelines, love, peace and mercy. Some of these individuals might even make the comment that the Holy Bible is not pertinent in today's world. Even that the context for these stories were appropriate in ancient times, but we are so much more knowledgeable and intelligent today. I mean seriously, look at the technology of our modern day: iPAD, iPHone, Wireless Internet, Space Shuttles, Airbus A380 and of course the toaster. It is often stated, “they needed the scriptures in Moses day, they had no other way to communicate but the written word. We know so much more today, these ancient writings just don't apply.”

  You've heard the arguments, right? If not this, than something very similar, in an attempt to obfuscate the holiness and righteousness of God's word. In my opinion that's what it comes down to. People today do not believe there is a need for God's daily involvement. Oh sure, He's great when they’re in a pickle or facing life/death situations, but most people feel pretty comfortable that they're in control of the day to day activities. Such short sightedness on behalf of humanity.

  The Holy Bible is not a checklist or a novel, although many have attempted to market it as such. They weren't bad because of their intentions, just plain wrong. God doesn't need marketing genius' to push His word to the world, He needs His people to carry it one by one if necessary. The scriptures are there for our education, sanctification and relationship with Him. The depth of information contained inside of the 1,189 chapters of the Bible give us a foundation of truth, regardless of the timeframe in which we live. We learn from the Old Testament the very moral code that has existed for mankind for thousands of years. Of course, the knowledge and relationship baseline that is established in the New Testament sets in place the future of all man-kind, both here on earth and in eternity.

  Get past the “thus” and “beget” and “maketh” and “thou” to discover who God is. Read each day about His mercy, grace and examples of righteousness. To build a relationship with Christ, being in the word daily is essential. Through the scriptures we learn who He is, why He came and where He will take us. One of the most important things you will learn in studying the bible though is how to bring His message to the masses. We are told to take the Word to the world, and in order to do so, we must have a comfort level in what we believe and know. God tells us that "...His ways are not our ways...", so do not become complacent in waiting until you know enough, God will use the little bit you do know and change the world with it. Just keep learning, one day at a time. Those around you will begin to see the difference when you begin acting and living in accordance with what you are learning. He's proven in the past He's capable of speaking through a donkey, so what makes you think He can't speak through you? You need to be willing, that's it.

© Sondove Enterprises, 2012
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