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Jim is in good spirits. He grinned at me from the hospital bed when I asked him how he was doing… “The nurse asked me the same question when they admitted me!” he said, “And I told her, ‘I’m checking into the hospital! How do you think I’m doing?’” The nurse replied, “Well, I’m in the hospital and I’m doing pretty good.” Jim snorted, “Well that’s because you’re on the other end of the stick! If you were in my position how would you be doing?” Jim is as ornery as ever! And that’s a good thing. He had a successful operation and should be going home today between 10 and 12. We talked for quite a while, read from Isaiah 40 and prayed. Melinda came up and I said my goodbyes.
on another subject, I did a poor job of the amphitheater advertisement explanation yesterday. We are interested in advertising our outdoor Summer Services… does it make more sense now? I hope so. Thanks to Keith for bringing it to my attention… and thanks for your encouragement! Keith writes I scan the sermon and read the prayer on each email. I am using and reinforcing the closing prayer with each email. I just wanted to say thanks. I am glad you are sharing your faith with me in this fashion.
Today’s Scripture reading is 2 Samuel 4; Amos 8; Mark 12:28-43
To Listen to Today’s Reading http://timewithgod.podbean.com - Archives can be found at http://timewithgod.mypodcast.com
Today’s thought comes from Genesis 12:1-3 Now the LORD had said to Abram: “Get out of your country, From your family And from your father’s house, To a land that I will show you. 2 I will make you a great nation; I will bless you And make your name great; And you shall be a blessing. 3 I will bless those who bless you, And I will curse him who curses you; And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”
The book of Genesis bumps along with some amazing historical events like the flood, and the tower of Babel, but not too much in the way of prophecy until we get to Abraham. And then we discover the roots of the Middle East conflict! Abraham himself! In chapter 12, in this powerful and important prophecy, he’s still called Abram meaning “exalted father.” God used his name as a play on words to tell him, “Abram, you exalted father, you… you will be really exalted! You will become the father of A great nation!” And that’s where the conflict comes in. The Jews claim Abraham as their father and the Muslims claim Abraham as their father! The Quran teaches in no uncertain terms that Abraham is the founder of Islam! The Jews claim that they are the nation of blessing and the Muslim’s say they are! So which is it? Door #1 or Door #2? I have to admit a bias. I believe the Bible to be an accurate record of history and consider the Quran (Koran) to have serious historic, literary and prophetic problems. So, I’m going to go with Door #1. Here’s how the Bible frames the problem. Abram’s wife was childless so she encouraged him to take her maid as a concubine. She had a son named Ishmael. About the time that Abram’s concubine gave birth to Ishmael, God changed his name from Abram “exalted father” to Abraham meaning “The father of a multitude.” In Ge 17:5 God told him, “No longer shall your name be called Abram, but your name shall be Abraham; for I have made you a father of many nations!” Now many nations and kings would come from him! Do you see the problem developing? Later in life Sarah died and Abraham took another wife and had another six sons! Abraham sent all his sons away to the east but Isaac, and many of the Middle Eastern people are descended from them! But Isaac stayed in the land and the promise was passed on to him! Thus the conflict! Had Abram stayed Abram, there might not be this terrible Palestinian problem or Arab problem! (There’d be different ones instead). Way to go Abe! But Abraham went his own direction and had more kids through a few different wives! And we all know that kids feud! And they are! But the good news is that from Abraham comes blessing. Jesus, the Messiah came from Abraham… and from Jesus all the nations have been blessed with the offer of eternal life!
Dear Father. Thank you for the blessing of Abraham, that all people are blessed because of the Messiah which came through him. I do pray for the conflict in the Middle East and pray for the peace of Jerusalem and the nations around. I pray that you will bring peace first to the heart through the prince of peace, Jesus, so that peace would prevail.
I do not think I have made it yet; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
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