Category: John

January 8, read through the Holy Bible in a year in Power-point, with comments.

In the four chapters chosen for today of which the first is John 7 Jesus points out that according to Jewish law, circumcision is more important than keeping Sabbath, so, if the eighth day is on a Sabbath, it must be performed, but healing on a Sabbath is not permitted. Jesus then promises “Streams of living water”.

January 8: John 7, Genesis 15, Genesis 16, Genesis 17, (click on the chapter to begin reading)

In Genesis 15 God promises Abram a son, and Abram believes God and it is counted to him as righteousness.

But in Genesis 16 Abram badly wants an heir, so Sarai, being too old, gives her handmaiden Hagar to be mother of Abram’s son, Ismael. Sarai regrets what she has done, and Hagar is sent away with Ishmael into the wilderness.

Thirteen years later, in Genesis 17, Ishmael is back with Abram,  God  promises Abram his seed of promise, changes Abram’s name to Abraham and Sarai’s name becomes Sarah, establishes it with an eternal covenant, the covenant of Circumcision, and it was performed on Abraham, Ishmael and all Abraham’s servants.  A year later Sarah gives birth to Isaac, at the age of 90, (with God, nothing is impossible).

Circumcision is very important for Jews and Muslims (Sons of Ishmael). As for me, I am thankful for the streams of living water.

January 7, read through the Holy Bible in a year in Power-point, with comments.

The four chapters chosen for today are significant and thought provoking.

January 7: John 6, Genesis 12, Genesis 13, Genesis 14, (click on the chapter to begin reading)

In John 6 Jesus performed miracles 4 and 5, feeding 5000 (plus women and children) and walking on water. In spite of these miracles people demanded a sign. Jesus responds in kind saying he is the bread of life, and if people want to have eternal life they must come to him and eat of his flesh and drink of his blood. When hearing this, many abandoned Jesus, but Peter said: To whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.

Then in Genesis 12 Abram is called to leave his home in Ur. He goes to a land he does not know, promised by God, and he obeys, but when a famine came he went to Egypt and resorted to deceit rather than trusting God.

In Genesis 13, Abram and his sidekick Lot went back from Egypt and separated path. Lot chose the fertile plain of Jordan, and Abram went to the hills of Mamre.

And in Genesis 14 Lot gets in trouble and is taken captive by a local Mafia. Abram rescues Lot, and on the way back gives a tithe to Melchizedek, king of Salem – (later to become Jerusalem), after God gave him success in battle.

Question: Who was Melchizedek, and why is that important?

January 6, read through the Holy Bible in a year in Power-point, with comments.

The topic for today is confusion without faith in God.

January 6: John 5, Genesis 11, Psalm 2 (click on the chapter to begin reading).

John 5 describes how Jesus healed a man at the pool of Bethesda on a Sabbath, which offended the Jews. In addition Jesus claimed to be equal with the Father, for which the Jews sought to kill him, but Jesus defended His testimony.

Genesis 11 tells about the Tower of Babel, and how different languages arose, all by being disobedient to God.

Psalm 2 is then what happens when “the heathen rage” and this psalm speaks of what is going on today.

The Tower of Babel is in a way repeated today where the global internet, supposed to bring us together, divide us more and more into camps, where the same words mean different things, dependent on the audience. Jesus is controversial, his claims are being rejected by people thinking they understand biology and morals better than God.  And hate is increasing, yet there are people that believe in the universal good of mankind, if they only could get rid of the concept of God.

Yet, people are, and always will be looking for the meaning of life, and long to eliminate the emptiness and meaningless that is the logical conclusion if there is no God.

January 5, read through the Holy Bible in a year in Power-point, with comments.

Today there are only 3 chapters, but they are significant.

January 5: John 4, Genesis 9, Genesis 10, (click on the chapter to begin reading).

John 4 speaks about the first real evangelist spreading the good news of Christ the Messiah. It is the woman at the well, a Samaritan, scorn and rejected by her many husbands, yet used by God to tell the good news.

Genesis 9. God established His covenant with Noah (The Noahic Covenant), and as a sign He established the rainbow in the sky. Noah planted a vineyard, got drunk and exposed his nakedness. This leads to “the curse of Ham,” which lead to the excuse that the black race was for slavery. It was in reality the curse of Canaan, the original inhabitants of the yet to be promised land.  ponder that!

Genesis 10. A genealogy of the descendants of Noah. It tells how the earth was repopulated.

January 4, read through the Holy Bible in a year in Power-point, with comments.

Today we come to the new birth chapter; you must be born again (literally: from above),  the new birth is necessary to enter into the Kingdom of God; and the new beginning signified by Noah, his wife, his three sons and their wives, eight in all.

January 4: John 3, Genesis 6, Genesis 7, Genesis 8, (click on the chapter to begin reading).

Ponder the new beginning in the New Testament, leading to eternal life; and the new beginning in the Old Testament, restoring life on earth.

January 3, read through the Holy Bible in a year in Power-point, with comments.

After 2 days reading about the Creation and the fall, it is time to focus our attention on what happened after the fall.

January 3: John 2, Genesis 4, Genesis 5, Psalm 1.  (click on the chapter to begin reading)

In John 2 Jesus turns water into wine, cleanses the Temple, and gives the Jews just one sign. Genesis 4 shows the results of original sin with the story of Cain and Abel and the beginning of animal sacrifice;  Genesis 5 shows the Genealogy from Adam to Noah, and Psalm 1 is a beautiful poem about righteous living, and only one person can fulfill all the conditions mentioned, the exception to ” There is none righteous, no, not one” (Romans 3: 10)

The take home for today is the first of Jesus’ miracles, the first murder, the first man (Enoch) to be carried directly to God rather than die first, and Jesus giving the sign of Jonah about his (and our) resurrection. Psalm 1 extols righteous living according to the Old Testament and the law, with the New Testament counterpoint as given by the Apostle Paul.

January 1, read through the Holy Bible in a year in Power-point, with comments.

The Holy Bible is the most important book ever written. It is the word of God.

The two chapters chosen for today are John 1 and  Genesis 1 (click on the chapter to begin reading)

Both chapters start with the words “In the beginning”. The gospel of John deals with creation spiritually, and Genesis 1 deals with the physical creation, but with a spiritual emphasis, laying the groundwork for spiritual understanding of how and why we exist.

We are existing in time and space. The question is: What was there before time and space existed, before the beginning?

Answer: God, existing in three persons, God the Father, God the Son (the Word) and God’s Spirit, (the Holy Ghost).

They alone are eternal, everything else, including time and space, is created.

The cross at Notre Dame, the cross at Calvary and the cross at 9/11 ground zero. Two Limericks.

“Art and architecture have a unique ability to help us connect across our differences and bring people together in important ways,” posted U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar. “Thinking of the people of Paris and praying for every first responder trying to save this wonder.”

No, Ms Omar, it is much more than that, rather

What nearly destroyed Notre Dame;

historical artworks for some.

Not the fall of the steeple,

God’s church is the people

the Cross stands for all who will come.

 

 

Yes, the cross still stands as it did when, as U.S. Rep Ilhan Omar so famously quoted “Somebody did something at 9/11”

“The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God” (Psalm 14:1)
Ground_Zero_cross

For Muslims, atheists and humanists the cross is an offense since it is to them the stench of death. But to us who believe it is the symbol of redemption and new and eternal life in Christ. If they were not pricked in their hearts when they see the cross they would not be offended.

He died  on the cross at Ground Zero.

We have only one risen hero.

But the fools do “diss” grace,

stay condemned, cannot face

The truth in The Cross at Ground Zero.

 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.  For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. (St. John 3:16-17)

iron crossTop: The original  location where the iron cross was found.

crossMiddle: Intermediate location for the Iron cross.

Bottom: The final place for the Iron cross near the 9/11 museum.

These were the final words of Governor Sarah Palin after a successful week anchoring “On Point” with the One America News.

Governor Palin is a true servant. Her parents, Chuck and Sally Heath, worked at the Fresh Kills landfill in Staten Island, New York in January and February 2002 as part of a federal Department of Agriculture program.

In a telephone interview, Mr. Heath said he and his wife had worked to keep sea gulls and rats from scavenging the human  remains in the debris. Mr. Heath, then 70, a retired science teacher, and Mrs. Heath, then 68, a retired secretary, had worked for the Agriculture Department for 15 years. They travel around the world dealing with “nuisance” animals like rats and bears.

“A lot of people just didn’t like the job, it was kind of a morbid thing,” he said of the work at the landfill. “But I thought it was part of history.”

This is the attitude of a servant.

January 22, read through the Bible in a year.

Today there are four chapters.

January 22: John 21, Genesis 44, Genesis 45, Genesis 46 (click on the chapter to begin reading)

John 1 tells of the eighth miracle of Jesus. This miracle of a great catch of fish happened after Jesus resurrection and was a sign of new beginnings. Jesus reinstates Peter and tells him to feed his sheep.

Genesis 44 tells how Joseph tested his brothers by having Joseph’s own silver cup placed in Benjamin’s sack as the brothers returned back to Canaan. They all passed the test and returned to Joseph to await his judgment.

In Genesis 45 Joseph reveals himself to his brothers, and all rejoice. It contains the phrase “But God” and shows clearly that God was in control all the time.

In genesis 46 Jacob joins his brothers in going to resettle in Egypt, and is a retelling of the names of all that went

January 21, read through the Bible in a year.

Today there are three chapters.

January 21: John 20, Genesis 42, Genesis 43 (click on the chapter to begin reading)

John 20 deals with the resurrection, and Jesus is not there, only his grave clothes. It is now first day of the week and Jesus shows himself for most of the disciples, but not Thomas. He doubted their testimony, and it is from this we have the expression “Doubting Thomas.” Later, when even he saw Jesus, he bowed down and worshiped him saying “Mu Lord, and my God”. Jesus also gives the promise of the Holy Spirit.

In Genesis 42 there is famine in Canaan, as seems to happen quite regularly, so Joseph’s brothers go down to Egypt to buy food. They meet Joseph, now governor of Egypt, and he demands to see Benjamin, who was left behind with Jacob. They agree to do so and leave one of the brothers behind as collateral. Joseph was very distraught at the proposition, since Joseph and Benjamin were his favorite children.

But in Genesis 43 the famine continued, so they had to go back to Egypt for more. This time they had to bring Benjamin with them to keep their promise to Joseph. Joseph gives them all food from his table, and he gives a five times larger portion to Benjamin. So ends that chapter.