Psalm 117 - The shortest chapter in the Bible

Praise the Lord, all you nations;
     extol him, all you peoples.
For great is his love toward us,
     and the faithfulness of the Lord endures forever,

Praise the Lord.

Did you know that Psalm 117 is the shortest chapter in the Bible? I didn't until today. And what a beautiful psalm it is. This is one I challenge you (and myself) to memorize.

Lord, thank you for your word. Please help us to memorize your word and keep it on our hearts at all time. Amen.

Psalm 116:5 - Compassion

The Lord is gracious and righteous;
     our God is full of compassion.

I really needed this verse this morning. I have not been very gracious, righteous or compassionate. I have been unforgiving and impatient.

Lord, thank you for giving us such a wonderful example to follow. Please help me to be gracious, righteous and full of compassion. Amen.

Psalm 115:1 - To God's glory

Not to us, Lord, not to us
     but to your name be the glory,
     because of your love and faithfulness.

I gave my lesson last night to our ladies class and it went very well. I felt the spirit moving and several people said I did a great job. Yeah! But...Not to us, Lord, not to us but to your name be the glory, because of your love and faithfulness. Hey that reminds me of a song...https://www.facebook.com/lisa.burns.50/videos/10154008863725718/

Thanks to everyone who attended!!

Lord, thank you for giving us opportunities to shine. Please help us to remember to give you the glory. Amen,

John 6:8-9 More about Andrew

Another of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, spoke up, “Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?”  

Andrew and his brother must have been very close. Not only was Peter the first person Andrew told about Christ, they lived together. Mark 1:29 As soon as they left the synagogue, they went with James and John to the home of Simon and Andrew. Since Simon’s mother-in-law lived there I would assume Simon's wife lived there also. Possibly there was more extended family. Again, we see the importance of family with this set of brothers as with James and John.  

It also appears that Andrew was a resourceful, responsible person. He was the one who found the fish and loaves when Jesus fed the five thousand. John 6:8-9 Another of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, spoke up,  “Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?” He served as a messenger in John 12:20-22 Now there were some Greeks among those who went up to worship at the festival. They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, with a request. “Sir,” they said, “we would like to see Jesus.” Philip went to tell Andrew; Andrew and Philip in turn told Jesus.  

In Acts chapter one, Andrew is listed as present for Jesus ascension into heaven and the choosing of Matthias as an apostle. There is no other mention of Andrew in the BIble. but we do have some further information from church history and tradition:

From what we know from church history and tradition, Andrew kept bringing people to Christ, even after Jesus’ death.  He never seemed to care about putting his own life at risk. It is believed that he was martyred by crucifixion in the city of Patras which was on the northern coast of Peloponnese which was in Greece.  Given the fact that he was likely crucified there, he must have, like many of the other apostles, went well beyond Judea to bring the gospel into all the world as Christ had commanded (Matt 28:19-20).  Church historian Eusebuis wrote that he may have brought the gospel to as far away as Kiev which is now part of Ukraine.  It’s interesting that he was crucified like Christ but in the pattern or shape of an “X” which was often a Christian symbol and is now known as St. Andrew’s cross because it was said that Andrew, like his brother Peter, considered himself unworthy of being crucified in the same manner as Christ was.  He was crucified close to 70 AD.  Read more: http://www.whatchristianswanttoknow.com/the-apostle-andrew-biography-life-and-death/#ixzz4WdL6zlb7  

Andrew was the first apostle. He was often one of the inner circle with Jesus, probably mostly because of his brother, Peter. He was a steady, consistent member of the Apostles.  

Lord, thank you for using all kinds of personalities and temperaments. Please help us to allow you to use us no matter what our personality is like. Amen.

John 1:40-41 - Andrew the first

Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, was one of the two who heard what John had said and who had followed Jesus. The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him, “We have found the Messiah” (that is, the Christ). 

Andrew is Peter’s brother and an apostle, and honestly, Andrew is not known for much else, According to John’s gospel, Andrew is the first apostle to to officially follow Jesus. He is the first one to sit at Jesus’ feet for a day, then he excitedly went to tell his brother. With Peter playing such a large role in the story of the church, it is neat to see his brother get to be the first one to officially follow Jesus.

 Lord, thank you for examples like Andrew, who is not a person in the spotlight, but his role is still important and needed. Please help us to give all to you, regardless of our role.

Luke 9:54 - James the windbag

When the disciples James and John saw this, they asked, “Lord, do you want us to call fire down from heaven to destroy them?”

In three verses in the gospels, James (and John) are shown in a not so flattering light. In Mark 3:17, Jesus calls them both Boanerges, which means “sons of thunder”, I did a little research on this name and "sons of thunder" may not be a perfect translation for Boanerges. It may means something closer to Thunder Boys or Bunch of Windbags or Busy Lowing Oxen. No matter the translation, it wasn't good. In Luke 9:54 (above) the brothers are bold enough to call down fire from heaven to destroy a village. First of all, that is not how Jesus rolls. Second, they have the audacity to call down fire from heaven. Elijah, a prophet, is the only person in the Bible who does this. The third verse is in Mark 10:35-37 when James and John ask to be at the right and left side of Jesus in glory. Jesus and the other apostles did not take kindly to this political positioning from the brothers.

The last mentions of James in the Bible restore him as a great man of God regardless of his shortcomings.  Acts 12:1-2 states :It was about this time that King Herod arrested some who belonged to the church, intending to persecute them.  He had James, the brother of John, put to death with the sword. James was faithful to the end and in Galatians 2:9, he is esteemed as a pillar of the church.

Lord, Thank you for giving us examples of imperfect Christians. Please help us to grow and improve in our manner and conduct. Amen.

Matthew 20:20 - James' parents

Then the mother of Zebedee’s sons came to Jesus with her sons and, kneeling down, asked a favor of him.

Many of the biblical references to James refer to his parents. Part of this may be because this is how people were identified with so many similar names.

According to Wikkipedia which can always be trusted (cough) here is some insight in to John's parents:

His parents seem to have been people of means. Zebedee, his father, was a fisherman of the Sea of Galilee, who probably lived in or near Bethsaida, present Galilee, Israel, perhaps in Capernaum, and had some boatmen or hired men. Salome, his mother, was one of the pious women who afterwards followed Christ and "ministered unto him of their substance", and his brother John was personally known to the high-priest, and must have had wherewithal to provide for the Mother of Jesus.^[1]

The Synoptic Gospels state that James and John were with their father by the seashore when Jesus called them to follow him. Matthew 4:21-22 Mark 1:19-20

James' mom, Salome,  is mentioned many times in the gospels, including at the cross. She is probably most remembered for asking Jesus if her sons, James and John, could sit at the right and left side of Jesus. Not a good idea.

The verses including the family of James, make it appear that the family of Jesus and the Zebedee family were very close and were an important part of Jesus ministry.

Lord, thank you for giving us examples of parents, the good and the bad. Please help us to be Godly parents. Amen.

Matthew 4:21-22 - James...really

Going on from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John. They were in a boat with their father Zebedee, preparing their nets. Jesus called them, and immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him.

Ok, I really need to study these guys (James and Andrew) because I got them confused yesterday and listed a verse which spoke of Andrew not James. And, he is John's brother (John the apostle, not to be confused with John the baptist). So...we have two sets of brothers: Peter and Andrew then James and John. Duhhh. That is how they were called and how the song goes. This shouldn't be tough.

Lord, thank you for your word. Please make it clear to me. Amen.

Matthew 4:18-20 - James

As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.” At once they left their nets and followed him.

I am starting a study on James and Andrew for a class in a couple weeks, so my morning blog entries will reflect this. So this morning, beginning my study on James, I found out there are a lot of guys named James in the Bible. This guy was an apostle and was the brother of Peter (aka Simon). Oh...and there is another guy who is an apostle named James and there is James the brother of Jesus. Hopefully by the end of this study we will have this James figured out.

Lord, thank you for giving us your word so we can learn about people of faith who worked with Jesus on the earth. Please help us to gain wisdom and insight from this study. Amen

Psalm 114:4 - God's power over the physical earth

the mountains leaped like rams,
     the hills like lambs.

Psalm 114 is surely one that was a favorite with children. It is short and includes phrases like the verse for today. The premise is the joy the Lord displayed when his people left Egypt and his power over the physical earth. I have often said. God has complete control over the physical earth. We think of a rock as a hard, unchangeable object, but for God, it can become a pool of water ( v.8) The things we think of as impossible are not just possible, but easy for God.

Lord, thank you for demonstrating for us your control over the earth. Please help us to give you control of all areas of our earth and life. Amen.

Psalm 113:9 - God cares about our problems

He settles the childless woman in her home
     as a happy mother of children.
Praise the Lord.

We all have struggles in this life. In the two verses before this one tells how God helps the poor and needy and raises them up. The wonderful thing is that God cares about our problems. He sees us. He knows our pain and struggles and he offers comfort for his children, his followers. Sometimes God takes the pain or problem away and sometimes he helps us bear through it, but either way his love is evident.

Lord, thank you for caring about our problems. Please help us to always seek you when we are struggling and be willing to go through the situation with you by our side. Amen.

Judges 6:1a - Again!

The Israelites did evil in the eyes of the Lord...

Again!! The Israelite journey with God is full of rebellion and return. I've been told 40 years was about the longest time the Israelites in the Old Testament were ever continuously faithful as a people. The strongholds of sin are difficult to break free from. My sisters and I have all struggled with food issues and we are studying the book "Breaking Free" by Beth Moore. The beginning of a new year is always a good time to start a new study.

Lord, thank you for giving us the opportunity to start over. Please help us to break free from our strongholds. Amen.

Psalm 112:1 - Fear and obedience

Praise the Lord.

Blessed are those who fear the Lord,
     who find great delight in his commands.

The two blog entries before yesterday sort of went together. Yesterday and today's entries go together as well. Yesterday we learned that the fear of the Lord and obedience bring wisdom and understanding. Psalm 112 is all about other blessings that come with fearing the Lord and obeying his commands, as well as being generous to the poor. The list includes wealth, riches, enduring righteousness, good, never being shaken, not fearing bad news, and more. The Lord loves us so much and looks for ways to bless us when we are following him faithfully.

Lord, thank you for your generous gifts. Please help us to fear you and obey your commands. Amen.

Psalm 111:10 - Wisdom and understanding

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom;
     all who follow his precepts have good understanding.
     To him belongs eternal praise.

So many people are seeking. They want wisdom and understanding but search for it in all the wrong places. Fear of the Lord and obedience to Him are the keys. Non-Christians may feel like Christians act like they know it all and have it all figured out. Well, we are on the path to wisdom and understanding because of our relationship to God, so we may actually have some things figured out. I don't think God wants us to act superior or have a closed mind, but we do have clarity not attained by many. When we share our wisdom and understanding, it is not to belittle, but to offer it to you.

Lord, Thank you for wisdom and understanding. Please help us to fear you, follow your precepts, and share this with others. Amen.

Psalm 110:5 - God stands at the right hand of David

The Lord is at your right hand;
     he will crush kings on the day of his wrath.

I had trouble discerning Psalm 110, so I read this passage in the Message and it helped. I believe this psalm is stated in the words of God to David, letting him know he is the chosen ruler and God is at his right hand. I found that phase so interesting because just yesterday in Psalm 109:31 I highlighted how God stands at the right hand of the needy (in this case David was the needy one). So, God is with us, whether we are king or pauper, God stands at our right hand.

Lord, thank you for being at our right hand. Please help us to feel your strength and proceed forward with the confidence you give us. Amen.

Psalm 109:31 - Standing at the right hand of the needy

For he stands at the right hand of the needy,
     to save their lives from those who would condemn them.

Psalm 109 is a plea for help in the face of an enemy who has slandered David, the author. This last verse of thanks to God reminds me of a project my brother and his family are working on. If God is concerned about the needy and works to protect them, then we should do this also. About two years ago a need was recognized by a friend and fellow Christian. This friend went to a laundry mat in their town and was frustrated to see how run down it was. Most of the machines didn't work and often took money from the patrons. That experience started a chain of events ending in the construction of  a top of the line laundry facility to serve this particular neighborhood. Wash This Way seeks to provide a place to do laundry in a safe, dignified and respectful environment. Thanks Mike Reppart and family for standing at the right hand of the needy.

Lord, thank you for showing us needs in our community. Please help us to fill those needs. Amen.

Psalm 108:4-5 - Happy New Year!

For great is your love, higher than the heavens;
     your faithfulness reaches to the skies.
Be exalted, O God, above the heavens;
     let your glory be over all the earth.

Let's start the year off right by recommitting ourselves to God if we are already Christians or making the decision to commit our lives to the one true God. Let's spend the year focusing on God's love and bringing glory to Him. Happy New Year!

Lord, thank you for chances to start over. Please help us to commit to you, revel in your love and bring glory to your name. Amen.