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Today I learned: Gideon, Samson, and Abigail

December 8, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Psalm 34:18 (Clouded Heart)

I haven’t been able to have consistent quiet times again. Instead of beating myself up again.
I’m going to try something different.

I’ve missed a total of three quiet times thus far. I’m trying to improve dramatically.  I don’t want to miss one.

To build a relationship with the creator of the universe should be an honor and something I need to think of more precious.

Midweek

At midweek tonight, we’ve been going around individually teaching one another about the heroes of faith from Hebrews 11.

Tonight we discussed Gideon, Samson and Abigail.

For those who are unfamiliar: Here’s a brief excerpt… when you get the chance read their stories in the Bible.

Judges 6 – Gideon: Coward, tested God multiple times for signs, eventually becoming a mighty warrior.

Judges 13 – Samson: Prideful, had hulk-like strength, slept with prostitutes, sinned, repented at the end.

1 Samuel 25 – Abigail: Wise, humble, faithful, and resourceful woman, eventually becoming one of King David’s eight wives.

Focus on the Good.

My wife and I had a bump on our way to midweek today.

In hindsight, it was stupid to get angry.

I have this issue of having “high” expectations, misunderstanding, and lack of patience.

Which explodes- when someone I have some expectations for does something stupid, or rather,  what I consider stupid.

I learned that I am very prideful and get easily angry.

Both of these sins are not acceptable in God’s Kingdom or even vaguely useful in the society.

I thought I was “justified” in being angry… in the biblical view of things… there is only one time that man is allowed to be angry.

Naturally, I’m not able to do that. It would be best for me to never get angry or be arrogant.

I’ve trained my anger and pride that I am a black belt master in those two skills.

I need to retrain myself so that I am more understanding, patient, and humble.

I’m going to make more of a conscience effort to be humble, more approachable, and ultimately remove these obstacles that don’t help me, my wife, family, friends, or society.

Please pray that I can become humble and patient.

Grace, Love, and Peace be with you always.

Filed Under: Quiet Times, Today I Learned

God’s Final Word: His Son

December 3, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Yes! Two days in a row.

HEAVEN

Todays QT: Hebrews 1

1 In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, 2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe. 3 The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven. 4 So he became as much superior to the angels as the name he has inherited is superior to theirs.

Sometimes I wonder what would it be like if I lived in a time period- before or during Jesus’ days. All I can hope is that there is a reason I live in the era I live in now. I definitely appreciate the technology, creativity, and other blessings that we have over previous generations.

The Son Superior to Angels

5 For to which of the angels did God ever say,
“You are my Son;
today I have become your Father”?

Or again,

“I will be his Father,
and he will be my Son”?

6 And again, when God brings his firstborn into the world, he says,

“Let all God’s angels worship him.”

Out of all of the different types of relationships there must be something unique between the father/son relationship.

7 In speaking of the angels he says,

“He makes his angels spirits,
and his servants flames of fire.”

8 But about the Son he says,

“Your throne, O God, will last for ever and ever;
a scepter of justice will be the scepter of your kingdom.
9 You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness;
therefore God, your God, has set you above your companions
by anointing you with the oil of joy.”

10 He also says,

“In the beginning, Lord, you laid the foundations of the earth,
and the heavens are the work of your hands.
11 They will perish, but you remain;
they will all wear out like a garment.
12 You will roll them up like a robe;
like a garment they will be changed.
But you remain the same,
and your years will never end.”

I don’t completely understand the whole trinity thing. All I can do is have a relative grasp of it. It would be nice that everything in the universe was designed for you- in some ways I think it is. That’s how much God loves you.

13 To which of the angels did God ever say,

“Sit at my right hand
until I make your enemies
a footstool for your feet”?

14 Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?

What I get from these last two scriptures is that you have to choose to be on the right side.

Action from QT: Continue to think about how I can add value into the world. Instead of wasting my life. Finish the goals of where I want to be in 5, 10, 20 years, or when I die.

5 List Today:

  1.  Continue to clean out email box… there were 150+ emails I had to deal with… I am unsubscribing from a bunch of lists
  2. Finish goals
  3. Clean off desktops of my Mac/PC
  4. Sell stuff on eBay
  5. Go out and pray
Filed Under: 30 day project, Quiet Times

Do Not Forget The Lord

December 1, 2011 By Leave a Comment

I had to get out of the apartment… I needed to change my environment.

I’m sick and tired of being sick and tired!

I’ve been stuck in a negative and depressing spiral for the last 3-4 years of my life.

Every time I get a glimmer of hope, it gets crushed… or slowly killed by my laziness, attitude, and apathy.

I’ve failed at following through on multiple things. Too much to list.

Honestly it has to stop. I don’t like living the way I am.

I’m very grateful for my health, wife, daughter, extended family, friends, and many other things.

I’m going to make Today December 1, 2011 a day of repentance and lasting change.

Here’s what I’m going to do.

  1. Daily Quiet Time for at least 30 minutes in the morning or as close to the first thing I do in the morning. Minimum requirement: to read one chapter of the Bible and five minutes of PRAYER (Praise, Repent, Ask, Yield, Expect, Return) and then take one action that I learn from the QT (Share on Facebook, write a blog post, make a video, tweet it out, whatever)
  2. Create a to do list of five things or less to do the next day. Publish To Do List to keep publicly accountable.
Those are the only two things I’m going to do for the rest of my life. Until they become habitual.
I’ll be blogging/vlogging it everyday for the next 30 days and hopefully it will continue until it becomes ingrained in my life.

My Quiet Time Today: Deuteronomy 8

Do Not Forget the LORD

1 Be careful to follow every command I am giving you today, so that you may live and increase and may enter and possess the land the LORD promised on oath to your ancestors.

I want to go to the promise land!

2Remember how the LORD your God led you all the way in the wilderness these forty years, to humble and test you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep his commands.3 He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna, which neither you nor your ancestors had known, to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD. 4 Your clothes did not wear out and your feet did not swell during these forty years. 5 Know then in your heart that as a man disciplines his son, so the LORD your God disciplines you.

Thank God…. He hasn’t given up on me yet.

6 Observe the commands of the LORD your God, walking in obedience to him and revering him.7 For the LORD your God is bringing you into a good land—a land with brooks, streams, and deep springs gushing out into the valleys and hills; 8 a land with wheat and barley, vines and fig trees, pomegranates, olive oil and honey; 9 a land where bread will not be scarce and you will lack nothing; a land where the rocks are iron and you can dig copper out of the hills.

10 When you have eaten and are satisfied, praise the LORD your God for the good land he has given you. 11 Be careful that you do not forget the LORD your God, failing to observe his commands, his laws and his decrees that I am giving you this day. 12 Otherwise, when you eat and are satisfied, when you build fine houses and settle down, 13 and when your herds and flocks grow large and your silver and gold increase and all you have is multiplied, 14 then your heart will become proud and you will forget the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. 15 He led you through the vast and dreadful wilderness, that thirsty and waterless land, with its venomous snakes and scorpions. He brought you water out of hard rock. 16 He gave you manna to eat in the wilderness, something your ancestors had never known, to humble and test you so that in the end it might go well with you. 17 You may say to yourself, “My power and the strength of my hands have produced this wealth for me.” 18 But remember the LORD your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms his covenant, which he swore to your ancestors, as it is today.

I’ve definitely ignored/forgot God… I’ve not taken my spiritual journey seriously.

19 If you ever forget the LORD your God and follow other gods and worship and bow down to them, I testify against you today that you will surely be destroyed. 20 Like the nations the LORD destroyed before you, so you will be destroyed for not obeying the LORD your God.

I’ve been destroyed… luckily, God has given me another chance. I have an opportunity to repent. First time in consumer credit card debt around $10K and jobless, barely scraping by.

QT Action: I wrote and published my QT for Today.

Five To Do List:

  1. Have my quiet time
  2. Find clarity and focus for where I want to be in 5 years. Write down goals/visions/bucket list.
  3. Clean out email box.
  4. Clean out desktops on both mac and PC
  5. Sell unused stuff on online.

 

Filed Under: Quiet Times

Commentary on Proverbs 23

February 23, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Here’s my insights on Proverbs 23.

Proverbs 23

1 When you sit to dine with a ruler,
note well what is before you,

2 and put a knife to your throat
if you are given to gluttony.

3 Do not crave his delicacies,
for that food is deceptive.

I need to work on portion control. My weight is getting out of control. However, this scripture applies to any action all the time. Do everything in moderation.

4 Do not wear yourself out to get rich;
have the wisdom to show restraint.

5 Cast but a glance at riches, and they are gone,
for they will surely sprout wings
and fly off to the sky like an eagle.

Enjoy the material possessions God has given you, be happy for those who have more.

6 Do not eat the food of a stingy man,
do not crave his delicacies;

7 for he is the kind of man
who is always thinking about the cost.
“Eat and drink,” he says to you,
but his heart is not with you.

8 You will vomit up the little you have eaten
and will have wasted your compliments.

I try to be generous. I am still working on the muscles to get rid of my selfishness and stinginess.

9 Do not speak to a fool,
for he will scorn the wisdom of your words.

This scripture reminds me of avoiding giving pearls to pigs. Use your time wisely and move on from working with fools.

10 Do not move an ancient boundary stone
or encroach on the fields of the fatherless,

11 for their Defender is strong;
he will take up their case against you.

Be honorable and don’t cheat God’s people- that means everyone.

12 Apply your heart to instruction
and your ears to words of knowledge.

13 Do not withhold discipline from a child;
if you punish him with the rod, he will not die.

14 Punish him with the rod
and save his soul from death.

Apply what you learn or be punished. I need to discipline my body now.

15 My son, if your heart is wise,
then my heart will be glad;

16 my inmost being will rejoice
when your lips speak what is right.

Live a wise life and God will bless you and those around you.

17 Do not let your heart envy sinners,
but always be zealous for the fear of the LORD.

18 There is surely a future hope for you,
and your hope will not be cut off.

19 Listen, my son, and be wise,
and keep your heart on the right path.

Obey the Lord’s commands and stick to the right path.

20 Do not join those who drink too much wine
or gorge themselves on meat,

21 for drunkards and gluttons become poor,
and drowsiness clothes them in rags.

Drink and eat in moderation.

22 Listen to your father, who gave you life,
and do not despise your mother when she is old.

Respect your parents.

23 Buy the truth and do not sell it;
get wisdom, discipline and understanding.

I’m working on this. I don’t quite understand what it means by “don’t sell truth.” Can anyone help me out?

24 The father of a righteous man has great joy;
he who has a wise son delights in him.

25 May your father and mother be glad;
may she who gave you birth rejoice!

Children are your ultimate legacy, teach them well. Be a good child and bring your parents happiness.

26 My son, give me your heart
and let your eyes keep to my ways,

27 for a prostitute is a deep pit
and a wayward wife is a narrow well.

28 Like a bandit she lies in wait,
and multiplies the unfaithful among men.

Be faithful to your wife.

29 Who has woe? Who has sorrow?
Who has strife? Who has complaints?
Who has needless bruises? Who has bloodshot eyes?

30 Those who linger over wine,
who go to sample bowls of mixed wine.

31 Do not gaze at wine when it is red,
when it sparkles in the cup,
when it goes down smoothly!

32 In the end it bites like a snake
and poisons like a viper.

33 Your eyes will see strange sights
and your mind imagine confusing things.

34 You will be like one sleeping on the high seas,
lying on top of the rigging.

35 “They hit me,” you will say, “but I’m not hurt!
They beat me, but I don’t feel it!
When will I wake up
so I can find another drink?”

Take alcohol in moderation.

The proverbs found in chapter 23 seem to be mostly on moderation and respecting your parents.

My action item for the day: Portion control. Eat 3/4th of what I normally eat.

Photo: KayVee.INC

Filed Under: Inspiration, Musings, Quiet Times Tagged With: , ,

Commentary on Proverbs 22

February 22, 2010 By 1 Comment

You can read the original here: Proverbs 22

Proverbs 22

1 A good name is more desirable than great riches;
to be esteemed is better than silver or gold.

What you call something is a name. You judge brands, labels, and names by their actions. Take a moment and write down, what people think of your name and the actions you have taken. Also write down what you want your name to mean to others.

2 Rich and poor have this in common:
The LORD is the Maker of them all.

Don’t judge people by anything, especially money. God created everyone. Don’t ever forget that.

3 A prudent man sees danger and takes refuge,
but the simple keep going and suffer for it.

5 In the paths of the wicked lie thorns and snares,
but he who guards his soul stays far from them.

When there are warnings take positive action. Noah received a warning, everyone else laughed, mocked, and scoffed. Noah was obedient and is now essentially the father of all humanity. What warnings are you receiving today and what are you doing about it?

4 Humility and the fear of the LORD
bring wealth and honor and life.

If you want to be wealthy, honor, and health be humble and fear the Lord.

6 Train a child in the way he should go,
and when he is old he will not turn from it.

Parents are responsible for their children, however, if the parents aren’t doing their thing, the community should take responsible for their children. There are too many children out there that are not properly trained, myself included. I’m still learning how to train myself.

7 The rich rule over the poor,
and the borrower is servant to the lender.

Credit card companies rule over the poor. Until the poor get smart and fight back.

8 He who sows wickedness reaps trouble,
and the rod of his fury will be destroyed.

You reap what you sow. Don’t plan evil, because it will bite you back some day.

9 A generous man will himself be blessed,
for he shares his food with the poor.

Be generous if you want to be blessed. Share your food with the poor.

10 Drive out the mocker, and out goes strife;
quarrels and insults are ended.

Stay away and get rid of those who cause mockeries. If you want to live a more peaceful life?

11 He who loves a pure heart and whose speech is gracious
will have the king for his friend.

Are you pure in heart? Are your words gracious? I’m still not both yet.

12 The eyes of the LORD keep watch over knowledge,
but he frustrates the words of the unfaithful.

God knows everything, if you don’t take the time to be faithful, your life is going to hurt.

13 The sluggard says, “There is a lion outside!”
or, “I will be murdered in the streets!”

Sluggards make excuses and don’t live life. Do’h, I’m a sluggard right now.

14 The mouth of an adulteress is a deep pit;
he who is under the LORD’s wrath will fall into it.

God says adultery causes problems, how many of you have seen adultery not cause problems? Maybe God is warning us.

15 Folly is bound up in the heart of a child,
but the rod of discipline will drive it far from him.

Children are evil. Just kidding, they are mischievous though. You need to hit your children with a rod of some sort and discipline them.

16 He who oppresses the poor to increase his wealth
and he who gives gifts to the rich—both come to poverty.

If you oppress the poor you will lose and if you give gifts to the rich you will lose.

Sayings of the Wise

17 Pay attention and listen to the sayings of the wise;
apply your heart to what I teach,
18 for it is pleasing when you keep them in your heart
and have all of them ready on your lips.

Keep wise sayings in your heart and have them memorized.

19 So that your trust may be in the LORD,
I teach you today, even you.

20 Have I not written thirty sayings for you,
sayings of counsel and knowledge,

21 teaching you true and reliable words,
so that you can give sound answers
to him who sent you?

22 Do not exploit the poor because they are poor
and do not crush the needy in court,

23 for the LORD will take up their case
and will plunder those who plunder them.

God listens to prayers of the poor.

24 Do not make friends with a hot-tempered man,
do not associate with one easily angered,

25 or you may learn his ways
and get yourself ensnared.

Avoid those who get angry.

26 Do not be a man who strikes hands in pledge
or puts up security for debts;

27 if you lack the means to pay,
your very bed will be snatched from under you.

Avoid pledging to pay for someone’s debt.

28 Do not move an ancient boundary stone
set up by your forefathers.

Be honorable.

29 Do you see a man skilled in his work?
He will serve before kings;
he will not serve before obscure men.

Everything you do, do your best.

Filed Under: Musings, Quiet Times Tagged With: , , ,