My Faith View from Here - Daily readings and thoughts

The Pursuit of Love Today's Reading (Bible in 1 year) Ezra 7:11-8:20, Job 36, Micah 7, 2 Peter 1 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ezra%207%3A11-8%3A20%2C%20Job%2036%2C%20Micah%207%2C%202%20Peter%201&version=NASB1995 Last night, Sylvia attended our growth group (a small gathering from our church to discuss scripture).  We got into a discussion on the difference between willpower and self-control.  We have one person in the group who studied philosophy and he is simply one of those deep thinkers.  He suggested that maybe willpower is one of those tools we use in the short term to fight off temptation while self-control is the accumulated strength that is built up over a longer period of time.   It was a very interesting topic because we were really trying to determine at what point does the Holy Spirit give us the strength to fight off temptation.  So how does human willpower compare to self-control? I have met some people with incredible will...

Walking Humbly with God Today's Reading (Bible in 1 year) Ezra 6:1-7:10, Job 35, Micah 6, 1 Peter 5 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ezra%206%3A1-7%3A10%2C%20Job%2035%2C%20Micah%206%2C%201%20Peter%205&version=NASB1995 Humankind, represented by many religions and some in the Christian faith, has looked to deeds and sacrifices as a way of appeasing God, or whatever god they worship.   We, through self-reflection, often recognize a need to clear our hearts before the Creator.  I’ve often referred to religion as man’s pursuit of God while faith in Jesus, is God’s pursuit of man. Micah asks what God actually requires of us.  He raises questions about different sacrifices and offerings, but then gives us the answer in Micah 6:8:  “And what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, to love kindness and to walk humbly with your God?”  This is not to say sacrifice is bad, but sacrifice without doing justice, loving kindness and walking humbly with G...

This One Will Be Our Peace Today's Reading (Bible in 1 year) Ezra 4:8-5:17, Job 34, Micah 5, 1 Peter 4 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ezra%204%3A8-5%3A17%2C%20Job%2034%2C%20Micah%205%2C%201%20Peter%204&version=NASB1995 Well, Halloween is past us and stores are now switching over to Christmas sales.  About a week ago, we went into the Home Depot in New Minas, Nova Scotia, and saw a large display of Christmas trees.  We are hoping to have our ceiling done by Christmas, which means we can have a larger tree this year.  Real trees are always preferred, but we saw a 9.5 ft tree that would fit beautifully in our new space.  Two months before Christmas and we're already looking at trees.  We even saw one house on our road that already has its Christmas tree up. Of course, we can't have Christmas without Black Friday sales.  Just yesterday, we received an advertisement promoting an “early” Black Friday sale.  It seems that Christmas arrives e...

In The Centre Today's Reading (Bible in 1 year) Ezra 3:1-4:7, Job 33, Micah 4, 1 Peter 3 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ezra%203%3A1-4%3A7%2C%20Job%2033%2C%20Micah%204%2C%201%20Peter%203&version=NASB1995 And He will judge between many peoples And render decisions for mighty, distant nations. Then they will hammer their swords into plowshares And their spears into pruning hooks; Nation will not lift up sword against nation, And never again will they train for war. (Micah 4:3 NASB1995) Imagine! Imagine a world without war.  Imagine a world without the need for any military hardware.  Imagine a world of true justice.  Imagine a time when God will make binding decisions on disagreements between nations. Imagine a time when people will want to visit the “mountain of the house of the Lord.”  This is a time yet to come. I would expect that if this passage is talking about turning spears and swords into tools for peaceful purposes, it would include turning...

Slave by Choice Today's Reading (Bible in 1 year) Ezra 1-2, Job 32:6-22, Micah 3, 1 Peter 2 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ezra%201-2%2C%20Job%2032%3A6-22%2C%20Micah%203%2C%201%20Peter%202&version=NASB1995 What is freedom?  The answer to that question can mean different things to different people.  For a prisoner, freedom is being released from prison and being able to live in the outside world.  I believe I live in a free country, but it doesn’t mean I am free to do anything I want.  There are still laws that govern how we live and function in this “free” society.  Freedom simply does not mean an absence of boundaries, it’s freedom within the boundaries. Peter is talking to Jesus followers, and what he says applies to us all.  As a Jesus follower, we are to act as free people, but not use that freedom as a covering for evil.  Instead, we are to use it as bondslaves of God (servants who willingly place themselves under His authority)....

There’s a Hush Today's Reading (Bible in 1 year) 2 Chronicles 35:20-36:23, Job 31:29-32:6, Micah 2, 1 Peter 1 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2%20Chronicles%2035%3A20-36%3A23%2C%20Job%2031%3A29-32%3A6%2C%20Micah%202%2C%201%20Peter%201&version=NASB1995 “Though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory” (1 Peter 1:8 NASB1995) I have not seen Jesus, but I love Him. I have not seen Jesus, but I believe in Him. That’s the thing about faith. Recognizing the truth about Jesus without having actually seen Him is part of what faith is all about. We can experience Jesus, though. The Holy Spirit is at work among us. We can’t see the Holy Spirit, but He can prompt our hearts and bring conviction. If we are willing to listen and pay attention, we may sense His prompting. But we must be willing. I was providing tech at a pastors’ conference a number of years ago. One of...

Being Jesus Today's Reading (Bible in 1 year) 2 Chronicles 35:1-19, Job 31:1-28, Micah 1, James 5 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2%20Chronicles%2035%3A1-19%2C%20Job%2031%3A1-28%2C%20Micah%201%2C%20James%205&version=NASB1995 So here we are. I'm a day late writing this post. I had every intention of getting it done last evening, but I couldn't focus. I usually write first thing in the morning, but we had plans yesterday, so I was only able to get to the writing last night. Plans, an interesting topic.  We read James 4 yesterday. Last week the pastor at the church we attend talked about James 4:13-17.  I suspect that's a hint that I should pay attention. Sometimes God arranges this kind of repetitive thing.  This is what it says: “ Come now, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, and spend a year there and engage in business and make a profit.’ Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow.  You are just a vapor ...

Asking for a friend! Today's Reading (Bible in 1 year) 2 Chronicles 34:8-33, Job 30, Jonah 4, James 4 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2%20Chronicles%2034%3A8-33%2C%20Job%2030%2C%20Jonah%204%2C%20James%204&version=NASB1995 Now we know why Jonah didn’t want to go to Nineveh.  He knew how the people of Nineveh were living in rebellion against God.  When talking to God, Jonah revealed, “I knew that You are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness, and one who relents concerning calamity” (Jonah 4:2 NASB1995).  Jonah knew God might forgive the people of Nineveh if they repented, and he didn’t want that.  He believed they deserved judgment. After God spared Nineveh, Jonah went east of the city and built himself a shelter to see what would happen.  God caused a plant to grow and provide shade for Jonah, but the next day He sent a worm to destroy it.  Jonah became angry and wanted to die.  God pointed out ...

The Poison Tongue Today's Reading (Bible in 1 year) 2 Chronicles 33:1-34:7, Job 29, Jonah 3, James 3 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2%20Chronicles%2033%3A1-34%3A7%2C%20Job%2029%2C%20Jonah%203%2C%20James%203&version=NASB1995 “No one can tame the tongue; it is a restless evil and full of deadly poison.  With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the likeness of God; from the same mouth come both blessing and cursing.” (James 3:8-10 NASB1995). When the book of James was written, communication was either spoken or written.  Today, we have another way of communicating that has changed things considerably.  Social media allows us to say things to a much larger audience, often without having to look the person we are speaking about in the eye. When we speak to someone face to face, we are more likely to see the reaction our words cause.  That doesn't mean we always think before we speak, or that we never say hurt...