My Faith View from Here - Daily readings and thoughts

Today's Reading (Bible in 1 year) 2 Samuel 24, Proverbs 19:1-15, Ezekiel 25:8-17, 1 Corinthians 6:12-7:40 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2%20Samuel%2024%2C%20Proverbs%2019%3A1-15%2C%20Ezekiel%2025%3A8-17%2C%201%20Corinthians%206%3A12-7%3A40&version=ESV The Body Matters I found 1 Corinthians 6:12-20 quite sobering. I have not hidden the truth that I am a Jesus follower.  Since this entire blog is based on reading the bible in one year, you, the reader, will assume I am a person of faith.  I try to glean truth from every day of reading and relate what has affected me on each day. As a Jesus follower, I have put my trust and faith in Jesus who died and rose again and through that, He gave the one and only sacrifice that is required for me to be justified and able to stand before a Holy God.  The only action I needed to do to be justified was believe and put my faith in Jesus.  It’s a free gift.  That means my sin is forgiven and I can stand before...

Today's Reading (Bible in 1 year) 2 Samuel 23, Proverbs 18:13-24, Ezekiel 24:15-25:7, 1 Corinthians 5:1-6:11 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2%20Samuel%2023%2C%20Proverbs%2018%3A13-24%2C%20Ezekiel%2024%3A15-25%3A7%2C%201%20Corinthians%205%3A1-6%3A11&version=ESV      A Listener, not a Teller Have you ever been in one of those conversations?  I’m sure you know the kind.  It’s usually a spirited conversation.  Someone in the conversation doesn’t let you finish your sentence because they think they know your entire thought.  Are you the person who cuts in?  I occasionally am that person.   The problem with cutting in on conversations is simply that you aren’t listening.  The point you may be answering is your point and may not be the point the person is trying to convey.  Imagine if you’ve asked someone for advice on something and you cut in before they can provide the advice.  Eventually you may be at ri...

Today's Reading (Bible in 1 year) 2 Samuel 22, Proverbs 18:1-12, Ezekiel 24:1-14, 1 Corinthians 4 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2%20Samuel%2022%2C%20Proverbs%2018%3A1-12%2C%20Ezekiel%2024%3A1-14%2C%201%20Corinthians%204&version=ESV The Security Illusion “The name of the LORD is a strong tower; The righteous runs into it and is safe.  A rich man’s wealth is his strong city, and like a high wall in his own imagination” (Proverbs 18:10,11). These two proverbs do not seem to be connected but the more we look at it, we recognize how they do connect.   Where are you safest?  We live in a world where the main goal of many people seems to be to accumulate.  Whether it is wealth, or just stuff that you may need some day, the common goal is often simply accumulating. I have an acquaintance who seems to have everything.  He has property and camps in 3 or 4 different locations of Nova Scotia.  Camps in Nova Scotia may be as simple as a trailer o...

Today's Reading (Bible in 1 year) 2 Samuel 21, Proverbs 17:15-28, Ezekiel 23:25-49, 1 Corinthians 3 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2%20Samuel%2021%2C%20Proverbs%2017%3A15-28%2C%20Ezekiel%2023%3A25-49%2C%201%20Corinthians%203&version=ESV What Holds You Up I love designing things.  I particularly enjoy designing and redesigning homes and making 3D CAD drawings of what it will look like.  When I went to university, I studied electrical engineering but as I look back now, I should have either pursued architecture or civil engineering.  I likely would have finished those programs. In 1 Corinthians 3, Paul talks about how a life of faith is built. He describes Jesus as the foundation and talks about how other people build on that foundation, helping our understanding of faith grow from spiritual infancy toward maturity.  As a side note, you always continue to grow …. you never become “fully grown!” The Corinthians were debating who was better, those who c...

Today's Reading (Bible in 1 year) 2 Samuel 20, Proverbs 17:1-14, Ezekiel 23:1-24, 1 Corinthians 2 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2%20Samuel%2020%2C%20Proverbs%2017%3A1-14%2C%20Ezekiel%2023%3A1-24%2C%201%20Corinthians%202&version=ESV An Interrupted Day                                                Life is feeling hard right now.  We make plans for the day and before much has happened, those plans change because of things outside our control.  In the past, I would get really frustrated and become determined to accomplish my plans, but I have become a little more laid back because I know God's plans are being accomplished.  If there is one thing I have learned from doing this reading and writing this year, it is that my plans need...

Today's Reading (Bible in 1 year) 2 Samuel 19:8-43, Proverbs 16:22-33, Ezekiel 22, 1 Corinthians 1 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2%20Samuel%2019%3A8-43%2C%20Proverbs%2016%3A22-33%2C%20Ezekiel%2022%2C%201%20Corinthians%201&version=ESV Standing in the Gap “I searched for a man among them who would build up the wall and stand in the gap before Me for the land, so that I would not destroy it; but I found no one” (Ezekiel 22:30) Our dog is often sick.  He’s been sickly since we got him but he has no understanding apart from the fact that he is spending most of his day sleeping.  He is sick right now.  We recently went on a 5 day camping trip to New Brunswick.  We left him at his daycare while we were away.  He loves it there and they treat him like part of their dog family.  When we came back to get him, they informed us he has diarrhoea and it started a couple of days earlier.  We brought him home and things started to improve so we were...

Today's Reading (Bible in 1 year) 2 Samuel 18:19-19:7, Proverbs 16:12-21, Ezekiel 21:18-32, Romans 16 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2%20Samuel%2018%3A19-19%3A7%2C%20Proverbs%2016%3A12-21%2C%20Ezekiel%2021%3A18-32%2C%20Romans%2016&version=ESV Look for Jesus We have finished Romans.  I found the letter very deep and complex.  However, I have learned some truths that I had not realized in the past. I have also taken up another challenge.  I was talking to a pastor friend of mine and asked if he had ever preached on the book of Romans.  He said no, but he would in the next couple of years, and then said, “I will be especially interested in your take on chapters 9 to 11.” So challenge taken! In the next little while, along with my regular reading and blog writing, I’ll be walking through Romans 9, 10 and 11.  If you are one of those “keeners” who really want to do some deep thinking, why not let me know and I’ll send you what I’ve learned?  It...

Today's Reading (Bible in 1 year) 2 Samuel 17:15-18:18, Proverbs 16:1-11, Ezekiel 21:1-16, Romans 15 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2%20Samuel%2017%3A15-18%3A18%2C%20Proverbs%2016%3A1-11%2C%20Ezekiel%2021%3A1-16%2C%20Romans%2015&version=ESV Self Denial is Love Sylvia will often tell a story from her childhood.  The story would generally be about Thanksgiving or Christmas celebrations when they would be eating their celebration turkey meal.  I always thought that my family did not have a lot of money and that we were always strapped for cash.  Meanwhile, we would have roast beef every Sunday, big turkeys at Thanksgiving and Christmas.  We went on vacations and we had a nice home on a large property. I figured we were poor.  Then Sylvia would share her childhood, and they had much less. I often need to realize that I was brought up in privilege but never realized it. Sylvia’s mom, when serving a small turkey or chicken, would always put the neck ...

Today's Reading (Bible in 1 year) 2 Samuel 16:1-17:14, Proverbs 15:23-33, Ezekiel 20:33-49, Romans 14 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2%20Samuel%2016%3A1-17%3A14%2C%20Proverbs%2015%3A23-33%2C%20Ezekiel%2020%3A33-49%2C%20Romans%2014&version=ESV I’m Not a Judge Pre 1992, Ontario, Canada had Sunday closing laws.  Sunday was regarded as a day of rest, a Sabbath, and most retail shops were required to be closed.  As someone who was a Jesus follower, I felt it was only right that the stores were closed and figured anyone who worked on Sunday was very ungodly.  That being said, I had no problem going to a restaurant after church and being waited on by someone who was working on Sunday. As a child, I would regularly go to the variety store at the end of my street. Whether it was to get a jug of milk for my mother or to get an ice cream treat, I’d visit that store. The storekeeper was a smoker. He seemed to always have a cigarette being smoked. I judged him as bei...