My Faith View from Here - Daily readings and thoughts

Today's Reading (Bible in 1 year) Leviticus 17,18 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Leviticus%2017%2C18&version=NASB1995 Psalm 66 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm%2066&version=NASB1995 Isaiah 55:6-13 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Isaiah%2055%3A6-13&version=NASB1995 Luke 1:57-80 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke%201%3A57-80&version=NASB1995 Purpose vs Truck In our Isaiah reading, God says: For My thoughts are not your thoughts Nor are your ways My ways For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts God orchestrates things in a way that we can’t pre-guess.  I’ve been following a rabbit trail that requires God’s provision but I may be following my ways, not God’s ways.  I really don’t know but as you read on, you may have your own story that questions whose ways you are pursuing. You may have gotten the impression from previous blogp...

Today's Reading (Bible in 1 year) Leviticus 16 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Leviticus%2016&version=NASB1995 Psalm 65 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm%2065&version=NASB1995 Isaiah 54:11 - 55:5 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Isaiah%2054%3A11%20-%2055%3A5&version=NASB1995 Luke 1:26-56 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke%201%3A26-56&version=NASB1995 Filled With Goodness 1. We read in Psalm 65.  In the last few days, I talked about how great and awesome God is.  David speaks to God’s greatness in the Psalm.  Some of his statements that stick out to me are: You visit the earth and cause it to overflow You greatly enrich it The stream of God is full of water The hills gird themselves with rejoicing The meadows are clothed with flocks The valleys are covered with grain If these represent God’s goodness to the earth, let’s look at it through spiritual eyes and think about the reality of God’s “Kingdom...

Today's Reading (Bible in 1 year) Leviticus 14:33-15:33 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Leviticus%2014%3A33-15%3A33&version=NASB1995 Psalm 64 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm%2064&version=NASB1995 Isaiah 54:1-10 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Isaiah%2054%3A1-10&version=NASB1995 Luke 1:1-25 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke%201%3A1-25&version=NASB1995 Most Excellent Theophilus I asked Encyclopedia Google who is Theophilus.  Encyclopedia Google gave me options:  a high ranking Roman official, a high priest or maybe symbolic because the name means “friend of God” and that could represent a name for “all Christian readers.”  The most likely description would be the high ranking Roman official and who likely financed Luke’s writing.   Let’s for a moment recognize that it does not matter who it was written to, but that it’s most likely the most accurate and chronological representation of th...

Today's Reading (Bible in 1 year) Leviticus 14:1-32 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Leviticus%2014%3A1-32&version=NASB1995 Psalm 63 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm%2063&version=NASB1995 Mark 16 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark%2016&version=NASB1995 Sunday’s Coming There was a preacher that regularly visited the first church I attended where I was also employed.  The preacher's name was Anthony (Tony) Campolo.  He was a master story teller but more than that he focused all his messages on moving people's hearts towards Jesus.  Sylvia and I once sat in the congregation and happened to sit beside Tony’s wife.  She told us it was funny when someone would ask him to preach a specific message.  She said he’d always end with what the theme of the sermon was based on but she never heard him speak the same message twice. Tony Campolo was asked to speak a message called “It’s Friday but Sunday’s Coming.”  ...

Today's Reading (Bible in 1 year) Psalm 62 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm%2062&version=NASB1995 Isaiah 53 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Isaiah%2053&version=NASB1995 Mark 15 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark%2015&version=NASB1995 Isaiah Saw It In 2004, Mel Gibson directed and co-produced “The Passion of the Christ” movie.  The leadership of the church I was employed by, was invited to a pre-screening before its release and Sylvia and I were invited to join them.  It was intended to be a nice time out for those attending and a restaurant lunch would follow to make it an enjoyable experience.  If you saw the movie, you will understand why the lunch was very quiet and nobody was really ordering much.  The movie impacted us in such a way that the reality of what was depicted helped us to understand the pain Jesus suffered at his death.  In the opening scene, the first thing you see on screen are the word...

Today's Reading (Bible in 1 year) Leviticus 13 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Leviticus%2013&version=NASB1995 Psalm 61 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm%2061&version=NASB1995 Mark 14:53-72 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark%2014%3A53-72&version=NASB1995 Tears and refuge As I read Leviticus 13 today, I was recognizing, with gratefulness, modern medicine and the fact that leprosy is curable.  I was also realizing how difficult the law was and I’m thankful that through Jesus, these laws are fulfilled and we are not controlled by them.  Leviticus has been and is going to continue to be a very difficult read.  I realize, it must have been very difficult for those who were Israelites and if someone had leprosy, they had to be removed from their families and live outside the camp.  Not only was it illness but it was also separation from those you love. When we are separated from those we love, it can be very difficu...

Today's Reading (Bible in 1 year) Leviticus 12 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Leviticus%2012&version=NASB1995 Psalm 60 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm%2060&version=NASB1995 Isaiah 52 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Isaiah%2052&version=NASB1995 Mark 14:32-52 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark%2014%3A32-52&version=NASB1995 Good News Think of a time when someone brought you good news.  We lived in a beautiful home in Hamilton Ontario.  Unfortunately that home was too expensive for us to be able to retire.  The property taxes alone would have been difficult to pay in retirement.  As long as I was working, we could carry it.  Towards the end of the pandemic, our friend and former neighbour Jess, called.  Jess was a real estate agent.  Without any sales pressure, she matter of factly said, “If by chance you are considering selling in the near future, now is the time.”  She ela...