thursday thirteen

Thirteen pieces of information.

1. I hit the snooze 3 times before I get up.  That's 30 minutes.

2. The wind kicked up.  Hopefully it's blowing in a storm.

3. My book club is tonight.  We just read Rebecca by Daphne Du Muerier

4. I like re-writing WAY more than writing.

5. I'm addicted to a new computer game.  Just what I need.

6. I just now realized that I forgot something I really wanted to do this morning!  Pooh.

7. We were on the Neilson Ratings.  I couldn't tell you about it because it is top secret.  You might have sent us a lot of money to watch your favorite shows and that just can't be done.  It's not ethical.  But now we aren't on it anymore, so I can tell you.

8. I very nearly forgot to do a Thursday Thirteen!

9. I am expecting there to be 15 people at my house for Thanksgiving.  I love it!

10. I can't decide if I prefer blue or black ink.  I guess black, but I really want to prefer blue.  It's happier.

11. I like anticipation.  If I get a package I will set it down and do something else for a bit before I open it.

12. I almost never eat in the car anymore.  Unless it's my parents' car and we're on a 13 hour journey.

13. I can barely hear out of  my right ear.  I don't hear very well overall, either.

lessons learned trying to find an on-ramp to the interstate

Be very careful, use wisdom, when choosing whom to follow.

Some people don't know any more than you do.  They are lost, too.  They may seem to know what they are doing, but they don't.

Some people know exactly what they are doing.  They have the correct information and they know where they are.  But they are heading somewhere you don't want to go.

And some people are heading your way, they know how to get there, and they are happy to show you the way.

But at first glance, these people all look alike.

thursday thirteen

I am teaching a Bible Study about the names of God.  We are using Kay Arthur's book, LORD, I Want to Know You.  I also am using Nathan Stone's book, The Names of God.

So, here are 13 names that are used for God in the Bible.

1. Elohim.  El is the word that means god.  Baal is an el.  If you are talking about Hercules, Aphrodite and their cohorts, you are talking about Greek elohim.  Elohim is the plural for el.  

But Elohim in reference to GOD denotes His creative power.  The first verse of the Bible says, In the beginning Elohim created the heavens and the earth.  And while the word is plural, the pronouns used in this passage is singular.  He.  Him.  One God, but plural.

2. El Elyon.  God Most High or Most High God.  This name denotes God's sovereignty.  There is none above Him.  And there is none equal to Him.  He is above all things.

3. El Shaddai.  Almighty God or God Almighty.  This name means "All-sufficient One."  It is the name that shows us God's ample supply for our needs.  It goes beyond ample.  The name suggest a flowing of bountiful supply.

4. Jehovah.  This is THE name of God.  When asked by Moses what His name was, this is the answer He gave.  Jehovah means "Self-sufficient One."  He exists in and of Himself.  He relies on nothing to sustain His being.  He IS Being.  The name is similar to a word that means "to be".  Nobody knows how to pronounce this name. The ancient Israelites would not write it nor pronounce it.  Some say Yahweh.  Jews say Hashem, which means simply The Name.  They believe that the sign of the Messiah will be that he will know how to correctly pronounce this name.

When you see LORD in your Bible, as opposed to Lord, it is this name.

5. Jehovah - Jireh.  The LORD Will Provide.

When Abraham took Isaac to the alter and God provided a ram for the sacrifice, this is the name given to God.  He provided a way.  This name speaks to God's ultimate provision for us through the sacrifice of His own son.

6. Adonai.  Lord.  This name has to do with position.  Do we let Him be our master?  

7. Jehovah- Rapha.  The LORD Heals.

8. Jehovah - Nissi.  The LORD My Banner.  This is a name for warfare.  Just as our soldiers fight under our flag, we fight under the LORD.  Armies as far back as Joshua's army fought under a banner.  Often it was a pole rather than the way we think of banner.  A rod.  

9. Jehovah-Mekoddishkem.  The LORD Sanctifies You.  We trust God to save us, but many times we think we can sanctify ourselves.  Only God can save.  Only God can sanctify.  So while I talk abouts living a holy life, the truth is that only God can bring about holiness in our lives.  We must surrender to it, but only He can accomplish it.

10. Jehovah-Shalom.  The LORD Is Peace.

11. Jehovah-Sabaoth.  The LORD Of Hosts.  This is a name of deliverance.  When we come to the absolute end of ourselves we find need of The LORD of Hosts.  Every use of it in the Bible is when an individual or the nation is desperate.  

12. Jehovah- Raah.  The LORD My Shepherd.  All that a shepherd is for the sheep, He is for us.  Protector, provider, supplier, guide, etc.

13. Jehovah-Tsidkenu.  The LORD Our Righteousness.  This name gave the promise of a new covenant.  The covenant of grace.  And with it the promise of a new heart.  We cannot be right with God without God.  

Two bonus names:

El Roi - The God Who Sees.  You are never out of His sight.  When you are suffering, He sees.  He knows.

Jehovah- Shammah. The LORD Is There.  You are never alone.

the people have spoken

(Just to be clear - this post is NOT about politics)

So many people that I know are unhappy and even frightened about the election results.  But there has been a bigger, different "election" going on for years and most of us have not even noticed.

Why do we have so many abortions?  Why the trend toward homosexuality?  Why do so many marriages end?  Why is violence on the rise?

Because it's what the people want.

Sin is rampant and it's because the people choose it.  We, the people.  We choose it.

And while there are those of us who want to live moral lives and want to be surrounded by morality and godliness, the truth is, we are outnumbered.  The people have spoken.  They want sin. 

And the heartbreaking part is, the stats in the church are the same as the world.  Divorce rate, porn addiction, unwed pregnancies, marital infidelity, etc.  The church looks like the world.

Beyond that, what about pride?  gossip?  greed?  materialism?  fear?  We all choose sin.  We all have cast our vote at one time or another and sin won.

And we act shocked and horrified at the prospect of government funded abortion.  We are stunned at the prospect of legalized gay marriage.  Really?  We didn't see this coming?  

I don't know what I can do to make you, or he, or them choose righteousness.  I don't know how to make anyone else desire holiness and then open their hearts to God for inspection and cleansing.  All I can do is open my own heart.

We love to quote the scripture that says, "If my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from Heaven and heal their land."  But do we personalize it?  Or is it just a vague statement about the church in general.

I am His people and I am called by His name.  I must humble myself.  Fall on my knees.  Get off my spiritual high horse and don't just talk about turning from my wicked ways - actually turn.  Turn around, choose the better way.  I must do it.  Each of us as individuals must do it.  

I have a longing, a passion for holiness.  But if I don't start with me, it won't be holiness, it will be arrogance and judgementalism.

The world has spoken.  They choose sin.  Let us make a new choice.  Let us who are called by the name of Christ choose a better way.  

Because it doesn't matter who the president of this nation is.  He is a man.  He has no power over our souls.  Our allegiance and obligation is to the KING.  We must be sure that we are serving Him as He requires.  All else is secondary.

piper on politics

one more time

Yes, I hate politics.  No, I wasn't planning to post about it anymore.  But...

I do wish I had heard about Chuck Baldwin before I voted.  If he runs again next election, he's getting my vote.  I actually agree with him on all the issues.

So many of the things that I gripe about, he wants to fix.  He's radical.  He would really shake things up!  And I think that's exactly what we need.

Read his article about the "wasted vote."  He says any vote for someone who doesn't share your values is wasted.  And that's how I felt leaving the polls.  I felt like I had wasted my vote.

Anyway.  The end.  No more politics from me.

tasty

What is your opinion of Candy Corn?  I love it.  I could make myself sick on it.  Of course, that wouldn't take much!

What about Egg Nog?  I like about two cups of it each year.  I like it, but it is best in small doses.

It is interesting how our tastes and preferences vary.  Movies, for example.  One of my very best friends is a lot like me in many ways.  We laugh at the same things.  We both cry.  Yet, we don't seem to like many of the same movies.

There is a wide variety of taste in books, too.  I seldom love the books that I read.  Although I love reading.  Books that are unforgettable for me are those with a deeper meaning.  Usually in some way allegorical or a parable.  I prefer books written in a more literary style.  Beautiful words and beautiful imagery will capture me.  There also has to be characters that I really care about.  I tend to read character driven novels rather than plot driven.  I like books written with a higher vocabulary.  I even like to have to get my dictionary out, as long as it is only once or twice in the course of the book.

What books do you like best?  What's your favorite halloween candy - besides chocolate?  Lets talk about YOU!