The cessation of the manna - they’re really thereJoshua has his own holy ground momentIs the utter destruction what God really wanted?Once again the utter message is “absolute faithfulness to YHWH” The lost parables - my favorite chapter in the whole of the Bible - says so much about who God is and how we are to be.  See my sermon from a few weeks ago on this Psalm 81 - A very different sense of G...  Read More

Another miraculous crossingThe marking of the crossing - I love this story as I am one who also tends to be one who "marks moments" Open the tableIs the cost of discipleship teaching here connected to this call to a bigger table?  Sure seems to fit Psalm 80 - This refrain, "Restore us, O God ofHosts; let your face shine that we might be saved..." so beautiful and so rich Proverbs 12:27-28 - v27 - ...  Read More

Thank you MosesJoshua 1:5 and following - Be strong and courageous multiple timesBecause of God's promiseBecause of faithful livingBecause of God's presence2:1ff - Rahab - she is in Jesus' geneaology... how amazing is that? 22-31 - Jesus doesn't answer the question but instead puts it to faithful living.  Don't worry about the end but about the present14:1-6 - Jesus seems a combination of fiesty a...  Read More

Just reading these got me thinking about what kinds of blessings we offer to others.  John O’Donohue writes about the “lost art of blessing” - what would it be if we did offer blessings to one another? Jesus responding to the question of why bad things happen - he shares that they “just happen.”  Yes there’s the warning in there but connected to it is that “just happens”Fig Tree - can read it in e...  Read More

See yesterday...I still struggle w/ God's punishment of Moses When we are burdened w/ stuff...it is hard to be "ready for anything."  The simpler our life, the easier it is to follow Jesus?49-53 - How do you hear this?56 - Are we being honest with the signs of today? Psalm 78:56-64 - A pretty drastic shift at the end to God's tender, guiding hand... Proverbs 12:24 - Not only spiritually but practi...  Read More

31:7-8 - What a powerful charge and blessing.  "Do not fear or be dismayed"Read the message annually - Bible in a year?32 - a Psalm in Deuteronomy.  I was this was more of an affirmation though See yesterday re 8-1213-21 - How am I controlled by my possessions?  Goodness knows I amHow to live out this "do not worry" message? Psalm 78:32-56 - This Psalm feels like the one in Deut.  God did all this...  Read More

30:15 - Its all before you - choose life, not death Jesus is not being a good dinner guest.  How do you feel about what Jesus did here?Hypocricy is like yeast - grows and enlargesBlaspheme the Spirit - speaking against God's work?  Something more?  Less? Psalm 78:1-31 - A Psalm of truth telling - of God's work but also Israel/Judah's story and their faithfulness and their faithlessness Proverbs 12...  Read More

I love 28:6Literally mirror images with blessings and curses but there are a lot more curses...wow What in this first part speaks of us - nation divided against itself...Is v28 a rebuke to what the woman said?  Jesus' response feels like "Look ahead and not back"Sign of Jonah - proclamation toward changeSermon on the Mount snippet - 33-36 Psalm 77 - Feels like a part 2 to PSalm 76.  Love love love...  Read More

Why only these "curses" in ch 27?  Why not all the laws 10:38-42 - Note that Mary is a woman sitting at JEsus' feet.  Not normally allowed then11:1-4 - Compare the Lord's Prayer here to the one in Matthew and the one we say in worshipDon't read too much into the parable about praying over and over.  it isn't about trying to annoy God so much that we get what we want.  It is more about perseverance...  Read More

23:1 - Well that's quite a command to start things out.... look at Acts 8-9 with the Ethiopian eunuch - what to do with that?23:2 - And that's quite a statement tooHow to take the humanitarian laws along with the other ones?25:11 - ummm...what?  Feels like this was written in response to something like this happening  10:20 - rejoice in the big picture, not the samll things10:21 - Jesus rejoiced i...  Read More

I'm glad ministers are paid differently today!Again, loyalty to YHWH18:21-22 - Hard to discern in the momentCourage is as contagious as fear is - 20:1-820:19-20 - I love this - rules for protecting trees! A refreshing change from DeuteronomyMy son - listen to him - I prefer to listen to Jesusv37ff - Reality hitsLast few verses - humility and grace Psalm 73 - In God's house, one's heart and mind ca...  Read More

21:10-14 - One of the many places where I ask, "is this really God?" or is this men saying that it is from God?21:18-21 - If you want to rule by fear...I guess this works.  21 - Do we pick and choose which laws?  I guess we all do Again, Jesus is grace, not punishmentCentrality of our faithfulness to JesusTrust in God's provision - how much do I really do this?  We? Psalm 74 - Big time - Where are...  Read More