Comments on December 5th One Year Bible ReadingsTypePad2021-12-05T06:10:28ZOne Year Biblehttps://www.oneyearbibleblog.com/tag:typepad.com,2003:https://www.oneyearbibleblog.com/2021/12/december-5th-one-year-bible-readings/comments/atom.xml/Robert Bieberdorf commented on 'December 5th One Year Bible Readings'tag:typepad.com,2003:6a00d8341c5ebf53ef026bdf05e43f200c2021-12-06T16:23:28Z2021-12-06T16:23:28ZRobert BieberdorfPsalm 124 Oh Man! This Psalm hurts. The first 5 verses I read with the realization that things in the...<p>Psalm 124</p>
<p>Oh Man! This Psalm hurts. The first 5 verses I read with the realization that things in the world can be like flooding rains and can do terrible damage like that we have seen lately in the N.W. USA and the west coast of British Columbia, Canada. Roads disappeared, people stranded, farms flooded. These are the words found here in verses 4-5, “the flood would have engulfed us, the torrent would have swept over us, the raging waters would have swept us away.”</p>
<p>Then in verse 7, “We have escaped like a bird out of the fowler’s snare; the snare has been broken, and we have escaped.” So yesterday, I set a couple of mouse traps outside and this morning I found two beautiful birds trapped dead in my traps! Ouch! </p>
<p>Both of these events are “conflicting” to what the Psalm says, but the insight is clear. Yes, disaster and tragedy happen but as verse 8 says trouble can be overcome because “Our help is in the name of the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.”</p>
<p>This seriously makes me think of those who do not have the Lord. I pray for them.<br />
</p>Ramona commented on 'December 5th One Year Bible Readings'tag:typepad.com,2003:6a00d8341c5ebf53ef026bdf0569f6200c2021-12-05T06:12:54Z2021-12-05T06:12:54ZRamonaHosea 1-3:5 & 1 John 5:1-21 Today, in both these books, at least in today’s readings I see the same...<p></p>
<p>Hosea 1-3:5 & 1 John 5:1-21</p>
<p>Today, in both these books, at least in today’s readings I see the same theme: Love. Not love in a general sense, or in a touchy feely warm fuzzes kind of love but in a true understanding of what “Love” is and it’s application.</p>
<p>Hos 3:1 And the Lord said to me, Give your love again to a woman who has a lover and is false to her husband, even as the Lord has love for the children of Israel, though they are turned to other gods and are lovers of grape-cakes.</p>
<p>This verse confirms for me that love, The God kind of Love, is an act of the will and not a response of the emotions. This is not the I love you because … kind of thing.</p>
<p>In the 1 John reading beginning with verse two of chapter five, we read,</p>
<p>1Jo 5:1-3 Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born from God, and everyone who loves the parent also loves the child. (2) This is how we know that we love God's children: we love God and keep his commandments. (3) For this is the love of God: that we keep his commandments; and his commandments are not difficult,</p>
<p>Here again love is an act of the will and is also verb. Love is doing the will of the Father. Jesus said the same thing in the Gospel of John,</p>
<p>Joh 14:15 "If you love me, keep my commandments.</p>
<p>Love is willing yourself to do the commands of God. Love is a choice and not an emotional response.</p>
<p>I have pondered this thing called love, at least the God kind of Love for a long time and I’ve come to the conclusion that we try to take our understanding on love and superimpose it on the Word of God and His Christ. No, we need to find out what God’s way of “loving” is and take it upon ourselves to follow after Him and not try to force our understanding upon God. Love is an action word, it is a verb.</p>
<p>Could it be that we first do Love, then the emotions will follow?</p>
<p>Grace and peace,<br />
Ramona<br />
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