The Divine Policeman
If You, Lord, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand? Psalm 130:3 NASB
Should mark – I was always afraid of God. I wasn’t Catholic but when it came to guilt, I might as well have been. My childhood was punctuated by constant reminders that God saw everything I did, and as a result, He kept a careful record of my sins and stood ready to punish me for them when the opportunity arose. If the truth be told, coming to “Jesus” as my personal savior did very little to ameliorate my fear of God. In fact, it might have made things worse since now, in spite of forgiveness, I still found myself acting disobediently, incurring a double condemnation. It was somehow easier when I hadn’t asked for forgiveness, although there was no doubt I deserved every punishment God could hand out.
It seems as if the psalmist shared my dour upbringing when it came to God’s actions as the divine policeman. He states the utter truth. If God marks our iniquities, we are all doomed, especially me! The Hebrew word is shamar, “to keep watch over, to guard.” Most of the time, this is a verb with positive intention. We are to guard the commandments. Debts and obligations are to carefully be paid. The Garden was supposed to be tended. The gatekeepers are to keep vigilant. Then there is the other side – the divine policeman. He also meticulously watches. I shudder to think what He must add to our record.
But the psalmist adds hope. If God should mark them. Min says the text. The hypothetical conditional suggests that God might not mark them all. There might be consideration given to our woeful condition. There might be mercy. As the king of Nineveh said, “Who knows, God may turn and relent and withdraw his burning anger so that we will not perish” (Jonah 3:9). God may not mark it all down. No, not God, rather YHWH, our Father-God. Perhaps He will find mercy in His heart.
It is crucial to see what precisely YHWH may not put in the holy ledger. The translation “iniquities” is the Hebrew word ‘awon. It is more than the complied individual sins of our lives. It is the twisted character of our existence. It is our distortion of His reality. It is how crooked, how bent we have become. Can anyone straighten a tree bent by the prevailing wind? Is a man able to straighten the twisted character of his life? Can he stand against the culture – against himself – and make his paths straight? If YHWH should pay close attention to our warped disposition, if He should carefully account for our predilections to pretzeled obedience, we would perish. None could be found righteous. But beneath the verdict lies a glimmer of encouragement. “Who knows, God may relent?” The possibility is there. The “if” comes first.
Perhaps God may be policeman in His role as Creator, but there is still YHWH, our Father.
Topical Index: should mark, shamar, ‘awon, iniquity, Psalm 130:3
“Perhaps God may be policeman in His role as Creator, but there is still YHWH, our Father.”
Hmmm
YHVH
The three things that are four things, and one no thing
The archetypal symbol of wholeness
The androgynous soul and the magic quadrant
My dear friends, listen.. Listen attentively, to some good news. There is a Savior!! God has provided Himself the Lamb! An atoning Sacrifice has been provided- “Behold, (yes, take a good, long look) the Lamb of God Who takes away the sins of the world..”- and until we do- we have absolutely no hope either of Heaven in the life after this one, or of fellowship with our Father and with each other in the life that now is, for God (Elohim) our ABBA-Father is holy.
The answer is perhaps too simple. We would much rather give something, go somwhere, accomplish something great, we want (without a doubt) to “save” ourselves. We think (ha!) erroneously, “if only..”
“If only” I would try harder.. “If only” I could be better.. “If only” we could save ourselves. And the answer is? NO. We can not. There is only one answer for sin, (and ALL have sinned) and that one answer is the holy, precious, atoning blood of our Messiah, the LORD Jesus (who is the) Christ.
Do these words “ring a bell?” or sound familiar to any man?
~ and when I see the blood, I will passover you ~
Where do these words come from? From my vivid, overactive imagination? Did I “make them up” out of thin air? No. These words are found in God’s Book, our own Bible. “Look, and live.” Come, see for yourself: “it is written:”
~ when I see the blood, I will passover you ~
(Glory to His Name)
~ But the blood on your doorposts will serve as a sign, marking the houses where you are staying. When I see the blood, I will pass over you. This plague of death will not touch you when I strike the land of Egypt ~ (Exodus 12.13)
Friends, blood is life. How well do I know this? Very. I am perhaps too well-acquainted, but I know that I know that I know, blood is life.
~ the life of the flesh, (any flesh) is in the blood. ~ For the life of a creature (man included) is in the blood, and I have given it to you to make atonement for yourselves on the altar; it is the blood that makes atonement for one’s life ~ (Leviticus 17.11)
Our own Bible is bound together by scarlet thread that runs the length of all sixty-six books; the master theme of God’s own Book is “behold, the Lamb.” How is Christ revealed in Genesis? and in Exodus? and in Leviticus? And just in case, any man may think I am making this up, how about we listen to our own LORD as He reveals Himself to His students, after His crucifixion, burial and resurrection, and as they are traveling on the road to Emmaus.
~ Now that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem. They were talking with each other about everything that had happened. As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus Himself came up and walked along with them; but they were kept from recognizing Him.
He asked them, “What are you discussing together as you walk along?”
They stood still, their faces downcast. One of them, named Cleopas, asked Him, “Are you the only one visiting Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?”
“What things?” He asked.
“About Jesus of Nazareth,” they replied. “He was a Prophet, powerful in word and deed before God and all the people. The chief priests and our rulers handed Him over to be sentenced to death, and they crucified Him; but we had hoped that He was the One who was going to redeem Israel. And what is more, it is the third day since all this took place. In addition, some of our women amazed us. They went to the tomb early this morning but didn’t find His body. They came and told us that they had seen a vision of angels, who said He was alive. Then some of our companions went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but they did not see Jesus.”
He said to them, “How foolish you are, and how slow to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Did not the Messiah have to suffer these things and then enter His glory?”
**And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, He explained to them what was said in all the scriptures concerning Himself.**
As they approached the village to which they were going, Jesus continued on as if He were going farther. But they urged Him strongly, “Stay with us, for it is nearly evening; the day is almost over.” So He went in to stay with them.
When He was at the table with them, He took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. Then their eyes were opened and they recognized Him, and He disappeared from their sight. They asked each other, ~ Were not our hearts burning within us while He talked with us on the road and opened the scriptures to us? ~
May we,-could we, -should we also pray?
Our prayer:
~ Open my eyes (also) to see the wonderful truths in Your instructions ~
(Psalm 119:18)
His Promise:
~ you will seek Me and find Me, when you seek Me with all your heart ~
(Jeremiah 29.13)
Would this prayer also be according the will of God? Is it our Father’s good pleasure to reveal Himself to those who are willing to learn? Or is it His purpose and pleasure to hide Himself from us?
Hide and seek? -or seek and find?
To remember and to do, to hear and to obey (to “shema”) His instructions, those given unto us in His own Book of instructions, (the Owner’s Manual?) is both critical and vital.
~ I assure you: The one who believes in Me will also do the works that I do. And he will do even greater works than these, because I Am going to the Father ~ (John 14.12)
We need help. Desperately. For He has said,
~ I AM the vine, you are the branches. The one who abides in Me while I abide in him produces much fruit, because apart from Me, (without Me) you can do nothing.. ~ (John 15.5)
We have tHis promise:
~ If you remain/abide in Me and My words remain/abide in you, ask whatever you want and it will be done for you ~ (John 15.7)
What then would be your prayer, your petition, your request, your “heart’s desire”- even now? What do you want? More? More what? – Yes, more. Yes, (please.)
More about Jesus would I know,
More of His grace to others show;
More of His saving fullness see,
More of His love Who died for me.
More, more about Jesus,
More, more about Jesus;
More of His saving fullness see,
More of His Love Who died for me.
More about Jesus let me learn,
More of His holy will discern;
Spirit of God, my Teacher be,
Showing the things of Christ to me.
More, more about Jesus,
More, more about Jesus;
More of His saving fullness see,
More of His Love Who died for me.
More about Jesus; in His Word,
Holding communion with my LORD;
Hearing His voice in every line,
Making each faithful saying mine.
More, more about Jesus,
More, more about Jesus;
More of His saving fullness see,
More of His Love Who died for me.
More about Jesus; on His throne,
Riches in glory all His own;
More of His kingdom’s sure increase;
More of His coming, Prince of Peace.
More, more about Jesus,
More, more about Jesus;
More of His saving fullness see,
More of His Love Who died for me.
~If You, LORD, should mark iniquities, O LORD, who could stand? ~ (Psalm 130:3) NASB
Love it! Love it! Love it!
Another “BIG” Bible but!
Someone with more time than me, should write a book: “Big Bible Buts!”
And now, “for the rest of the story… ”
(starting with a Hallelujah!..)
~ BUT with You there is forgiveness, that You may be feared ~ Yes, Psalm 130 and verse 3 is (amazingly) followed by Psalm 130 and verse 4. There is God’s own solution for our pollution, is a Savior provided for all in the form of a Lamb, – a Lamb- “the Lamb,” who is our LORD. The Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world, up to and including my very own.
I stand amazed in the Presence
Of Jesus the Nazarene,
And wonder how He could love me,
A sinner, condemned, unclean.
O how marvelous! O how wonderful!
And my song shall ever be:
O how marvelous! O how wonderful!
Is my Savior’s love for me!
For me it was in the garden
He prayed: “Not My will, but Thine.”
He had no tears for His own griefs,
But sweat drops of blood for mine.
O how marvelous! O how wonderful!
And my song shall ever be:
O how marvelous! O how wonderful!
Is my Savior’s love for me!
In pity angels beheld Him,
And came from the world of light
To comfort Him in the sorrows
He bore for my soul that night.
O how marvelous! O how wonderful!
And my song shall ever be:
O how marvelous! O how wonderful!
Is my Savior’s love for me!
He took my sins and my sorrows,
He made them His very own;
He bore the burden to Calvary,
And suffered and died alone.
O how marvelous! O how wonderful!
And my song shall ever be:
O how marvelous! O how wonderful!
Is my Savior’s love for me!
When with the ransomed in glory
His face I at last shall see,
’Twill be my joy through the ages
To sing of His love for me.
O how marvelous! O how wonderful!
And my song shall ever be:
O how marvelous! O how wonderful!
Is my Savior’s love for me!
Carl Roberts,
I have to say that I am conflicted to your many verbose responses to Skip TW’s. While I understand largely, usually after thinking hard and focused, Skip’s daily offerings, I find it difficult to grasp your intent in many and most of your very long, very wordy responses complete with extremely excessive quotes, parenthesis and tildes. I certainly mean no attack on you, it’s just that I am kind of dumbfounded by the character you project in your responses. You say all the right phrases that I have heard over the many years in my church goings, but, somehow it seems concocted, scripted, and preachy such that Skip somehow needs help or correction in what his TW’s are depicting. Am I wrong? I hope I am, but your daily responses continually seem to be of a counter-punch quality as if what Skip says leaves a need for you to spell it out another way. For a long while I’ve tried to brush it off as my imagination or wrong impression. However, after your 1700 word response today (3 1/2 times Skip’s TW), I just couldn’t justify my rationalizing of your motives anymore. I hope I am wrong, truly, but I can’t get this gut feeling to go away that there is some, even if it’s small in scope, ulterior motive in your daily responses. I almost sense a fundamentalism theology being used as a weapon to counter something in Skip’s TW.
Frankly, your responses are shaped and designed such that each sound like a sharply pointed sermon with a lot of pointy fingers. Sometimes it seems you are in need of an audience to preach to. If so, that is fine I suppose, but I don’t really think it’s the place to do so here. Do you? Again, I hope I am wrong.
I usually read every comment that is offered to Skip’s daily TW’s. I used to read all of yours until their length got too much. And I don’t really understand the need for the words of songs probably the majority of us already know. Songs are great, don’t get me wrong, however, song words are the major component of almost every post you give. Why is that? Are you a musician who writes songs also? Again, that’s cool if true, but is a song necessary every time? That I don’t get and I’m just puzzled by this as well.
Again, I don’t want to start an argument, but it’s just kind of excessive continuously. So I was just wondering if you might help me understand your methods and intentions as I do want to understand where you are coming from with your responses. I usually learn something from many of the responses, but yours have somehow become a road block in the scheme of the daily TW’s. Would you mind responding. I truly would like to understand where you are coming from since I see your words every day.
I’d rather read them and learn something and receive some encouragement from them rather than be put off by them because I might not understand their real intent.
With respect I submit this.
Thank you for your kind words Michael C. I write in response to what God gives me in response to what God gives unto Skip. This is an open blog where any and all are invited to participate. If I seem long winded (and some days, such as today- apparently!) then I apologize, but must admit I do enjoy sharing what God (through His own word) inspires me with. My words are not meant to harm, but to heal and if there is “offense” to be found, I try hard not to give “my opinions” (even though I am tempted too- but rather do enjoy, I must admit, remembering what the scriptures say. After all, this is where we find ‘both’ life and our LORD. Skip’s ministry is crucial as I have shared several times, we all do need to get a deeper grip on not only the word of God, but the words of God.
There is a reason for the “tildes,” because otherwise as I or any man may quote a scripture, I find a danger in the overuse of quotation marks. I see (personal preference) a little more artistic value in the tilde to draw attention to the words of God. A bit of color, since I am limited in fonts, underlines, etc.
I too, read the comments here and love everyone of them as I have participated in this wonderful website for some years now. I would also like to encourage those who have not done so to support this very crucial ministry ( we all do err, not knowing the scriptures nor the power of God!) with a monthly monetary contribution. We need exposure to the words of our Savior and as He has said (and I quote- sorry!..) “The words that I speak unto you- they are spirit and they are life!” (John 6.63) Our Father’s richest blessings to all. Amen!
(Maybe I should practice tweeting on Twitter!) God is love. Jesus is Wonderful!
I am amazed everyday by what God gives you, Carl.
Songs –very much– enjoyed.
I hope you never try to create a short version from what the Lord gives you.
Heaven forbid that you try to condense your deep wells of sweet water to a tweet!
Luke 6: 26
Matt. 10: 42
Ecclesiastes 11:1
Gal. 6: 9
2 Cor. 9: 6
2 Cor. 4: 1
(I like these best from the King James)
Apologies, Carl, what Michael C wrote here is true. I have forsaken to read your loooong draggy posts with the hymns/songs, for a while now.
Keeping your posts short and to the point would be much appreciated.
Thank you, Shalom!
Maybe this is why we now sing the seven/eleven songs – seven words repeated eleven times- (chocolate milk and donuts anyone?) in our churches instead of the old hymns? They are so “old-fashioned”, even though they are filled with wonderful themes and theology. A lot can be said with just a look, but alas, all I have here is ten fingers and a keyboard to communicate.
I love old hymns, but maybe or apparently(?) not all do. One man’s treasure is another man’s trash and vice versa. “Speaking to one another in psalms, and hymns and spiritual songs, making melody in your hearts to the LORD,”- but keep in short. Time is our enemy.
By my words I will be justified, and by my words I will be condemned, – all will stand before the judgment seat of Christ. ~ Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, then have we confidence towards God.. (1 John 3.21)
Carl,
Thanks for your responses. I can understand everything you wrote in your shorter answers. Thank you for that. It’s much easier to read. Look, I don’t mean to be a blog policeman here, but, as a brother, I am just wanting to encourage you to lay down responses that will, most likely get an appropriate nod. Songs are fine and great, even with 10, 15, or even 20 verses. However, they have a time and place. Songs are to be sung. Blogs are to be read. You listen to songs, you read words. When a picture is worth a thousand words, I am supplying those words, not reading them. Skip does this very well also. When he posts his pictures, he supplies very little, if any, comment on them. Why? Because they speak for themselves. All that’s left is for people to view them, supply their own thousand words they inspire to them and respond with an agreeing nod by an amen or some other method of agreement.
Might I suggest, when you want to share song contents, to simply list a specific appropriate line of the song or even a song link to Youtube. That way, if someone wants to listen to it, as it is created to be heard, then they can choose to do so.
Frankly, if Skip wrote the lengths you usually do, I probably wouldn’t read them as much or as often either. Skip’s brevity is a learned skill and is marvelously effective. That’s another reason I read his TW’s in order to mimic them in attempting to say much with few words. He does that very well. If and when Skip would write the lengths you respond with, he usually publishes a book. I love his books and his TW’s. But they each have their place.
Songs are for singing and hearing. Words are for reading. When I use the same word in two adjacent sentences, my English major wife suggests I find a synonym for the second word. I endeavor to do so.
Brother, I love you as one and encourage you in this less desirable manner to seek to refine your written words to be more effective with the wonderful heart that seems to motivate them. If I want to hear the same Bible verses spoken repeatedly over and over by proof texting whatever thought I’m wanting to communicate I go to some of the churches I’ve languished in many years. There is usually a lot of people assembling there, however, if you look closely, most are limited in real understanding of what they profess. Wide but not very deep. If I want to grow and be disciplined with hard and life giving truths I go to a place that does the noble and difficult things by dissecting the Word, bit by bit, seeking the meaning behind the numbed phrases that become tradition without understanding. Robots moving in the habitual religious phrases and verses they’ve read but without knowledge of how and what they actually mean. A discouraging observation.
I would suggest, because it would be more readable by most, that you at least use Skip’s TW’s length for that day as a end point for your responses. I bet more people would read what you want to offer.
With love.
. . . and I have left the blog for long times, but returned because I knew I was missing the gems from Carl! With the returning, I also read what Skip writes and give it proper consideration.
Skip is always kind, and that is of more value to me and witness than critizism. The world has plenty of that! If those who don’t like Carl’s gems, simply and quietly passes over them, then everyone thinks you are kind also. Nobody thinks I am, and you don’t want to be like me I’m sure. lol
Dorothy,
There was no destructive criticism from me. It was simply some brotherly exhortation. I read many blogs and attempt to share when I have something to share. Carl is certainly free to express himself as he wishes. Walking and running are good things, but they fit best in certain times and places. Food and exercise are good things, but they fit best in certain times in places. That was the gist of my words to Carl. Would you read Skip’s TW’s if all he did was list song lyrics?
The topic of this TW is “The Divine Policeman.” God forgives us, loves us, protects us. He also bumps us, nudges us, and leans on us toward behavior that is best in all arenas of life. I agree with you that criticism without love, concern, and someone’s best interest is hurtful. That isn’t the criticism I gave Carl. I personally want, seek and desire constructive criticism. It’s what makes people Olympic athletes. It’s what makes good migrate to the best. Criticism when given and received for what it is can prove to be very beneficial. Carl is my brother. I love him as best I know how and look for ways to love him better and more.
My criticism, exhortation, was simply to make his offerings more constructive and effective. That’s all. Of course, he is free to do what he wants. Love demands free will, right?
I have begun to ride mountain bikes on trails in a near by park with my son. It’s great fun, a tremendous way to exercise, and wonderful to be all through the woods. BUT . . . it has the potential to be very dangerous. A beautiful tree, something God magnificently created, standing there in all its glory will surely act as an instrument of death if I carelessly hit it head on going the speeds trail riding sometimes affords. I have no qualms offering warnings to my son in regards to difficult turns, jumps or downhills with all their difficulties. I don’t ride for him, I ride with him. He makes all his decisions, but we discuss how to ride the trails to provide the best experience for us both.
For Carl, I’m just offering blog riding suggestions. He’s also free to throw them in the trash can. His choice. So, if you see this as criticism, you’ve missed it. Sorry to hear that.
Michael C,
I was replying to Ester, not you.
But apparently I put my comment in the wrong spot.
I’ve done it before. So sorry to trouble you.
Sometimes I don’t even see a “reply” spot on the bottom of comments.
My computer misbehaves a lot.
But as long as we are talking about it, I respectfully disagree with your idea of what is the right way to use a blog. Carl’s posts are a big, huge, help, not just to me, but others that don’t come to this blog. I do not send them the blog, I highlight and copy Carl’s posts. I have saved nearly all of them!
Its okay if you do your comments your way and for him to write what he feels God is giving him.
I hope you have a sense of humor, because I found you a sweet, but shorter hymn to enjoy!
I hope you enjoy it and I hope you can LAUGH.
Not having been baptised in lemon juice, I see the humor of things and situations, perhaps more than average.
Bless you, brother.
http://www.bigrigtravels.com/FamilyGuestPhotography/Simple-hymns-short-versions/29023783_LshmK5#!i=2468734789&k=T4d4WNx
Thank you, Dorothy. And no problem on the misplaced response. I’ve had trouble with the same thing a few times. Computers. They’ve moved to the ‘can’t live with ’em and can’t live without them’ category in many ways.
I’m glad you enjoy Carl’s responses. He can surely do as he desires. Skip is certainly the captain of this blog ship, not me. What I suggested is merely, pretty much, what you did. You didn’t write out all of what was contained in a simple link. That was easy and considerate. I could click on it if I wanted to or not. I did and thoroughly enjoyed it. Thank you. I didn’t have to wade through 1700 words. I appreciate that.
Michael C, your words to me have been received, digested and accepted. I know your motivation is to help me improve my writing skills. If I were writing a book, half the material I write would be “edited” but this is (I once thought, perhaps erroneously) a place for every one of us to share ( we do live in community) what God has given to each of us. The word of God is like that, isn’t it? Reading the very same verse for perhaps the hundredth time, and “lo, and behold,” we end up with a different perspective or a deeper understanding. Our Bible is “fer sure” one God-breathed Book!
Now wouldn’t it be nice (just sayin’) if we could know (see,perceive, understand) what God is communicating to us (all) through His inspired writings? We (who are His) are so blessed to have the Author Himself residing within us, guiding, empowering and growing each of us in our Christian walk day by day. “Line upon line- precept upon precept,” growth is a process. It is always good to hear from everyone. Let no man fear to share what God gives to him (or her) but please ~ let the redeemed of the LORD say so.. ~ for God has not given unto us the spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. Our ABBA’s blessings to all- now let us return to turn again our attention to where our focus needs to be- “looking unto Jesus, (both) the Author and the Completer of our faith, ~ for we all can be certain that He Who has begun a good work in you (and you and you and you!) will complete it until the Day of Jesus Christ!
the Love of Father God – the comfort we so desperately need!
One can be found:
“Not Guilty” because the accused has been proven innocence beyond reasonable doubt, or
“Guilty” because there is sufficient evidence pointing to the perpetrator. (a written, detailed record by One who is unable to lie — whoa, that is sufficient evidence!)
BUT, one is “Guilty” or “Not Guilty”, but not both at the same time.
When Jesus was with His disciples, He was constantly reminding them ‘You guys are righteous, I am your righteousness’. (don’t worry I got your back.)
Remember Jesus asking Peter? “Peter, Do you love me”? He never reminded Peter of his famous “3 recorded counts of denial”. Hey, denying Jesus before man is a serious crime. if you deny Jesus, He will deny you before God as well, right?
BUT why did Jesus NOT remind Peter of sin? See the point?
Imagine what it would be like if now, today, –knowing all that you know this minute from the Holy Scriptures, –imagine being taken to be beside Jesus when He healed the sick man on the Sabbath day?
The Experts at the Law convicted Jesus of sin. Even accused the Son of God, Savior of the world, of being the devil’s son.
What did Jesus mean when He said, ‘I am the way and the truth and the life’ (John 14:6)?
Why didn’t He (clarify) that He really meant the way was The Law?
Perfect love casts out fear. Glory, glory, glory to His Name.
There are murderers in heaven, murderers in hell.
The difference is not the sin, the difference is JESUS!
To any who are afraid today — please — may I introduce you to a friend of mine? 🙂
What did Jesus mean when He said, ‘I am the way and the truth and the life’ (John 14:6)?
Why didn’t He (clarify) that He really meant the way was The Law?
Hi Dorothy,
Fore the sake of dicussion
I tend to think in terms of two worlds, the material world and the spiritual word
Mark describes one view of the world and John describes the other
In Mark, Jesus is a concrete character; a very emotional, revolutionary, leader
A kind of Action Hero, Jesus is the Christ, the “anointed One”
In John, for me Jesus is more like the supernal man or the Tree of Life
And for me, the Tree of Life is more like “levels of consciousness”
Than “the Law” and “commandments”
My earthly father had a different disposition toward me than he did toward other kids. Disobedience carried a swift consequence but also a swift restoration. When other kids miss behaved he just sent them home. If they were trouble makers they weren’t welcome in our home at all. But when I became the trouble maker he didn’t discard me forever. I was put out of the “congregation for awhile but when I was done with that stuff and needed support for the consequences of my rebellion he cautiously took me back (under a different set of terms) and we began restoring the relationship which eventually became much deeper than it had been before.
This may sound simplistic but he was a wonderful image barer in that regard IMO even though he wasn’t a “Godly” man.
I sure miss him these days.
Hi Skip, we do serve and love a wonderful ABBA YHWH, Who will chastise us for our good,
should we continue to walk in rebellion to His Torah ways, and not mature to bear fruit to His pleasure.
Every good husbandman who plants expects a good harvest, and looks forward to the first fruits, in the natural and in the spirit.
My first eggplant appearing is such a joy after the flower has blossomed!
Amein, Skip for this encouraging Word that many needed to hear.
Hi Carl,
Your last two comments in this response field and also the one for today’s word were, in my opinion, much more attractive to read and enjoy. Not too much and not too little. Thank you. I read them and appreciated them. Of course there is no word limit as far as I know but sound words full of meaning carry just as much truth and value as many rambling words. If most are like me, my mind can only digest so much at one time. A piece of rich cake is fantastic but the whole cake at once is near fatal to my digestion system!
You’re my brother and I’m committed to all my family. I think your well thought out words will inspire a boat load of people more than a cacophony of unnecessary verbiage. I’ve edited this little piece twice already, for example. It’s half of what I originally wrote. I edited it and found out the other half just wasn’t needed or necessary even though it was on my heart and mind. I was free to share it but considered it’s value and judged it such to go ahead and edit it out.
Yes, we are certainly free to share what God gives us and I’m confident he expects us to share it. There is a time and place for everything, but we still need to moderate what comes out. And I, for one, am much more apt to read your succinct and pithy offerings than those other loquacious responses.
I read other blogs of this nature that are much longer, however, as it happens, I enjoy Skip’s flavor decidedly more because of its brevity as well as its great content. I value it more because he says with six or seven words what many others take twenty and thirty to say with no real added value. I’m beginning to read several of the stalwart and foundational Rabbis of Judaism. I’m amazed at their succinct, smart and laconic way with words. Abraham Joshua Herschel is one great example. I can only read one, maybe two paragraphs of most of his works at a time as there is so much he packs in to a sentence of average length. Wow! Then I have to think on it and take some time to digest it before moving on. I really endeavor in learning to imitate that skill and art. Skip is very admirable in that way.
So, brother, I do hope we are good with each other. Got some tunes? Share a link is my suggestion. Got a good song line? Slam it out there for emphasis with a link for the rest of the song to be listened to at Youtube or somewhere. Youtube has every song ever recorded in the history of the world, I think! It seems so, anyway. Your responses, in my opinion, will be much more effective and desirable to read and contemplate. You have a great heart for Yeshua. I hope you will endeavor to share it as effectively as you possibly can. Ambassadors have need of great communication skills to know when to say something and when not to. It’s an art requiring focused practice and energetically applied honed skills.
Have at it, Carl. I look forward to your powerful and carefully crafted word nuggets.