Monday, March 16, 2009

Mar 16 2009

Motivational Quote: "Diplomacy is the art of letting someone have your way." -Daniele Vare

Thought: I've also heard that diplomacy is the art of saying 'nice doggy' while looking for a rock. Either way, I think we're mistaking diplomacy for deception. Diplomacy should be more about persuasion and the art of convincing someone that you know what is in their best interest better than they do. Which is a necessary, though dangerous, art to master.

Prayer: Lord, today, be glorified in our home. Guide us into knowing you better, Lord you know where we are, what we need, and what we ant. But Father, I know we need You more than all of those things combined.

Isaiah 24:1-35:10 (I know you can spend too long in Isaiah, but good grief!)
Isaiah 29:11-12 ->How many people of great learning have lost their way? How much have we allowed knowledge to supplant wisdom, and have allowed impractical 'knowledge' to shake our faith in reality? How much time is spent on things of little value? (For example, other than information, does it matter what exists smaller than quarks? And what do we really learn from trilobyte fossils? And do we allow people that study those things incessantly to shake our faith? Why?)
Isaiah 25 -> Click the link, read the chapter. It's great stuff. Don't miss it just because the Sunday School lesson skips it.

Rev. 3:12 -> Pillars are referenced in 1 Kings 7:12 -> I've often heard it said that Solomon had no real reason to put the pillars there. Except that God uses the image of pillars in His house. All things, folks, all things, are usable by the Lord God.
Rev. 3:8 -> No one can stop God's people, except themselves, when He calls them to obey. The door is open, and no one can shut it. But you can refuse to go through it.

1 Samuel 8:2-4 ->We blame Samuel for making the same mistake as Eli. But Samuel's sons are neither living in the worship center or with Samuel. Neither are they messing with the sacrifices. Moreover, there is no indication that Samuel knew about their perversion of justice until this moment.
1 Samuel 8:18 ->You might just get stuck with the king you demand, and have to deal with him without God's help. Scary thought.

Proverbs 16:4 ->God is sovereign over all things. It's not 'Why does a good God allow evil?' It's really 'Why does a holy God withhold judgment?' And the answer is: 'His grace, to allow repentance.' Really, when you think about it, there's a whole lot more good in the world, and a lot of averted disaster and mitigated evil, all of which show the providence and grace of God.
Proverbs 16:12 ->Those who lead must do right!
Proverbs 16:25 ->But this just feels right! Not everything that feels or seems good is.

1 Timothy 3:1 ->We ought to encourage more people to aspire to be an overseer or bishop or pastor. It's a fine work!
Moving toward the Horizon,
Doug

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