Ezekiel is Finished! Whew

Gonna be a While before I want to read Ezekiel again!  Whew long and gory.  LOL and Obviously some people just Never listen!  Have to wonder where Our Zeke is... we Need one for sure!  No, I do Not want the job... did you read that part where he had to lay on his side for over a year, just looking at and praying for a model of Israel?  That's just weird... but you would sure focus I bet.  No, I won't be trying it... just a month for Judah tho... smaller I guess.
As is usually the reaction, people were less than pleased with him.  Makes me wonder if the public reaction is not part of the reason there is no Doom and Gloom Prophet today.  Don't see any of those tv preachers actually getting their hands dirty, or smudging their reputations... nothing that would interrupt the flow of funds... I guess I do understand a little of why there are no prophets today!   LOL Every time I Try to be a good prophet I get shot down! LOL That forth-telling thing... letting people know where they are screwing up.. no one appreciates that!  I don't understand!  LOL

The potter B90

Jer. 23 is a very strong admonishment for false prophets! Talks all about preachers getting their sermons from each other, thinking they are telling God's truth but are not asking God what to preach!  "Prophets" telling everyone how it's all going to be alright!  Feel good messages for a very lost and sinful people.  Hmm sounds like today!  This chapter could have been written for Today!
     I love that God took Jeremiah to the potter.  Everyone at that time would have understood the comparison, but unless one is familiar with clay and pottery today, So much of the message is lost.  The steps for working up a pot are interesting comparisons!
     Before the clay is even usable, all the impurities must be removed, then it is set aside to age. Then the work begins. First one has to "wedge" the clay... meaning you beat it and knead it to remove all the air bubbles and actually work the clay particles into the same direction.  After you beat the crud out of the clay, it is Slammed onto the wheel.  
     Shaping begins. This totally changes the clay from a useless lump into a vessel Shape.  As it is being "thrown" on the wheel, any unevenness in the clay will cause the shape to wobble and warp.  When that happens? It goes back to a Lump, wedged again, aged again, wedged again and then back to the wheel.          Even after all the shaping is done, there is scraping to be done, then its set aside again.  
   After firming up, back on the wheel for more scraping and trimming. Set aside.  
    Back to the wheel, smoothing and possible engraving decorations. 
   Set aside. 
   Firmed up good, it is removed from the "bat" (support plate).  More trimming, smoothing, scraping. 
    Then into the Fire!  
    Inspected for places needing sanding...remember now it's ceramic, so sanding is difficult (now days we use mechanical grinders), stain or glaze is applied (unfired glaze is not the final color. It looks chalky and bland)
    Set aside again.  Fired again. 
   Now if it hasn't cracked, exploded, or warped, it is useful.  
 This is a long process, time consuming and the most work is in the trimming, sanding, and finishing.  If the clay was not pure enough, or wasn't wedged well enough in the beginning, it will crack or explode in the first firing. If the glaze isn't right, the vessel will not hold liquid.  
     Each step is meticulous and time consuming.  The setting aside is Necessary to allow the clay to cure properly. Again, if not done right, not long enough etc. the vessel will warp, crack or even explode in the firing.  
     Put yourself in the place of the original raw clay.  The Potter will work us through each step, carefully and completely. Each phase of the process requires time.. Some of the steps are painful even. The initial shaping changes us into a New form, the scraping and sanding removes imperfections, sharp edges, flaws.  
     Sitting on a shelf may not seem like a Useful time, for the one doing the sitting, but it is Vital for a completed, usable vessel.  Only after all the hard work is done is the vessel close to useful.  Even after the glaze is applied, it's ugly and bland looking, until it goes through the Hottest firing.  Only the firing brings out the beauty of the glaze, turning the colors from muted and blah into brilliant glass.  
   Then... Finally ... it's ready to use, It will be strong, sturdy, and beautiful.
Everyone should watch the whole process once with this comparison to God shaping us in mind!!!

I don't get it Isaiah B90

I may have to go back and re-read this in a bible with footnotes, helps, commentary etc... cause, frankly, I just don't get it!  I realize that he is telling all the doom and gloom from not following God.  and there are cool verses that jump out once in a while, but, overall, I think I am missing the point.  I know some of the passages are foretelling about Jesus, and since we all have heard them a billion times, I knew that part, but I sure would have missed it if I hadn't already known.
Feeling dumb!

Proverbs and the Message bible

Psalms, I want to go back and study more, but Proverbs and Ecclesiastes!!!  Wow!!  
I read some of Prov. in KJV and some in NKJV and some in Message.  
                  The Message cracks me up!! 
Prov 10:1 Wise son, glad father; stupid son, sad mother.  
Prov 18:13  Answering before listening is both stupid and rude. (need to make my dear daughter memorize that!!)  
Prov 19:22 Its only human to want to make a buck, but its better to  be poor than a liar.  
Prov 21:23 Watch your words and hold your toungue; you'll save yourself a lot of grief.   
Prov 24:26 An honest answer is like a warm hug.   
Prov 26:17 You grab a mad dog by the ears when you butt into a quarrel that's none of your business.

*** Proverbs 27:14 If you wake your friend in the early morning by shouting "Rise and shine!" It will sound to him (Her) more like a curse than a blessing.

Prov 30:13 Don't be stuck-up and think you're better than everyone else.
                       and my favorite for the day....
Prov 30:18-19 The Four Mysteries :  Three things amaze me, no, four things I'll never understand - how an eagle flies so high in the sky,  how a snake glides over a rock,  how a ship navigates the ocean,  why adolescents act the way they do.

I laughed out loud there!!  Most other translations say something along the lines of a man loving a woman (virgin) or how people fall in love, Young's literal says a man in youth.  I guess I should break out the KJV with strong's and do some research!
      But its still funny in the message!

Ecclesiastes... that is a whole other thing.  Not sure how to take all of it together, but I had a few things jump out.  Again, they are kinda funny in the Message, so irreverent for deep meaningful wise statements!  

Ecc. 7:14 On a good day, enjoy yourself; On a bad day, examine your conscience. 
   God arranges for both kinds of days So that we won't take anything for granted.

Now Song of Solomon... whew... I feel a cavity coming on...diabetic shock!  I do like that he calls her a dove, that's really sweet, and she is all "come to me my wild stag, leaping on ?delectable? mountains"  and I don't get how her hair is like a flock of goats.  Have you ever smelled goats?  and breasts are fawns... that is just weird and later they turn into figs... anyway... its all good mushy love story stuff and I really just don't get it.  
On to Isaiah.   I am a day behind right now.  Its day 48 I think.  

1/2 Way through!

I'm half way through the whole Bible!  Whew... what an adventure!  A couple of neat things in today's reading; Psalm 115:14-15 is a nice prayer. I want to memorize it. I looked it up in several versions and this is my favorite, New Living 
May the Lord richly bless both you and your children.  ¹⁵ May you be blessed by the Lord, who made heaven and earth. 

According to some sources, the middle of the Bible is Ps. 117 which is only 2 verses..
.¹O praise the LORD, all ye nations: praise him, all ye people.

 ²For his merciful kindness is great toward us: and the truth of the LORD endureth for ever. Praise ye the LORD.  

I liked that it is to All people, not just the Jews, but All nations, all people...

Don't know for absolute sure that its the Exact middle. It's a significant milestone that I am half way through.  And I Made it through all the Kings and Chronicles..Woo Hoo!!  I do miss the actual Study part, and find myself going back and researching anyway!

Psalms B90

Going back and forth between NKJV and Message.... Love the poetry but Message is interesting... There is just so much to each of these chapters!  Interesting how David goes from ranting and raving that God has left him to praising Him for all the help!  David is Bi-Polar!  Actually I think he was just Enthusiastic.  Everything was worth saying; his doubts, worries, complaints, self-pity and all his enthusiastic praise for the Lord.  He has a freedom to express his heart and he didn't seem to feel that he needed to say what he was Supposed to say, just let it all hang out.  Of course, I think that being a poet/singer etc. helped him to express himself.  
     Since there is No Poetry in me, I find myself thinking that I am supposed to pray and talk to the Lord in all the fancy words like David, or the great preachers, as though God listens better if the words are beautiful and flowing. Only when I'm not really Thinking about it, I just talk to Him.  But I don't ever let anyone Hear me. I wonder if my kids are learning that they need special words too.  Hmmm  Gotta work on that!
Almost to the middle of the bible.... Psalm 117 if you go by chapters.... think I will just look at page numbers and figure it from there!  hehehe

Psalms

Reading in the New KJV... much better than the Message!  It's hard to read this quickly because there are just So many awesome passages!  I think it's interesting that all the songs/choruses I remember from as a kid are from Psalms.  I wish I could sing/play so I could teach all these to my kids!  So many verses that I recall were songs!  My next reading plan is going to have to include reading some of Psalms every day.
      David spends a lot of time repenting and praising the Lord, but I noticed also that he keeps asking God for justice for those who have wronged him.  I always thought it was wrong to ask the Lord to stick it to the bad guys but David did it. Not that That makes it right, but it shows the human side.  We want those who have done us wrong to get what they Deserve, yet we are pretty quick to ask God Not to give Us what We deserve.  
     Another point that sticks out to me is that David isn't just asking for God to take care of him, personally, but for his people.  He intercedes for his people.  We all need to be doing that too!  
I'm having a real hard time just reading through Psalms, cause I want to stop and Study, focus, memorize... 

Job and Psalms

     Job~ We need to read God's answer to Job, over and over!  Remind us Who He is!  I had to ask, What's the point of Job?  He learned the hard way that suffering is not only for those who "deserve" it, but for everyone, maybe more for the righteous (we Do have an enemy that Hates us).  
     The issue is really Not about how to alleviate the suffering, or figure out the reason for it, or find the greater purpose in it.  The issue is ~ Do we choose to find God within the pain?  There may be no rescue or restoration, there may never be an explanation, we may never see how the tragedy fits into God's plan, but we Can still stand fast in the knowledge that our God is right there with us. He sustains us through the pain, and will comfort us, lead us and bless us.  He may not  cure the disease, shower us with financial blessings, heal our children, or remove the cause of the pain, but He doesn't leave us to face it alone.  
     I always try to find the Reason behind the situation; what God is trying to teach me here, but sometimes it's just that there is Sin in the world.  There is pain, suffering and loss.  That's just the way of the world.  It's hard for me to accept that there might not be a purpose, a point to the whole thing!  
     It takes an adjustment of perspective, from "What's the point? What is God trying to teach me?"  ~ Instead~ "How do I respond to this pain? How do I act and feel?  How do I continue to praise the Lord, and seek Him and Accept that the "rain falls on the just and the unjust."

Oh, and Psalms in the message...Lame!  All the poetry and beauty is lost somehow... I will be reading it in KJV...back to message for proverbs maybe. 

Job

Job is Much more fun in the Message version. It's so much easier to follow the long diatribes by everyone!  
     Job is one stubborn guy!  Even after his friends come to "help" him, he sticks with his story that he didn't sin to cause all the trouble!  On top of all the loss and sickness, his friends, and, obviously, the rest of the town, believe he is hiding some secret sin in his life.  
      Job mentions his Reputation over and over.  I found that pretty interesting, he was Very concerned with his reputation. He was very worried about what other people thought.  It was a Big deal to him.  It's really not so different with us today!  What will people think, what will everyone at church say?  
     I loved when he tells his friends even If he were to stand before God "Not Guilty", God still has the Right to judge him!  And then he asks for someone to Intercede for him, someone to be his advocate, his attorney, so to speak.  Which brings us to the new testament telling us that Jesus is Our advocate!!  Woo Hoo!  That is some awesome news when you think about it!  
I can't wait to get into Psalms and Proverbs!!!

Politics

Reading Chronicles~ bleh! Not the most fascinating for me, to put it mildly.  However, the timing is ironic.  Voting day~ the reading for the last few days has been about the leaders of the countries and how Their choices influenced the people, how the leadership of a country, whether for or Against God, very clearly directs the choices of the people.   
     Time after time, when the king was all excited about God, the Whole nation repented and were enthusiastic about following Him, yet as soon as the king was replaced by a liberal king, everything Very quickly returned to paganism and idolatry.  Even if the king were not Evil, per say, just liberal ~allowing the local neighborhoods to maintain the shrines etc ~ the people fell right back into the practices that they had previously rejected.  
     I found this to be especially relevant at this particular time in our country!  We haven't Yet experienced such a Rapid descent into paganism and occultism as the Israelite countries did at the time, but once it starts, it's an incredibly quick slide into the ugliest slime.  Sadly, America is Not the chosen people of God to start with, so I can't think that this country would be afforded the grace and mercy He continually showed to the Israelites.  Looks to me like we are headed for Big trouble!