Solomon's Famous Judgement - 1 Kings 3

Shortly before his death in ancient Israel King David has a vision from God telling him that his younger son Solomon should succeed him as king. His other son Adonijah is unhappy and vows to attain the throne. Meanwhile the Egyptian Pharoah agrees to cede a Red Sea port to the Queen of Sheba is she can find a way to destroy Solomon, whose wisdom and benevolent rule is seen as a threat to more tyrannical monarchs in the region. Sheba, Pharoah, Adonijah, the leaders of the Twelve Tribes and his own God make life difficult for Solomon who is tempted by Sheba to stray.

Just prior to his death, King David names his younger son, Solomon, his heir ahead of his elder son Prince Adonijah. Solomon is wise and rules his kingdom well but when the Queen of Sheba arrives in Jerusalem, supposedly for a friendly visit, he slowly falls in love with her. In fact, the Queen is in league with the Pharaoh of Egypt and her aim is to divide the twelve tribes of Israel and uses the disaffected Prince Adonijah in her plans. Over time however, she too falls in love with King Solomon choosing to side with him against the Pharaoh.

Sheba witnesses the wisdom of Solomon in this classic scene from the movie Solomon and Sheba released in 1959 starring Yul Brynner and Gina Lollobrigida.

Who Am I - Casting Crowns (w/ lyrics)

This is a song that inspires me during my most trying times. It also serves as a prayer of hope to those of us who are confused and at a loss. ENjoy

1 Corinthians 10-13 read by James Earl Jones

Paul's rights as an Apostle, the use of his rights and the need for self-discipline - 1 Corinthians 9

The Cab Ride

Determined by Snopes to be true.

The Cab Ride

by Kent Nerbern

There was a time in my life twenty years ago when I was driving a cab for a living. It was a cowboy’s life, a gamblers life, a life for someone who wanted no boss, constant movement, and the thrill of a dice roll every time a new passenger got into the cab.

What I didn’t count on when I took the job was that it was also a ministry. Because I drove the night shift, the car became a rolling confessional. Passengers would climb in, sit behind me in total darkness and anonymity, and tell me of their lives.

We were like strangers on a train, the passengers and I, hurtling through the night, revealing intimacies we would never have dreamed of sharing during the brighter light of day.

In those hours, I encountered people whose lives amazed me, ennobled me, made me laugh, and made me weep. And none of those lives touched me more than that of a woman I picked up late on a warm August night.

I was responding to a call from a small brick fourplex in a quiet part of town. I assumed I was being sent to pick up some partyers, or someone who had just had a fight with a lover or someone going off to an early shift at some factory in the industrial part of town.

When I arrived at the address, the building was dark except for a single light in a ground-floor window. Under these circumstances many drivers would just honk once or twice, wait a short minute, and then drive away. Too many bad possibilities awaited a driver who went up to a darkened building at two-thirty in the morning.

But I had seen too many people trapped in a live of poverty who depended on the cab as their only means of transportation. Unless a situation smelled of danger, I always went to the door to try to find the passenger. It might, I reasoned, be someone who needed my assistance. Would I not want a driver to do the same if my mother or father had called for a cab?

So I walked to the door and knocked.

"Just a minute", answered a frail and elderly voice. I could hear something being dragged across the floor.

After a long pause, the door opened. A small woman, somewhere in her eighties, stood before me. She was wearing a print dress and a pillbox hat with a veil pinned on it, like you might see in a costume shop or a Goodwill store or in a 1940s movie. By her side was a small nylon suitcase. The sound had been her dragging it across the floor.

The apartment looked as if no one had lived in it for years. All the furniture was covered with sheets. There were no clocks on the walls, no knickknacks or utensils on the counters. In the corner was a cardboard box filled with photos and glassware.

"Would you carry my bag out to the car?" she said. "I'd like a few moments alone. Then, if you could come back and help me? I'm not very strong."

I took the suitcase to the cab, then returned to assist the woman. She took my arm, and we walked slowly toward the curb. She kept thanking me for my kindness.

"It's nothing", I told her. "I just try to treat my passengers the way I would want my mother treated".

"Oh, you're such a good boy", she said. Her praise and appreciation were almost embarrassing.

When we got in the cab, she gave me an address, and then asked, "Could you drive through downtown?"

"It's not the shortest way," I answered.

"Oh, I don't mind," she said. "I'm in no hurry. I'm on my way to a hospice".

I looked in the rear-view mirror. Her eyes were glistening.

"I don't have any family left," she continued. "The doctor said I should go there. He says I don't have very long."

I quietly reached over and shut off the meter. "What route would you like me to go?" I asked.

For the next two hours we drove through the city. She showed me the building where she had once worked as an elevator operator. We drove through the neighborhood where she and her husband had lived when they had first been married. She made me pull up in front of a furniture warehouse that had once been a ballroom where she had gone dancing as a girl. Sometimes she would have me slow down in front of a particular building or corner and would sit staring into the darkness, saying nothing.

As the first hint of sun was creasing the horizon, she suddenly said, "I'm tired. Let's go now."

We drove in silence to the address she had given me. It was a low building, like a small convalescent home, with a tar driveway that passed under a portico. Two orderlies came out to the cab as soon as we pulled up. Without waiting for me, they opened the door and began assisting the woman. They were solicitous and intent, watching her every move. They must have been expecting her: perhaps she had phone them right before we left.

I opened the trunk and took the small suitcase up to the door. The woman was already seated in a wheelchair.

"How much do I owe you?" she asked, reaching into her purse.

"Nothing," I said.

"You have to make a living," she answered.

"There are other passengers," I responded.

Almost without thinking, I bent over and gave her a hug. She held onto me tightly. "You gave an old woman a little moment of joy," she said. "Thank you."

There was nothing more to say. I squeezed her hand once, then walked into the dim morning light. Behind me I could hear the door shut. It was the sound of the closing of a life.

I did not pick up any more passengers that shift. I drove aimlessly, lost in thought. For the remainder of that day, I could hardly talk. What if that woman had gotten a driver who had been angry or abusive or impatient to end his shift? What if I had refused to take the run or had honked once, then driven away? What if I had been in a foul mood and had refused to engage the woman in conversation? How many other moments like that had I missed or failed to grasp?

We are so conditioned to think that our lives revolve around great moments. But great moments often catch us unawares. When that woman hugged me and said that I had brought her a moment of joy, it was possible to believe that I had been placed on earth for the sole purpose of providing her with that last ride. I do not think that I have done anything in my life that was any more important.

2 Samuel 18 - "When David Heard"

When David heard that Absalom was slain, he went up into his chamber over the gate and wept, and thus he said, "My son, my son, O Absalom my son, would God I had died for thee! O Absalom, my son, my son!"

When David Heard was premiered by the BYU Singers in March of 1999 and was recorded in the Museum of Art on the BYU Campus. It appears on the Singer's CD: Eric Whitacre: The Complete A Cappella Works, 1991-2001.

Commissioned for the Singers by the Barlow Endowment for the Arts, Eric was partly inspired by news that the choir director's 19 yr old son was killed in a car accident. Eric wrote:

"Setting this text was such a lonely experience...I wrote maybe 200 pages of sketches, trying to find the perfect balance between sound and silence...and by the time I finished a year later I was profoundly changed."

When David Heard is dedicated "with love and silence" to the choir's conductor, Dr. Ronald Staheli.

David and Bathsheba Trailer (very dramatic)

I almost didn't post this, but is so "over the top" that I can't resist:



Oscar® winner Gregory Peck (To Kill A Mockingbird) rises to the challenge as Israel's King David, great military leader and eponymous slayer of the mighty Goliath. A king of action above words, David faces the most challenging battle of all when he is faced with the incomparable beauty of Bathsheba (Oscar® winner Susan Hayward, I Want To Live!) and the consequences of falling under her spell.

Driven to distraction by Bathsheba, the mighty king sends her soldier husband Uriah (Kieron Moore, The Thin Red Line) away on a treacherous mission in order to pursue his own amorous interests, embarking on an adulterous affair that would become his ultimate undoing.

Neglecting the very kingdom he helped to create and turning his back on the people who came to believe in him, David's spectacular descent into the depths of despair, incurring the everlasting wrath of God, is the Old Testament's most affecting tales of forbidden love and personal downfall.

Posted for a little inspiration

Certainly a bit off topic, but inspiring enough to merit a Friday post:

Corinth - an ancient "Deadwood"

Since we will be spending the next few weeks reading from Paul's letters to the Corinthians, I thought it might be interesting to learn a bit more about Corinth, itself.

Ancient Corinth was founded in the 10th Century BCE and was the largest city in ancient Greece. More importantly, Corinth was ancient Greece’s richest port. The Corinth Paul knew had been re-founded by Julius Caesar as a Roman colony in 44 BCE. Using Rome’s tried and true format for subduing conquered populations, the "new” Corinth was populated with conscripted Italian, Greek, Syrian, Egyptian and Judean freed slaves. Like Ancient Corinth, New Corinth thrived. It’s strategic location also brought thousands of settlers from all over the Mediterranean. Soon enormous personal wealth was to be found in the local ruling class, which was made up of self-made men and a surprising number of self-made women, as well.

Corinth was located directly south of the Corinthian Gulf, on the Peloponnesian side (southern Greece) of the Isthmus of Corinth. Two harbors accommodated the city's position of control over the isthmus between two seas. Lechaeum served the westward facing the Corinthian gulf, and Cenchreae functioned as the harbor on the eastward facing the Saronic Gulf.

The territory included quite a variety of terrain: the coastal plain, which was abundantly watered and fertile; relatively flat areas further from the coast, which were fairly well-watered; areas of arable sloping hills; and mountainous regions. The most famous Corinthian mountain was the Acrocorinth [standard link], which served as the city's citadel.

Corinth was known as an especially "wild” city and had a reputation for licentiousness. Paul was faced with a city that was used to coin one of the Greek words for "fornicate”, which was korinthiazomai ! This reputation was based, in part, on the ancient Greek historian Strabo's report that there were 1,000 sacred prostitutes in the temple of Aphrodite on the Acrocorinth, which was an 1,886-foot hill that rises above the City of Corinth to the south.

As Paul arrived at Corinth in 49 or 50 C.E., he would have seen lots of rock piles, ruins of ancient city walls. Rome had destroyed the old Corinth in 146 B.C.E. The city Paul entered was therefore young-- not even a century old. In 44 B.C.E. a decree of Julius Caesar had re-founded Corinth as a Roman colony.

While Paul stayed in Corinth, he met with Jewish refugees from Rome. Paul sought out two of them, Aquila and Priscilla (mentioned in a previous post from Acts), because they were tentmakers like him. He asked if they could work together as business associates. Aquila and Prisca also became key leaders of the young Christian church.

Around 150-200 followers of Christ were in Corinth at the time of Paul's writing his letters to them. Corinthian Christians lived in large, complex households and worshiped in house churches that reflected the city's diverse make-up.

You can see many more images and descriptions of Corinth at bibleplaces.com

The ruins of the temple of Apollo in modern Corinth

Ian White sings Psalms 49

From Scotland, Ian White is a pioneer in contemporary praise and worship music. Ian felt a calling into church leadership and attended Aberdeen University to pursue a divinity degree. Yet, instead of putting his music on the back-burner, Ian's time at university was to radically reaffirm his calling into praise and worship music. Ian recalls a particular weekend in 1983 which redirected his thinking with regards to his future:

"I felt God speak to me very powerfully. I felt I'd experienced God in a new way, the power of his Holy Spirit, and just felt a real refreshing in my Christian life." As Ian shared this experience with friends Ray and Nancy Goudie, God's purpose for his life became clearer. "They laid hands on me and prayed for me and they said: 'Ian, we believe that God is going to have you write praise music, we believe that this has been a new release and we are going to pray that something starts new as a result of this experience."

Here is Ian's interpretation of Psalms 49 - today's New Testament reading. Lyrics below:



Ian White sings Psalms 49

No man can redeem the life of another,
or give to God a ransom for him.
The ransom for our life is costly.
No payment is ever enough,
that he should live and never see decay.

For all can see that wise men perish.
And fools will die leaving riches behind.
Their tombs will forever be their houses.
Though they had named lands for themselves,
man despite his wealth will not endure.

This is the fate of all who trust themselves.
And of their followers who approve what they say.
But God the Lord He will redeem my soul.
He will uplift me from the grave,
And He will surely take me to Himself.

No man can redeem the life of another,
or give to God a ransom for him.
But God the Lord He will redeem my soul.
He will uplift me from the grave,
and He will surely take me to Himself.

John Calvin - Psalm 48 - "The joy of the whole earth, is mount Zion"

A brief reading from John Calvin's Commentary on Psalm 48.

David vs. Saul

David, a shepherd, was the son of Jesse of Bethlehem. He was anointed by Samuel to be successor to Saul who was first king of the united Israel. David entered Saul's service as a musician, but when David defeated Goliath, the Philistine champion, Saul became jealous. Soon Saul tried to kill David, but Saul's son Jonathan, who was David's close friend, helped him to escape. David lived as an outlaw for a time. Once Saul entered a cave where David was hiding. Instead of killing Saul, David secretly clipped off the corner of Saul's robe, showing his loyalty to the king. Eventually, Saul died in battle with the Philistines, the men of Judah made David their king.

After winning a war against the followers of Saul's son, David was chosen as ruler by all the tribes of Israel. His reign began in 1000 BC. He captured Jerusalem and made it his capital. David broke the Philistine power, united the country, brought the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem, and established Jerusalem as the religious center. He committed adultery with Bathsheba, but repented. He was forced to flee from Jerusalem when his son Absalom rebelled, but when Absalom was killed, David grieved deeply. Shortly before David died, he indicated that his son Solomon should succeed him on the throne. God promised David that one of his sons would always be on the throne, and the New Testament finds this promise fulfilled in Jesus.

Giovanni Francesco Barbieri painted this picture of Saul attacking David around 1600. For thousands of years, the divide between David and Saul has been talked and preached about. However, I wonder if we really understand the gist of the real difference between them. It seems to me that both Saul and David were each flawed in his own way.

David was

• Unimpressive stature
• Inexperienced
• Heart after God
• Repentant
• God-reliant
• Spirit-filled

Saul was

• Impressive stature
• Experienced
• Hardened heart
• Resistant
• Self-reliant
• Spirit-possessed

God uses the unexpected, unimpressive, and inexperienced to accomplish remarkable things. Saul was a head above most men. David was ruddy and smaller in stature. Saul was driven by an evil spirit and died a crazed, God-forsaken man. David drove an evil spirit from Saul with the sound of his lyre. Saul hid out in his tent when Goliath taunted the Israelites. David stood up for his people and God and defeated Goliath. What made the difference between these two leaders? The ultimate contrast between these two kings was not their appearance or experience, but their spirit. We’re told that the Spirit rushed upon David, while the Spirit departed from Saul. One man was Spirit-filled and led. The other was Spirit-devoid and distrusting.

That, then, begs the question: Are we filled with the spirit or do we often turn our backs on the Lord?

Mark 14 - The Last Supper, The Garden and Golgotha

Though I posted this some weeks ago, it is so powerful and meaningful and fits today's reading perfectly, I thought I would share it again. It is worth a watch; I think I have watched it 10 times or more:

David and Goliath - 1 Samuel 17

David said to the Philistine, “You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied.This day the Lord will deliver you into my hands, and I’ll strike you down and cut off your head. This very day I will give the carcasses of the Philistine army to the birds and the wild animals, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel. All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the Lord saves; for the battle is the Lord’s, and he will give all of you into our hands.”

As the Philistine moved closer to attack him, David ran quickly toward the battle line to meet him. Reaching into his bag and taking out a stone, he slung it and struck the Philistine on the forehead. The stone sank into his forehead, and he fell facedown on the ground.

So David triumphed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone; without a sword in his hand he struck down the Philistine and killed him. David ran and stood over him. He took hold of the Philistine’s sword and drew it from the sheath. After he killed him, he cut off his head with the sword.

When the Philistines saw that their hero was dead, they turned and ran.

Off topic, but an amazing boys' choir - Libera, Songs of Praise

and their version of Orinoco Flow

Maybe get your day off to a good start....



Orinoco Flow

let me sail, let me sail, let the orinoco flow,
let me reach, let me beach on the shores of Tripoli.
let me sail, let me sail, let me crash upon your shore,
let me reach, let me beach far beyond the Yellow Sea.
da da, da da, da da, da da, da da

sail away, sail away, sail away
sail away, sail away, sail away
sail away, sail away, sail away
sail away, sail away, sail away

from Bissau to Palau - in the shade of Avalon,
from Fiji to Tiree and the Isles of Ebony,
from Peru to Cebu hear the power of Babylon,
from Bali to Cali - far beneath the Coral Sea.

da da, da da, da da, da da, da da

turn it up, turn it up, turn it up, up, up adieu
turn it up, turn it up, turn it up, up, up adieu
turn it up, turn it up, turn it up, up, up adieu

sail away...

from the North to the South, Ebudæ into Khartoum,
from the deep sea of Clouds to the island of the moon,
carry me on the waves to the lands I've never been,
carry me on the waves to the lands I've never seen.

President Obama Reads Psalm 46 at 9/11 Memorial

The annointing of Saul - 1 Samuel: 10

How to speak Presbyterian!

It has been estimated that 58 percent of the members of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) did not grow up in the denomination. For readers in that category, here is a short rundown of the lingo you are likely to hear in a Presbyterian church that you may not have heard in another church.

Communion table or Lord’s Table
This is the table at the front of the sanctuary that holds the bread and the wine for Communion. Sometimes other items are placed on this table, such as the Bible, a cross or candles.

The reason this is called a Lord’s Table rather than an altar is that on the night in which he was betrayed, when Jesus was eating the Passover meal with his disciples, they were sitting at a table (Luke 22:14).

An altar is a place for making sacrifices. In the Reformed tradition we believe that Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross was sufficient once for all. This sacrifice does not have to be repeated with a Mass or other Communion on an altar.

Lord’s Supper
This is the meal we share from the Lord’s Table. Some churches call this meal Communion or the Eucharist.

Eucharist is from the Greek word for “thanksgiving,” which is what Jesus did before he gave the bread and wine to his disciples.

Manse
This is a house owned by a congregation that they let the minister live in. In some denominations this is called the “parsonage.” The word manse comes from the Latin word mansio which means “dwelling.”

Session
This is the group of people, elected by the congregation, who make the decisions for the running of the local church. In some churches this group is called the “church council.”

Elders
The session is composed of elders. This doesn’t have to do with age so much as those who are considered competent and wise enough to make good decisions. There are two kinds of elders, “ruling elders” and “teaching elders.” The ruling elders come from the congregation and are elected to serve in three-year cycles. The teaching elder is the pastor. This person is called a teaching elder because a pastor has to go to a lot of school to get the education to preach and teach proper doctrine.

The pastor is often also called the minister or a “minister of the Word and Sacrament.”

Presbytery
The presbytery is made up of a group of churches usually in a certain geographical area.

The presbytery meeting includes “presbyters,” both ruling and teaching elders, who gather to make decisions affecting the presbytery. By having their representatives gather together as a group congregations both support each other and are held accountable to each other.

Moderator
This is the person who runs a meeting of elders or deacons or a presbytery or committee meeting. In a club or other gathering he or she would be called the “chairperson” or perhaps “president.”

While the moderator of a board of deacons is usually a deacon, the moderator of a session is a teaching elder. The moderator of a presbytery may be either a teaching elder or a ruling elder.

Book of Order
This is the rule book for the Presbyterian Church. It contains the guidelines for church life, including structure, worship and collective action. It not only tells us how to do things but also explains why. It was developed and can be modified by the General Assembly, with the ratification of a majority of the presbyteries.

General Assembly
Every two years all the presbyteries in the country elect commissioners or representatives to a meeting of the General Assembly. The General Assembly makes decisions for the church as a whole. This is where Presbyterians become a national rather than a local church.

Commissioners
These are the folks, a proportionate number of ministers and elders, elected by the presbyteries to go to General Assembly.

Rather than being instructed in how to vote at the Assembly by their presbytery, the commissioners as a body seek to discern the will of the Holy Spirit.

Election
No, this doesn't refer to how commissioners are selected to go to the General Assembly. It is a theological term that means God makes the first move in acting to redeem sinners. People within the covenant of faith are called “the elect.” Reformed (or Presbyterian) theology teaches that we are incapable of saving ourselves from our sins, and that God “elects” or “chooses” to save us.

Predestination
This word, similar to election, often raises questions for people of other denominations. Basically predestination means that our election by God occurred not only before we were born, but so far back in time that it happened “before the creation of the world” (see Ephesians 1:4).

Debts and debtors
When we pray the Lord’s Prayer we use the words debts (“forgive us our debts”) and debtors. Some Christians say “trespasses” or “sins.” This is because the Lord’s Prayer is found in both Matthew’s and Luke’s Gospels, and in the original Greek they used two different words that mean “to sin.” In Matthew’s version the word used means “to owe a debt,”" but a debt of sin, not money.

Calvin and Knox
In the Presbyterian Church you will hear “Calvin Church,” “Calvin this-and-that,” as well as “Knox Church,” etc. John Calvin was a French Reformer who followed in the footsteps of Martin Luther in the 1500s. He gave us the theological foundations for our church, so we have named a lot of things after him. John Knox was a Scottish preacher who brought the teachings of John Calvin to Scotland and got the Presbyterian Church going in that country, so we have named a lot of things after him too.

This is just a start to understanding Presbyterian lingo. If you hear a word that is new to you and want to know what it means, ask your teaching elder (pastor or minister) to explain it to you. And don’t let him or her off the hook until you have an answer!

Written by P. J. Southam, formerly pastor of First Presbyterian Church in Wolf Point, Mont, after an interim pastorate at Hysham, Mont., in early 2002 moved to Spencer Memorial Presbyterian Church in Lemmon, South Dakota.                  

Mavis Staples - Wholy Holy (from The Cosby Show)

"Wholy Holy" is a 1971 song written by Al Cleveland, Renaldo Benson and Marvin Gaye and issued by Marvin as the eighth track on his landmark album, What's Going On. Staying with the subject of love and bringing Jesus into the theme, the song lyrically followed the same path of the Benson/Cleveland/Gaye compositions "What's Going On" and "Save the Children" while musically was a much more solemn production than the previous tune and featured Gaye on lead and background vocals. The song would be later covered by soul-gospel greats Aretha Franklin, who recorded a live version of the song on her Amazing Grace live album and Mavis Staples, who famously covered it during an episode of The Cosby Show - shown below.

Again, Jesus cursing the fig tree - Mark 11

This has to be one of my least favorite biblical passages. Jesus’ cursing of the unfruitful fig tree presents Christians with a dilemma unique in the Gospels. A cursory reading of the text portrays Jesus as acting quite out of character, using his divine power in selfish anger to curse a mere tree because it did not act contrary to nature by providing him fruit out of season to satisfy his hunger.

As Mark sets up the story, he points out several facts. It was the day after the triumphal entry into Jerusalem. Jesus and his disciples were walking from Bethany, where they had spent the night, toward Jerusalem. Jesus was hungry. He saw a fig tree in leaf in the distance. He went to it to see if it might have any fruit, but found only leaves. Then Mark adds the confounding clause, "for it was not the season for figs". This is the troubling element for many, including me, who find this passage difficult. If Jesus’ purpose in approaching the fig tree were simply because he was hungry, as Mark intimates, and it was not even the season for figs, which Jesus must have known before he even approached the tree, then how can he be justified in saying to it, "May no one ever eat fruit from you again?" Before we consider the answer to that question, we need to take note of additional facts provided by Mark.

When Jesus made the statement to the tree, Mark notes that "his disciples heard it". Picking up the story in verse 20, after the cleansing of the temple, we find that the fig tree had not only withered away, but had withered away to its roots. We are also told that Peter "remembered," and that he called Jesus’ attention to the withered tree, saying Jesus had "cursed" it. Then, without apparent transition, Mark says Jesus "answered" them (though no question is posed) by giving instruction about faith that can remove mountains — another enigmatic passage for many Christians.

Now consider how the facts provided by Mark serve to clarify the meaning of what would otherwise be a troubling passage. First, we need to note that "his disciples heard it". The presence of this statement indicates that Jesus’ pronouncement on the tree was a teaching situation. Jesus’ words were intended to instruct his disciples, and the incident, therefore, was intended to provide the opportunity to teach them and the reader. Mark often provides a reaction to Jesus’ actions and instruction.

The fact that it was not the season for figs, then, should not make Jesus appear unreasonable, as some have assumed; rather, it underscores the point of the passage: the nation has not borne fruit — its spiritual leaders are incapable of recognizing the Messiah, the temple is a den of robbers and not a house of prayer for the nations — and the Judge has arrived to pass sentence.

The fig tree incident is recorded as a teaching situation, the lesson of which is given in the events and sayings of Jesus in the following verses, the reasons for Mark’s letting the reader know that Jesus was hungry, that he knew the distant fig tree was in leaf, and that it was not the season for figs, begin to come into focus. The fact that Jesus was hungry provides not only the immediate reason to approach the tree (a fact essential to the narrative — approaching a fruitless tree only to be disappointed would be meaningless unless someone was hungry). It is also vital to the prophetic declaration Jesus was to make.

Many scholars agree that Jesus would have had in mind such passages as Jeremiah 8:13: "When I wanted to gather them, says the LORD, there are no grapes on the vine, nor figs on the fig tree; even the leaves are withered, and what I gave them has passed away from them." The fact that Jesus was hungry and approached the fig tree looking for fruit illustrates his identity and authority as the Judge of Israel who finds that the nation, despite its "leafy" appearance, has not produced the fruit God desired.

Nonetheless, this is another "stretch" for Mark and I have a hard time defending this parable. The Old Testament is HARD.

Peter Paul and Mary: Paul Stookey, The Wedding Song

Peter Paul and Mary: Paul Stookey, The Wedding Song

He is now to be among you at the calling of your hearts
Rest assured this troubador is acting on His part.
The union of your spirits, here, has caused Him to remain
For whenever two or more of you are gathered in His name
There is Love. There is Love.

Well a man shall leave his mother and a woman leave her home
And they shall travel on to where the two shall be as one.
As it was in the beginning is now and until the end
Woman draws her life from man and gives it back again.
And there is Love. There is Love.

Well then what's to be the reason for becoming man and wife?
Is it Love that brings you here or Love that brings you life?
Or if loving is the answer, then who's the giving for?
Do you believe in something that you've never seen before?
Oh there's Love, there is Love.

Oh the marriage of your spirits here has caused Him to remain
For whenever two or more of you are gathered in His name
There is Love. Oh there's Love.

Mark Chapter 10 on marriage and divorce, children and God, riches, heals a blind man and predicts his death for our redemption.

Jesus then left that place and went into the region of Judea and across the Jordan. Again crowds of people came to him, and as was his custom, he taught them. Some Pharisees came and tested him by asking, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?”

“What did Moses command you?” he replied. They said, “Moses permitted a man to write a certificate of divorce and send her away.”

“It was because your hearts were hard that Moses wrote you this law,” Jesus replied. “But at the beginning of creation God ‘made them male and female. For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh. So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.”




Max McLean is an American actor and narrator for audio books. He is the President of Fellowship for the Performing Arts, narrator for the Listener's Bible audio line, and speaker on the daily radio program Listen to the Bible which airs on over 670 radio affiliates worldwide.

Had to share this one-minute sermon.

Father And Son By Cat Stevens

Again, this is not really related to TYOTB, but it is a song that resonates with me. Cat Stevens converted to Islam in 1977 after nearly drowning in an accident. During his recovery from the accident, his brother had given him a copy of the Qu'ran, which Stevens credited with helping him to find peace and recover from the incident. As is customary when one converts to Islam, Stevens changed his name to Yusuf Islam, after the prophet Joseph - interpreter of dreams.

I lost my Dad several years ago and there is not a day that I don't think about him and both remember and regret. I remember the wonderful things we shared, and I so regret those years when I was so self-assured and cocky that we drifted apart. In the end, we became very best friends. He lived his last few years in my home and passed there in the presence of his family. Maybe this will resonate with you, too.



I miss you Dad

Father And Son By Cat Stevens (Yusuf Islam)


Father

It's not time to make a change,
Just relax, take it easy.
You're still young, that's your fault,
There's so much you have to know.
Find a girl, settle down,
If you want you can marry.
Look at me, I am old, but I'm happy.

I was once like you are now, and I know that it's not easy,
To be calm when you've found something going on.
But take your time, think a lot,
Why, think of everything you've got.
For you will still be here tomorrow, but your dreams may not.

Son

How can I try to explain, when I do he turns away again.
It's always been the same, same old story.
From the moment I could talk I was ordered to listen.
Now there's a way and I know that I have to go away.
I know I have to go.

Father

It's not time to make a change,
Just sit down, take it slowly.
You're still young, that's your fault,
There's so much you have to go through.
Find a girl, settle down,
If you want you can marry.
Look at me, I am old, but I'm happy.
(Son-- Away Away Away, I know I have to
Make this decision alone - no)

Son

All the times that I cried, keeping all the things I knew inside,
It's hard, but it's harder to ignore it.
If they were right, I'd agree, but it's them They know not me.
Now there's a way and I know that I have to go away.
I know I have to go.

(Father-- Stay Stay Stay, Why must you go and
Make this decision alone?)

Mark Chapter 9 Narrated By Max McLean

Max McLean is an American actor and narrator for audio books. He is the President of Fellowship for the Performing Arts, narrator for the Listener's Bible audio line, and speaker on the daily radio program Listen to the Bible which airs on over 670 radio affiliates worldwide.

Doer of the Word by Dan Peek an amazing Christian Man

Dan Peek - Doer of the Word

When the storms of life are rising, and the rain it pours
The winds of North and South are colliding right outside your door
Well you can turn to the ways of the world and build your house on sand
Or you can turn to the ways of the Word and build your house upon a rock
Assured that it will stand

Be a doer, be a doer of the Word
Be a doer, be a doer of the Word
Be a doer, be a doer of the Word of the Lord

And in a world with a heart full of questions, everyone's confused
Sailing off in a hundred directions, further from the truth
You can ride on the wave going with it, let it be your guide
Or you can ride on the wave of the Spirit
And when the world is going downstream, turn against the tide

Be a doer, be a doer of the Word
Be a doer, be a doer of the Word
Be a doer, be a doer of the Word of the Lord

Be a doer, be a doer of the Word
Be a doer, be a doer of the Word
Be a doer, be a doer of the Word of the Lord

Doer of the Word of the Lord


R.I.P. DAN- (November 1, 1950 -- July 24, 2011)

"As lead singer of the pop group America, Dan Peek recorded eight albums (all went gold; four went platinum), made numerous television appearances including Bob Hope specials, and penned the international hits "Don't Cross the River" and "Lonely People." His America days also included over 32 stateside tours and three world tours. In the midst of this success, Dan Peek left America. He rededicated his heart, soul, and music to Jesus Christ and vowed to use his abilities to tell others about Him.

The decision to leave America was Dan's first step in honoring a covenant with God that he had made at the age of 19. "I remember praying to the Lord: 'If You will make me a success, I'll use that platform to spread the word about You.'" Within a year, America had gone from rehearsing in a car to having the number one hit "A Horse With No Name." The years after that first hit brought Dan money and fame along with the destructive scene of drugs and other aspects of rock'n'roll living.

"I was completely overwhelmed," Dan remembers. "I began to wonder how I was going to live up to my part of the covenant. After seven years, I was miserable because I had wandered from the Lord, but I still had this tremendous kind of desire."

That tremendous desire combined with conviction about his life style led Dan Peek to leave America and launch a solo career. At this point, Dan began to play out his role in his covenant with God. "I knew I could go back and put my life in order again. I was raised in a Christian home -- and that foundation never leaves you. God had a claim on my life. I knew that no matter what I'd done, I could repent and God would accept me."

In 1979, Dan released the Grammy-nominated solo LP All Things Are Possible, and the title cut charted at number one on the Christian charts and crossed over to the Billboard adult contemporary chart for a record-breaking 34 weeks. His second solo album, Doer of the Word, took its title cut to a number two hit on the MusicLine 40. With this success in the Christian music market, Dan began to tour, drawing listeners from both markets.

"Because I was a Christian before and during America," Dan explains, "the songs that I wrote ultimately had to do with the Lord. I think a song like 'Lonely People' will always be there, and it built a gigantic platform for me to share." A remake of the tune is featured on his latest release, Electro Voice, on the Greentree label. The lyrics have been altered to reflect hope "for all the lonely people / Thinkin' that life has passed them by. / Don't give up until you drink from the silver cup / And give your heart to Jesus Christ."

Dan's current concert program showcases America hits as well as tunes from Doer of the Word and Electro Voice. The Electro Voice LP features Dan's writing ability and is reminiscent of the sound he made popular with America. He has launched a college tour with dates centered in the Midwest and Northeast regions of the United States. The debut college concert was before a packed-out hall of students and vintage America fans. Dan is touring with two back-up musicians, David Peek, his younger brother, on vocals and guitar and Russ Kirkland on vocal and keyboards. A national tour is already in the works for Fall 1986.

When Dan Peek is not touring, he lives on an orchard in Missouri near his parents who established his firm Christian foundation. He writes music that "is a result of me putting down the things that God has shared with me and I with him"; records material in the studio he has built in his home; and continues to work to honor his covenant with God.

"As a Christian, I am a tool to reach others. I'm like most other people; the things I've experienced can have meaning to someone else. Maybe I can speak where others wouldn't be listened to. I want to write songs praising God for all He's done in my life. I've had the wealth the world has to give -- but it doesn't last. It doesn't satisfy. Now I'm looking for something more enduring, the reward in heaven."

- Page Larson (from the June 1986 issue of Contemporary Christian Magazine. )

Another inspirational song

Once again today the readings from Judges and Mark do not lend themselves to much commentary or amplification. Judges is still more violence, and while Mark 7 contains a couple of interesting encounters it didn't leave me with much inspiration.

 Then on the way in to work this morning I heard an old song from the group "America" entitled Lonely People and remembered that Dan Peek - an original member of the band had died just last year. Dan was a devout Christian and had recorded a slightly different version of the song which I will offer here. This is the original version of the song Dan wrote. Their record label and the guys from "America" didn't think a strong Christian song was appropriate for their debut album. Later, Dan recorded many Christian albums. Here is how he intended it to be sung.  Lyrics below.

Lonely People by Dan Peek

This is for all the lonely people 

Thinking that life has passed them by

Don't give up until you drink from the silver cup

And give your heart to Jesus Christ 

This is for all the single people 

Thinking that love has left them dry

Don't give up until you drink from the silver cup

And give your heart to Jesus Christ 

Well, He's on his way 

He's coming back some day

He's coming back to take us home (hit it!) 

This is for all the lonely people

Thinking that life has passed them by

Don't give up until you drink from the silver cup

He'll never take you down or He'll never give you up

But you'll never know until you try

Come Awake Again in Christ

Because the readings today from Judges 19 and 20 were so depressing - all that slaughter, pillage and such - I decided to post an inspirational piece that I hope will remind of of the love of God and that it is our choice to accept it or turn away.

We all carry various burdens and struggles that sometimes prevent us from living the life God intended. Christ’s sacrifice, though, reminds us that he defeated every last thing that might encumber His people. Thus, the charge to us all is to come awake and be one with Christ again. Music by Matt Maher.

The Death Of John The Baptist. Mark 6: 14-29

These clips were taken from the 2000 TV miniseries "Jesus". Here we see John The Baptist confront Herod Antipas over his illegitimate relationship with Herodias. Antipas has John imprisoned and after being pleased with a birthday dance by Herodias' daughter Salome, offers to give her whatever she wants. Salome confers with her mother and then asks for the head of John on a platter. Herod was very distressed by this request because he admired John as a prophet, but would not break his promise to Salome. John was then beheaded in prison by guards and John's head was delivered on a platter. You can read about this story in the book of Mark, chapter 6, verses 14 through 29.

The Loaves and Fishes: Mark 6: 30-38

I've never seen this story in this perspective. Whenever I listened to this story, the focus was on Jesus and His miracle. This song, however, turns the focus on the tiniest human being ever.. and it's wonderful how 'no gift is too small".

Two Guys Play and Sing Hallelujah - It Will Give You Chills

Absolutely awesome....their voices go together beautifully and their piano playing is nearly flawless. Hallelujah for talent like this, a must hear. Their names are Michael Henry & Justin Robinett. Not really part of TYOTB, but too good not to share:

Samson and Delilah, 1949, by Cecil B. De Mille

Grateful Dead - Samson and Delilah

Well Delilah was a woman, she was fine and fair,
She had good looks, God knows, and coal black hair,
Delilah she gained old Samson's mind.
When first he saw this woman, you know he couldn't believe his mind.

Delilah she climbed up on Samson's knee,
Said tell me where your strength lies if you please.
She spoke so kind and she talked so fair,
Well Samson said, Delilah cut off my hair.

You can shave my head, clean as my hand
And my strength will become as natural as any old man.

If I had my way, if I had my way, if I had my way,
I would tear this old building down.

You read about Samson, all from his works,
He was the strongest man that ever had lived on earth.
One day when Samson was walking along,
Looked down on the ground, he saw an old jawbone.

He stretched out his arm, God knows, chains broke like thread,
When he got to moving, ten thousand was dead.

If I had my way, if I had my way, if I had my way,
I would tear this old building down.

Now Samson and the lion, they got in a tack,
Samson he crawled up on the lion's back.
You read about this lion, he killed a man with his paws,
But Samson got his hands around that lion's jaws.

He ripped the beast till he killed him dead.
The bees made honey in the lion's head.

If I had my way, if I had my way, if I had my way,
I would tear this old building down.

Jesus Calms the Storm - Mark 4: 35-41

That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, “Let us go over to the other side.” Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him. A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?”

He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.

He said to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?”

They were terrified and asked each other, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!”

Mark 4: The Parable of the Sower (video)

Mark 4: 1-8

Again Jesus began to teach by the lake. The crowd that gathered around him was so large that he got into a boat and sat in it out on the lake, while all the people were along the shore at the water’s edge. He taught them many things by parables, and in his teaching said:

“Listen! A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants, so that they did not bear grain. Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up, grew and produced a crop, some multiplying thirty, some sixty, some a hundred times.”



Mark 4: 13-19

Then Jesus said to them, “Don’t you understand this parable? How then will you understand any parable? The farmer sows the word. Some people are like seed along the path, where the word is sown. As soon as they hear it, Satan comes and takes away the word that was sown in them. Others, like seed sown on rocky places, hear the word and at once receive it with joy. But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. Still others, like seed sown among thorns, hear the word; but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful. Others, like seed sown on good soil, hear the word, accept it, and produce a crop—some thirty, some sixty, some a hundred times what was sown.”

Jesus Forgives and Heals a Paralyzed Man - Mark 2

The people are amazed when Jesus heals a paralytic. He then calls on Levi and eats with the tax collectors and "sinners." The Pharisees question Jesus, but he refutes them - "I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners."

Performed by Max McLean and produced by the Fellowship for the Performing Arts.

Psalms 40 - interpreted by Bono and U2

"40", also known as "40 (How Long)", is the tenth and final track from U2's 1983 album, War. The lyrics are an interpretation of the Bible's Psalm 40.

The song is noted for its live performances, often involving the audience singing along for minutes after the band has left the stage. The song did not get a commercial release. Since its live debut on February 26, 1983, in Dundee, "40" has been a staple of U2's live concerts, having been performed almost 400 times.

The first verse of the song is based on Psalm 40:1-2, and the second verse of the song is based on Psalm 40:2-3. The chorus is loosely based on the first two verses of Psalm 40:3, which reads "He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God..."

Lyrics below the video.



40 by U2

I waited patiently for the Lord.
He inclined and heard my cry.
He brought me up out of the pit
Out of the miry clay.

I will sing, sing a new song.
I will sing, sing a new song.
How long to sing this song?
How long to sing this song?
How long, how long, how long
How long to sing this song?

You set my feet upon a rock
And made my footsteps firm.
Many will see, many will see and hear.

I will sing, sing a new song.
I will sing, sing a new song
I will sing, sing a new song.
I will sing, sing a new song
How long to sing this song?
How long to sing this song?
How long to sing this song?
How long to sing this song? .

Deborah, the "Mother of Israel"

Deborah - Hebrew for "Bee" - was a prophetess of God, the fourth Judge of pre-monarchic Israel, counselor, warrior, and the wife of Lapidoth according to the Book of Judges chapters 4 and 5.

The only female judge mentioned in the Bible, Deborah led a successful counterattack against the forces of Jabin king of Canaan and his military commander Sisera, the narrative is recounted in chapter 4.

Judges chapter 5 gives the same story in poetic form. This passage, often called The Song of Deborah, may date to as early as the 12th century BC and is perhaps the earliest sample of Hebrew poetry. It is also significant because it is one of the oldest passages that portrays fighting women, the account being that of Jael, the wife of Heber, a Kenite tent maker. Jael killed Sisera by driving a tent peg through his temple as he slept. Both Deborah and Jael are portrayed as strong independent women. The poem may have been included in the Book of the Wars of the Lord mentioned in Numbers 21:14.

The Song of Deborah is found in Judges 5:2-31 and is a victory hymn, sung by Deborah and Barak, about the defeat of Canaanite adversaries by some of the tribes of Israel. It is recognized as one of the oldest parts of the Bible, dating somewhere in the 12th century BC based on its grammar and context. The song itself contains a number of challenging differences from the events described in Judges 4. The song mentions six participating tribes (Ephraim, Benjamin, Machir, Zebulun, Issachar, and Naphtali) as opposed to the two tribes in Judges 4:6 (Naphtali and Zebulun) and does not mention the role of Jabin. It describes Sisera's death in a different manner. Judges 4:17-21 describes Jael killing Sisera by luring him into her tent, letting him lay down to rest, and then while he was asleep hammering a tent peg into his head killing him.

Though it is not uncommon to read a victory hymn in the Hebrew Bible, The Song of Deborah stands out as unique in that it is a hymn that celebrates a military victory helped by two women: Deborah and Jael.

Here is an amazing reading of The Song of Deborah by Sir Laurence Olivier, also lavishly illustrated:

Paul, the first evangelist.

Romans 15:19-20 -

So from Jerusalem all the way around to Illyricum, I have fully proclaimed the gospel of Christ. It has always been my ambition to preach the gospel where Christ was not known, so that I would not be building on someone else’s foundation. Rather, as it is written:

“Those who were not told about him will see,
and those who have not heard will understand."

Paul took it upon himself to spread the story of Jesus and the love and forgiveness of God to places that no one had heard of such. Do you, do I, take every opportunity to share our faith? I know I do not, but I will try to do better. You?

He is risen!

Would you follow Jesus?

Easter - Come as you are.

How much time do we spend maintaining our outward appearance instead of working on our inward character? In the spirit of the “Mac vs. PC” commercials, this fun parody shows a well-meaning-but-misguided Christian getting schooled by “the world” in how God sees us.

TYOTB has gone international

While most of our readers are right here in Tallahassee we have attracted readers from around the world! The map below was taken from Google Analytics, which I run against the site daily to monitor traffic. Pretty amazing!

Good Friday: A dramatic reenactment you should not miss

This post does not relate to today's YOTB readings, but I found it so powerful that it should be shared here. It is a dramatic retelling of Jesus’ last day. Hear from six individuals who were close to Jesus before his death on the cross, Good Friday. The video sets the stage for Christ's resurrection and shows God's forgiveness and love for mankind. It recreates the Garden scene, the Last Supper scene, and the Golgotha scene in a most dramatic fashion:

Symphony of Psalms 38 & 40 by Igor Stravinsky

The Symphony of Psalms is a three-movement choral symphony and was composed by Igor Stravinsky in 1930 during his neoclassical period. The work was commissioned by Serge Koussevitzky to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Boston Symphony Orchestra. The symphony derives its name from the use of Psalm texts in the choral parts.

According to Stravinsky, the commission for the work came about from "a routine suggestion" from Koussevitzky, who was also Stravinsky's publisher, that he write something "popular" for orchestra without chorus. Stravinsky, however, insisted on the psalm-symphony idea, which he had had in mind for some time. The symphony was written in 1930 in Nice and Echarvines, which was Stravinsky's summer home in those years. The three movements are performed without a break, and the texts sung by the chorus are drawn from the Vulgate versions in Latin. Unlike many pieces composed for chorus and orchestra, Stravinsky said that “it is not a symphony in which I have included Psalms to be sung. On the contrary, it is the singing of the Psalms that I am symphonizing".

Below is the first movement representing Psalm 38, verses 13 and 14. Here are the texts in both Latin and English:

Latin

Exaudi orationem meam, Domine, et deprecationem meam. Auribus percipe lacrimas meas. Ne sileas.

Quoniam advena ego sum apud te et peregrinus, sicut omnes patres mei.

Remitte mihi, ut refrigerer prius quam abeam et amplius non ero.


English Translation

Hear my prayer, O Lord, and with Thine ears consider my calling: hold not Thy peace at my tears.

For I am a stranger with Thee: and a sojourner, as all my fathers were.

O spare me a little that I may recover my strength: before I go hence and be no more.

---

And the performance which leads with the 1st movement for Psalms 38:13-14, and the 2nd movement interpreting chapter 40:2-4.

James Middleton, brother of Kate, Reads Romans 12 at the Royal Wedding

I confess that I did not wake up early to watch the royal wedding. Nevertheless, I was curious to learn what Bible passages were quoted in the course of the ceremony.

The wedding featured a lengthy Scripture reading by the bride’s brother. (Watch the video above)

The passage James Middleton read is actually two sections from the same chapter in Romans: Romans 12:1-2,9-18, using the Revised Standard Version of the Bible. It’s a commonly cited passage for obvious reasons: it’s a powerful and moving exhortation to live lives characterized by love.

Here’s the full passage read at the wedding:

I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality.

Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight. Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all.

God will not give up on us: Romans 9-11

What have we learned from Romans 9-11? The main point Paul returns to in his sometimes tortuous discussion is this: when it comes to accomplishing salvation, everything is in God's hands – not in the hands of the church, nor in those of 'Israel. God will not give up on us. His promise of life is centered in the death and resurrection of his Son, Jesus Christ. He is the Deliverer from sin, death, and the power of the devil for Jew and Gentile alike. Perhaps no where in the Bible is it made more clear that a merciful God is orchestrating human history than it is here, at this specific point, in the book of Romans.

Below is Yale Divinity School Dean Harold W. Attridge and Professor Emeritus David L. Bartlett discussing The Letter of Paul to the Romans Chapters 9-11.

Elvis Presley - "Joshua Fought The Battle Of Jericho"

Unquestionably the best version of this classic. Many of us forget that Gospel music was very important to Elvis. There is no way your feet won't be tapping!

From Wikipedia:

The song is believed to have been composed by slaves in the first half of the nineteenth century. Early published versions include some parts in dialect, such as "fit" for "fought".

The lyrics allude to the biblical story of the Battle of Jericho, in which Joshua led the Israelites against Canaan (Joshua 6:15-21). However, like those of many other spirituals, the words had a hidden meaning alluding to eventual escape from slavery - in the case of this song, "And the walls came tumblin' down." The lively melody and rhythm also provided energy and inspiration. Critic Robert Cummings wrote: "The jaunty, spirited theme hardly sounds like the product of the pre-Civil War era, and would not sound out of place in a ragtime or even jazz musical from the early twentieth century. The closing portion of the tune, sung to the words quoted above, is its most memorable portion: the notes plunge emphatically and impart a glorious sense of collapse, of triumph."

Joshua Fit the Battle

Joshua fit the battle around Jericho
Jericho Jericho
Joshua fit the battle around Jericho
And the walls come tumbling down

God knows that
Joshua fit the battle around Jericho
Jericho Jericho
Joshua fit the battle around Jericho
And the walls come tumbling down

Good morning sister Mary
Good morning brother John
Well I wanna stop and talk with you
And tell you how I come along

I know you've heard about Joshua
He was the son of Nun
He never stopped his work until
Until the work was done

God knows that
Joshua fit the battle around Jericho
Jericho Jericho
Joshua fit the battle around Jericho
And the walls come tumbling down

You may talk about your men of Gideon
You may brag about your men of Saul
There's none like good old Joshua
At the battle of Jericho

Up to the walls of Jericho
He marched with spear in hand
Go blow them ram horns, Joshua cried
'Cause the battle is in my hands

God knows that
Joshua fit the battle around Jericho
Jericho Jericho
Joshua fit the battle around Jericho
And the walls come tumbling down

You may talk about your men of Gideon
You may brag about the King of Saul
There none like Joshua
At the battle of Jericho

They tell me, great God that Joshua's spear
Was well nigh twelve feet long
And upon his hip was a double edged sword
And his mouth was a gospel horn

Yet bold and brave he stood
Salvation in his hand
Go blow them ram horns Joshua cried
'Cause the devil can't do you no harm

God knows that
Joshua fit the battle around Jericho
Jericho Jericho
Joshua fit the battle of Jericho
And the walls come tumbling down

Up to the walls of Jericho
He marched with spear in hand
Go blow them ram horns, Joshua cried
'Cause the battle is in my hands

Then the lamb ram sheep horns began to blow
The trumpets began to sound
Old Joshua shouted glory
And the walls come tumblin' down

God knows that
Joshua fit the battle around Jericho
Jericho Jericho
Joshua fit the battle around Jericho
And the walls come tumbling down

Down, down, down, down, down
Tumblin' down

If God is for us, who can stand against us? - Romans 8

I'll begin this post with a remarkable youth project that involved 30 church young people reminding us of God's love by reciting Romans 8. (I wish I knew the church - it is Living Waters New Covenant Church but I could not determine its location fro I think it is herre in Tallahassee!)



And finish with an inspirational interpretation of today's reading:

Purdue Varsity Glee Club - Deuteronomy 32

Matthew Henry's commentary on Deuteronomy 32:3-6

"He is a Rock." This is the first time God is called so in Scripture. The expression denotes that the Divine power, faithfulness, and love, as revealed in Christ and the gospel, form a foundation which cannot be changed or moved, on which we may build our hopes of happiness. And under his protection we may find refuge from all our enemies, and in all our troubles; as the rocks in those countries sheltered from the burning rays of the sun, and from tempests, or were fortresses from the enemy. "His work is perfect:" that of redemption and salvation, in which there is a display of all the Divine perfection, complete in all its parts. All God's dealings with his creatures are regulated by wisdom which cannot err, and perfect justice. He is indeed just and right; he takes care that none shall lose by him. A high charge is exhibited against Israel. Even God's children have their spots, while in this imperfect state; for if we say we have no sin, no spot, we deceive ourselves. But the sin of Israel was not habitual, notorious, unrepented sin; which is a certain mark of the children of Satan. They were fools to forsake their mercies for lying vanities. All wilful sinners, especially sinners in Israel, are unwise and ungrateful."

Is God your 'Rock". Do you turn to Him to strengthen your foundation and follow His steadfast ledership? It is always easy to call upon God in times of need or distress, but we should daily lean on Him for his strength and wisdom.

Paul's Letter to the Romans: Chapters 7-8

Yale Divinity School Dean Harold W. Attridge and Professor Emeritus David L. Bartlett discuss The Letter of Paul to the Romans Chapters 7-8.

The conversation is part of the Yale Bible Study Series. The Series aims to engage educated lay audiences by offering the insights of biblical scholarship in a relaxed, informal, yet rigorous manner.



"For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord."

Psalm 34: Taste and see the goodness of the Lord

The story told in Psalm 34 is an interesting one. David had just slain Goliath that giant of a man who provoked Israel. Saul was King of Israel and became jealous of David's popularity and planned to kill him, so David fled to Gath, which was a Philistine city. Saul followed him there. The king of Gath was Abimelech, and he was not sympathetic to David. David became afraid. He should have trusted in the Lord, but he did not. Instead he made a plan of his own by trying to make Abimelech think that he was insane. Abimelech did not kill David because in those days they thought that it was wrong to kill someone insane. Abimelech sent David away and he went to a cave in Adullam, which was a few miles away. 400 people went to the camp that David made in Adullum. They were refugees from a difficult life in Judah. This story is told in I Samuel, chapters 21 and 22. In Psalm 34 David thanked God that he was safe. Here is a musical interpretation of the passage.

Redemption Song offered for inspiration

This version of "Redemption Song" was performed by artists around the world in honor of Bob Marley's birthday, and in support of justice, caring and redemption for the entire planet. For me, this song helps me rise above my past and move forward with love and hope. Lyrics are below. God bless, and enjoy:



Redemption Song
by Bob Marley

Old pirates, yes, they rob I
Sold I to the merchant ships
Minutes after they took I
From the bottomless pit
But my hand was made strong
By the hand of the almighty
We forward in this generation
Triumphantly
Won't you help to sing
These songs of freedom?
'Cause all I ever have
Redemption songs
Redemption songs

Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery
None but ourselves can free our minds
Have no fear for atomic energy
'Cause none of them can stop the time
How long shall they kill our prophets
While we stand aside and look? Ooh
Some say it's just a part of it
We've got to fullfil the book
Won't you help to sing
These songs of freedom?
'Cause all I ever have
Redemption songs
Redemption songs
Redemption songs

Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery
None but ourselves can free our mind
Woh, have no fear for atomic energy
'Cause none of them-a can-a stop-a the time
How long shall they kill our prophets
While we stand aside and look?
Yes, some say it's just a part of it
We've got to fullfill the book
Won't you help to sing
These songs of freedom?
'Cause all I ever had
Redemption songs
All I ever had
Redemption songs
These songs of freedom
Songs of freedom

Judge not lest you be judged. Romans 2

Romans is Paul's fullest, grandest, most comprehensive statement of the gospel. It's declarations of vast truths broaden our perspective and can help shape our lives. Chrysostom, generally considered the fifth century's greatest preacher (pictured to the left), had Romans read aloud once a week. Augustine, Luther and Wesley, three supremely significant contributors to the Christian heritage, all came to assured faith through the impact of Romans. All the reformers saw Romans as the God-given key to understanding all Scripture, since here Paul brings together all the Bible's greatest themes - sin, law, judgment, human destiny, faith, works, justification, sanctification, election, the plan of salvation, the work of Christ and of the Spirit, the Christian hope, the nature and life of the church, the place of Jew and non-Jew in the purposes of God, the philosophy of world history, the meaning and message of the Old Testament, the duties of Christian citizenship, and the principles of personal godliness and morality. From the vantage point given by Romans, the whole landscape of the Bible is open to view, and the relation of the parts to the whole becomes plain. At last there is a book of the Bible from which I can grow spiritually.

Here is Romans:2 sung word for word from the New International Version (NIV). Created as a bible memory tool by the artist, Greg Stultz, who offers it to God's people and to everyone to
whom God says "In the past God overlooked ignorance but now He commands all people everywhere to repent!"



We haven't heard from our friend Matthew Henry in a while. Here is his interpretation of these passages:

The Jews thought themselves a holy people, entitled to their privileges by right, while they were unthankful, rebellious, and unrighteous. But all who act thus, of every nation, age, and description, must be reminded that the judgment of God will be according to their real character. The case is so plain, that we may appeal to the sinner's own thoughts. In every wilful sin, there is contempt of the goodness of God. And though the branches of man's disobedience are very various, all spring from the same root. But in true repentance, there must be hatred of former sinfulness, from a change wrought in the state of the mind, which disposes it to choose the good and to refuse the evil. It shows also a sense of inward wretchedness. Such is the great change wrought in repentance, it is conversion, and is needed by every human being. The ruin of sinners is their walking after a hard and impenitent heart. Their sinful doings are expressed by the strong words, "treasuring up wrath." In the description of the just man, notice the full demand of the law. It demands that the motives shall be pure, and rejects all actions from earthly ambition or ends. In the description of the unrighteous, contention is held forth as the principle of all evil. The human will is in a state of enmity against God. Even Gentiles, who had not the written law, had that within, which directed them what to do by the light of nature. Conscience is a witness, and first or last will bear witness. As they kept or broke these natural laws and dictates, their consciences either acquitted or condemned them. Nothing speaks more terror to sinners, and more comfort to saints, than that Christ shall be the Judge. Secret services shall be rewarded, secret sins shall be then punished, and brought to light.matthew Henry

Lightening it up a bit with Mel Brooks as Moses

Acts 28 and a lot of unanswered questions.

In this conclusion to the Book of Acts, I am left puzzling over some unanswered questions. Here are a bunch of "whys".

• Why is there no account of Paul standing before Caesar?
• Why are there accounts of one rescue after another which enable Paul to get to Rome, and then in the final chapter of the book, we are not given any account of his trial, and particularly its outcome?
• Maybe Luke completed the book of Acts before these things happened. but...
• Why is there no great emphasis on Paul’s Gentile ministry (or ministry in general) in Rome?
• Why is there so much more emphasis on the shipwreck in chapter 27 and the beginning of chapter 28 than on Paul’s time in Rome in chapter 28?
• Why is there so much emphasis on Publius and his family, and yet none on Caesar?
• Why was it so important for Paul to reach Rome when there was already a church there?
• What did Paul’s visit to Rome accomplish?

As Luke draws the Book of Acts to a conclusion, he leaves a lot of our questions unanswered. Perhaps Luke intended to write yet another volume. What is the message to Luke’s early readers, and what is the message for us? What did we learn in our reading of this final chapter of Acts.

Psalm 33 interpreted by Greek Byzantine singer Nektaria Karantzi

Nektaria Karantzi is a Byzantine and traditional singer from Greece. She studied law at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, and also obtained a postgraduate degree in criminal law from the University of Athens. She is currently a doctoral candidate in criminal law at the University of Athens.

Then she discovered music - Byzantine music specifically. She holds a diploma in Byzantine music from the Byzantine School of Music. She is currently in training since 2003, under the renowned interpreter of traditional songs, Chronis Aidonidis. In addition, she has studied the piano and Western musical theory, and has also had voice training under the tutelage of Thanos Petrakis and Dina Goudioti.

In 2005, she participated with Chronis Aidonidis and Dimitris Verykios in an Easter television show titled He was grieved on the Hellenic TV channel in which she sang Byzantine hymns for the Holy Week. In 2008 she participated in the 6th Festival of Sacred Music in Patmos from which this rendition was taken. I speak no Byzantine Greek and I am pretty sure you don't either so just close your eyes and enjoy the beauty o a beautiful Psalm set to beautiful music:

Paul’s Trial Before King Agrippa. Acts 26

In Acts 26 we find the longest and most important of five speeches the apostle Paul made to defend himself and the gospel. Many charges had been leveled against Paul by the Jewish people, including the charges that he was against the law, against the temple, and against Caesar. Paul was imprisoned in Caesarea so that he could be tried on these charges. But the truth is, none of these charges was ever proven. Paul was innocent of these false charges; yet, because of politics, the Roman governors Felix and Festus did not set him free.

When Paul saw that he was not receiving justice at the hands of these governors, he appealed as a Roman citizen to Caesar Nero for an opportunity to defend himself in the court of Caesar. In Acts 25 we read that King Agrippa II and his sister Queen Bernice came to pay the new governor, Festus, a visit in Caesarea. While they were there, Festus consulted with King Agrippa II as to what he should write on the charge sheet to be sent to Rome with Paul. When Agrippa heard that Paul was there, he requested Paul be brought before him to make his case. Paul spoke to King Agrippa and his sister, Bernice.

Would any of us have the strength of our faith and our love of the Lord to stand up before a royal court and not only defend ourselves, but make every effort to convert to Christianity the very court before which we were being tried? Below is a good enactment of the trial:

Psalm 32. The beauty of God's forgiveness

Psalm 32 is a song that reaches back to the story of David and Bathsheba as recorded in Samuel 2:11. David committed adultery with Bathsheba and to cover up his crime he had Bathsheba's husband, Uriah the Hittite, sent to bloody battle where he was killed. This Psalm is about David's agony over what he had done and had tried to hide even from God.

Today's Psalm is all about the blessedness of God's forgiveness when we finally confesses our sins to God and are redeemed.



Psalm 32

1 Blessed is the one
whose transgressions are forgiven,
whose sins are covered.

2 Blessed is the one
whose sin the LORD does not count against them
and in whose spirit is no deceit.

3 When I kept silent,
my bones wasted away
through my groaning all day long.

4 For day and night
your hand was heavy on me;
my strength was sapped
as in the heat of summer.

5 Then I acknowledged my sin to you
and did not cover up my iniquity.
I said, “I will confess
my transgressions to the LORD.”
And you forgave
the guilt of my sin.

6 Therefore let all the faithful pray to you
while you may be found;
surely the rising of the mighty waters
will not reach them.

7 You are my hiding place;
you will protect me from trouble
and surround me with songs of deliverance.

8 I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go;
I will counsel you with my loving eye on you.

9 Do not be like the horse or the mule,
which have no understanding
but must be controlled by bit and bridle
or they will not come to you.

10 Many are the woes of the wicked,
but the LORD’s unfailing love
surrounds the one who trusts in him.

11 Rejoice in the LORD and be glad, you righteous;
sing, all you who are upright in heart!