Valentine’s Day…. a day that strikes fear in the heart of men everywhere as they try to not be “the guy” who forgets or who buys “that gift”.
The Japanese have a tradition on February 14 that is much different than our American tradition. On Valentines in Japan, the women buy the men chocolate and the men don’t have to buy anything.
Abraham was dead, Sarah had passed away years before… and Isaac was the new patriarch. It’s interesting in reading the story of Abraham and Isaac that just following the burial account of Abraham, we see into the life of Isaac and what he does next. Look at the verses in Genesis 26:18-25.
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18 Isaac reopened the wells that had been dug in the time of his father Abraham, which the Philistines had stopped up after Abraham died, and he gave them the same names his father had given them.
19 Isaac’s servants dug in the valley and discovered a well of fresh water there.20 But the herdsmen of Gerar quarreled with Isaac’s herdsmen and said, “The water is ours!” So he named the well Esek, because they disputed with him.
21 Then they dug another well, but they quarreled over that one also; so he named it Sitnah.22 He moved on from there and dug another well, and no one quarreled over it. He named it Rehoboth, saying, “Now the Lord has given us room and we will flourish in the land.”
23 From there he went up to Beersheba.24 That night the Lord appeared to him and said, “I am the God of your father Abraham. Do not be afraid, for I am with you; I will bless you and will increase the number of your descendants for the sake of my servant Abraham.”
25 Isaac built an altar there and called on the name of the Lord.
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Job 12:5 Those who are comfortable don’t care that others have trouble;
they think it right that those people should have troubles.
It struck me this morning just how much like Job’s friends I have been over the years… There’s a deep seeded belief system in so many of us that wants to explain suffering and pain in the most simple and complete way and often in the process, we blatantly yet unconsciously exhibit the very same condescending feelings to suffering people around us just as Job’s “friends” did.
The reality is that if we live long enough… pain and suffering will be part of our life journey… Is pain or suffering often a result of sinful choices? Sometimes… but to categorically place suffering in this limited perspective leaves us with a simple answer… but not an answer that can be applied in all situations. Bad things happen to good people… people who haven’t blatantly sinned or rejected God… people like you and me…
I’m trying a new Bible reading plan this year from youversion.com. Youversion is a website that is being developed by lifechurch.tv and it’s whole purpose is to create tools and resources to help us grow spiritually. There are dozens of translations of the Bible available. I’ve seen about 20 different Bible reading plans… there’s a place to create your own profile, track your progress, join groups and friends, journal, and even contribute your own comments about Scripture you are reading. Best of all, it’s completely free, and the information is synced and can be accessed through the internet, your iphone, blackberry, or mobile web phone.
I’ve encouraged our Journeys small group to join this site and already this week, 7 have joined and have started using the resources…
I recommend you go to the site now and start using the resources…
Our group is using the Chronoogical Bible Reading Plan… You can find our group by searching using the keyword Journeys, Our church also has a group named The Assembly at Broken Arrow. This resource works well with the new spiritual growth plan that we just started as a church… let’s keep growing spiritually in this new decade…
Christmas 2009
The Simons would like to wish you and your family a Merry Christmas. We hope you have an amazing holiday with your family and friends as you remember and celebrate the birth of our Savior. This Christmas season we had the joy and privilege of having Jean-nette Schwartz join our family as she continues to recover from her recent fall… We’ve adopted her in our family… and we felt it fitting to include her in our family picture this year. Merry Christmas!
Click on the link below to hear one of our families favorite Christmas songs…Barry is on flugelhorn… One last time for the holiday…
2405 S. 15th St Broken Arrow, Oklahoma 74012 barry@pastorbarry.com