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I've been listening to Pastor Joe Focht from Calvary Chapel Philadelphia on my smart phone. He goes verse by verse and the whole bible is available on the app or website. I have found that listening to the Word of God explained in the car is much better than talk radio! See the link below.
- dr joe
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Food for Thought...
I believe our nation is headed for very hard, even disastrous times. I do not believe politics will fix our economy - it's too far gone - too much debt to ever pay back. We depend completely on our fragile technological infrastructure for food, water, shelter, transportation, and entertainment. Any number of events could cause a sudden collapse of our system e.g., electric grid collapse from terrorism, natural event like solar flare, simple breakdown from lack of modernization, or Israel attacks Iran and the price of oil skyrockets, or China stops buying our treasury bonds. I am feeling called to prepare for such disaster by working to be less dependent and more self-sufficient. If you have interest in or questions about this line of thinking, please e-mail me by replying to this e-mail. Below are some of my favorite links:
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Luke 12:15-21
15Then he said to them, "Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions."
16And he told them this parable: "The ground of a certain rich man yielded an abundant harvest.17He thought to himself, 'What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.'
18"Then he said, 'This is what I'll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store my surplus grain.19And I'll say to myself, "You have plenty of grain laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry." '
20"But God said to him, 'You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?'
21"This is how it will be with whoever stores up things for themselves but is not rich toward God."
Jesus says that the good life has nothing to do with being wealthy, so be on guard against greed (desire for what we don't have). This is the exact opposite of what society usually says. Advertisers spend millions of dollars to entice us to think that if we buy more and more of their products, we will be happier, more fulfilled, more comfortable. How do you respond to the constant pressure to buy? Learn to tune out expensive enticements and concentrate instead on the truly good life-living in a relationship with God and doing his work.
Verse and commentary above and below in this color is copied from the Life Application Study Bible Reading Plan on YouVersion. Check it out at: http://www.youversion.com/ .
Any Dr JOE comments will be in BLUE :0)
Acts 20:13-12
33 I have not coveted anyone's silver or gold or clothing. 34 You yourselves know that these hands of mine have supplied my own needs and the needs of my companions.
Paul had learned to be a tent maker - many lived in tents at that time - and at various times he supported himself and his ministry this way. There were other places he went where he mainly ministered and was supported by others. We are all called to minister in different ways at different times. If you are not sure how God wants you to serve Him, ask Him and go about your business. He will use you if you are available to Him. 35 In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.' "
Ok, so I really like receiving. And... I don't necessarily "like" giving. But, I totally know and have experienced the blessings of God through giving.
36When Paul had finished speaking, he knelt down with all of them and prayed. 37They all wept as they embraced him and kissed him.
38 What grieved them most was his statement that they would never see his face again. Then they accompanied him to the ship.
Paul was tough as nails, but he must have had a tender side for them to be so torn up about him leaving. I know people, my wife for one, that just have a gift for letting the Love of Jesus flow through them. They feed our souls. God provides people and situations that feed us with His Love. He also puts us in situations where we must be the conduit. That can be taxing emotionally, but also very rewarding.
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Questions?
Please email me with any questions about today's scripture message or anything related to the Bible or Christianity.
I might not know the answer but I'll try real hard to find it.
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