our blog

I realized over the weekend that I may have the most boring blog in the world. I’m going to try to remedy this. I’ll post a couple of ideas that I have for spicing it up. Let me know if any resonate with you:

Exciting idea #1:

pictures of cute animals

• 22:1-12 – wedding garments were offered by the king’s staff to anyone who could not afford one.  this man had no excuse.
• 22:30 – in resurrection, people will be made like angels.
• 23:16 – research – swearing oaths.
• 24:15 – read Daniel: “abomination of desolation”
• 24:24 – false Christs gather a crowd…
• 24:28 – wherever the corpse is – there the vultures will gather.
• 24:51 – cut him into pieces
• 25:16 – 100 years worth of wages…doubled (2.5mil?)

could 3G be right around the corner?

Ready for the triumphal entry and holy week!

• 11:23 – Genesis
• 12:20 – “until he brings justice to victory” [Isaiah 42:1-3]
• 12:32 – speaking word against Jesus is forgivable but speaking word against the Holy Spirit is not.
• 12:36-37 – the words we choose are very important.
• 12:2 – who is the queen of the South?  Could it be…Hillary?
• 13:41-43 – why righteousness is so important.
• 14:13 – people followed Jesus even more after John the Baptist was dead.
• 15:4-6 – where are we guilty of this same thing.
• 17:4 – tents are significant entities in the Bible.
• 17:27 – sometimes you just have to play the game.
• 18:8 – teach your children well
• 18:15 – if he “sins against you”, not “if he gets on your nerves.”
• 19:11-30 – the hardest passage yet in the iPhone quandary?*

It’s Friday morning and I’m reading at the 334 gas station across from the rental house.  The house is full of boxes because it looks like we’ll be moving to our new house early next week.  I’m very excited about the new place, but I will miss this gas station.  The people are nice and they know that Sarah likes chocolate peanut butter ice cream before she even orders it.

On to the reading:

• 1:2 – Jesus comes through Judah’s line – that’s why Genesis 49:9-15 is so important – especially the part about the donkey’s colt.
• 1:5-6 – Rahab was King David’s great-grandmother
• 2:6 – Bethlehem – another Genesis throwback.
• 2:18 – Genesis again.
• 3:9 – Genesis
• 4:18 – Jesus calls his first disciples even before he does his first miracles.
• 5:13-16 – Giving his people their purpose by restoring their identity.
• 5:17-20 – Did some people think the Messiah would abolish the Law, or was he just heading off their future doubts/concerns?
• 5:21-25 – should we put that on our online giving page?
• 6:1 – Am I missing something by blogging about my journey through the scriptures?  Define: “practicing righteousness.”  Does that mean all good deeds, spiritual matters or simply giving to the poor/community?
• 6:14-15 – it’s time to forgive.
• 6:24 – mammon=iPhone?
• 7:15 – not only do they  look innocent – but they look like one of YOU.
• 8:11-12 – many outsiders will be brought to the table – many on the inside will be thrown out.  That’s what will cause the gnashing of teeth (search for more instances of that phrase).
• 9:8 – Praise for Emmanuel
• 9:23 – Jesus busted up a funeral
• 10:3 – Matthew is the only one who names his profession in the list (and it’s deplorable – 9:11)
• 10:8 – you received without paying – now give without pay.
• 10:18 – preach to the jews (10:5-6) and the gentiles will hear.

On my journey through the Bible, I’ve decided to skip around a little bit.  Genesis was great.  The stories are mysterious and funny and captivating.  They tell the story of a very faithful God and a semi-faithful people.  It’s like a soap opera.

Before Exodus, however, I’m skipping over to read Matthew and John because it is two days before Palm Sunday here in Oxford and I figure that those chapters will not only add to my Easter experience, but the season all around will add to my reading as well.

I may skip around again later, too, when I get to Psalms.  I may break them up with the minor prophets.  I’m a wild man.

Also, I’m already finding a great deal of parallels between Matthew and Genesis.  Pretty interesting.

• 48:7 – Rachel buried at Bethlehem
• 48:22 – Israel gives Joseph Shechem when he dies.
• 49:11 – Prophesy – very interesting!
• 50:3 – Egyptians wept for 70 days over Jacob’s death.

great blog post in light of the current national political scene:

http://blog.beliefnet.com/godspolitics/2008/02/i-love-my-name-by-omar-alrikab.html

Here’s a quote:

Not too long ago, I was given the opportunity to preach in a Baptist church in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Before the service started I was introduced to the senior pastor. “Hello,” I told him, “my name is Omar and I’ll be doing the preaching tonight.” As he shook my hand, he pulled me close and asked loudly with his southern drawl, “Omar? You’re not a terrorist are you?”

I have to admit that this was not the first time my Muslim name was taken as a suggestion that I was “one of them.” By “them” I mean “the enemy.” The politics and preaching of fear saturates us. Representative Keith Ellison, the Muslim congressman from Minnesota, had to endure talk show host Glenn Beck’s ridiculous questions about his loyalty to “the enemy.” And now Senator Barack Obama is under attack because his middle name is Hussein.

Click the link above to continue reading.

Omar’s blog: www.firstbornstories.com

great blog post in light of the current national political scene:

http://blog.beliefnet.com/godspolitics/2008/02/i-love-my-name-by-omar-alrikab.html

Here’s a quote:

Not too long ago, I was given the opportunity to preach in a Baptist church in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Before the service started I was introduced to the senior pastor. “Hello,” I told him, “my name is Omar and I’ll be doing the preaching tonight.” As he shook my hand, he pulled me close and asked loudly with his southern drawl, “Omar? You’re not a terrorist are you?”

I have to admit that this was not the first time my Muslim name was taken as a suggestion that I was “one of them.” By “them” I mean “the enemy.” The politics and preaching of fear saturates us. Representative Keith Ellison, the Muslim congressman from Minnesota, had to endure talk show host Glenn Beck’s ridiculous questions about his loyalty to “the enemy.” And now Senator Barack Obama is under attack because his middle name is Hussein.

Click the link above to continue reading.

Omar’s blog: www.firstbornstories.com