Writings Inspired by Bible Reading !

                     "INTRODUCTION"
    Often times, while reading the Bible, I begin to mull things over
  in my little mind. The writings I will be placing on this page are
  some of the results of those mullings.
    I mainly read the King James Version, which I feel is probably the
  best all around translation and the most reliable. But I also have
  copies of most other English translations, which I will often refer
  to if I come upon a confusing passage, since I know that all
  "confusion" in the Bible is the result of man's feeble efforts to
  get God's inspiration down onto paper. Now there are vague places in
  the Bible, which I think are there so we have to look to our our own
  hearts and HIS word that is written there.
    I hope that these writings are a combination of both God's
  printed word, and the words written in my heart by Him.
    I'll close this introduction with a Prayer:

       Sweetest Jesus,--Please guide me here to find those things you
                      want me to grow from, and help me to share those
                      things so they will glorify your name and your
                      works.
                        And please, help me keep my vanity in check,
                      so that it will not taint these things that I
                      want to do in your service.
                        I ask this and so much more in your Holy Name.
                                                      
                                                             -Amen

           "Haggai 1:5-6"                                    7/15/98 

    "Now therefore thus saith the Lord of hosts;
    Consider your ways. Ye have sown much, and bring in little;
                        ye eat, but ye have not enough;
                        ye drink, but ye are not filled with drink;
                        ye clothe you, but there is none warm;
                        and he that earneth wages earneth wages to
                        put it into a bag with holes."

    I read this passage in my KJV the other day, and it stuck in my
  mind and sort of grew there.
    I think that people coming, or returning, to the Lord a little
  later in life, like myself, can probably identify with those being
  spoken to in this passage. I know that it struck awfully close to
  my life. And served to sharply remind me of why I came back home
  to God.
    Taking the passage point-by-point; Sown- seems to usually denote
  things begun, I well know that in my life there have been so many
  good beginnings, that never bore any fruit. I also come to realize
  that those beginnings were not of Godly things and as such they
  were destined to serve me as lessons on my way home. And that only
  Through God can we bear a good and plentious harvest.
    Second point; Eat- most often strikes me as a reference to
  knowledge and it's "injesting" into our lives, either good or bad.
  All my life I have hungered after knowledge of all sorts, but I
  always retained a sort of achy empty spot that Nothing would even
  start to satisfy, that is until I began to return to the source of
  the best knowledge, the Bible. Now that place though still hungry,
  but that ache is now a sense of growing satisfaction.
    Third point; Drink- to me drink often points to a gaining of inner
  peace, a peace in the Soul. We all seek peace for our selves, in a 
  multitude of ways, and in alot of different forms. But until we
  drink from the cup that Jesus layed out for us, we can never hope
  to acquire a lasting, true Peace, that can replace all our inner
  struggles.
    Point four; Clothe- feels, to me, like a way to visualize
  protection, our insulation from the harsh elements of the world us.
  Again we find a multitude of ways to "protect" ourselves, and yet
  we remain so open to temptation, and pain.  Until we will allow our-
  selves fall into God's spacious strong arms, we can never know the
  feeling of safety, strength, andwarmth that is so close to us.
    Fifth point; Wages- this is the point that sort of slapped me in
  the face and woke me up. It struck me as all too literal. I have
  struggled so hard to earn my wage, like most everyone, only to be
  left with nothing to show for it, not even a sense of accomplishment.
  I lived long with that purse full of holes, the bills pile up faster
  than the wages and the money flies away. Now there comes to me a
  realization that I need to use what I can afford to help others,
  either directly, or through the works of charitible organizations
  like our Churches, and this may mend some of the holes in my purse.
  Bearing in mind the New Testiment call to cast our bread upon the
  waters (our time, talents, money...), also bearing in mind that our
  ten-fold return may well not come payable in this lifetime. For the
  only lasting treasures are laid up not on earth, but are held in the
  trustworthy stewardship of the Trinity.


    So I will add my feeble voice to the Lord's, and beg you, as your
  brother, to-- "Consider Your Ways!".   


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