2 Peter 2:17-22 – Are You Disgusted Yet?

Read 2 Peter 2:17-22

Dissociation and disgust may be what Peter is going for when he uses the dramatic example of dog vomit. If you’ve ever had a pet, you have probably been grossed out by this phenomenon. Peter uses this and other proverbs in today’s reading to help us appreciate the serious dangers of false teachers among us.

Peter’s fear was that if we go astray and listen to these teachers, we’ll never return to God. Their lure is enticing. It’s up to us to have the discernment and boldness to be strong in our faith. There is a lot of truth in Peter’s statement: you are a slave to whatever controls you.” Think about that for a moment. What are you being controlled by?

Continue reading “2 Peter 2:17-22 – Are You Disgusted Yet?”

1 Samuel 19:11-17 – The Deception

Read 1 Samuel 19:11-17

Saul just lost another of his children to the David camp (so to speak)! What do we make of Saul’s obsession? Can you in any way relate to how preoccupied Saul is with planning for David’s demise? I love to plan things as much as the next guy, but usually for things that benefit others or are for enjoyment of some kind. I can go overboard sometimes in the planning. I get being OVERLY focused on something.

This tormenting spirit hounding Saul isn’t helping. I’ve been thinking about how God is either sending this spirit, because verse 10 refers to “a tormenting spirit from God,” or God is allowing the spirit to create chaos within Saul. Once a respected king, Saul is becoming a bit of a spectacle.

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Ruth 1:19-22 – Limiting Beliefs

Read Ruth 1:19-22

We can all remember seeing an old friend after many years. Maybe it was at a class reunion, maybe at the local coffee shop, or even at your children’s ball game. If you’re like me, it always feels good to see old friends. The years often evaporate as you’re catching up. Here, Naomi doesn’t seem especially happy to see her friends, despite their eagerness to see her.

The cultural understanding here would be that names are supposed to be a reflection of character. For example, if our name was “HAPPY,”  it would be assumed we were indeed, “happy.” It’s not clear to me what the name Naomi would suggest, but she definitely preferred “Mara” because it meant “empty.” Naomi had lost her two boys and her husband. Imagine that! She had every right to feel lonely and empty. Continue reading “Ruth 1:19-22 – Limiting Beliefs”

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