Monthly Archives: March 2008

Betta Fish

Posted on by
2

Yesterday, Eliza, Krystiana and I bought some Betta Fish Along with some stuff to make them happy.  They really are beautiful and are supposed to be ultra-low-maintenance creatures. 

Their biggest claim to fame is that they like to fight.  In fact, one should never keep two male Bettas together in one tank, because without adequate space – like anywhere other than in the wild- they will almost certainly fight until one dies.  We have ours in two separate fish bowls next to one another and they almost constantly swim near that side adjacent to the other, looking at one another through the glass.  No doubt if they were together a battle would begin immediately.

There’s a lesson in this somewhere, but I’m still not sure what it is.

Betta Fish Site

Palmer St. Podcast: John 8

Posted on by
Reply

 

This chapter starts with the story of Jesus and the woman caught in adultery.  After that we’ll see an important discussion that includes major statements like the following:

  • I am the light of the world.
  • If you do not believe that I am He you will die in your sins.
  • If anyone keeps My word he shall never see death.
  • Before Abraham was, I AM.

Audio: John08.mp3 

Notes: John08.pdf

Putting the Past Behind Us

Posted on by
Reply

When the Lord brought the Israelites over the Jordan and into the Promised Land, He instructed them to set up a memorial.  They were to take twelve stones, one for each tribe, from the midst of the Jordan and set them up as a reminder on the side to which they were crossing.

And those twelve stones which they took out of the Jordan, Joshua set up in Gilgal. Then he spoke to the children of Israel, saying: “When your children ask their fathers in time to come, saying, ‘What are these stones?’ then you shall let your children know, saying, ‘Israel crossed over this Jordan on dry land’; for the Lord your God dried up the waters of the Jordan before you until you had crossed over, as the Lord your God did to the Red Sea, which He dried up before us until we had crossed over, that all the peoples of the earth may know the hand of the Lord, that it is mighty, that you may fear the Lord your God forever.” – Joshua 4:20-24 (NKJV)

With slavery to sin and some major struggles behind us, we are free to enter the new life of faith.  New battles await us.  New victories need to be won.  We need not, in fact we dare not, go back to Egypt or to wandering in the wilderness. 

The Israelites arrived in the land only by God’s power.  But it would take just as much faith in Him to stay there.  In the same way, the Lord brings us by faith into a victorious Christian life of faith.  We dare not return to fight the battles of the past.

Who We Were, Are and Shall Be

Posted on by
Reply

Our transformation gives us much to be thankful for and even more to think about.  Our very nature has been changed.  When we received new life in Christ it was a life that was really, well, new.  Thus, we are no longer those same old people.  Here are two passages that explain what happened and is to happen still:

And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others.”  – Ephesians 2:1-3 (NKJV)

So that’s who we used to be.  And now, what?

Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him. Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.”  – 1 John 3:1-3 (NKJV)