Month: February 2018

Reflection on Genesis 17:1-16

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Genesis 17

Passage: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis+17.1-16

Scripture

“I will always keep the promise I have made to you and your descendants, because I am your God and their God.”

Observation

When Abram is 99 years old, the Lord again appears to him. He promises to give him many descendants. Abram will be the father of many nations and is now to be called Abraham.

The Lord promises to keep His promises to Abraham and his descendants. As a response to this , every male- man, boy and even slaves- is to be circumcised. Future baby boys are to be circumcised on their eighth day.

Sarai is be called Sarah. She will bear a child and will become the mother of nations.

Application

God always keeps His promises. This is a fact that can give us hope in the darkest times.

God is faithful even when we are not. He keeps His promises to us and to our children.

We need to be careful that we heed the conditions of the promises. We often overlook the “If” and jump straight to the “I will…”

We must also learn to be patient when we claim God’s promises. He does things at the right time, not at our time. There is a 13 year gap between Genesis 16 and Genesis 17. Abraham was 100 years old when the son of promise was born.

When we think it’s too late, taking too long, past its “use by” date or just simply impossible, that is when God steps in.

God always keeps His promises. When we go off track, He coaxes us back in. When we give up hope, He gives us a glimmer of revelation to restore hope.

The only thing needed on our part is to stay faithful. God is faithful to His promise. We must remain faithful to Him.

Prayer

Thank you Lord that you always keep your promises. Even when we think we have missed it, nothing is too hard for you. Amen.

The Great Barnaby Joyce Outrage- He’s Not Gay

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Barnaby-Joyce-baby-620x399

So the great posturing over Barnaby Joyce’s great sin has been going on for a week. As far as I can tell his greatest moral failing seems to be being Barnaby Joyce.

Also he is not gay or gender diverse. What would the reaction be if his lover was actually a man or a non-binary person of no gender distinctiveness? He would be applauded for his “courage” and progressiveness. “Love is love” they would say. We know that because it has happened dozens of times in the past- although obviously not to Barnaby. Nobody offers fake sympathy to the abandoned wife and children because the person is being true to themselves etc.

I’m not sure what the Opposition is getting upset about because every day it’s something different.

Is the problem that it was a staff member? Or that he found her a different position in somebody else’s office after the affair started? Or that he declared that he was receiving an apartment in Armidale rent free? Or that he opposed gay “marriage” and now it’s payback time?

My position is that everyone who leaves his or her spouse for a more appealing (usually younger) model is a creep. Everyone who breaks their marriage vows and has a sexual relationship with anyone other than their spouse is a creep.

If being a creep disqualified a person from high office we would have nobody in Parliament.

 

Reflection on Mark 1:9-15

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Satan-Tempts-Jesus-GettyImages-463967715-5808f7b65f9b58564c318113

Passage: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark+1.9-15

Scripture

Straight away God’s Spirit made Jesus go into the wilderness.

Observation

Jesus is baptised by John. The Holy Spirit comes down on Him in the form of a dove, and the Father announces, “You are my dear Son, and I am pleased with you.”

Straight away the Spirit drives Jesus into the wilderness to be tested by satan for 40 days.

After this, Jesus commences preaching all through Galilee.

Application

Mark’s account of three separate incidents marking the beginning of Jesus’ ministry is very light in detail. He uses words like “straight away” and “immediately” to convey the sense that things are happening quickly. The coming of Jesus into the world is a catalyst that speeds everything up.

In the middle of this, Jesus goes into the desert or wilderness, driven by the Holy Spirit, in order to be tested by satan.

Being in the wilderness is no fun at all. It seems like the Lord is doing really exciting things; it’s all happening with conversions and miracles; and then nothing.

The test of the wilderness experience is this- will I stay faithful to God even when He seems distant, and there is nothing good happening?

The other gospels tell us the natures of the temptations by satan. They all come down to the enticement of making things happen by self-will rather than walking in obedience to the Father.

My worth as a follower of Jesus is not in my achievements for Him. He loves me even when I fail to perform well on Sunday morning, or when I don’t pray enough. He even continues to love me when I abandon His plans for my life.

Coming through the wilderness experience means hanging onto Jesus as if He is the most important thing in my life.

Prayer

Thank you Lord for the tough times. Even though I hate them I know that you use them to take me deeper with you. Amen.

Reflection on 1 Peter 3:18-22

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baptism.jpg

Passage: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Peter+3.18-22

Scripture

Those flood waters were like baptism that now saves you. Baptism is more than just washing your body. It means turning to God with a clear conscience because Jesus Christ was raised from death.

Observation

Christ died for our sins, an innocent person dying for the guilty. He did this in order to bring us to God.

Christ preached to the spirits in prison. These were the people who disobeyed God while Noah was building the ark.

The flood of Noah’s time was like baptism, in which God brings us safely to new life in Christ.

Application

Baptism, Peter tells us, is similar to Noah’s flood. We go through the water, dying to our old nature, and Christ brings us through to new life in Him.

Baptism is about death and life rather than cleansing the body. When we go under the water, it is as if we drown the sinful nature. We are lifted out of death to be united with Christ who reigns over all things.

In many Muslim countries where the punishment for apostasy from Islam can be death, the persecution of new christians often only starts after they are baptised. These people see that baptism is, in a sense, a cutting off the past life and an attachment to the new life in Christ.

While baptism in itself does not save us- only faith in Christ can do that- it imparts a great spiritual power that releases the believer to live the christian life.

Prayer

Thank you, Lord, for the gift of water baptism and its representation of the new birth in Christ. Thank you for setting me free from sin and death. Amen.

Reflection on Genesis 9:8-17

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noah.jpeg

Passage: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis+9.8-17

Scripture

“I promise every living creature that the earth and those living on it will never again be destroyed by a flood.”

Observation

After Noah and his family emerge from the ark to a literally new world, the Lord makes a covenant with Noah.

The promise is that the Lord will never again send a world-wide flood to destroy all life. The rainbow will be the sign of this promise- both to the Lord and to Noah.

Application

We are not told of the emotional impact of the flood on Noah and his family. Seeing the destruction of every person and every creature in the world, apart from those on the ark must have been extremely distressing.

Now the Lord makes that promise to never again destroy the world by flood. The rainbow would be the sign of this promise.

The promise, together with the “reminder” of the rainbow, was a source of hope for Noah’s family as they set about living as the only inhabitants on the planet. None of them would have to go through such an ordeal again.

God doesn’t guarantee us freedom from tribulation. He does give us reminders of His love and signs for hope. Even in the darkest times of our lives we can look at a rainbow and find hope, or remember the other promises that God has given us.

Prayer

You Lord are the Father of all hope. Help me to trust you in the dark times of my life. Amen.

Sea Anemone Eats Bird

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You are here: Home › Blog › Anemone eats bird

Anemone eats bird

By Leonard Ho – Posted Feb 09, 2018 09:00 AM
We all know anemones can ensnare fishes, crabs, shrimps, snails, and most any organism that ventures too close to their deadly tentacles. But birds? There’s actually footage and scientific documentation of this phenomenon.

Scientists reported a Giant Green Anemone (Anthopleura xanthogrammica) consuming a nestling cormorant (Phalacrocorax sp.) in the journal, Marine Ornithology.  It is unclear whether the baby bird was alive or dead when it was captured by the anemone.  Either way, it’s certainly an unforgettable visual.

Author: Leonard Ho 
Location: Southern California

I’m a passionate aquarist of over 30 years, a coral reef lover, and the blog editor for Advanced Aquarist. While aquarium gadgets interest me, it’s really livestock (especially fish), artistry of aquariums, and “method behind the madness” processes that captivate my attention.

Website: http://www.advancedaquarist.com.

 
 
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