The Better Part, Week #41

 

This week's FB posts...

The Better Part, day # 205:

 

I don't remember why it was, I was thinking today about Peter's third denial, and Jesus catching his eye from the court. But I remember thinking about Jesus' emotions at the time. Was He surprised? I thought, and answered myself, no, He predicted it. He knew all along Peter would betray Him with that sin. And, He knew how and how many times that I would betray Him, too- and still died for the both of us. What wondrous, beyond my ability to comprehend, love...

 

 

 

The Better Part, Day # 206:

 

 

It was mentioned in a message I heard the other day how these newborn faithful ones that Jesus healed always were given something to do: "Tell no one", "Tell your city", "Pick up your mat", etc- small things to start them on the journey. And it struck me that there were two groups Jesus asked to do the near impossible. One were His disciples ("Walk on the water", "Feed the 5,000") who knew nothing was impossible for faith; the other were the not- quite believers ("Sell all you have"), who needed to do something to acquire faith.

 

 

 

The Better Part, Day # 207:

 

Mat 24:23 Then if anyone says to you, 'Look, here is the Christ!' or 'There he is!' do not believe it.

Mat 24:24 For false christs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect.

Mat 24:25 See, I have told you beforehand. 

 

 

It struck me as I listened to David Jeremiah talk about the parts of Revelation that seemed impossible just ten years ago that seem so possible now, that this passage should be a call to immediate prayer. I saw through some incidents today- The signs aren't going to be in neon. They are going to be so subtle, we could already be prepped and ready to be fooled and not even know it. Reminding me of another of Jesus's warnings...

 

 

Mat 10:16 "Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves..."

 

 

Lord, increase my discernment as the day draws near. I want to be close to You and looking at You, not in the wrong direction.

 

 

 

The Better Part, Day #208:

 

 

This week, the last issue of Immortal Hulk came out. Whether the author intended or not, it was an interesting look at a Christian journey. In #1, both the Hulk and Banner had come to a decision that the only way to save humanity was to destroy it all and start over. On the way, Banner had to come to face many sides of his own personality (which appeared as various Hulks, because it's a comic!), and finally came up against a version of Satan, the One Below All, who was using the Hulks for destruction. But it was the childlike Hulk (the "Guilt Hulk") that finally cried out, "Why is Hulk so broken? Why does there have to be a Hulk at all?"

 

 That's when the Marvel version of "God", the One Above All, appears, and tries to explain it. The "Joe Fixit" Hulk (think 'unrepentant sinner') rejects the explanation and tries to move on, but the 'Guilt Hulk' won't leave before he forgives his worst enemy, because, "Little Head is Hulk too... and shouldn't Hulks forgive Hulks? Because if they don't who will?" At this point, the 'Fixit' Hulk realizes all of his sins, and asks a friend who his actions had harmed for forgiveness, and they are then rescued from the Below Place (basically Hell). At the end, Banner, now a complete being, muses on the good of the people that helped him, and the good he now wants to accomplish, ending by looking into the sun (drawn similarly to the One Above All) and says, "What do you think?"

 

 

 

The Better Part, Day # 209:

 

 

Psa 90:9 For all our days pass away under your wrath; we bring our years to an end like a sigh.

Psa 90:10 The years of our life are seventy, or even by reason of strength eighty; yet their span is but toil and trouble; they are soon gone, and we fly away.

Psa 90:11 Who considers the power of your anger, and your wrath according to the fear of you?

Psa 90:12 So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom. 

 

 

Did you ever consider, in this Psalm of Moses, that by his own words, he must have been in his seventies when he wrote it- and he was just about to lead the people for 40 years? You never know what God has in store for you.