Parts of Speaking Publishing

What is going on here? Paul extols the extent of God’s grace—let’s keep in mind it is to billions, not just the everlasting “ME,” so multiply the grace one has received (whether realized or not) times infinity. So why would we discount grace by sinning? And what kind of sin does he mean? Is it me getting distracted this morning by my husband's complaints and delaying my Bible study? I don’t think so. That is "modern middle-class evangelical Christian in Georgia Bible belt" sin. It is informed by hundreds of years of morning devotions being touted as the highest spirituality.  Real sin is first the sin of unbelief, which is always the first sin. Then despair, fear, at what we face in the world—that Paul's audience did, in Rome in 50 AD or so under nutsy, evil emperors. It’s falling back into the paganism. It’s materialism and ingenerosity and lying to God. We modern evangelicals can control our sexuality, perhaps, but the materialism is something we take for granted. ...

 Abraham’s faith was about what? That he would be the father of many? That his wife would have a child despite the facts of her age? That he would follow the only God rather than pagan gods? All—was it a package? He believed God and it was credited to him as righteousness. He believed God in all three, perhaps? “ Therefore it is of faith that it might be according to grace.” My husband learned this morning that Abraham did not walk through the cut animals; only God did. That is the grace. S o what is the point for me? Well, any vestige I had of my being and my actions and “works” as being meritorious should be gone by now. I should give my husband some grace. My Lord gave us so much. I should just listen patiently. What I don’t like is when he “pounces” on something I say in good faith and criticizes it, and when he call everything “evil” that he doesn’t like. I will relay his need to see the beauty and good, not the evil, immediately or by default, which ...

" God loves us, all of us, evil will not prevail. We are all in the hands of God. Without fear, united, hand in hand with God and among ourselves, we will go forward. We are disciples of Christ, Christ goes before us, and the world needs his light. Humanity needs him like a bridge to reach God and his love. You help us to build bridges with dialogue and encounter so we can all be one people always in peace." The new pope, Leo XIV (24th, for those who struggle with outdated Roman numerals, and I'm not sure why we still use them, except that the Pope lives in Rome!)  I agree with his spirit, but "Humanity needs Christ like a bridge to reach God and his love" is perhaps ill chosen. He is more than "like a bridge."  Good information found here:   https://thedispatch.com/newsletter/dispatch-faith/pope-leo-xiv-catholic-church-pope-leo-xiii/?utm_source=ActiveCampaign&utm_medium=email&utm_content=Pope%20Leo%20XIV%20and%20a%20New%20Age%20of%20%20New%20T...

What do we know about Ruth? List ten things you know about Ruth’s story. Setting: About 1100 or 1150 BC. Read chapter 1. Ruth is a Moabitess—not a good heritage. Why did Naomi and husband go there? What was their situation (they had land in Israel)? How is this tied to prophecy and Jesus? Genesis 49:8 Micah 5:2 I Chronicles 4:4 Why were they so poor? Why is Naomi bitter? No man. If Israel had been following the law, this would have been different, but individual and social bad choices hurt them. We shouldn’t judge Orpah. She did the reasonable thing to do; Ruth did the faith thing. Chapter 2 Why did Naomi tell Ruth to do that? (lie at Boaz’ feet when sleeping?) Hosea 9:1. Ruth 3:9. She was asking for him to redeem them. She is humble, not seductive, but it does imply she is willing to marry. Love was not the main thing to marriage in this case. What was Boaz’s role? (not levirate marriage, at least not mainly, Deut. 25:5-10) T...

  I’m down to three weeks of work. June 1 I am unemployed, at least for a while. People ask me what I am going to do. Rest and read books and get used to the idea of no stress from DSC and students. It hit me the other day when I turned in my last set of grades that I would not have to ever do it again nor would I have to set up my syllabi and class for summer. Slowly the stress is lifting.  I have had two parties so that’s over. Clean my house and really clean the house in Ringgold with a goal of selling it or using it for something else. This will takes months, maybe over a year.  Walk more. Go out to lunch with friends. Watch Annie more so her mom can work more; they need the income. Plan trips but not immediately. Get back into writing projects and work on my brand. Eventually I will be working with a publisher to edit and coach writers. Spend time with God. So, I’m not going on a month-long cruise, climb Mt. Everest, or anything heroic. I will reflect on my life and ...

I Samuel 1-3 This lesson is about three people, mostly, and some side characters. It would make a good movie, and the way the prophet Samuel wrote it it seems like modern storytelling. The three characters are an old man who is not a wise man: Eli, who was the priest in the tabernacle in Shiloh, where the Israelites came to worship. The second is Hannah, the first wife of a probably well-off man whose second wife was a fertile Myrtle while Hannah, for many years, had no child. So she was very shamed for that in her culture. And the third is a child named Samuel who would become an extremely important person in the Bible. Eli is someone who should have retired. He was insensitive to Hannah, did not hold his sons accountable, allowed corruption in the worship, an d ignored the message of God, so God had to use other means. Chapter 1:1-3. Family is the context here. They were known by ancestors and by offspring. Shiloh: We think of a Civil War battle in Mississippi, but S...