Shirley McCarty

Awesome

The word awesome has become so familiar that it has ceased to be a word to use when no other word will do. Today we say a pizza or a store sale is awesome. The definition is: "extremely impressive or…

Psalm 68:35 (ESV)

Of Grand Canyons and such

Psalm 104The ESV titles this as "O Lord My God, You Are Very Great Clothed with splendor and majestylight as a garmentstretching out the heavens like a tentlays the beams of his chambers on the watersmakes…

Another Test?

These nations were left to test a new generation. They had not experienced warfare. Every generation (and individual)has to face their own tests. Spiritual warfare is a necessity of life and we each must…

Judges 3:1 (NIV84), Judges 3:2 (NIV84), Judges 3:4 (NIV84)

Religion and compassion

Can we become so religious that we lose compassion? The Pharisees saw Jesus heal a man. They were watching to see if he would do this on the Sabbath. When he did, they could not rejoice with the man but…

Mark 3:1 (ESV), Mark 3:2 (ESV), Mark 3:3 (ESV), Mark 3:4 (ESV), Mark 3:5 (ESV), Mark 3:6 (ESV)

Why?

How many times in my journey have I asked, "Why, Lord?" And then answer by the only way I could see the outcome. Here the Israelites ask why did God bring them to this land only to have them fall by the…

Numbers 14:3 (ESV), Numbers 14:4 (ESV)

All together now...

Every tribe is represented. Each chief brings exactly the same offering: one silver plate and basin each filled with flour mixed with oil, one golden dish full of incense and animals for various sacrifices.…

Numbers 7:11 (ESV)

Return

Isn't it amazing that God allows us to return to him when we have "blown it"? Look at who we return to: Our gracious, merciful,slow to anger,abounding in love God!

Joel 2:13 (ESV)

Treasures

What do I treasure? What I treasure is what I love. I can lay up treasures on earth - the stuff that moths can eat and that rusts - clothes and furniture and cars and bikes, to name a few things. Then…

Matthew 6:21 (ESV)

Choices:God's way or my way

I can choose to do it God's way or my own way. It's really pretty simple: "if he does not wash them, he shall bear his iniquity." So doing it my way, I get to bear my own iniquity...now why would I want…

Leviticus 17:16 (ESV), Leviticus 18:4 (ESV), Leviticus 18:5 (ESV)

What's for dinner?

God gives a list of what is ok and not ok to eat. Of the animals, it must have a cloven hoof and chews the cud. For fish, must have fins and scales. The birds are listed as those that shall not be eaten.…

Leviticus 11:3 (ESV), Leviticus 11:9 (ESV), Leviticus 11:13 (ESV), Leviticus 11:20 (ESV), Leviticus 11:46 (ESV), Leviticus 11:47 (ESV)

Paying for sin

Much detail is given for bringing to the Lord compensation for sin. This was even for sins that were unintentional. Today, we live under the new covenant - our sins have been paid for through the sacrifice…

Leviticus 5:6 (ESV)

And too much talent(s)

The people gave so much that Moses had to tell them to stop giving. What a building program! They gave one ton of gold, 3.75 tons of silver, 2.5 tons of bronze. Everyone gave what they could and it all…

Exodus 35:5 (ESV), Exodus 35:6 (ESV), Exodus 35:7 (ESV), Exodus 38:24 (ESV)

Israel's got talent

I've heard it said that you get your break where preparedness meets opportunity. Bezalel and Oholiab had become skilled in their crafts and what an opportunity they were given - to build the tabernacle…

Exodus 35:30 (KJV), Exodus 35:31 (KJV), Exodus 35:32 (KJV), Exodus 35:33 (KJV), Exodus 35:34 (KJV), Exodus 35:35 (KJV), Exodus 36:1 (KJV), Exodus 36:2 (KJV)

I don't want to go...

This passage reminds me of Avalon's song, "I don't want to go" "I don't want to go somewhere, if I know that you're not there 'Cause I know that me without you is a lie And I don't want to want that…

Exodus 33:2 (KJV), Exodus 33:3 (KJV), Exodus 33:15 (KJV), Exodus 33:16 (KJV)

That's my God

What is our God like? Here's a short list: merciful and gracious slow to anger abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness keeping love for thousands forgiving iniquity and sin will not clear the guilty…

Exodus 34:6 (ESV), Exodus 34:7 (ESV), Exodus 34:8 (ESV)

Blended worship

Maybe they were just slow learners, but really? They had seen Moses do incredible things and walked through some unbelievable experiences, and they refer to him as "this Moses". They do recognize him…

Exodus 30:4 (KJV), Exodus 30:5 (KJV), Exodus 30:6 (KJV), Exodus 30:15 (KJV)

Flat tax

The rich and poor pay the same. Interesting concept.

Exodus 30:15 (ESV)

Prayer and Presence

The priest had the names of the tribes of Israel engraved on stones attached to the breastpiece of judgement on his heart. The priest would bear their names when he went into the presence of the Lord,…

Exodus 28:1 (ESV), Exodus 28:29 (ESV), Exodus 28:30 (ESV), Exodus 28:41 (ESV), Exodus 29:25 (ESV), Exodus 29:45 (ESV), Exodus 29:46 (ESV)

Worship

Reading Exodus this morning, I was tempted to go quickly past the details of the curtains, frames , coverings and such. Then it occurred to me: if God was so concerned to give the Israelites such intricate…

Exodus 26:2 (ESV)

Is this a test?

We test the Lord when we question His presence - "Is the Lord among us or not?". Though I have visited Massah (testing) and Meribah (quarreling), I don't want to live there, do you?

Exodus 17:7 (ESV)

Seeing God's hand

Joseph revealed himself to his brothers. He has no bitterness and even tells them not to by angry with themselves. He tells of God's purpose in sending him to Egypt. He doesn't rehearse the suffering…

Genesis 45:5 (ESV), Genesis 45:7 (ESV), Genesis 45:8 (ESV)

Well, well, well

God blessed Isaac. The Philistines envied him. The Philistines had filled with earth all the wells that Abraham had dug. I guess they showed him! So Isaac digs the wells again and names them. Esek - means…

Genesis 26:15 (ESV), Genesis 26:18 (ESV), Genesis 26:20 (ESV), Genesis 26:21 (ESV), Genesis 26:22 (ESV), Genesis 26:32 (ESV), Genesis 26:33 (ESV)

The test

God tested Abraham and Abraham answered, "Here am I" Death of a vision- Isaac was the promise. Now it looks like the promise is going to die. Always remember-God provides. Oh, and yea, He always keeps…

Genesis 22:1 (ESV)

Is anything too hard for the Lord?

When it seems that it is too late or inconceivable, God shows up at just the right time and does the impossible.

Genesis 18:11 (ESV), Genesis 18:14 (ESV)

Believe

Good verse. Just believe.

Genesis 15:6 (ESV)