steveblumer

steveblumer added a text contribution Concealing Sin or Forgiving It, Who's the subject?
Proverbs has this way of stating truth that when you try to slow down and digest it, the meaning takes on many flavors. This verse does just that. What does cover an offense mean? Does it mean that you don't tell people when you mess up because you love the other person too much to start a quarrel (cf. 19:14)? Does it mean that the other person forgives the person who makes the offense? Some have suggested that this word parallels with forgiveness but there are other words that are more… Read more »
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steveblumer added a text contribution Impossible Mission?
I'm no expert on Ezekiel and it's actually been awhile since I've read the book, but recently I've been reading it slowly. I strikes me odd that God has given Ezekiel this mission to Israel, to warn them of their wickedness and stubbornness. God gives Ezekiel strength and hardness of heart to endure the challenge. And then God goes into this chapter 3 passage where he tells Ezekiel to be this watchman, to warn the people, and if he did his part he would not be held account… Read more »
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steveblumer added a text contribution Conviction of Perfection or Conviction of Adultery?
This conversation with the teachers of the law and the Pharisees is remarkably interesting. How is it that Jesus says this one little phrase about if you're without sin you can cast the first stone that causes all of them to leave? What were they thinking that made them follow Jesus' bidding? After all, they didn't even think he was who he said he was. Some thought maybe he was a prophet, but even that was questionable in their minds. I don't think they listened and obeyed… Read more »
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steveblumer added a text contribution Began a Good Work in You?
I think the bigger understanding of this passage and phrase is not so much speaking about Christ working in our individual lives, but that Christ is doing something in a bunch of us together! The English does a poor job sometimes in translating a word from Greek. And it’s not necessarily the translators fault, but it’s that Greek can carry multiple meanings in a simple word “en.” The word can also be translated “in union with” or “among” you. Look at verse 1 “to all the saints” and verse 4… Read more »
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steveblumer added a text contribution Nagging is not Encouraging
Was the writer just so mindless in his thoughts or is there some rhyme to the topics? Authority, Money, Wickedness, Work, and Women weaved together. I'm not trying to say that Solomon was trying to say something between the lines, but there is something to be said that as a man looses a job and is in the middle of getting one, or taking a lesser paying job because is it something that he believes is God's plan, the worst thing that can happen and destroy any kind of hope is a wife tha… Read more »
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steveblumer added a text contribution Evaluating Motives
It is quite a difficult thing to know other people's motives. And to speculate on why someone did or does what they do or did. It's not even something that God wants us to be the judge at. But yet we need to be wise and discerning. Most importantly is not evaluating and figuring out other people's motives, but our own. A wise person must ask him/herself good questions before they venture out doing whatever it may be. It does take time and lots of reflection, but it's bet… Read more »
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steveblumer added a text contribution Get to work and shut up!
Sadly, there are all too often when even we ourselves (but it's much more fun to say 'those people') get disgruntled and complaining but what we think should be going on at work, home, church, whatever... And then there's that moment, when we tell someone (often times not the person who can actually help solve the supposed problem) our opinion. We don't care about anyone else, about anyone else's burdens in how they can to such a decision...if they knew what I kne… Read more »
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steveblumer added a text contribution Be Careful What You Wish For.
Not sure when this would have been written about David, but it is also interesting that it follows ps. 25 where David asks for God to forgive him the sins of his youth, etc. David calls on the righteous and just Judge to examine the evidence of his life, perhaps at the end of his life, or during some of those trying times after the public sins he committed, but in any case he opening submits for God to test him, give him opportunities to prove himself. Wow. Often we pray for patience or wisdo… Read more »
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steveblumer added a text contribution Fully Understand One's Experience?
this verse makes sense in knowing that sometimes we can never explain what it is that our hearts are experiencing, even in joyous times. It's tough to allow people to capture what's going on in our lives so that they can as the new testiment says, be able to weap with those who weap, and rejoice with those who rejoice. But that's what we are suppose to do as we share life with one another, strengthening each other, spurring on one another...it's tough, but it's worth s… Read more »
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