P.O.V.

We've all seen those annoying Facepost posts that say "P.O.V." followed by some random comment (P.O.V. stands for Point Of View).

Well, here' a P.O.V. story for ya!

My wife was on her way home from Appleton on Tuesday when she turned onto the road that leads to our subdivision. We live out in the country so you never know what you might see. Last week it was a recliner. Just sitting the under the stop sign.

So, my wife saw something in the road ahead of her and slowed down to find out what it was. It could have been a baby bunny or a gopher, but it wasn't moving. What was it?

It was ear of sweet corn! And another, and another, and another . . . 17 ears of corn and, thanks to my wife, they are now in our garage refrigerator!

Here's my P.O.V.

God provides!! Jehovah Jireh!! Which actually means "the Lord will provide." The phrase comes from the Book of Genesis, when Abraham was about to sacrifice his son Isaac.

"And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold behind him a ram caught in a thicket by his horns: and Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering in the stead of his son.

¹⁴And Abraham called the name of that place Jehovahjireh: as it is said to this day, "In the mount of the Lord it shall be seen." - Genesis 22:13-14

Now some will say, "Pfft. Some farmer took the corner too fast. He probably filled his wagon way too full."

To that I say, "There are 17 ears of sweet corn in our fridge. God provided them for a few of His children. Prove me wrong."

We all have different viewpoints as we travel through this life. Which one is right? Are ANY of them worthy?

My P.O.V. on that is this: Why not trust the One who never lies; who IS the way, the truth, and the life. Has God ever been wrong? I'll wait.

"This God - His way is perfect; the word of the Lord proves true; He is a shield for all those who take refuge in Him." - Psalm 18:30

Capital A

If you have seen the movie The Ten Commandments, then this is probably a familiar scene to you. Moses with his staff held high, a pillar of fire in the distance and Egyptians on chariots on the hill beyond. The Israelites are trapped against the Red Sea.

I'd like to show you some text from the Book of Exodus to see if you notice the same thing I did.

"And the Angel of God, who went before the camp of Israel, moved and went behind them; and the pillar of cloud went from before them and stood behind them." - Exodus 14:19

Notice that the word "Angel" is capitalized in the NKJV that I am using. Just about every other translation uses a small "a" in the word angel. Why? DO the New King James translators know something the others don't?

Usually in the Bible when other words for 'God' and 'Jesus' are used they are always capitalized. A 'He' or 'Me' is always capitalized when the e=text refers to God Himself. Is the pillar of fire actually God? I don't think so. The verse refers to The Angel OF God. Is it Jesus then?

Think about it. What was the pillar of fire for? Let the Bible tell us.

"By day the LORD went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud to guide them on their way and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so that they could travel by day or night." - Exodus 13:21

Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." - John 14:6

"When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” - John 8:12

One final thing. The word LORD, all capital letters, is the Old Testament Hebrew way of not pronouncing the name of God. The Hebrew word is YHWH or Yahweh.

I think the pillar of fire was a pre-incarnate appearance of Jesus. What do YOU think?

Straight Paths

Have you ever been on a road like this? I hope so. Some might say it looks boring, but others would say it's perfect. Like God for example.

"Do not turn aside from any of the commands I give you today, to the right or to the left, following other gods and serving them." - Deuteronomy 28:14

It's hard to turn to the right or to the left if there are no right or left turns on the road you are traveling.

So, what does God want us to do exactly? Who are these other gods? Do they still exist today?

Oh, they most definitely still exist. Think of the road in the picture as a sinless life. What happens if we take our eyes off of the road? Or when we are distracted and not paying attention?

We tend to start weaving, or straying over the centerline, or into the ditch. None of those things are good. Do you suppose that's why God wants us to stay on the straight and narrow highway?

Here's a cool verse.

"And a highway will be there; it will be called the Way of Holiness; it will be for those who walk on that Way. The unclean will not journey on it; wicked fools will not go about on it." - Isaiah 35:8

What is "the Way" that Isaiah is talking about nere, and why is the word capitalized?

“I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." - John 14:6

If Jesus is The Way, what's the destination? What's at the end of this highway we're on? You know.

The road might look easy. It's all straight. No problem, right? The road gets narrower and more difficult to travel. At a moment's notice, or so gradually that we barely even notice.

“Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. 14 Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it." - Matthew 7:13-14

There is a simple way to navigate this "road of life" we are traveling on. Follow Christ. Follow His example. Let Him drive! When in doubt, pull over and ask for directions (prayer) or check the road map (the Bible). There are so many helps to get us to our desired destination. We just have to remember to use them.

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; 6in all your ways submit to Him, and he will make your paths straight." - Proverbs 3:6

The Journey Home

Each of us is on our own spiritual journey in this life. Some of us take short walks around the block while others travel long distances, searching for the truth.

We all assume that we are on the right path in our walk. But what happens when the trail fades or we find ourselves standing on the edge of a cliff? Should we turn back? Or should we take a giant leap of faith?

Occasionally we encounter people on our journey who act as guides for us. They might say something of offer up some piece of advice that finds its way into our hearts. They act as guides for our walk. Have you met someone like that in YOUR life?

We ourselves might be influencing someone else's journey. Something we say or do might cause someone to stop and take notice, or even alter the path they choose to walk on.

I have a guide book that I use for my spiritual journey. It is filled with all kinds of tips and warnings of things to watch out for along the way. Guidebooks can be handy if we know that we can trust the author.

The authority of our guidebooks and and trail guides is of critical importance. Are they trustworthy? Are they true? Our life depends on the advice they give.

I have chosen to trust in God, Jesus (His Son), and the Holy Spirit. The Bible is my guide book. None of these has failed me. Not once.

Others might choose to walk a particular path in life and follow a particular belief system. That is their choice. But as for me and my house . . .

I Have Decided To Follow Jesus - Elevation Worship

"Continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling. 13For it is God who works in you to will and to act on behalf of His good purpose." - Philippians 2:12-13

“I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." - John 14:6