Bible – Page 7 – John Markum

Can you see it?

Posted on January 9, 2011 by johnmarkum

Have you ever seen one of those “Magic Eye” pictures? They look like a bunch of textures and colors but seem to otherwise have no rhymn or reason to them. It looks kind of like a big mess on the surface. Once you’ve learned to see “into” the picture you figure out how it works and you can see that there is a design to the mess all along. Here, try this one. Different people have different ways of adjusting their eyes to see it, but it all boils down to depth perseption. Try to look about 3 feet past the screen:

If you can see a shark, then you figured it out! Now right now some of you are mad, cause you’ve tried but you can never make these things work for you. You can’t seem to find the trick to seeing what everyone else is seeing.

God’s word brings my life into focus. On the surface, my life is full of textures and colors and looks like some kind of big abstract mess. But through God’s Word I can see that “All thing work together for good, for those who love God and are called according to His purpose.” God’s Word gives me the advantage to see things from a different perspective, God’s perspective. And only then can I truly embrace the circumstances that God brings my way that look like a big mess on the surface level. Hidden inside all of my pain, failures, disappointments, hopes, dreams, and ambitions, is a masterpiece that is breath-taking, but only from the proper vantage point.

Are you getting frustrated because you haven’t seen anything of “masterpiece” quality in your life? Are your current predicaments making you think that your life is a big mess? Then spend some regular time in God’s Word and learn to see things from a better perspective.

The masterpiece that God is putting together in your life, has been there all along. You just have to learn to see it from His perspective.

Blessings,

John

Gender Equality and the Bible

Posted on January 8, 2011 by johnmarkum

Some have suggested that the Bible puts women in a place of inferiority in the home, society, and with God. Before I get too deep into the subject, it suits us to first observe a few facts regarding this subject:

Both men and women are created in God’s image, and therefore considered to possess similarities to God in their own unique ways, and to be of equal value to God. (Genesis 1:27)
Women are found to be used by God in places of leadership as well as men. (See Deborah, Anna, Priscilla, Huldah, Phoebe, Lydia…)
Women have been prophets in the Bible.
Women have provided leadership and instruction from God to men, including kings and preachers.
One woman appears to have been a “deacon” in the church. (The greek word diakonos is translated to “deacon” but literally it means “servant.” It is applied to specific men, as well as Phoebe in the New Testament. Some translations call Phoebe a “deacon” or “deaconess” for consistency.)
Scripture generally excludes women from teaching in the church except under the authority of a man, specifically her husband. (1 Timothy 2:11-12)
Women are required by God to be submissive to their husband “as unto the Lord”. (Ephesians 5:22, 23)
Men are required by God to love their wife “as Christ loved the church and gave Himself for it.” (Ephesians 5:25)

Now to summarize all of this with what we already know, we have to start by acknowledging that men and women are different and therefore cannot possibly be “equal” in every way, nor should they be. Physically, emotionally, relationally, biologically, and mentally we are totally different. So more accurately, men and women are equal in value, but not in role or function. The average man is stronger than the average woman. The average woman can have babies. Men… 0%. Men are more adept at learning some skills and abilities, whereas women are more adept at others. We’re not the same! Is that a point we even have to argue?!?

The tension comes with the relationship between us. In marriage, according to the Bible, the husband is suppose to be the leader among equals. As a pastor and counselor, I have found that a majority of women are willing to follow a man that’s worth following. Especially if the husband is loving his wife to the same level that Christ loves His church and died to save it. It takes as much courage to follow as it does to lead.

What about in the work place? The Bible does not relegate women to working only within the home. I think a woman should get paid the same as a man, so long as she has the same qualifications, tenure, and productivity. Are there some jobs women should NOT do? I personally feel that men are to be protectors. Because of that, I’m not a big fan of women taking combative roles in the military or police forces. Call me a sexist, I guess I’d rather see a man die saving a woman than see a woman die saving man. With that said, I have nothing but respect and gratitude to the men and women who have fought for freedom.

If you’re a man… you were made in the image of God and to bear His image as a man. You have a calling and a role in life and history that is worth you pursuing as a man.

Women… you are not inferior. You are different. God created you in His image as well, and you are called to bear that image of God uniquely as a woman. Embrace your nature and calling and be everything that God has already equipped you to do as the woman He has created you to be.

To both men and women… change your world in the way God has gifted you to. We are not simply opposites, we are complementary of one another.

B90X: Day 4

Posted on January 4, 2011 by johnmarkum

So after 4 days into reading the entire Bible in 90 days, I have finished reading the book of Genesis. The perspective that you gain from reading larger portions of Scripture at a time is unique. Whereas reading smaller portions enables you to dissect verses in greater detail, reading 11 – 16 chapter in a day tends to reveal trends, plots, and the bigger picture. Here are some of the observations I had to share after getting through the first book of the Bible:

Satan is a liar. In Genesis 3:4, Satan in the form of a snake, says to Eve, “Surely, you will not die!” The next several chapters include the genealogies of the first humans, each ending with the statement, “and then they died.”
Sin is serious. God killed a calf to make tunics for Adam and Eve after they ate the fruit and tried to hide from God. God shed the first blood. It must have been a ghastly sight for Adam and Eve. Some have the same view of the cross. “How terrible! Surely God could forgive mankind in some less drastic way!” As commentator, John Phillips says, “A radical disease, calls for a radical cure.”
God keeps His promises. Even when it may look doubtful from our perspective. One of my favorite lines throughout Genesis, and the whole Old Testament for that matter, is “I am the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.” God is essentially saying, “I know the promises I have made, and I will do good on them.” He doesn’t break His word, and He doesn’t break promises. Embrace it.
God is faithful,… period. Adam and Eve disobeyed – God promised redemption. Cain committed the first murder – God pardoned. Abraham lied (twice) about His wife – God protected her. He later took her bad advice and took a mistress in order to get a son – God still provided the son of promise through Sarah. Jacob committed the first identity theft – God gave Him a new, true identity. Jacob’s sons threw their little brother into slavery and told their father that he died – God used Joseph to save the lives of his brothers and theig families. God’s faithfulness is, likely, the only consistent theme in Scripture… that, and man’s unfaithulness.

Tomorrow I begin digging into Exodus, although I might take the time and get a little ahead tonight… we’ll see. Regardless, if you are looking into reading the Bible this year, you can find a reading plan that fits you here.

Blessings,

John