Thoughts on John

"And making a whip of cords, he drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and oxen."
John 2:15

This is where Yeshua throws everyone out of the temple and the disciples remember that it is said "Zeal for your house will consume me." (see John 2:17 quoting Psalm 69:9) What caught my eye as I read it today was that His wrath and anger at the money changers and vendors wasn't an instant reaction. He had to go away and make a whip before coming back to drive them out. Being God, He must have already known they were there but still took the time to go in, see them, make the whip, and then drive them out. That is not how my anger works. Something more to work on!

"But Jesus on his part did not entrust himself to them, because he knew all people 25and needed no one to bear witness about man, for he himself knew what was in man."
John 2:24-25

No ordinary man, or a man with an exceptional relationship with HaShem would be able to say "he knew all people." Only HaShem knows the heart of each and every one of us. Who is Yeshua? God! And Lord and Messiah. (or "Siah" as Teeny Tiny says)

Spiritual Warfare

"For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places." Ephesians 6:12

A friend of ours is always harping on needing to practice Spiritual Warfare. I have seen a lot of different ideas of what this means, and tend to be very wary of things titled with "spiritual." So I finally asked her what she meant. Prayer, fasting and, as Yeshua did, quoting HaShem's word at Satan when He tries to destroy us or those around us. Now that I can get behind! That, my friends, has power, the power of the King.

Which is a good reminder to continue to memorize those scriptures I was working on. I was reading Families Against Feminism's archives last night, and though I can't find it now, she mentioned building our children up with scripture. When you see them taking care of one another, quote scripture. Remind them that they are doing God's work. But if I don't have anything hidden away in my own heart, that becomes very difficult.

Of course, just getting the idea out is important, but I find that if I can't quote the scripture as closely as possible to it's English version, I stumble and feel inadequate and then don't say anything. Something more to work on.

But if I don't prepare myself for war, how can I pass the sword onto my children?

Update: I still haven't come across the post I mentioned above, but here is another one from Families Against Feminism that goes along with passing the sword.