Syntactical What?

Analysis.  My latest painfully pleasant assignment at The Masters' Seminary is to write a syntactical analysis of Isaiah 1:18-20. It's a beautiful passage showing YHWH's willingness to forgive even the most grievous of sins.  And then if the people do listen to Him, he will not only forgive them but bless them mightily.  What a great God!  Many brain cells have died in the process of writing this paper (they've overloaded), but I gave them a nice burial.  Still praying the Lord (Adonai) resurrects them at His second coming.  Until then, I press on.  8)

YHWH (Capitol "LORD" in the NASB95) is so gracious and kind.  Was at Starbucks this morning "buying" a cup of coffee with my empty starbucks bag (if you turn in the empty used bag, they give you a small coffee) when I saw a friend from Church.  He gave me a $5 so I could buy something to eat as well.  I pocketed the $5 (sorry brother) and will use that to buy a bag of coffee beans at the local grocery store - turning that into many cups of coffee.  God is good.

Our home desktop computer is dying. Please pray for it.  We've milked it for 6+ years now.  One of the bulbs in the monitor burned out two years ago.  This means we have to turn the computer on two times in a row to override the monitors "fix me now" mode.  My kids probably just think all computers need to be turned on twice!  ha.  Annie uses this Mac computer a good bit.  Pray it lasts.

Taught Sunday School class yesterday on 1 John 1:1-4.  The joy of Fellowship in Christ and with other believers.  Not just any joy, but complete Joy.  Many in our culture what to be lone-ranger Christians.  They work hard all week and then take it easy at Church, not serving much and not giving as much effort to the body of Christ as they do their jobs.  This is difficult because the American employer expects much.  I was there.  I understand.  Yet, they miss out on the blessing of fellowship in the body and deprive others in the body of fellowship with them.  Around AD 90 when 1 John was written by the Apostle John, Christians were being tortured and put in prison for their faith.  So complete joy was something that would have gotten their attention right away.  Our culture is just the opposite.  We are a "serve yourself, make yourself happy" culture.  I pray we, including myself, align ourselves under the authority of God's word and submit ourselves to His plan.  John says he has touched the "Word of Life".  How do you touch a word?  You can if the Word becomes flesh and dwells among us.  John says the Word was "manifested to us".  Jesus, came to our world, to impact our world; to seek and to save the lost, and to bring fellowship to a new level among believers.  An intimate joyful complete level.  Press on toward fellowship with the Holy Father (no I don't mean the Pope - see http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/benedict_xvi/index.htm ), with His Son Jesus and with the body of believers.  For in that, you WILL have complete joy.