Sunday, May 24, 2020

Marriage Counseling and Sex Stuff.



Oh, my word!

I’m gonna have to teach the Book: Song of Songs again. I’ve done it before in Bible study, and didn’t like teaching it back then, either.

Should this book even be in the Bible?  I guess it should, or it wouldn’t be here.  But good grief! It’s more erotic than the romance novels I write. If I submitted sexy stuff like this, my Christian publisher would never contract the book.  Have you read Solomon’s Song of Songs?  Let me remind you of some of the Scriptures.

Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth for your love is more delightful than wine.
(Song of Songs 1:2 NIV Translation)

This is the female speaking, and if I were her, I’d return to my wine and forget this guy. Read on, he sounds like a real winner.

Take me away with you—let us hurry!  Let the king bring me into his chambers. (Song of Songs 1:4 NIV)

Here she’s talking again, and she signals she's a female hussy. She’s in a real rush to get to his bed. Maybe she’s had too much wine.

In chapter four, verse 5, of the Song of Songs, in the NIV, we read the following.

Your two breasts are like two fawns, like twin fawns of a gazelle that browse among the lilies.

In this passage, the male is whispering sweet nothings into the woman’s ear. See? I told you he's a winner. Now, ladies, how would you like to hear your breasts described as fawns? Seriously? Gentleman, please. Here’s a clue. Don’t tell your wife her boobs look like baby deer.

And how about this in chapter four, verse 12, NIV, Solomon talks about his lover's virginity. That's a romantic topic, right?

You are a garden locked up my sister, my bride; you are a spring enclosed, a sealed fountain.

So, before describing her virginity, the guy calls his bride his sister!  How yucky is that?  Guys, women don’t want you thinking of your sister or your mother while you make love to them.  And gentleman, if you’re thinking of a female relative while making mad, passionate love, you’re with the wrong woman. If fact, you need help for a sick, mental condition.

The Scripture continues, and in chapter 5, the woman confesses to removing her robe. She asks her lover, "Must I put it on again?"

Okay, I know I’m not supposed to poke fun at Holy Scripture. But come on already, how would you like to keep a straight face and teach verses like these to a class of adult men and women?

And get this, most of my class are widows and widowers. If these folks still had spouses, I guess I could call this unit, “Marriage Counseling and Sex Stuff,” but very few of my class participants have a significant others. They can’t leave my Sunday morning class and have an afternoon rendezvous.

Oh horrors! I’m blushing at the thought of this.

I may renege on this unit. I’m thinking of canceling the teaching on the Song of Songs. Maybe I’ll teach something simple like the Book of Hebrews.



Tuesday, May 12, 2020

Prom Time in Corona Days


Photo courtesy of Pixabay

These Corona Days make a sad time for graduates. No prom. No walking in cap and gown for a diploma.

I've seen on the news a few young ladies who've  dressed in prom attire and their dads take photos. Some dads dance with their daughters in the street.  We're all being creative as we try to make the best of bad times.

Teens spend months planning for prom. Gals worry about having a date, and guys spend hours planning the right invitation for the lady of their choice. 

When I wrote the book, Sarah and a Date for Mackenzie, I interviewed a lot of teens. I enjoyed hearing about their dresses and how their boyfriends promposed (no, that's not misspelled. That's what they call it) them. I loved hearing all the plans for the big night.

I wish the guys and gals could have it this year. Some things only come once in a lifetime.



Monday, May 4, 2020

The Number 40 and Covid-19


What Has the Historic Number 40 and the Number 400 got to do with 2020?

God loves numbers. I’m glad He does, because I don’t.

He can work the arithmetic for me, but I’ve been curious lately.

Do you have a favorite number? God has several. Here are a few of His beloved numbers: 3, 4, 10, and 7.

I’ve studied His numbers in the past, but I’ve been thinking about the numerals forty (40) these days. This year, 2020, has devastated us in many ways. Is God using the number 2020? Is He getting our attention with numbers?



Since God fancies numbers so much, did He plan 2020 as the Big Challenge Year for us?  Now look at the date. 2020. Add the two twenty numbers and you get 40. Remember the events in the Bible that took place with the number 40?

Here are a few of the 40’s mentioned in the Bible.

1.  How about Noah? Poor old thing built a gargantuan boat. It took him 120 years and people called him a fool all that time.  When done, Noah and crew entered the arc, and it rained 40 days and 40 nights. Whoa! Talk about a flood. Think about all the people and animals left to die because they didn’t believe God. Genesis: 7:12.
2.        Egyptian physicians took 40 days to embalm Jacob. Genesis 50:3.
3.       Moses stayed on Mount Sanai, the Ten Commandment’s mountain, and he fasted 40 days as he received the tablets of the Covenant.  Exodus 24:18. Deut 9: 9, 25
4.       Remember the twelve spies? Yep, 40 days snooping around in the land of promise. Numbers 13:25.
5.       The Israelites wandered 40 years in the wilderness because of their lack of faith.
6.       There was 40 years of peace in Israel Judges 3:11; 5:31; 8:28
7.       Old Elijah traveled for 40 days and nights to reach Mt Horeb (Sinai). 1 Kings 19:8.
8.       Jonah didn’t want to go to Nin
eveh, but God told him the town would be over thrown after 40 days. Jonah preached the town would be gone in 40 days, and the people repented. Jonah 3:4.
9.       Like Moses and Elijah, Jesus fasted 40 days. Matt 4:2.
10.   God desolated Egypt for 40 years!  Ezekiel 29:11.
11.   Jesus fasted 40 days in the desert. Mark 1:12-13.
12.   Jesus appeared to His disciples and others for 40 days after the resurrection. Acts 1:3.
13.   Lent is 40 days. Lent is the period observed by many leading up to the Day of Resurrection.

If we multiply 2020 we get 400.
1.       There is approximately 400 years between the Old and New Testament. The number 400 by many scholars is considered a divine perfect time period.
2.       God told Abraham his offspring would be slaves in a foreign country for 400 years, and so they were. They were slaves in Egypt for 400 years. Gen: 15:13

Okay, so God likes numbers and designates times to start or finish His projects. What does that tell us about 2020?
Let’s go back and look at some of the good things that came from the examples mentioned above.

1.       Noah. After the flood, God promised He would never destroy the earth again by water. God started over with mankind and gave them a second chance.
2.       After Jacob was embalmed, Egypt mourned for him 70 days, and then his family took his bones back to the promised land. In other words, God kept His promise.
3.       Moses fasted on Mount Sanai, and God gave the Ten Greatest Commandments ever.
4.       God gave those 12 spies an opportunity to trust Him. How blessed we are when God gives us those opportunities.
5.       The Wilderness Wanderings gave the Israelites a chance to develop a relationship with the Lord.
6.       When the Israelites did as God wanted them to do, He gave them peace.
7.       Elijah had the privilege of an encounter with God after his great fear.
8.       Jonah became a successful evangelist after he became obedient.
9.       Jesus fasted and prayed as He began His ministry, and He proved Himself worthy.
10.   God caused great distress to Egypt because of their pride, but after they learned their lesson—that God is the Great God, He restored them.
11.   Jesus appeared to many on the earth for 40 days as a testimony to us.
What about the number 400?
I’m a student of the Bible and history. The Bible plainly reveals God’s direction for us.
Based on His word and the numbers He likes, perhaps God is saying to us, “enough is enough! I’ve reached my limit. The Earth is mine, and I will bring the inhabitants to their knees.” This Pandemic should make us take stock of our spiritual lives.
If God is saying this, what will we do about it?
1.       For those who’ve been away, return to Him.
2.       For those who’ve never met Him, come to Him. Trust Him.
3.       It’s time for people to acknowledge Him and repent from wicked ways.



What will you do with the rest of 2020?

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