What’s been on my mind lately… Don’t look back The most important message I picked up from today's readings overall is don't look back. My primary take-away from each The more empty I am, the more of God I will receive Get the FREE worksheet for this program here. The most important message I picked up from today's readings overall is Faith in God makes the impossible possible Get the FREE worksheet for this program here. The most important message I picked up from today's readings overall is The way I treat others is ultimately how I will be treated Get the FREE worksheet for this program here. The most important message I picked up from today's readings overall is Though we walk the way alone, God is with us Get the FREE worksheet for this program here. The most important message I picked up from today's readings overall is God is not the Cosmic Kill-Joy Get the FREE worksheet for this program here. The most important message I picked up from today's readings overall is God provides rest, peace, and a new way forward The most important message I picked up from today's readings overall is that when I am distressed and lost, and When the landscape of your life seems a barren wasteland, be wise, stay focused, and do good Get the FREE worksheet for this program here. When the landscape of your life seems a barren wasteland, be wise, Humans need mythology, and also constant course corrections The most important message I picked up from today's readings overall is that humans need mythology, and constant course corrections. In dark times, hold fast and be kind Get the FREE worksheet for this program here. When times are hard and life is dark, hold fast and be « Previous 1 … 7 8 9 10 11 … 13 Next »
Don’t look back Ceilon Aspensen, January 10, 2024February 4, 2024 The most important message I picked up from today’s readings overall is don’t look back. My primary take-away from each of the passages was this: Genesis 19 & 20 – Never look back with longing toward the past at the expense of the present and the future. Be here now. Matthew 10 – When doing work God has given you, be fearless and trust him to provide for you. Psalms 10 – God is the champion of the poor, orphaned, and exploited. He frustrates the plans of their oppressors. Proverbs 10 – There is a proverb suitable for every situation, and God’s wisdom is the answer to any problem. I had a friend years ago who spent nearly every word in every conversation reminiscing about the “good old days” and lamenting that nothing was as good as it was all those years ago–friendships, music, church… Nothing measured up to her good memories of the past. A few years ago I read the results of a study that proved that every time we remember something from the past we change it in some way. So, a memory that we are particularly fond of and continually draw up is really a memory of something that didn’t actually happen, or didn’t actually happen the way we remember it. Throughout the Bible God says that he is the Alpha, the Omega, the beginning, the end, and “I Am.” God is the NOW. God is the PRESENT. When we continually dwell on the past–good or bad memories–we are choosing to leave God in the present and go somewhere that God no longer is. God is here with us now, in the present. Be here now. Don’t look back. That’s what I got out of it. What did you get out of the readings today? You can join us in our private Facebook group that I set up specifically for sharing what we take-away from the readings each day. If you haven’t gotten the FREE “Read the Bible in a Year” worksheet yet, you can download it here. It is not necessary for you to start on January 1st–you can start from the beginning on whatever date you get the worksheet. Join us! Learn more about why I read the Bible all the way through every year, and feel free to share with anyone you think could benefit. This post is part of the series, “Read the Bible in a Year.” To see other posts in this series, go to the Chronological Index of Read the Bible in a Year Posts.
The more empty I am, the more of God I will receive Ceilon Aspensen, January 9, 2024February 4, 2024 Get the FREE worksheet for this program here. The most important message I picked up from today’s readings overall is the more empty I am the more of God I will receive. My primary take-away from each of the passages was this: Genesis 17 & 18 – We should always intercede in prayer for others, even if they don’t seem deserving. Matthew 9 – God’s primary concern is those of us who need him. When I am most in need I am in the best position to receive the most from God. Psalms 9 – I should be grateful to God in all things and openly express it. I should pay forward my gratitude in prayer and charitable works for those I see in need of God’s help. Proverbs 9 – Wisdom is available to all of us at any time, free for the asking. If we abandon foolish behavior and turn to God for wisdom, he will always faithfully provide it. That’s what I got out of it. What did you get out of the readings today? You can join us in our private Facebook group that I set up specifically for sharing what we take-away from the readings each day. If you haven’t gotten the FREE “Read the Bible in a Year” worksheet yet, you can Get the FREE worksheet for this program here. It is not necessary for you to start on January 1st–you can start from the beginning on whatever date you get the worksheet. Join us! Learn more about why I read the Bible all the way through every year, and feel free to share with anyone you think could benefit. This post is part of the series, “Read the Bible in a Year.” To see other posts in this series, go to the Chronological Index of Read the Bible in a Year Posts.
Faith in God makes the impossible possible Ceilon Aspensen, January 8, 2024February 4, 2024 Get the FREE worksheet for this program here. The most important message I picked up from today’s readings overall is faith in God makes the impossible possible. My primary take-away from each of the passages was this: Genesis 15 & 16 – If we are impatient and decide to “help” God fulfill his promises to us through our own “shortcuts,” we will have to deal with unintended consequences. Matthew 8 – Faith in God makes possible what would otherwise be impossible. Psalms 8 – Keeping God in the forefront of my thoughts, holding fast to his strength, covers me in his protection. Proverbs 8 – The wisdom of God is built into and evident in the physical laws of nature. Don’t get ahead of God. I have learned that the hard way, and it took many, many years. It can be remarkably hard to remember that the Creator of the entire Universe doesn’t need my help to get things done. God creates opportunities for us to participate in his plan, but he doesn’t need us to make it happen. We are the ones who need his help, not the other way around. So, when I find myself wondering how in the world I’m going to get something done, I try to remember that God is ready and able to help me, and all I need to do is spend some time in prayer. The rest is up to him. That’s what I got out of it. What did you get out of the readings today? You can join us in our private Facebook group that I set up specifically for sharing what we take-away from the readings each day. If you haven’t gotten the FREE “Read the Bible in a Year” worksheet yet, you can Get the FREE worksheet for this program here. It is not necessary for you to start on January 1st–you can start from the beginning on whatever date you get the worksheet. Join us! Learn more about why I read the Bible all the way through every year, and feel free to share with anyone you think could benefit. This post is part of the series, “Read the Bible in a Year.” To see other posts in this series, go to the Chronological Index of Read the Bible in a Year Posts.
The way I treat others is ultimately how I will be treated Ceilon Aspensen, January 7, 2024February 4, 2024 Get the FREE worksheet for this program here. The most important message I picked up from today’s readings overall is the way I treat others is ultimately how I will be treated. My primary take-away from each of the passages was this: Genesis 13 & 14 – When we choose to live dangerously we risk injury and bad fortune. Even so, God still hears our prayers and rescues us if we cry out to him for mercy. Matthew 7 – It is always best to err on the side of mercy, because what we wish on others is ultimately what we will have to endure, ourselves. Psalms 7 – The traps set for me by those who would do me harm will only ensnare them in the end. If I take refuge in God he will protect me from those who plot against me. Proverbs 7 – We should be honest in our most intimate interpersonal relationships at all times. Karma is a bad thing if we aren’t kind and fair dealing. It seems to be one of God’s highest laws that we will be judged as we judge others, and we will be treated as we treat others. This is repeated in umpteen stories throughout the Bible. The message is clear: live the golden rule. That’s what I got out of it. What did you get out of the readings today? You can join us in our private Facebook group that I set up specifically for sharing what we take-away from the readings each day. If you haven’t gotten the FREE “Read the Bible in a Year” worksheet yet, you can Get the FREE worksheet for this program here. It is not necessary for you to start on January 1st–you can start from the beginning on whatever date you get the worksheet. Join us! Learn more about why I read the Bible all the way through every year, and feel free to share with anyone you think could benefit. This post is part of the series, “Read the Bible in a Year.” To see other posts in this series, go to the Chronological Index of Read the Bible in a Year Posts.
Though we walk the way alone, God is with us Ceilon Aspensen, January 6, 2024February 4, 2024 Get the FREE worksheet for this program here. The most important message I picked up from today’s readings overall is though we walk the way alone, God is with us. My primary take-away from each of the passages was this: Genesis 11,12 – Following God and the path he sets before us usually requires that we walk alone. Matthew 6 – Prayer is the cure for anxiety, and worry only adds to your troubles. Psalms 6 – In my greatest distress I can call on God and he will rescue me. God is faithful and hides me from my enemies. Proverbs 6 – We should apply wisdom, work hard, and be honest in all of our affairs. One of my favorite lines from the movie, The Way is: “You walk the way for yourself; only yourself.” There are so many reasons that we do so many of the things that we do. Often times we think we are doing things because we want to do them, only to realize later that we were doing it to please someone important to us. Upon realizing that and deciding to do what’s best for us instead of others we are often confronted with the displeasure of those who benefitted by our self-sacrifice at the expense of our own dreams. Self-sacrifice is one of the Christian tenets, but God also usually calls us to do things that are within our skill set and range of desires–God did not make me an artist so that he could call me to some work that would ignore the gifts and talents he built into my DNA. St. Augustine wrote about this. Joseph Campbell called it “follow[ing] your bliss.” If you are not finding fulfillment in following a path that is wide and full of people who “know what’s best for you,” take another route–one less traveled and perhaps never traveled. It may seem like a lonely choice but once you do it you will find that you are not alone, and God is the best traveling companion one could hope for. That’s what I got out of it. What did you get out of the readings today? You can join us in our private Facebook group that I set up specifically for sharing what we take-away from the readings each day. If you haven’t gotten the FREE “Read the Bible in a Year” worksheet yet, you can Get the FREE worksheet for this program here. It is not necessary for you to start on January 1st–you can start from the beginning on whatever date you get the worksheet. Join us! Learn more about why I read the Bible all the way through every year, and feel free to share with anyone you think could benefit. This post is part of the series, “Read the Bible in a Year.” To see other posts in this series, go to the Chronological Index of Read the Bible in a Year Posts.
God is not the Cosmic Kill-Joy Ceilon Aspensen, January 5, 2024February 4, 2024 Get the FREE worksheet for this program here. The most important message I picked up from today’s readings overall is that God is not the Cosmic Kill-Joy. My primary take-away from each of the passages was this: Genesis 9 & 10 – When you see or hear something you shouldn’t about a friend or loved one and it’s not meant for you, don’t tell other people about it. Be kind and pretend it didn’t happen, and keep it to yourself. Matthew 5 – God’s wisdom is full of paradoxes and frequently runs counter to mainstream thought. Cling to God’s wisdom, anyway. Psalms 5 – God is not the Cosmic Kill-Joy, lying in wait for us to make mistakes he can punish. Rather, he lies in wait listening for us to cry out to him and he craves our fellowship. Proverbs 5 – As God honors his promises to us, we should honor our word, covenants, and contracts with other people. Although he loves us and feels our pain, God will not protect us from the natural consequences of our bad choices, for our own good. I was raised in a Deep South religious tradition of hellfire and brimstone. I was into my mid thirties before I figured out that God was not laying in wait, ready to hammer me with the full force of his fury and punishment for every mistake I had ever made. It was a beautiful day when I was confronted with the fact that the worst punishment I will ever suffer for my mistakes is the suffering I bring upon myself when I hide from him because I know I’ve done something wrong. I wish I could say that I always remember that and go straight to “Lord have mercy” when I foul up, but the truth is that I need these reminders as much as anyone else. Despite the teachings of some, God is not the Cosmic Kill-Joy and doesn’t revel in making us miserable. In truth, we make ourselves miserable when we don’t go straight to him with our troubles. Do yourself a favor and skip to the end when you’re feeling stupid and guilty over something you did that you’re ashamed of. God will be waiting with open arms and words of comfort….and guidance for cleaning up your mess. That’s what I got out of it. What did you get out of the readings today? You can join us in our private Facebook group that I set up specifically for sharing what we take-away from the readings each day. If you haven’t gotten the FREE “Read the Bible in a Year” worksheet yet, you can Get the FREE worksheet for this program here. It is not necessary for you to start on January 1st–you can start from the beginning on whatever date you get the worksheet. Join us! Learn more about why I read the Bible all the way through every year, and feel free to share with anyone you think could benefit. This post is part of the series, “Read the Bible in a Year.” To see other posts in this series, go to the Chronological Index of Read the Bible in a Year Posts.
God provides rest, peace, and a new way forward Ceilon Aspensen, January 4, 2024January 27, 2024 The most important message I picked up from today’s readings overall is that when I am distressed and lost, and can’t find my way, if I call on God he will give me rest, peace, and show me a path through the darkness and confusion. My primary take-away from each of the passages was this: Genesis 6-7: The story of Noah has all the earmarks of a folk tale and a fable. The use of numerology and the two-by-two scenario are clear indicators of a story engineered to teach us a moral about something. In this case, we are learning about the evolution of our Creator. After the grand experiment of humans fails (they devolve into wickedness and corruption, beginning with Cain), God decided to start over. He saves one upright family, and once again makes them the stewards of all living things. After destroying his creation, God feels remorse and promises to never again resort to mass destruction to correct the inherent flaws in human nature. He accepts that there’s a metaphorical snake in the beautiful garden he created, and instead of wiping out all of humankind to kill the snake, he later provides a solution that allows individuals to to make corrections within themselves and grow closer to God by choosing to live in a different way, rather than as hapless victims of our flawed nature. We may be flawed, but he decides we are teachable, beginning the process of drawing us into relationship with him. Matthew 4: It is interesting that this reading in Matthew is juxtaposed with today’s reading from Genesis by coincidence, because here we have Jesus demonstrating how to overcome tempation: solitary comtemplation in the desert (a vision quest), prayer and fasting. Jesus sets the example for those who choose to look inward and upward to seek relationship with our Creator. In today’s reading in Genesis we see another foreshadowing of how God plans to address the problem of humanity’s inherent flaw, and in this reading of Matthew we see the solution he provides. (This is one of the many reasons I love to read the Bible this way. The Old and New Testaments only make sense when taken in as a comprehensive whole. One explains the other.) Psalms 4: When I am in distress I can call on God and he will give me rest and peace. Proverbs 4: Seek wisdom through discipline. Avoid wickedness and deceit because those lead to spiritual death. Look and walk straight ahead and you will find what you seek. Don’t stray from the path. That’s what I got out of it. What did you get out of the readings today? You can join us in our private Facebook group that I set up specifically for sharing what we take-away from the readings each day. If you haven’t gotten the FREE “Read the Bible in a Year” worksheet yet, you can download it here. It is not necessary for you to start on January 1st–you can start from the beginning on whatever date you get the worksheet. Join us! Learn more about why I read the Bible all the way through every year, and feel free to share with anyone you think could benefit.
When the landscape of your life seems a barren wasteland, be wise, stay focused, and do good Ceilon Aspensen, January 4, 2024February 4, 2024 Get the FREE worksheet for this program here. When the landscape of your life seems a barren wasteland, be wise, stay focused, and do good. My primary take-away from each of the passages was this: Genesis 7 & 8 – A fresh start often means experiencing the death of the old to make room for the new, which can be painful. Move forward, anyway. Matthew 4 – When we are suffering it can be so tempting to take whatever short-term offer will alleviate our pain and suffering now. Hold fast! See it through. There are great rewards if we endure to the end. Psalms 4 – God is listening and answers me when I call out to him. Proverbs 4 – Be wise, stay focused, and do good. We have all experienced failure. Anyone who says they haven’t is lying. If you see people who seem to only be on an upward arc of success, remind yourself that you only see their public triumphs, not their private, desperate moments. It’s also important to remember that no one who seems to always be on an upward arc of success got that way because they gave up when times got hard. In my observation, people’s successes are often inversely proportionate to the depths of the suffering and loss they’ve experienced. In fact, when we read their success stories we often find that their great successes were built directly on the razed foundations of their lives. They learned how to transform the death of the old into a thriving new life. How? By learning from their mistakes and failures, making different and better choices, being wise with new opportunities, staying focused on their goals, and doing good things with their second chance. So, when the landscape of your life seems a barren wasteland, be wise, stay focused, and do good. That’s what I got out of it. What did you get out of the readings today? You can join us in our private Facebook group that I set up specifically for sharing what we take-away from the readings each day. If you haven’t gotten the FREE “Read the Bible in a Year” worksheet yet, you can Get the FREE worksheet for this program here. It is not necessary for you to start on January 1st–you can start from the beginning on whatever date you get the worksheet. Join us! Learn more about why I read the Bible all the way through every year, and feel free to share with anyone you think could benefit. This post is part of the series, “Read the Bible in a Year.” To see other posts in this series, go to the Chronological Index of Read the Bible in a Year Posts.
Humans need mythology, and also constant course corrections Ceilon Aspensen, January 3, 2024January 27, 2024 The most important message I picked up from today’s readings overall is that humans need mythology, and constant course corrections. My primary takeaway from each of the passages was this: Genesis 5-6: 1) Greek and Roman mythology have nothing on Christian mythology! Christian mythology* (see footnote below) is full of fantastical tales, such as this one concerning the Titans (which also appears in Greek and Roman mythology). This is one of the things that reminds me to not take the fantastical tales of the Bible literally, but to also remain open to the supernatural. If we do not believe it’s at least possible that there could have been Titans, or people who had lifespans of a thousand years, then we lack the imagination that inspires wonder. This lack is why I believe our society craves and generates so many stories about superheroes and magic, such as the Avengers universe, or the Harry Potter series… But if we look into the fantastical stories for metaphors and meaning, we begin to make progress: The union of Titans and humans bred humans so powerful they began to put more faith in their own strength and power than they did in God. That’s a story that continues into the present day in the form of science and technology (both of which I love, but neither of which is of any use to people without wisdom). 2) The hubris of humankind resulting from that misplacement of faith from God into our own greatness caused God to want to wipe the slate clean. In doing so, he once again made it the responsibility of humankind to protect and preserve all of the other living species on the planet. Our primary role on God’s earth is the responsible stewardship of all living things and to be good neighbors, not only to the other humans, but to all of God’s creation. Matthew 3: John the Baptist comes with the message to repent (turn around and go in the other direction), because once again (and always) human beings have become corrupt. John is the warning. Jesus is the solution. Psalms 3: When I find myself surrounded by trouble, I can can call on God for help and trust him to answer and to give me protection. Even if the only response I receive is the peace to rest in the middle of my distress, that is more than I can do on my own. I should always call on God when I am in trouble. Proverbs 3: The way to avoid distress and destruction is to embrace wisdom, which starts with seeking God and holding fast to his precepts. That’s what I got out of it. What did you get out of the readings today? You can join us in our private Facebook group that I set up specifically for sharing what we take-away from the readings each day. If you haven’t gotten the FREE “Read the Bible in a Year” worksheet yet, you can download it here. It is not necessary for you to start on January 1st–you can start from the beginning on whatever date you get the worksheet. Join us! Learn more about why I read the Bible all the way through every year, and feel free to share with anyone you think could benefit. ——————————————————— * When I say “mythology,” I’m not using it in the way a lot of Christians do, so as to mean “other peoples’ religion” in a diminishing way. I’m using the term mythology the way Joseph Campbell does: as a way to describe the cosmos to ourselves such that we understand our place in it. Mythology is an organizational literary device that helps us explain ourselves to ourselves.
In dark times, hold fast and be kind Ceilon Aspensen, January 3, 2024February 4, 2024 Get the FREE worksheet for this program here. When times are hard and life is dark, hold fast and be kind. My primary takeaway from each of the passages was this: Genesis 5 & 6 – Sometimes things can get pretty messed up, despite our best efforts. When this happens, don’t give up. Just go back to the last place that things were working and pick up where we left off. Matthew 3 – Change can be painful, and sometimes the truth hurts. Listen to it (and hear it), anyway. Psalms 3 – God sustains me in all situations. Proverbs 3 – Be kind and generous, mind my own business, and be humble. All of us go through hard times. and when we’re in the belly of the beast it can be difficult to remember that we’re not the only ones who endure suffering. I cannot count the number of times in my life when I have been hurting over one thing or another–betrayal by a family member, friend or worker, or a project I worked so hard on going down in flames–only to have someone (usually a stranger) reach out, comfort me, and perhaps provide me with help from a place I least expected it. In similar fashion, I have been moved by the Spirit countless times to provide an encouraging word or actual assistance to a loose acquaintance or total stranger. Conversely, when we have emerged from our difficulties like a phoenix from the flames it can be difficult to remember what it’s like to be in the grinder, and we can become impatient with those around us who may seem to be in our way, somehow (particularly at the post office, or the check-out line at the grocery store, or in the Walmart parking lot…). It is in times like those that I try to remember a phrase that most of us have heard numerous times: “There but for the grace of God go I.”* People can lash out when they are hurting. If someone lashes out at me, is rude, oblivious, or otherwise impolite or inconsiderate, I try to remember that “there but for the grace of God go I” and respond with kindness. There have been times when I was in the deepest, darkest pit of despair imaginable over financial disasters, health issues, family problems, or chronic work stress, when at my lowest point a person who seemed even more despairing than I was crossed my path. I call those “It’s a Wonderful Life” moments because I found myself reaching out to help someone who needed it at a moment when I felt my life wasn’t worth much and didn’t have anything to offer. Clearly, I was wrong. When things are dark and times are hard, hold fast, look up, and be kind. That’s what I got out of it. What did you get out of the readings today? You can join us in our private Facebook group that I set up specifically for sharing what we take-away from the readings each day. If you haven’t gotten the FREE “Read the Bible in a Year” worksheet yet, you can Get the FREE worksheet for this program here. It is not necessary for you to start on January 1st–you can start from the beginning on whatever date you get the worksheet. Join us! Learn more about why I read the Bible all the way through every year, and feel free to share with anyone you think could benefit. This post is part of the series, “Read the Bible in a Year.” To see other posts in this series, go to the Chronological Index of Read the Bible in a Year Posts. *Attributed to the English Evangelical preacher and martyr, John Bradford (1510-1555) https://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/there-but-for-the-grace-of-god.html