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He sed, She sed...
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He sed, She sed... by Phil Have you ever heard the saying, "Do as I say, not as I do?" Sometimes our lives can be a great example for others of what NOT to do. The Pharisees in Jesus’ time are a great place to learn how NOT to please God. I thought it would be an interesting contrast to look at a scripture that shows us the right way to please God. The verse I settled on was Micah 6:6-8 which is basically a Q&A on the subject - "And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God." As I was studying that passage, I came across something interesting. Some translations say "love mercy," while others say to "love kindness," and still others say we should "love faithfulness." To determine the reason for this discrepancy, I dug into the original language and found the Hebrew word here is hesed. That word occurs some 250 times in the Old Testament and is translated mercy, compassion, love, grace, and faithfulness - but none of these completely capture the concept. According to Google's AI overview… "Hesed is a rich Hebrew term from the Old Testament embodying God’s unwavering, loyal covenant love, mercy, and kindness. It transcends mere emotion, representing active, steadfast devotion and generous, underserved favor. It is central to God's character as "abundant in steadfast love." Hesed is not passive; it is "love in action." God sees us to the core and is not impressed when we try to make ourselves look better than we really are. Instead, He is pleased when we do what is right, actively love Him and others, and have a humble and teachable spirit. For a deeper dive on this subject, I challenge you to do a Google search for other verses containing the word “Hesed” in the original language. Take some time to find this truth of God's character woven throughout His word. And pay attention, there will be a test. Not from me, but from God! Click Here to Check our Concert Schedule! Check us out on Facebook! - http://www.facebook.com/PhilandPamMorgan |
Phil & Pam Morgan
We're authors and musicians who loves to talk about faith & spirituality, arts & crafts, and music. Subscribe and join over 2,000+ newsletter readers every week!
Next to who? by Phil Last time we talked about taking the first step to get involved at church. Now, let's take it a step further... When I study the Bible, I often look for the obscure details, things that are mentioned in passing and commonly skimmed over. The third chapter of Nehemiah is just the opposite. The phrase “next to him” or something similar occurs over 25 times in that chapter! Seems like ole Nehi might have been trying to tell us something. The chapter is a virtual walk around...
Spectate or Participate? by Phil Part of my job as VP of our Woodworkers’ Guild is finding programs for our monthly meetings. A while back, one of our members mentioned he was building a beautiful workbench. I suggested he take photos along the way and share his process with us once it was finished. Last week, he invited me over to his shop to show me his latest progress. It is truly impressive! While I was there, he mentioned that I was the only person in the Guild he really knew; no one...
Jesus in Aisle Seven by Phil Hello, my name is Phil, and I am an extrovert. (Sounds like I’m at an Extroverts Anonymous meeting, but extroverts are anything but anonymous!) I don’t know a stranger—just friends I haven’t met yet. I can’t even go to Walmart without striking up at least five conversations with people I don't know. Why do I do this? Partly because I’m wired this way, but mostly to see the smiles I leave behind. It’s so much fun to see someone’s face light up when I compliment...