Notice on a slight format change:

Except for July 2012, these are mostly a collection of current devotional notes.

July 2012 is a re-write of old quiet times. My second child was born Nov 11, 1987 with multiple birth defects. I've been re-reading my QT notes from that time in my life, and have included them here. They cover the time before the birth and the few years immediately after the birth. They are tagged "historical." I added new insights and labeled them: ((TODAY, dd mmm yy)).

Friday, January 5, 2024

QT 1/5/2024 Mark 12:13-17, There is a great difference between God and me

Mark 12:13–17 (ESV) —

13 And they sent to him some of the Pharisees and some of the Herodians, to trap him in his talk. 14 And they came and said to him, “Teacher, we know that you are true and do not care about anyone’s opinion. For you are not swayed by appearances, but truly teach the way of God. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not? Should we pay them, or should we not?” 15 But, knowing their hypocrisy, he said to them, “Why put me to the test? Bring me a denarius and let me look at it.” 16 And they brought one. And he said to them, “Whose likeness and inscription is this?” They said to him, “Caesar’s.” 17 Jesus said to them, “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” And they marveled at him.

 

NOTE: One of the most ridiculous notions I have heard from Atheists is that if God exists and they are facing him at the end of their life, they have concocted questions that they are absolutely convinced will leave God stunned and speechless. The Atheists' problem is that they think God is as stupid as they are. God is so far beyond our ability to grasp. In fact a good argument for some of the things we don't understand, such as the trinity or free will versus predestination is that we should expect an infinite mind to understand things that our 3/4-cubic-foot mind cannot. It is like me explaining how to build a neural network to a two-year old. We are so foolish to think that we can outwit God. He did everything he could to show us the truth, and we have denied it at every stage. And if we commit only one sin, the refusal to believe God, we have sufficiently separated us from his infinite holiness for the rest of eternity.

 

PONDER:

  1. Am I fooling myself to think I have any argument that will stand up to God?
  2. Would I not be smarter, to admit my sin and rebellion, repent, and turn to the only person who can save me from "the wrath to come?"

 

PRAYER: Father, help me to know how to communicate that message to others in a way that causes them to pause and consider your claim upon their lives.

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