My Case for God

Each of us must decide for ourselves whether salvation through Jesus Christ, is real, and whether or not we will accept this gift. This blog is about my journey to God. I hope you enjoy the story.

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The First Words and the Last Words (Part One)

on February 09, 2022

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Offerings in Numbers 7

on January 08, 2022

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What is Evil and Where Did it Come From?

on November 20, 2021

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Julie Siegenthaler

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The Scroll Had Writing on Both Sides

Often, my eye gets caught by the tiniest detail, and I just can’t let it go until I’ve researched it ad nauseum . It happened again last night. Rev 5:1 And I saw in the right hand of him that sat on the throne a book written within and on the backside, sealed with seven seals. You’ve probably read this verse many times, right? There’s so much to puzzle over in the book of Revelation that this tiny detail may seem low-priority, but if a book, which is actually a scroll, is written on both sides, there’s something important here. Surely, the message is something more significant that conserving parchment. I've come to embrace the idea that every detail in Scripture is important – and often I have no idea why. A conclusion to the question of double-sided printing jumped to my mind. Not trusting that conclusion, I asked the internet. The explanation I found was that something is described as being written on both sides only to illustrate how significant the writing ...

It's Time

Since 2017, I’ve functioned as if the world will go on and on, meaning someday I’ll have grandchildren, I’ll be able to withdraw funds from my IRA without tax penalties, and arthritis will set in. You know, old people stuff. But it’s always been in my mind that this world is about to change in dramatic and horrific (at least for a time) ways. It’s this thought that prevents me from holding on to plans too tightly. This world is not my home. I’m so tired of this duality. The things that used to keep me excited, like a pending vacation or a new project just don’t have the same luster that they used to have. It doesn’t escape me that the first four letters of that word are “lust.” Admit it, that’s a little funny. New shiny things have lost their luster because I no longer lust for the things of this world. I can appreciate new and shiny things, but the thrill is just gone. Can you relate? I believe in a pre-tribulation rapture of the church. If you’re a believer, then you know wh...

Joshua, Yeshua...Toh-may-toh, toh-mah-toh

I used to be a jet-setting, shot-drinking, career-minded guy magnet. I got married, had a couple of kids, and everything changed...even my natural hair color. I still marvel at how much a single event, such as the birth of a child, can completely alter the course of a life. A similarly radical course-change happened to me in August 2017. It was a wild time - that crazy Great American eclipse and a lot of talk about the Rapture was going on. I've mentioned this before, but I want to reiterate that the important change was that I really began to pray and read the Bible in earnest. Weird stuff started happening. Here's another dose of weirdness for you. My Bible reading has been directed by the Holy Spirit. Yes, I realize that sounds crazy. No, I don't know exactly how I'm sure that's what's happening. But the name of a book of the Bible will pop into my head, and I just begin to read. Sometimes it's a challenge. I find that if I read something that doesn...

Quick Thoughts About Elijah and Elisha - And Why It Matters to You

Let me do a quick breakdown of what I'm seeing in the story of Elijah and Elisha, verse by verse. This is such a fascinating story! **Verses 1-3 Elijah tells Elisha to hang back because he’s been sent to Gilgal. Elisha says he’s going to remain with Elijah even though “the sons of prophets” at Bethel tell him that his master is going to be taken away from him. He tells them to be still and carries on. 2 Kings 2: 1 Now when the LORD was about to take Eli'jah up to heaven by a whirlwind, Eli'jah and Eli'sha were on their way from Gilgal. 2 And Eli'jah said to Eli'sha, "Tarry here, I pray you; for the LORD has sent me as far as Bethel." But Eli'sha said, "As the LORD lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you." So they went down to Bethel. 3 And the sons of the prophets who were in Bethel came out to Eli'sha, and said to him, "Do you know that today the LORD will take away your master from over you?" ...

Is it just me, or is something else going on with David and Solomon?

In my last post, I covered the joy of treasure hunting in 2nd Samuel. King David was fascinating, so I went on directly to 1st Kings, in which David dies pretty early on. Figuring there was more to his story, I eagerly began 1 Chronicles, taking notes on all David’s children, their mothers were, their birth places, and the meaning of their Hebrew names. Fun, but not conclusive. I kept reading. An idea about Solomon began to take shape. I’ll be the first one to tell you that I’ve really only been reading the Bible (with intent) for less than a year; I’m no expert. Naturally, I’m insecure about what I find, and I often engage others (presumably more knowledgeable and experienced than I) with my ideas, looking for assurance that I’m on the right track. What a waste of time. Because I know who's guiding me. Sadly, there are a number of Christian men who love to spout 1 Timothy 2:12 in order to marginalize any insight a woman might offer with this handy line: “I do not permi...

A Word of Caution About What’s Coming

Hi, readers. My blog has been on autopilot for months (over 100k hits, and Iran is topping the list this week), as I’ve been working on house repairs and hosting an exchange student for the second semester of the school year. Graduation was in June, and the student is safely back at her home country. It was a blessing to have her in our home. If you’re watching for our harpazo, you probably have your heart on Jesus and your eyes looking toward all that’s happening in the Holy Land. It seems anything but holy at the moment, as world powers assemble weaponry near borders or in the territory of allies. If you have kids who are draft age, you might be getting nervous. I know I am. Living the dichotomy of, “There’s the County Fair this week, then I need to start planning activities for Grad Night,” and “We’ll probably see nukes fly any day now as the markets crash and civil unrest unfolds,” has become a second-nature posture that I never wanted. As Pastor Dana Coverstone would conclude...

More to that Manna

I had the unfortunate undertaking of entering into the insanity of the retail realm yesterday. The first errand was to return some unused construction items to a local big-box hardware store. The clerk was helpful but stressed by the large cart of items for which she had to process returns. After a few jiggles and one register transfer, all was well. I felt bad about giving her such a large task, but she handled it with grace. The next stop was to a favorite discount store. I really love discount stores because you never have any idea if you’re going to score or strike out. To me, that’s the only fun part of shopping – the hunt. The chase. Otherwise, I’d rather embroider my own fingernails with a rusty needle than set foot inside a store. I’m not trying to be ungrateful. I fully recognize the blessing of being able to purchase luxury items like trim tile and a few cute (though unessential) decorations with which to festoon the extra 1,400 square feet of my home so that it can become an...

Please Stop Talking About It

In August of 2017, I was awakened. The state I was in didn’t seem like spiritual slumber, but it absolutely was. For me, God was church on Sundays and maybe helping out a little at church. It was the 10% tithe sent to the church and the subsequent write off. But, as God started to wake me up to the times, I got to my knees in prayer. I considered my relationship with Him, my eternity, the possibility of a pre-trib rapture, and the rapid acceleration toward utter global entropy. I’m more of a realist than an optimist. Perhaps this is why I’m not invited to many parties. God has given me much: Good health, great kids, safety, shelter, nice friends, wonderful neighbors, air conditioning, reliably hot water, sweet family members, an adorable red tractor, Amazon Prime, a comfortable bed with warm blankets, a garden…the list goes on. But most importantly, He has given me salvation and the promise of eternity with Him. It’s precisely that gratitude (and perhaps some guilt at not truly partic...

The Best Treasure Hunt, Ever.

Join me in the best treasure hunt ever. It’s going to be amazing . In my musings, I’ve touched on the fact that I am non-compliant, by nature. Today was no exception. The last few days, I didn’t read the Bible, and I was missing my time with the Holy Spirit. This morning I cheerfully prayed, “Hi! Your choice! What are we reading today?” Second Samuel . “Oh, sure. OK. Second Samuel. Ummm…” Yes? “Well, that sounds good and all. It’s just that…” It’s just what? “I haven’t actually finished – no, I actually haven’t even started First Samuel. So, maybe I should begin there, so I’m not starting halfway through…” Second Samuel. “Yes. Definitely. Don’t get me wrong, I’ll still read Second Samuel. I just think I should read First Samuel, first.” Second Samuel. “Are you sure this is the Holy Spirit? How do I know that this is you, and not me talking myself out of reading two books, instead of one?” Second Samuel. You’ll see. (Sigh) “Fine. Second Samuel.” I got to verse 1:16...

The Gift of Space

About a decade ago, I was a participant in a nine month journey of spiritual formation. These kinds of programs can often have a reputation for becoming “navel gazing,” but I believe the opportunity for contemplation and revelation are a gift beyond measure. If you’re interested, the program is called Theodyssey . I promise you, it can be life-changing. Early in the journey, we were asked to sit in silent prayer before God. Tips were given, such as finding one word to dwell on, like “Abba” or “Father.” These served as a harness for a wildly gyrating mind such as mine. I tried it on, and it seemed to just add to the noise in my head. Instead, I started to picture Jesus, sitting in the room with me, he on the couch and I on my knees in front of a crackling fire. The first few times were an incredible struggle as I wrestled with my mental octopus of a brain. I have long suspected that I struggle with Low Latent Inhibition – where my senses are overwhelmed by everything my senses take in. ...

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