R's Commonplace Book

1. So people are too tired or too busy or too something to seek the Lord? Truth be told: too wrapped up in self.

2. Verse of the week, for this 17th week of the year, is Mt 16.18. You got it memorized?

3. I see it time and time again: People get close to a commitment and the evil one puts obstacles in the way. Such as work schedule changing to keep them away Sundays.

4. Douglas spoke tonight, following up on his message two weeks ago. Then, on Philip and the Ethiopian; tonight, on Ananias and Saul. Great job both times.

5. Y.T. is not much of a song leader, not much of a voice to sing with. But the Brazilian saying is, in the land of the blind, he who has one eye is king.

6. An original verse: What good is toilet paper on a roll / When squashed?! From me the space the seller stole!

7. A Bible verse: “And the Lord said to Moses, ‘Is the Lord’s hand shortened? Now you will see whether my word to you will come true or not!'” Nm 11.23.

1. Forgot to tell people, when writing down their email addresses for me, that they should print. Needed: a secret decoder ring for cursive handwriting.

2. Some people’s printing or block letters can also be a challenge. Mine has never been great. Now it’s even worse, out of practice as I am.

3. Of course, left-handers have a ready excuse, living in a right-handed world. Except in Israel, with Hebrew going from right to left. Was I born in the wrong language?

4. A US magazine with a date of January arrived in the mail today. Not called snail mail for nothing.

5. Had books and boxes in the containers in the carport sprayed for bugs again, before I begin the real work of moving them into the office. Time to ramp it up.

6. An original verse: A look aside to sweep the truth away / Will never keep its consequences at bay.

7. A Bible verse: “The Israelites again did evil in the Lord’s sight, so the Lord handed them over to the Philistines for forty years” Judges 13.1.

1. Good group tonight. Ricardo and Marilia, with son Mateus, dropped in. I invited him to preach, and he brought a fine lesson from Rom 11.

2. Out of 18, five were visitors (some now very regular) with no commitment yet to be followers of Christ according to the Bible.

3. My sons, who grew up flying between continents, like airports. Me, not so much. But I’d like to visit this one.

4. Don’t see nowadays people quoting the ISBE (2nd ed.). But it often has material I don’t find elsewhere. Great resource.

5. The word “egg” is used in the New Testament one time; in the Old, six.

6. An original verse: The people of God together meet to worship / And find in Christ their fullest hope and purpose.

7. A Bible verse: “Everything in me will celebrate when you speak what is right” Pro 23.16 NLT.

1. Went to bed super early last night after over a week of rising at 5 am, but not getting into bed early enough.

2. B. Franklin was right that early risers are smarter, wittier, healthier, and wealthier than the lazy who sleep in. Or something like that.

3. Got some work and personal ideas for the new month, but it’s already getting starting before I can firm them up.

4. Missed working out yesterday, went today around 4.45 pm, Paulo must have been punishing me for my absence by the heavy workout.

5. Two studies scheduled for tomorrow: a young man here in the afternoon, Douglas’s mother and brother in Jacareí in the evening. Pray.

6. An original verse: Tomes of old and books hot off the press / Cannot, besides the Bible, save and bless.

7. A Bible verse: “from generation to generation he is merciful to those who fear him” Lk 1.50.

1. Lots of rain. Leaked in my office last week, guy plugged openings, but is leaking again today, though not as badly. But it can’t leak at all.
2. Carnaval holiday started Friday, so fewer people tonight at meeting. Dynamic was great, however.
3. Wrote a poem this morning, but not one I’ll share online. Maybe when I publish the book of 2019 poems. If I publish.
4. Got my Forthright editorial primed for in the morning. Not a bad one at all. (Link is to my author page.)
5. Have started reading Wm. Barclay’s commentary on 1 John for devotional material. So far, so good.
6. New verse of mine: With little shall this Christian be content; / For nothing in this world will I lament.
7. Verse of His: “The Lord was pleased that Solomon made this request” 1Kgs 3.10.

#1. It’s a glib and often ignorant remark to say a deceased person is in a better place.

#2. I have salvation today, so anything else is small potatoes.

#3. Expectations are a dangerous thing and can turn into deadly weapons.

#4. Christmas Eve storm knocked out power. Christmas day spent without water. Day after, toilet had to be fixed. Merry!

#5. Missionaries sometimes spend the last weeks of the year wondering if they’re going to get a notice from supporters of terminated support.

#6. An original verse: Fire and water spill upon the earth, / Destroy the fragile human’s sovereign myth.

#7. A Bible verse: “Therefore ask the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into his harvest-ready fields” Mt 9.38.