The Week of January 5th, 2020 – January 11th, 2020

Sunday:

I arose at 5:00am and began the day reading Deuteronomy, chapters 5 – 8; a retelling of the covenant, the Word of the Lord spoken to the Israelites at Horeb and a declaration of what Jesus called the great commandment: “Hear, O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord is one! You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.”1 After this Moses tells them to bind the words that he speaks to them on their hearts, to teach them, to talk about them and to write them in visible places.2 I find this interesting because this is what Christians should be doing regarding Christ and all that he commanded. After this I recited John, chapter 1. At Sylvania church from 9:00am – 12:00pm: Shane taught on Acts 1-9, Paul at Thessalonica and Phillip preached on Luke 13:18-35. The main idea from Phillip’s sermon: The kingdom of God is expansive and inclusive, but it is narrowly defined and marked by suffering. Darlene and I spent the afternoon shopping for groceries. The pain in my right heel is very noticeable. How is this going to affect my running? Today my family seems a little short with me and somewhat argumentative. Is this related to a change in my actions, or speech, or my perception, or is there something going on with them? I have many imperfections of which I am aware and desire to change but there is likely many that I am unawares. If it is my lacking, I hope to be made aware, and if it is something going on within their hearts, may I love them through. 

Monday:

Before going to bed I reluctantly decided that I would not run this morning do to the pain in my right heel; therefore, I arose at 5:00am and began the day reading Deuteronomy, chapters 9 – 11. Significant verse from the reading: “You shall therefore love the Lord your God, and always keep His charge, His statutes, His ordinances, and His commandments.”3 This is significant indeed, for Christ said: “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.”4 I recited John, chapters 2 -3. During breakfast I competed: Spanish – Beginner I – lesson 3 - ¿Vives Por Aquí? Review. I worked in outpatient cardiac rehab from 7:30am – 16:45pm. Many of these patients are wonderful people and I enjoy them all. Today, I have been thinking about this world in which we presently abide. I do not desire to abide in this world any longer; therefore, I shall abide in the kingdom of God. Jonathan Edwards called heaven, “a world of love.” I cannot do anything about what the world thinks, says or does but I choose to observe the law of Christ,” A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another.”5 Through loving one another we demonstrate our love for Christ. I am seeking to remember through 1 Corinthians 13 what love is and what love is not. I want to live on the earth as though I abide in heaven and not in the world. 

Tuesday:

I arose at 4:00am and read Deuteronomy, chapters 12-16; the way of life for the Israelites when they came into the promised land. Then I recited John, chapter 4; the Samaritan woman at the well and the healing of a nobleman’s son from a great distance away. Last night I had a dream in which I was pleading with people to put their faith in Jesus Christ because God is going to judge the world in righteousness. I began running at 5:30am in the morning and ran 5 miles in 39 minutes and 20 seconds. I call this time morning because it is the start of my day but really it is still night outside. While running I saw something in the sky that I have never seen before. I was running east and there was no light except the stars and I saw in the night sky a brilliant – straight – line as bright as any star in the sky. It was as though several stars had lined up in close proximity and were connected to one another. Early night and at this time satellites are visible and my eyes are trained to see these but this was unlike anything that I have ever seen before. It was not a meteor breaking up because those streak across the sky. The bright line of lights eventually faded away and I saw it no more. I do not know what I saw but I am curios. During breakfast I completed Spanish – Beginner I – Course 2 – lesson 4: Spanish pronunciation “c” and “g” and a vocabulary review. I went to work form 7:30am – 2:00pm and did 2 cardiac rehab orientations. The Lord has given me 2 things to do: 1) Preach the gospel. 2) Teach people with cardiovascular disease about diet and exercise. For either to be effective requires a change of mind. Something that I am unable to give anyone. Through a little research by Darlene and further research myself; we found out what the bright line of lights that I saw in the night sky are. They are 60 new Starling broadband internet satellites launched into orbit by the company SpaceX just yesterday evening, January 6^th, 2020 from Caper Canaveral, Florida at 9:19pm EST.6 Wow! This means that I was likely one of the first persons to visualize these new satellites as they orbit the earth. 

Wednesday:

I awoke at 4:00am and read Deuteronomy, chapters 17 – 23; then I recited John, chapters 5 – 6. I have decided that I am going to follow a prescribed reading plan for my daily reading excluding John. When I get there, I will go straight from Luke to Acts. As for John, I have decided to recite 2 chapters a day, which will have me going through John twice every 3 weeks. I did not run this morning do to my heel pain. I have decided to run every other day until it heals. This morning, I began Spanish – Beginner I – course 2 – lesson 5. I worked in cardiac rehab from 7:30am – 4:45pm, then met Darlene at Sylvania church for dinner; after dinner I met with the mission’s committee about our missions conference February 28^th– March 1^st. I had a difficult time today when people were unhappy with my actions and words: yet, l am reminded that love does not take into account a wrong suffered.7

Thursday:

I awoke at 4:00am. I read Deuteronomy, chapters 24 – 27 and recited John, chapters 7-8. I began running a little before 5:30am for a distance of 5 miles in 39 minutes and 17 seconds. During breakfast I worked on my prescribed Spanish lesson. I arrived at work a little before 7:30am and worked until 6:30pm. Lately, I am having a difficult time. I try so very hard to be patient and kind with everyone; yet, I can say something that was not intended as unkind but will be interpreted as unkind. Why do I try so hard when no one acknowledges my efforts? The answer is that I want to be like Jesus Christ. Yes, I want to be just like Jesus Christ in every way. I look up to him and I love him; he is everything that I desire to be. So why do I feel such disappointment when others are angry with me or accuse me of unkindness? How do I measure success in following Christ? Is success measured by what others think or should I be unconcerned with what others think? If being pleasing to those around me is not the measurement then what? I have heard the saying, “You can’t please everyone.” Well, I do not think that I have ever truly pleased anyone. I am not an old man but I am far past being a young man. Can I live without seeking my own? Can I live a life only being concerned for the other? Is it possible to live that way? Seeking to be satisfied in others satisfaction of me is not working. I feel so disappointed when others express the slightest degree of dissatisfaction. Living without seeking my own includes satisfaction. Can I live without satisfaction? “Let no one seek his own good, but that of his neighbor.”8

Friday:

I arose at 5:00am and began the day by reading Deuteronomy, chapters 28 – 29; blessings promised to Israel for keeping the covenant law and curses for breaking the law. The new covenant is like the Deuteronomic covenant not in having a prescript of laws to abide by but the promise of blessings in the new heaven and new earth, yet to come, or curses in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone. However, it is not, have you kept the law but are you in Christ? The law of Christ is Christ Jesus; if you are in Christ you are blessed as keeping the law all the days of your life. Moses ends this dialogue saying, “The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our sons forever, that we may observe all the words of this law.”9 After reading I recited John, chapters 9 – 10. Today I worked in pulmonary rehab from 9:00am – 4:00pm. I am looking forward to having the next 2 days off from work to re-energize. Yesterday I wrote that I am having a difficult time when others express disappointment of me. A thought entered my mind today regarding this: Christ said, “Treat others the same way you want them to treat you.”10 I feel hurt when others express disappointment of me; therefore, if I am treating others the same way that I want them to treat me, I should not express disappointment of  anyone. This is not a post-modern idea of expectance but a biblically minded idea of kindness towards all people. This is not about confronting a brother regarding his sin but that quick snap unkind look or word of judgment.11 In 1 Corinthians 13, the apostle Paul gives a list of what love is and what love is not; the first two is that love is patient and kind. I must be quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger; this is the only way to live as Christ.12 So yes, confront others in their sin but first be patient, really hear, and second, be kind when you speak, not angry. 

Saturday:

I arose at 5:15am and began the day by reading Deuteronomy, chapters 30 – 31; this was the conclusion of the Deuteronomic covenant. Then I recited John, chapter 11; the death and resurrection of Lazarus as a demonstration of the power of God to raise people from the dead. I have decided to return to reciting 1 chapter out of John’s gospel a day that I may take the time to meditate on it and not feel pressed. Yesterday morning I felt really pressed for time. I of course do not feel pressed for time today as I have the day off work; nonetheless, I will recite 1 chapter a day that I may meditate on the Word. I have continued a slow progression of memorizing the prolog (first 13 verses of John’s gospel) in spanish. This morning I added verse 9 and spent sometime on this before going running. I ran for 1 hour, covering a distance of 12.2 km. My heel was noticeably sore during the run but not too painful. I hope to get back to running 6 days a week but will continue running only 3 days a week next week. While running I have time to think. So, I was thinking about what I should read and study next. I have decided that I should read about and study the subject of baptism. Baptism is not an essential doctrine; however, baptism is not a minor issue either. Baptism is a major issue because baptism is regularly connected in Scripture with belief and salvation.13

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[1]Deuteronomy 6:4-5

[2]Ibid, 6-9.

[3]Ibid, 11:1.

[4]John 14:15, NASB.

[5]Ibid, 13:34, NASB. 

[6]“SpaceX Launches 60 Starlink Satellite, Nails Rocket Landing in Record-Breaking Flight,” Amy Thompson, cdli:wiki, https://www.space.com/spacex-starlink-2-launch-success.html . 

[7]1 Corinthians 13:5.

[8]1 Corinthians 10:24, NASB.

[9]Deuteronomy 29:29, NASB.

[10]Luke 6:31, NASB.

[11]Cf. Matthew 7:1.

[12]James 1:19.

[13]Thomas R. Schreiner and Shawn D. Wright, eds., Believer’s Baptism: Sign of the New Covenant in Christ (Nashville: B&H Publishing Group, 2006), 1.

The Week of December 29th, 2019 – January 4th, 2020

Sunday:

This morning I read Numbers, chapters 15-19. There seemed to be much envy going on about the different roles that the Lord assigned the Levites. The Levites, the sons of Kora were jealous of the sons of Aaron and the Israelites were jealous about the Levites. The sons of Aaron receive the first born of the sheep and goats. The fat is sacrificed to the Lord, but the meet is theirs. The Levites receive a tithe from the Israelites as theirs but they give a tithe of the tithe to Aaron and his sons for they have no property and are dependent on their brothers for food. Community, giving and not seeking ones own. I recited John, chapter 11. This morning I posted last week’s journaling to “The Nurse Theologian” and noticed that it happened to be my 500^thblog post. Sylvania church at 10:20. Phillip Dancy sermon: “Repentance & the Sabbath” Text: Luke 13:1-17. Main idea: Repent, be transformed at heart and live because judgment day is coming. Upon returning home Darlene and I saw Daniel off to his home in Austin. In the afternoon, I read the remainder of “A Christmas Carol,” by Charles Dickens; the version that I have is the original manuscript edition. Darlene had given this to me as a gift a year ago. I had seen movie versions of “A Christmas Carol” several times but had never actually read the book. I thought I should and read what Charles Dickens actually wrote. Last weekend I read stave I, Marley’s Ghost and stave II, the first of the three spirits; this afternoon I read stave III, the second of the three spirits, stave IV, the last of the spirits and stave V, the end of it. It was quite interesting reading this after Phillip Dancy’s sermon about repentance. After seeing his name EBENEZER SCROOGE written on the neglected grave, he said to the spirit: “Hear me! I am not the man I was. I will not be the man I must have been, but for this intercourse. Why shew me this, if I am past hope!”[1]It should be noted that this fictional character’s repentance is moral but true repentance must be unto Christ. “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.”[2]

Monday:

This morning, I read Numbers, chapters 20-22 and recited John, chapter 12. I Ran at a moderate effort for 33 minutes and 7 seconds, covering a distance of 4.2 miles. I began Spanish, beginner I, course 2, lesson 1. I worked in outpatient cardiac rehab from 7:30 to 6:30. Darlene went to Louisiana to visit her sister Raylene; therefore, I am home alone tonight.

Tuesday:

This morning, I read Numbers, chapter 23 through 26:34; the oracles of Balaam. Then I recited John, chapters 13 and 14. The Father God created the heavens and the earth and the sea and all that is in them through his Word. (Gen.1) The Word became flesh and dwelt amongst us and the apostles beheld his glory. The only begotten Son of the Father full of grace and truth. Jesus commissioned the disciples to go and make disciples of all the nations. The apostle whom Jesus loved wrote a book which we call the Gospel According to John, the stories in this book testify to the mind. The helper whom Jesus sent, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father testifies to the heart. Through these two a man’s heart and mind are changed; therefore, he repents and believes. This morning, I ran 4.42 miles in 34 minutes and 40 seconds. The effort was easy-moderate. I worked with Chris in pulmonary rehab from 9:00am to 4:00pm. Pulmonary rehab is much different than cardiac rehab. In cardiac rehab many of the patients see improvement in fitness over the course of the program; however, in pulmonary rehab this is not the case. Pulmonary rehab is not really rehabilitation, it is helping people with a terrible disease to live life. We give them knowledge to manage their disease and we do exercise them, but the exercise is more to give them confidence to not be afraid to do things. I have found that it is the pulmonary patients who will continue as wellness members after the program, but the cardiac patients fade away until they get another wakeup call with a cardiac event. This evening, Darlene and I plan to spend some time with some of our Sylvania church friends to bring in the new year. 

Wednesday:

Today, I slept until 7:00am which is much later than my normal because I was up much later than my normal. Darlene and I enjoyed an evening of fellowship at the home of Troy and Teresa Kriechbaum; along with, Elliot and Susan Middleton, Randy and Susan Price, and Mike and Ashliegh Anderson. All are members of Sylvania Church in Tyler, Texas. We saw fireworks over the lake, had Christ exalting conversation, food, and played games. To end the year with these brothers and sisters in Christ before beginning a new year tells of how blessed we all are in the Lord. This morning, I read Numbers, beginning at chapter 26:35 and read through chapter 29. Moses was to die because of his rebellion in not keeping the command of God in the wilderness of Zin. Joshua was sanctified as Moses successor to lead the people into the promised land. The law of offerings in chapters 28-29 made me feel tense because they are continual and so many. After this, I recited John, chapters 15 and 16. I ran at a moderate effort for 35 minutes and 42 seconds covering a distance of 4.58 miles. Being that it was later, I ran my favorite course which is an out and back course to the spillway at Lake Tyler. I like this course because of the view as I run across the dam. Today I completed Spanish, beginner I, course 2, lesson 1: ¿Vives por aquí? Part 1. 

Thursday:

I went to bed shortly after 9:00pm and awoke this morning at 4:00am. I read Numbers, chapters 30-33 and recited John, chapters 17 & 18. I ran 4.62 miles in 36:42. The effort was moderate. Arrived at work at 7:30am and spent the morning ambulating in-patients in the CVICU. After lunch, I did reports from the outpatient morning sessions and spent time scheduling an orientation appointment for tomorrow morning. I have decided that I would like to study the Decalogue (Ten Commandments) because it interests me that the major traditions use the number 10 in their counting of the commandments but differ in their division of the commandments. Jewish, Roman Catholic, and Lutheran traditions treat the worship of other gods and the use of idols as one commandment, but the Orthodox and Reformed traditions make them into two separate commandments. Jewish, Orthodox, and Reformed traditions treat the prohibitions against coveting as one commandment, but Roman Catholic and Lutheran traditions divide the prohibitions against coveting into two commandments. The Jewish tradition retains the number 10 by treating Exodus 1:1-2 as the first commandment.[3]I think that it will be an exciting subject to study and will yield fruit in growing in knowledge of God and his Christ for the church. The words of the Decalogue are first mentioned in Exodus 20 but the number 10 and the two tablets come later in Exodus 34 and stated again in Deuteronomy 4:13 and 10:4 with the prohibitions restated in Deuteronomy 5.[4]

Friday:

I went to bed at 9:00pm and awoke at 4:00am. This morning, I read Numbers, chapters 34-36 and Deuteronomy, chapter 1: the history of Israel after Exodus. Then I recited John, chapter 19. Most commentators believe that John’s gospel is in two parts: chapters 1-11 and 12-21, but I believe that the book is in seven parts. The book follows the order of the creative week but instead of resting on the seventh day, the seventh day is skipped, and the Son of Man rises from the dead on the first day of the week. There is an incredible amount of fulfilled prophesy from chapters 12-19, which is the metaphorical sixth day. Pilot said, “Behold, the Man!”[5]Remember, man was created in the image of God and was given authority to rule the earth as God’s stewards but then sin entered into the world and death through sin. Jesus died for our sins and rose again from the dead; thus, a new and better beginning has been inaugurated but will not be consummated until Christ returns. To read about the consummation in Johannine theology we must refer to the Revelation. After reading, I ran 4.16 miles in 32 minutes and 59 seconds. I met my goal pace which is less than 8 minutes per mile but felt fatigued before starting and the heel of my right foot is sore. I went to work and received 1 patient for a cardiac rehab orientation. A Cardiac rehab orientation envoles bring the patient into a closed office. They may come alone or with their closest family member. I spend about an hour talking with them about their health history, life, exercise, diet and I do a physical assessment; it is a time of getting to know the person. I will then put a cardiac monitor on them and have them do a 6-minute walk test on a treadmill or on our track at an easy to moderate effort. This test will be repeated in 3 months to measure increased fitness. I also give them 3 short quizzes which measure cardiac knowledge, a subjective evaluation of their diet and a subjective evaluation of their health. These will be returned at their first cardiac rehab appointment and like the 6-minute walk test will be repeated in 3 months to measure change. I then schedule them to start cardiac rehab which they will attended at a scheduled time, 3 days a week for 36 sessions. I came home at noon and spent the afternoon reading about the Decalogue in the Dictionary of the Old Testament: Pentateuch.

Saturday:

I awoke at 5:00am this morning and began the day by reading Deuteronomy, chapters 2 – 4. Deuteronomy is a series of speeches or sermons by Moses. The first of these concludes at the end of chapter 4. After reading, I recited John 20 – 21. I then ran 9.04 miles in a time of 1 hour, eighteen minutes and 8 seconds. The pace was easy, 8 minutes and 38 seconds per mile. I ran a total of 31 miles this week. My right heel is sore; therefore, it will be good to take the day off from running tomorrow. Currently, I am running 4 – 5 miles a day, Monday – Friday at less than 8 minutes per mile, and 8 – 10 miles on Saturday at greater than 8 minutes per mile but less than 9 minutes per mile, for a total distance of 30 plus miles per week. If my foot remains sore, I might need to reduce my activity to 5 days a week to get in an extra rest day for my foot. If I go to 5 days of running per week, I will need to go to the upper range of 5 miles on week day runs and 10 miles on Saturday runs to get 30 total miles for the week. I will re-evaluate how my foot feels on Monday morning. During breakfast, I completed Spanish – Beginner I – Course 2: ¿Vives Por Aqua? Part 2. Darlene and I went to see the latest Star Wars movie. I did not enjoy the movie because it depicts a worldview contrary to the Word of God and I will leave it at that.

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[1]Charles Dickens, A Christmas Carol: The Original Manuscript edition(New York: W. W. Norton & Company, 2017), 121.

[2](Ephesians 2:10, NASB.

[3]J. W. Marshall, “Decalogue,“ in Dictionary of the Old Testament: Pentateuch, eds. T. Desmond Alexander and David W. Baker (Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 2003), 172.

[4]Ibid, 171.

[5]John 19:5b, NASB.

The Week of December 22nd, 2019 – December 28th, 2019

Sunday:

Read Leviticus chapters 24-27 and recited John 1. Sylvania Church at 10:20. Sermon by Phillip Dancy, “The Angles,” Luke 2:14.

·     Angels are spiritual beings with moral judgment and high intelligence

o  Angels are messengers

§ Prophetic

§ Announcements

o  Angels are warriors 

o  Angels worship God

·     There appears to be a divine aspect to the “Angel of the Lord.”

o  Chrisotphany

After church service we ate lunch with our friends the Anderson’s and Kriechbaum’s.

Monday:

Read Numbers chapters 1-3v24 and recited John chapters 2-4. While reading, it occurred to me how massive the Israelite army was. “So all the numbered men of the sons of Israel by their fathers’ households, from twenty years old and upward, whoever was able to go out to war in Israel, even all the numbered men were 603,550.” (Numbers 1v45-46) 603,550 men fit for military service, not including the Levites; and yet, at the end of this book they are afraid of the inhabitants in the land of Canaan. I am not judging them with regard to this for no man knows how he will react when faced with a problem until! Ran for 31 minutes and 51 seconds covering 4.07 miles. I spent the day working in cardiac rehab with Andy and Linda. I got home at 5:00pm and Darlene arrived shortly thereafter from Austin with Daniel (Daniel is our 30-year-old son). I spent some time reading a from Sinclair B. Ferguson’s book, “Love Came Down at Christmas.” It is a book of daily readings for advent and is a commentary on 1 Corinthians chapter 13. I read chapter 23 of Ferguson’s book. We know love because God demonstrated love in the incarnation and sacrificial death of Jesus Christ his begotten Son our Lord. 

Tuesday:

Read Numbers chapters 3v25-5 and recited John 5. The care and service of the Levites reminds me of Joseph and Nicodemus care of Jesus body. I believe that God is love as demonstrated at the cross, for greater love has no man than to lay down his life for others; this is how God demonstrated his own love towards us. Yesterday I read in Ferguson that Jonathan Edwards called heaven, “a world of love.” Love came down to earth at Christmas. Love came and dwelt amongst men in the incarnation and love has come to dwell in men in the regenerating work of the Holy Spirit and men will dwell in a world of love at the resurrection. Ran for 38 minutes and 4v seconds, covering 4.87 miles. Worked with Chris in pulmonary rehab from 9:00am to 3:30pm. Being Christmas Eve, we had only three patients in the morning session and one in the afternoon session. One patient truly matters; therefore, I am glad to have been there. When I got home I read Ferguson, chapter 24, “The Greatest,” 1 Corinthians 13v13. The Son of God was born for us in order to die for us. (Ferguson 2017, 155) I would say that the Son of God was born to die for the righteousness of God, so that he could be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. (cf. Romans 3v26) Adam and his wife whom Adam called her name Eve because she was the the mother of all the living were not cursed like the serpent, it was the ground from which they ate that was cursed; therefore, life is difficult in this world. It should not go unnoticed that God clothed them. (Genesis 3v20-21) As a nurse I have cleaned many a person of their filth and clothed them and there is much care in the act. Thank you, Father, thank you God for loving us while yet sinning. Lessons and Carols Christmas Eve service at Sylvania church. I was given the honor of participating in the service, I recited Genesis 3v8-15, 17-18 which has come to be known in Christian theology as the protoevangelium. The protoevangelium is the first hint of the gospel of Jesus Christ in Scripture. After the service Darlene, Daniel and I ate dinner together at “Casa Ole.” Darlene and I have not eaten there in quite a while. It was Daniel’s idea because he like the restaurant as a child. Imagine a graduate of a French Culinary Arts school liking simple Tex-Mex food?

Wednesday:

Read Numbers chapters 6-7 and recited John 6. Ran for 31 minutes and 57 seconds, covering 4.07 miles. Bethany and Daniel didn’t get up until 9:00am. I read Matthew 2:1-12 before we opened our presents. I was surprised my one gift in particular. I have encouraged Bethany from the time she was a small child to make me something for Christmas. She is now a high school art teacher. This year’s gift was very surprising indeed. She took an article that I had written about the Reformed Baptist in Cuba and pictures that I had taken while there; she took these and graphically designed a book that will arrive sometime after the first of next year. Secondly, Darlene gave me a bilingual Bible: La Biblia De Las Américas,New American Standard Bible. This will allow me to read my morning devotional reading in both Spanish and English. The overall volume of my daily Scripture reading will decrease but to read in both languages will help me learn Spanish so that I may communicate the gospel in both languages. We concluded the day by enjoying a dinner together, after which we played a card game.

Thursday:

This morning I read Numbers chapter 8 with the bilingual Bible that Darlene gave to me yesterday; the separation of, purification of and age for service of the Levites. Reading both Spanish and English together is difficult; therefore, I will read only in English for my morning devotion. After this I recited John chapter 7. Today I will be adding verse 6 to my memorization John’s prolog in Spanish. This morning I ran for 32 minutes and 13 seconds at a moderate pace covering a distance of 4.08 miles. I arrived to work at 7:30. Today I am ambulating post thoracic and cardiovascular surgical patients in the CVICU. Much has changed on this unit since I started here 18 ½ years ago. The oldest note that I have in my iPhone is from December 26^th, 10 years ago, and it has three quotes from the movie Fireproof, starring Kirk Cameron: First, “You’ve got to beg God to teach you how to be a good husband and don’t just follow your heart because your heart can be deceived, you’ve got to lead your heart!” I know that I wrote down this quote because I was convicted that I was not a good husband to my wife. Second, “Good enough!” I believe that I wrote this because I had come to realize that I was not good enough. Third, “I resolve to let Jesus be Lord of my life, everyday!” This is the greatest resolution that a man can make and one that I did make the following.

Friday:

This morning, I read from the book of Numbers chapters 9-11 and recited John chapter 8. Then I ran for 31 minutes and 48 seconds at a moderate pace covering a distance of 4.05 miles. I did my daily Spanish lesson during breakfast. I am on the final lesson for the beginner course 1 and have had some difficulty with completing this lesson. I do not consider a lesson complete until I answer all questions correctly in a single setting; I have found that this works best. I am scheduled to be at work from 7:30am-2:30pm. Today I have 2 orientation appoints for cardiac rehab. This evening we are celebrating Christmas with my mother, my brother Jeff and family, and sister Julie and family; therefore, I will leave work as soon as the orientations are complete, but I will be dedicated to these patients while there. Today is a very important date for me; on this date 10 years ago, I made a decision to follow Jesus Christ as Lord. I resolved to observe all that he commanded. My heart (desire) was changed; therefore, I trusted in Jesus Christ and resolved to observe all that he commanded. I do not perfectly follow my Lord, I fall short everyday. I know, however, that he sacrificed himself for my sins, defeated death and rose again from the dead on the third day. I trust in his promise to return on the last day and raise all of his disciples to eternal life in the new heaven and the new earth which is yet to come. 

Saturday:

Yesterday evening we had a festive time with Mom, brother Jeff, sister Julie and their families at our home. We had a large tasty meal provided by the Lord and cooked by Darlene and Daniel. We exchanged gifts and enjoyed one another’s company. Mom left early, she said that she needed to feed her dogs, but I suspect she felt overwhelmed with so many. Overall, I think it was a good time. This morning I read Numbers, chapters 12-14 when the Israelites rebelled against the Lord by not going into the land of Canaan as he commanded, except Caleb and Hoshea whom Moses called his name Joshua. Then I recited John, chapters 9-10. I ran for 1 hour, 20 minutes and 58 seconds this morning covering a distance of 9.05 miles. The Saturday morning run is longer; therefore, I ran at a much easier pace than on the week days. I spent the time meditating on Scripture. I began thinking about the Great Commission. It was the apostles whom the Lord commissioned to go make disciples and teach them to observe all that he commanded them. For this reason, it is the Scriptures that we preach and teach, especially the New Testament text, for these were written either by an apostle or one of their contemporaries. During breakfast, I competed Spanish lesson beginner I, course 1, lesson 13: Nuestra familia, review. This was the final lesson for beginner I, course 1; therefore, I move on to another course. We spent the later part of the morning and afternoon at Mom’s whom spending time with my siblings before they departed back to their homes.

December 22nd, 2019

The Nurse Theologian is the weekly journal of Mike Peek. 

Who is Mike Peek? 

I am a follower of the Lord Jesus Christ, a husband to Darlene, a father to Daniel (30) and Bethany (26), and work in this world as a Registered Nurse. My education includes a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Texas a Arlington and a master’s degree in Theological Studies from Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. In the world, I’m of little importance; however, God demonstrated his own love towards me, in that before I was conceived in my mother’s womb and could commit a single sin, Christ died for me. God knew every sin that I would commit, yet he chose me for redemption by the blood of Jesus Christ before the foundation of the world, he predestined me for adoption as his son through Jesus Christ; therefore, I am a citizen of the kingdom of God and of the very household of God.

It is my daily habit to rise in the morning at 4:00am; my intention is to rise 3 and ½ hours before I’m scheduled to be at my job. I spend the first hour of the day reading Scripture, reciting a chapter from John’s gospel and writing a letter to my Father God. The second our of the day I use for exercise; after stretching I will do a set of pushups or setups, then run 4-5 miles. The third hour of the day is spent showering, eating a meal and doing a Spanish lesson before departing the house at 7:00am to drive to work; I work in the Cardiac/Pulmonary Rehab at the Christus Trinity Mother Frances Louis and Peaches Own Heart Hospital in Tyler, Texas. On Saturday mornings; however, I will rise at 5:00am, my morning routine is the same except I run to 8-10 miles (Now on the sixth day they gathered twice as much bread, two omers for each one. Ex.16.22) 

Today is Sunday, the Christian Sabbath; therefore, I ran twice the distance on Saturday so that I could take the day off from running on Sunday. Do not misunderstand, this is not legalism, for we are not under the law of Moses but the law of Christ. (1Co.9.19-23) One thing that we can take from the Old Testament law is principles, by doubling my run on Saturday mornings, I can use the time on Sunday mornings to write in this journal which I am now doing and plan to do every Sunday morning going forward. I plan to write in this journal from 6:00am-8:00am every Sunday morning and write no further. The Nurse Theologian is not an editorial, nor a formally written paper; therefore, you are likely to find errors in spelling, sentence structure and punctuation because I will not be editing what I write.

Scripture

This week I read through the book of Leviticus. Leviticus is a very interesting book and I learn much every time I read it. Leviticus is filled with law. Sundry means: various items not important enough to be mentioned individually. (Oxford English Dictionary, 2019) Yet, Jesus taught that the second most significant law is found in what the translators put under the heading “Sundry Laws.” Leviticus 19:18 days, “you shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 

This past weekend I memorized Genesis 3:8-19; therefore, I have been thinking about this passage all week. There are three steps to systematic Bible study: First, Observe the text. Ask, what does the text say? Second, interpret the text. Ask, what does the text mean? Third, apply the text. Ask, what shall I do? It is my belief that if you are going to study a passage of Scripture it should be put to memory. I have found no better way to observe what the text is saying than to memorize and recite it over and over. I found Genesis 3:16 very interesting:

To the woman He said, 

“I will greatly multiply

Your pain in childbirth,

In pain you will bring forth children;

Yet your desire will be for your husband,

And he will rule over you.”

The Reason 

I found this interesting because the conservative evangelical view of this passage is not what I get out of the text when observing the text after putting it to memory nor do I get out of it the Augustinian view of the text. God is not declaring sin as a way of life, both the Evangelical and Augustinian views take that route but with different perspectives. Augustine believed sex was sin, but sex was necessary at this time to bring forth children. Evangelicals relate this text to as being the difficulties that men and women have in getting along with one another. The text is not saying either of these. The text is saying that the woman will have pain and difficulty in childbirth but will continue to bring forth children because her desire will be for her husband. It is this sexual desire for her husband that rules over her; therefore, since the fall, women have continued to bring forth children in child birth despite the pain and problems because she has a sexual desire for her husband. It is not the pain and difficulties of child birth that rule over her, but it is her husband that rules over her. Anyway, this is my thoughts on the matter after observing the text for what it is saying.

On the Job

On the job this week people are thinking about Christmas and there are decorations everywhere. The windows in our department are painted and on Friday there was a man dressed up like Santa Clause out in the lobby. A few of my coworkers and myself to a picture with him.

The Incarnate Verb

During the month of Advent, the Peek household displays four silver colored letters on our mantle above our fireplace that spell “NOEL”; these serve as hangers for our stockings. A family tradition started by one of our children is for someone to change the spelling to “LEON” until someone in the household notices. In fact, the storage box that contains these mantle pieces is marked LEON on the lid. The picture was taken at my work in the Cardiac Rehab depart at the Louis and Peaches Owen Heart Hospital. I rearranged the spelling to say, “LEON” until someone in the department noticed.

This brings to mind a thought that I had this week about words. Words are very important but the meaning of the words are even more important. According to the Oxford English dictionary the word “NOEL” means “Christmas, especially as a refrain in carols and on Christmas cards.” Noel was borrowed from early 19th century French. However, if a person does not know what “NOEL” means it might as well say, “LEON.”

For a little over 2 months now I have been learning the Spanish language. In a class at Sylvania Church on reading, our pastor spoke of memorization of Scripture as a useful technique for deeply studying a passage. I have used this technique myself for many years. When I study a passage, I will memorize it because in memorizing the text I look more deeply into what the text is saying. However, I do not always continue in a particular text but move on to others but not so with the gospel of John. 7 years ago I decided to memorize the gospel of John and have continued to recite 1 chapter a day ever since. It is my tradition, when preaching in the gospel open air to recite the Prolog (first 18 verses) then summarize the content of the entire book while offering passerby's a copy of the book. Because the Prolog to John’s gospel is so rooted in my memory, it occurred to me that I should memorize the text in Spanish for 2 reasons:

1. It would aid in my learning the Spanish language.
2. I could use it the same way that I use the English version for preaching in open air.

However, something occurred that I was not expecting; learning Spanish and memorizing this text of Scripture in a different language has taught me something about the Word of God. I got the idea to memorize the Prolog to the gospel of John when I came across a bilingual: English and Spanish copy of the gospel of John in the New Living Translation (NTV is the Spanish version of the NLT); however, this is not the translation that I use, nor is it the translation that I memorized the text in English. I started out using the NTV but started over again using the Spanish version of the New American Standard Bible (LBLA). Stay with me because I will need to tell you a little bit about how Spanish works to show you something really interesting about the Word of God.

John 1:1 says:

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. (NASB)

En el principio existía el Verbo, y el Verbo estaba con Dios, y el Verbo era Dios. (LBLA)

You may note that the English, “Word” is translated, “Verbo” in Spanish; however, you should know that “Verbo” is not Spanish for “Word.” “Palabra” is the Spanish noun, “Word.” The NTV used “Palabra” but the LBLA used, “el Verbo.” Why? The Spanish noun, “Verbo”  literally means verb in English, it is not a verb but is the Spanish word for verb. So, are the translators of the LBLA calling Jesus Christ the incarnate “Verb?” Yes, they are, and hear is the reason.

Spanish sentences have this structure: Subject (S), Verb (V) and Object (O). Not all sentences have an object so the minimum for a Spanish sentence is a subject and a verb which is also the case in English. However, in Spanish you can leave off the subject if it is clear who or what the subject is and this occurs because Spanish verbs are conjugated regarding the subject of the sentence. For this reason, the verb is the most important part of a Spanish sentence.

In the creation account of Genesis chapter 1, the phrase: “Then God said,” occurs repeatedly in English and in Spanish, “Entonces dijo Dios.” Entonces is the adverb which modifies the verb. Dijo is the first person conjugation of the verb “decir,” which means: say, utter, tell, call, mention or recite. Therefore, Jesus Christ is the incarnate “said” of God.

Reflection
Learning another language is helping me to go deeper into the Scriptures, could this also benefit you? Words are important but their meaning is even more important; in your study, are you seeking to understand meaning?

At Just the Right Time

The Advent season is upon us, and love is in the air, but not the love of romance; tis the season to be jolly, for the love of God is in the air. “ For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. (Jn 3 v 16) Germanus, Patriarch of Constantinople from 715-730 wrote:

A great and mighty wonder,
A full and holy cure!
The virgin bears the Infant
With virgin-honour pure.
Repeat the song again!
To God on high be glory,
And peace on earth to men!

This week, my morning devotion time was spent reading the Old Testament book Exodus. You might wonder how Exodus relates to Advent? Or, for that matter, can any book outside of Matthew and Luke relate to Advent?

At the very lowest point in the family of Israel, the angel of the Lord appeared to Moses from the midst of a blazing bush, the bush was burning with fire and yet not consumed. (Ex. 3 v 2) God remembered the covenant that he made with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and brought Israel out of Egypt. God promised Abraham, Isaac and Jacob  a land, a nation and a blessing for all people. (cf. Gn 15; 22 vs 15-18; 26 vs 2-5; and 28 vs 13-15) God made a covenant with David; David’s house and kingdom would endure eternally before God. (cf. 2 Sm 7 vs 8-17) It was at the lowest point in the Davidic royal line that Jesus was born of a teenage virgin who was betrothed to a carpenter who lived in Nazareth of Galilee. According to the law of the Mosaic covenant: Every firstborn male of every womb of Israel, both beast and man belongs to God. The beast is to be sacrificed to God, but the sons of Israel are to be redeemed by sacrificing a lamb; if however, the means of the parents are insufficient for a lamb, then two turtledoves or two young pigeons are to be sacrificed instead. Joseph and Mary opted for two turtledoves or two young pigeons indicating that they were of lowly means. (Lk 2 vs 22-24; cf. Nm 12 v 8) 

God came to Mt. Sinai to redeem the nation of Israel from slavery in Egypt at just the right time through the Exodus. God came in human flesh in the person of Jesus Christ to redeem the Davidic Royal line from ending at just the right time. God sacrificed his only begotten Son to redeem his elect from sin and death at just the right time, “so that he would be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus” (Rom 3 v 26) 

When Joseph and Mary came to present Jesus, Simeon, a devout man filled with the Holy Spirit and Anna, a prophetess, both advanced in years were found in the Temple waiting to see the Lord’s Christ. (Lk 2 vs 25-38) Therefore, continue to be patient and wait on the Lord like Simeon and Anna; trust in the promises of God for his elect, for all of God’s promises are fulfilled at just the right time!

Disappointment and the Sovereignty of God

I began journaling after my earthly father went into the hospital on Christmas Day, 2013. After this, he went into a nursing home where he died on February 16, 2014. At first, the journal was sporadic and consisted of jotting down things that happened and thoughts that I was having. Later that year, the journal became a daily devotion in which I wrote letters to God. For the first 4 years my letters to God were in a paper journal but last year I started writing them in a word document because I was doing my daily Scripture reading on my iPad.

In January of this year I decide to begin a second journal because I happened to have an empty paper journal on my bookshelf. I began writing in this journal things that I wanted to remember. I would go days and even weeks between writing in this second journal. However, on September 15, 2019, I got off of an airplane in the country of Cuba. I wanted to keep a record of everything that I saw, everything that I did, everything that happened, the people I meet and the thoughts that I had while in Cuba. But my journaling did not end when I returned to Texas, because of this second journal I began writing this blog retrospective of the past week. This will be the 6th week in a row that I have written about the previous week. I titled the first 5 retrospective blogs with the dates of the week but going forward I will seek a title related to the theme of the week.

Yo, no estoy feliz porque no voy a Cuba

I am not happy because I am not going to Cuba. I was supposed to return to Cuba on December 1st through the 8th to assist another brother; we were to teach systematic theology to pastors and church leaders of 100 churches during a week long seminar. Last week, I learned that there was a delay with the government issuing of our visas. Then on the evening of the Thanksgiving holiday I learned that the visas were denied by the Cuban government. I am not blaming anyone, for I believe in the sovereignty of God in all things. If it was God’s will that we go to Cuba and teach, then we would be going to Cuba to teach. Everything is by God’s decree; God either causes events or allows them to happen for his purposes. The apostle Paul wrote:

And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. (Romans 8:28, NLT)

Now we see things imperfectly, like puzzling reflections in a mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity. All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely, just as God now knows me completely. (1 Cor. 13:12, NLT) 

I graduated with a Masters degree in theological studies and felt called to teach theological studies to church leaders in Cuba. After hearing the news that our visas were denied, I wrote an extended entry in my journal expressing my disappointment. I confess that I even shed a few tears because I fell in love with the Cuban church; especially those on the ministry team in Cuba. I have dear friends in Cuba that I cannot see or hear. During the past few months I have been working hard to learn the Spanish language, so that I may communicate better with them. I have also been diligent in memorizing the prolog to the gospel of John in Spanish, that I might recite it for them; thus, demonstrating my desire to communicate the gospel in their heart language. Will I ever return to Cuba? If not Cuba where would the Lord have me serving in his kingdom? I do not know the answers but I do know that the Son of God, Jesus Christ is the sovereign Lord of the universe and he causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28)