Reading from Thursday, September 23

Hello friends. Sorry about the inconsistent posting schedule. I hope to get to more regular updating in the next couple days.

I went into work super early this morning and caught a story on CNN about religion. There was a study and survey taken across the country that said that the majority of people who claim to be religious know very little about the religions of other people, or even sometimes lack knowledge about their own religion - and yet people who claim no religion (atheist or agnostic) usually scored higher on the quiz. You can read the article and take the quiz for yourself here. You can also listen to the beginning of this sermon that talks about this idea.

This is partially the reason why I'm doing this Bible in a year thing - not to do well on some CNN quiz, but to actually have a knowledge base of what I believe in. To know the history around why Jesus' life and subsequent death were so important. I'm debating about what to do after this year is over. I would like to learn more about other religions, so one idea would be to have Brandon's Qur'an Adventure, or I could keep going with this for another year and try to gain an even greater understanding about my own religion. What do you guys think? Qur'an Adventure, or Bible Adventure #2?

Bible time...

Reading for September 23
Isaiah 41:17-43:13
So I did a Google search on these three chapters and there seems to be a lot of people who seem to think that Isaiah 41-43 are predictions about the rise of Islam and the coming of the Prophet Muhammad. There is one set of verses that specifically seemed to be agreed upon from the various sites I visited - 42:1-3

¹ "Here is my servant, whom I uphold,
       my chosen one in whom I delight;
       I will put my Spirit on him
       and he will bring justice to the nations.
 ² He will not shout or cry out,
       or raise his voice in the streets.
 ³ A bruised reed he will not break,
       and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out.
       In faithfulness he will bring forth justice

To me, this is a clear reference to Jesus, but to others who practice Islam, this is a clear reference to Muhammad. I suppose its all in your perception. I know very little about Muhammad and what his deal was, so I wouldn't be surprised if these verses described him well, and hey - who I am to say that this prophesy wasn't about him? Maybe it is - in fact, maybe all the predictions about the one who will save Israel were about Muhammad and not Jesus. I need to do some more research into the life and mission of Muhammad before making a judgment.

Any of you guys know the Muhammad story? Let me know if I'm spot on, or way off base here.

Ephesians 2:1-22
Many of the books of law in the Old Testament contained laws that had caveats for foreigners. The writers of these books often referred to these people as "aliens living among you" and usually all the laws that applied to the Jews also applied to these aliens.

What Paul does here in the letter to the Ephesians is preaches a fantastic message of inclusiveness and peace.

 ¹⁹Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God's people and members of God's household, ²⁰built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. ²¹In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. ²²And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.

Meaning everyone in the whole world is now accepted and loved by God, where for centuries only the descendants of one man, Abraham, were loved and protected by his divine mercy. Again, I'm still not cool with that, but that's the story, and I'm glad I'm living in a time when I can be included as a "member of God's household." 

Psalm 67:1-7

 ⁴ May the nations be glad and sing for joy,
       for you rule the peoples justly
       and guide the nations of the earth.
       Selah

Proverbs 23:29-35
Warnings against drunkenness...

 ²⁹ Who has woe? Who has sorrow?
       Who has strife? Who has complaints?
       Who has needless bruises? Who has bloodshot eyes?
 ³⁰ Those who linger over wine,
       who go to sample bowls of mixed wine.
 ³¹ Do not gaze at wine when it is red,
       when it sparkles in the cup,
       when it goes down smoothly!
 ³² In the end it bites like a snake
       and poisons like a viper.
 ³³ Your eyes will see strange sights
       and your mind imagine confusing things.
 ³⁴ You will be like one sleeping on the high seas,
       lying on top of the rigging.
 ³⁵ "They hit me," you will say, "but I'm not hurt!
       They beat me, but I don't feel it!
       When will I wake up
       so I can find another drink?"

Boom.