The Nurse Theologian

What does it say? Again, Abraham lied about his wife Sarah, telling  Abimelech that Sarah is his sister, so Abimelech took Sarah into his house. God had compassion on Abimelech and spoke to him in a dream, keeping him from sinning against God by sleeping with Sarah. Abimelech gave Sarah back to Abraham along with livestock and slaves, then he questioned why Abraham would do this and cause Abimelech to make a decision that would be sin against God. The answer that Abraham gave was self-preservation. Sarah conceived and bore a son for Isaac at the appointed time and named him Isaac. When the child was eight days old, Abraham circumcised Isaac just as the Lord commanded. Sarah demanded that Abraham send Hagar and her son away. The Lord told Abraham to trust him, and do as she says, for his descendants would be named through Isaac but God would also make a great nation of the maid Hagar’s son. Hagar and her son were dying of thirst in the desert and God heard their cries; therefore, He pro…

What does it say? Three men appeared and Abraham asked that he might treat the Lord hospitably. They Lord asked for Sarah and she was in the tent. The Lord told Abraham that in one year, He will return and she will have a son. Sarah laughed because of her age and the Lord said: “Is there anything to difficult for the Lord.” Abraham questions the justice of God. Will the Lord destroy the righteous with the wicked? Abraham gives the Lord scenarios beginning with 50 righteous persons, all the way down to 10 righteous person and in each case the Lord answers that He will not destroy Sodom if righteous persons are found in it. Suffice it to say that the Lord deals justly with His created beings. However, the under lying reason for Abraham’s questioning the justice of the Lord is that Abraham’s son Lot lived in Sodom with his family. The two angels who appeared as men to Abraham, with the Lord, came into the city and Lot asked that he might show them hospitality, they agreed after he urged t…

What does it say? The word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision. Abram longed for a son because one of his servants would be his aire. God told him in the vision to look at the stars and if he could count them, that is the number of his descendants. I cannot image the stars visible to the eye, in a desert, before electric lighting. Abram believed in the word of the Lord; the Lord reckoned it to him as righteous. The Lord reckons the man who believes His word as righteous. Paul and James relate Christian belief in Christ to this passage. (Rom.4:3; Gal.3:6; Jam.2:23) Abram sacrificed animals and cut them in two and laid them separated, as the Lord commanded. God told Abram that His descendants would be enslaved but He would rescue them and bring them into the land of Canaan. After the sun had set and it was very dark, the Lord passed between the halves and was visible, as a smoking oven and a flaming torch. Since she could not conceive, Sarai reasoned to give Hagar, her Egyptian made, t…

What does it say? The Lord spoke to Abram. Was it audible or was it a vision? I do not know but I do know that the Lord made his will known to Abram and His will was that Abram observe His commandments and the Lord would bless Him; thereby blessing Abram, all of the families of the earth would be blessed. Abram departed his family, as the Lord commanded, to the Land of Canaan. He took Lot his nephew, the son of his dead brother Haran, Sarai his wife, all of the wealth and servants that they accumulated in Haran. The Lord told Abram that He would give the land to his descendants. Abram went to Egypt because there was a famine in Canaan. He lied to the Egyptians and told his wife to lie and say that she was his sister. Pharaoh took Sarai into his household and gave Abram livestock. The Lord struck Pharaoh and his house with plagues because of Sarai; therefore, when Pharaoh heard what Abram had done, he drove him and his wife away. Abram went to the altar that he made between the cities o…

What does it mean? God blessed Noah and his sons in much the same way that He had blessed the first man and woman in Gn.1:28. He told them to be fruitful and multiply; however, instead of telling them to rule over the living creatures of the earth God put the fear of man into the creatures. Also, instead of giving them the vegetation of the earth for food, God gave them the living creatures for food but not while they still had life in them. There is also a remembrance that above all creatures, man is special because man was made in the image of God; therefore, man shall not be killed. God then made a covenant for man and all living things, that He would never again destroy all flesh with a worldwide flood again. As a sign of the covenant God created the rainbow. Through Noah’s sons the entire earth was populated. This means that every person on the earth has a common ancestry in Noah and his wife. It did not take long before sin entered into the family. Noah cursed Canaan but blessed …

What does it mean? Genesis 6 Men and women began to multiply greatly on the earth and God was not pleased with man; therefore, he restricted man’s life to 120 years. God was sorry that He made man because man was corrupt and his wickedness became abundant; therefore, God decided to destroy man, and all living things but for some reason, Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord. Noah was a righteous man, he was considered blameless in a time that the earth was corrupt and filled with violence; therefore, his finding favor with God would indicate his non-violence as the possible reason. God told Noah that he was going to destroy the men of the earth with the earth. God planned to cause a great flood. Noah would not have known what this meant and God gave him specific instructions on how He wanted Noah to build the ark which would house him and Noah’s family. The arc would also hold birds, animals and creeping things of every kind, a male and a female of every kind. Noah had never seen a f…

What does it say? The serpent took the word of God and twisted it, so the woman did what was in her heart, she took from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil and ate; she also gave to her husband and he hate. The man and woman hid themselves from the Lord and when the Lord questioned the man about eating from the tree, he blamed the woman and the woman blamed the serpent. The Lord God told the serpent that he is cursed and He will put a state of hostility between him and the woman and between his seed and her seed; her seed will bruise the serpent on the head, yet the serpent will bruise His heel. The Lord told the woman and the man that childbirth would now be increasingly difficult but she would continue to bear children because she would desire her husband and he will rule over her. Adam had been given a garden but now he is to eat through very hard work and overcoming much difficulty; at the end of the days he will return to the dust, the dust that he came from and toiled wit…

What does it say? In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth; He said let there be light, there was evening and there was morning the first day; thus He created the cycle of a 24 hour day. The second day God created the atmosphere around the earth. The third day God separated the land from the sea and He created vegetation to grow on the land. The fourth day God create the Sun, the moon and the stars. The fifth day God created the fish that swim in the sea and the birds that fly in the sky. The sixth day God created all of the land animals; God created man, male and female in His image to rule over the fish of the sea, the birds if the sky, the earth and every living thing that moves on the earth. God gave man and the beasts the vegetation on the earth for food. The sixth day culminated God’s creation and He rested on the seventh day; therefore, the seventh day should be remembered as holy. God created man from the dust of the ground and breathed the breath of life into his…

What does it say? Everything in our lives is in the hands of God. There is one fate for all and that fate is death. Enjoy life with the woman whom God has given you all the days of your fleeting life. Do whatever your hands have found to do. You do not know how much time you have to live. You may never be remembered for your wisdom and work but it is better to be wise than a fool. When a ruler becomes angry, keep your composure and maintain your position. The best person for the job may not be the one who has it. Life is dangerous but do not be afraid to live it, for no man knows what will happen and no one can tell him what will come after him; however, live wisely and not as a fool. You cannot discern the activity of God by watching the creation. No one knows what will work best. Rejoice in all the years that you live but remember the days of darkness. Childhood and the prime of life are fleeting; therefore, take care how you live when you are young because you will pay for it when y…

What does it say? When you speak to God chose your words wisely and do not speak to God in haste but with reverence. If you make a vow to God pay your vow. Everyone has someone watching over their actions. It is better to work for your food than to have more than you need and not work. Hoarding wealth does not help the hoarder because he cannot take it with him when he dies nor does it help others. whom he could have helped. Use the wealth that God has given you to celebrate with others during the few years that you have life. Being rich and alone is no life at all. Be satisfied with what God has given you because envy only hurts the envious. Man is not the creator, nor sovereign, and he does not know what will be after him. God has made prosperity and adversity, when in adversity consider God. Trying to be perfect is worrisome, so why ruin yourself? However, fear God and love your neighbor. Do not worry about everything that people might say about you because you likely have cursed ot…

What does it say? All is vanity because everything that happens under the sun was happening before us and will continue when we are gone. Men work all the days of their lives but actually accomplish nothing. The preacher set his mind to know more than any before him but then realized that this too is vanity because with much wisdom and knowledge there is grief. The preacher sought pleasure from alcohol, possessions and women. Then he sought to gain pleasure through the works of his hands but this too was vanity. He sought wisdom all the days of his life but for what, the wise man dies just like the fool who walks in darkness, so he hated life, and saw life as striving after nothing.  He also saw the work that he did all of his life, the building of a kingdom as futile because all will be taken over by someone who did not work; he asks, what does a man get for his life long labor? The only way for a man to eat and have enjoyment is with God. There is a time for everything done under the…

What does it say? Proverbs 30 - It is the Son of God who ascended into heaven and descended, gathers the wind in his hand and established everything. What is the name of the son of God? Agur knows that the words of God are true and asks two things of Him: To keep deception and lies from him and to not give him either riches or poverty but exactly what he needs to live to keep him from evil. There is a kind of man who curses his father and mother, who thinks that he is noble, and who devours the needy, Leeches are always wanting and never giving. These four are always wanting more: Sheol, the barren womb, dry earth and fire. There are four things that Agur does not understand: the flight of the eagle, how a snake gets on a rock, how a ship floats and the love of man for woman. There four things that shake the earth: a slave who comes to power, a fool who is satisfied, a woman who gets a husband, and a maid servant who supplants her mistress. Four small things that are very wise: ants, r…

What does it say? In this section, I usually write single sentences, summarizing each paragraph into individual thoughts. However, most Proverbs are given as individual thoughts. Therefore, until the text returns to larger thoughts in paragraph form, I will begin by answering, What does it mean?
What does it mean? We have no idea what is coming. Praising oneself is just silly and not worth anything but to be acknowledged by others without seeking it is good. It is better to be rebuked than ignored. It is good to be careful as we walk through this world. We should always be kind and consider the others situation before greeting our friends. It is impossible to constrain people who are contentious. Men need other men to help them in this life. Whatever is in a persons heart will eventually be revealed. People always desire more than what they have. You need to care of the things that God has given you and this requires your attention. When a person has done something wrong they are worried…

This morning I read and wrote comments on Proverbs 24-26.
Proverbs 24 By wisdom and understanding men are able to accomplish things. Without these we plod through life without making plans or knowing where we are going. We cannot live life alone. If we do not know something it is wise to take counsel from the knowing. If you know that something devious is happening, the right thing to do is to speak and take action. Men and women across the world are headed for death. They stagger through life on their way to slaughter. We have the words of life so preach the gospel. When your enemy falls, do not rejoice because this is not pleasing to the Lord. It would be better if he had come to repentance. We should fear God and the king. All authority has been given by God. Paul understood this even in the context of the Roman government which oppressed the people. There is wisdom for rulers. Rulers should not show partiality in judgment. Doing so will anger the people and make his ruling much more…

This morning, I am writing my thoughts as I read Proverbs 22-23. These are general proverbial sayings on life and conduct. Many of the sayings are only applicable in the historical-cultural context in which they were written but much of them are applicable in my life today. It is on these I will be making comments as they apply in my context.
Proverbs 22 I once had a good name in the CVICU. I had a reputation with the other nurses as the go to guy when they had question about care and the physicians trusted my judgment. I recently went back to the unit after being gone for 1 1/2 years. There had been a total turnover of the nursing staff. The physicians have been replaced on the unit by nurse practitioners and Physician assistance. Not many no me, so I feel as though my good name has been lost. Yes, a good name is more desirable than gold. God is the maker of us all; therefore, all should be honored no matter their financial status. It bothers me that my hospital holds the wealthy patie…

This morning I am reading Proverbs 19-21 and these are my thoughts. The proverbs before contrasted the righteous and the wicked but these proverbs are general sayings on life and conduct. 
Proverbs 19 It is good to be wealthy because you will have many friends and bad to be poor because you will be separated from friends. This is true to the extent that a rich man is generous and gives gifts. There is much written against lying in the proverbs. The 9th commandment: “You shall not testify falsely against your neighbor” is understood as a general prohibition against lying. We should be gracious to the poor because doing so is giving to the Lord.  We should always be kind and truthful, both of these are the way to live life and conduct ourselves everyday. 
Proverbs 20 It is not wise to be a drinker. There has been much debate about this in Christian life because Jesus and his disciples drank wine. The difference is strong drink and intoxication. A glass of wine with a dinner is not a problem…

This morning, I will be reading Proverbs 16-18 and making comments while I read; however, I will not be commenting on every verse but on those which apply in my life. All of these texts are single thoughts contrasting the upright and the wicked.
I have thought what I was doing was for my neighbor but it was actually done for my own glory. The scripture says the Lord made the wicked for the day of evil. I confess that this is difficult. Yes, I would rather be poor and walk in the way of Christ than be rich and evil. Sanctification is an interesting things because it is man thinking and God directing his steps. Rulers are established to deal out justice. Wisdom and understanding are the most valuable things on earth. When I have been most vulnerable to fall was when I was prideful. We think that we know what we are doing, “I got this!” However, we are like children who need the guiding hand of a Father and the word does that. It is for hunger that a man works and it is for the good of th…

Today, I will be reading Proverbs 10-15 and making comments on the text a chapter at a time. This section transitions to general proverbial sayings.
Proverbs 10  These are general principles to live by and this chapter contrast the righteous and the wicked. Do you want to live a long life and do well before God and men? Then do what the righteous man does and not what wicked men do. These are general principles for life and not hard and fast laws but generally speaking what is said is what normally will occur. 
Proverbs 11 This chapter continues to contrast the righteous way of life and the wicked way of life; however, in this chapter the result is one of love rather than prospering physically as was the case in chapter 10. Live a life that honors the Lord and love ones neighbor is the righteous way. Live dishonorably and hating ones neighbor is the wicked way. Each will receive a just reward.
Proverbs 12 A man who daily reads these proverbs does well because this is the beginning of knowle…

Proverbs 7:1-5 The father loves his son and instructs his son to treasure his commandments and his teaching. He speaks to him of making wisdom his sister and understanding his close friend. Proverbs 7:6-23 A scene is describe in which an adulterous woman entices a young man to her bed. She describes the situation being one where he could not be caught; however, it will cost him his life. Sin always leads to death. Proverbs 7:24-27 The father tells his son to not let his heart be turned aside to lusts because the house of lust is the way of death.  Proverbs 8:1-11 Wisdom speaks truth and hates wickedness. The good son should desire wisdom above all the treasures of the earth. Proverbs 8:12-21 To live wisely is to live prudently, not making any hasty decisions. A good ruler will govern prudently. Keep in mind at all times to fear the Lord is to hate evil, pride, arrogance and the perverted tongue. Cursing is not to be in the mouth of those who fear the Lord. Proverbs 8:22-31 Wisdom existed with Go…

Proverbs 4:1-9 A good father teaches his son wisdom and encourages him to acquire learning all the days of his life. My earthly father encouraged me and my Heavenly Father more so.  Proverbs 4:10-19 Wisdom is to walk righteously and not walk the path of wicked. The wicked seek to harm men and want others to take part in their wickedness. Men like this should be avoided because to walk rightly, most times will lead to a long and prosperous life.  Proverbs 4:20-27 He writes as a father to a son and encourages attention to his words. A man pen these words but under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit; therefore, this should be understood as a letter from our heavenly Father. He says to watch-over our heart, do not lie to others and keep your eyes from lusts. If I had walked in this way during my youth I would not have the regrets that I now have but praise be to God for turning me to the way of Jesus Christ.
Proverbs 5:1-6 Sin may look good to the eye and even feel good for a while but it always…

Proverbs 1 No matter your age, you can learn knowledge and discretion, and if you are wise you will listen and increase your learning. The fear of the Lord is beginning of knowledge because it will keep you from being enticed by sin. Listen to wisdom because if you do, the Lord will bless you and keep you but if you do not, if you ignore good advice the Lord will forsake you. 
Proverbs 2 If you seek for wisdom, as you would a treasure, then you will recognize the reason for fearing the Lord and you will know God. The Lord gives wisdom to those who listen to Him; if your heart is upright, wisdom will be pleasant to your inner most being and will deliver you from the way of evil. Sin always leads to death but the path of wisdom is the upright path, the way of life.
Proverbs 3 Listen to wisdom all of the days of your life and do not lean on your own understanding but trust the Lord, for He is wisdom. You may think in your mind that it would be wise to hold on to funds but the Lord has said to…

Psalm 146 Do not trust in the leaders of this world no matter how great they are; they will perish and their promises with them, but the promises of the Lord are forever. The way of the Lord is to love righteousness, protect strangers and support the fatherless but not the way of the wicked. 
Psalm 147 It is good to sing praises to the Lord our God because he is all powerful, all knowing and all good. The Lord sustains His creation and is not impressed by physical strength but He is favorable to those who fear Him and wait on His lovingkindness. Church, praise the Lord who is sovereign in heaven and on earth; the Lord has chosen You out of the nations and given You His word. 
Psalm 148 The Lord created the heavens and all that is in the universe; therefore, all that is in the universe should praise the Lord. The Lord God created the earth and all of the creatures on the earth; therefore, all of the kings of the earth and people should praise the Lord. Praise the name of the Lord (Jesus Chr…

Psalms 140-145
Pray to the Lord for deliverance from evil people who stir up trouble through the use words. The wicked will set traps to try and catch the innocent. Therefore, pray to the Lord that the plans of the wicked will not prevail. Trust that the Lord will judge the wicked righteously and up hold justice for the afflicted. 
Pray to the Lord to keep you from temptation. The man who has righteous friends who rebuke him when he is headed into sin is truly blessed of the Lord. Sin is a trap but God will not leave His elect defenseless. 
Declare your troubles to the Lord and cry for help when in distress. Trust that the Lord hears your prayers and will deliver you from evil. 
Pray to the Lord to deliver you from judgment, for no man living is righteous in the eyes of God. Longingly pray for the Lord, desire the Lord as though you were extremely thirsty. Take refuge in the Lord and trust in His lovingkindness, ask Him to teach you His ways. Ask the Lord to send His Holy Spirit, to lead …

Psalm 133-139
It is extremely good when brothers are united. Servants of the Lord who work even at night should worship the Lord who created heaven and earth. Praise the Lord for He is good for He choose you as His own. Whatever pleases the Lord He does. The Lord has done mighty things on the earth and He will judge His people and have compassion on His servants; all other supposed god’s are created by men. Have respect for the Lord, bless Him and praise Him. The Lord made the universe and all that is in it, we should give thanks to the Lord for His consideration for His elect is forever. The Lord has, the Lord is and the Lord will save us because His consideration for His elect is forever. The Lord gives to us all that we need because His consideration for His elect is forever. Going your own way takes you away from the Lord. Remember the Lord wherever you are. Those who are against the Lord’s elect will be repaid for their unkindness. Sing praises to the Lord for His grace and truth.…

Psalms 120-132
What does it mean? There may be trouble in our lives caused by those around us, this should lead us to pray to the Lord. The Lord is above all our troubles. As one body, we should give thanks to the Lord. We cannot demand anything from God but hope in his lovingkindness. Look to what the Lord has done in the past for hope in the present. In the end we can trust that God will judge the world in righteousness. We should trust in the Lord’s deliverance. Whatever we do comes to nothing if the Lord is not behind it; however, our children are a gift from God. The truly blessed man has a family and lives to see his grandchildren. If we are persecuted now, trust that the enemy will be put down in days to come. We can trust the Lord’s promise of forgiveness of sins through redemption. We should have child like trust in the promises of the Lord and not try to understand things that are to difficult for us to comprehend. The Son of David (Jesus Christ) is on the thrown and his enemi…

Psalms 119
The one who wrote Psalm 119 loves the Lord with all of his heart, soul and mind. Jesus said, “If you love me you will keep my commandments.” (Jn.14:15, NASB) How are we to keep the commandments of the Lord? Is it even possible for a man? It is possible in Jesus Christ but not in our flesh. Jesus is the incarnate Word of God. (Jn.1:1-18) To be in Jesus Christ is to observe every statute of God. Jesus kept the Father’s commandments. Jesus is the embodiment of the perfect man who follows the word of God. 
I was led astray from birth. I did not know the Lord our his statutes. I was not taught the word of the Lord. I remember as a youth, believing that there is a God but did not know what he was like, nor did I know what he expected of me. I knew that their is a creator from seeing the natural revelation. I was given a Bible in my early teens but did not read it. I took this Bible with me when I was in the Army; stationed away from my family in the countries of Panama (1988-89) an…

John 11:1-37 and Psalms 115-118.
The Lord is not an idol made by man’s hands. To make an idol, the image is first formed in the mind then carved into wood, stone or cast into metal. An idol gives the appearance of something that has life but is lifeless because it is not real. Some may say, “Where is your God? Your god is invisible!” Yes, our God is the invisible God but the Lord created heaven and earth and sea and all that is in them. You can see with the eye the things God created. The Lord hears when we speak to him and he knows our thoughts. The Lord sees everything that happens on the earth. Though unseen by human eye, my God lives. It is the god of the human imagination that does not exist. The Lord made himself known to Abraham, to Isaac, to Jacob, to Moses, and in these last days; God has made himself known in his Son. Jesus Christ is the image of the invisible God. Jesus Christ is the exact representation of his nature. Jesus said, “I am the resurrection and the life, he who …

Psalms 108-114
When Jesus taught his disciples to pray, (Mt 6:9-13) he told them to pray for these seven: God’s name, God’s kingdom, God’s will, our physical needs, our debts, our debtors, and our deliverance. Yet, some of the prayers in the psalms differ from what Jesus taught his disciples, so how should we understand them?  In psalm 108 David’s praises the Lord and asks the Lord to Give Victory. Psalm 109 David invokes vengeance on his adversaries. Psalm 110 is about God giving dominion to the King. Psalm 111 is about praising the Lord for his goodness. Psalm 112 is about the one who fears God prospering. Psalm 113 is about the Lord exalting the humble. And Psalm 114 is about the Lord delivering Israel from Egypt. Most of these psalms fit with what Jesus taught his disciples to do and how he taught them to pray; however, psalm 109 does not fit Jesus’ teachings regarding our prayers about enemies. 
Jesus taught his disciples: Matthew 5:43-45 (NASB) “You have heard that it was said, ‘YO…

Psalms 106 and 107
These two psalms are about the lovingkindness and truth of God towards men who do not deserve it.
Psalms 107:1 (NASB) Oh give thanks to the LORD, for He is good, For His lovingkindness is everlasting.
The translators pericope: Israel’s Rebelliousness and the LORD’S Deliverances. The LORD Delivers Men from Manifold Troubles.
The Lord kept his promise to Israel despite their rebellion against his commandments. When the afflicted call on the name of the Lord, he saves them as A. W. Pink said; from the pleasure, penalty, power and presence of sin. The cause of everything that we need deliverance from is sin. Sin is the root of all of our troubles. Yes, there are times when my sin is not the cause of my present troubles; however, sin is the root cause of all my troubles. This morning, my back is aching and yesterday I had to work all the day long with an aching back. This reminds me that this present world is not my home. I am on a journey to the celestial city in which the si…

Psalms 103, 104 and 105
The psalmist writes, Psalms 103:1 (NASB)
Bless the LORD, O my soul, And all that is within me, bless His holy name.
All three of these Psalms have as their theme to bless the Lord. After saying this, the psalmist describes the wonderful things that God has done; creation, provision for the created things, and fulfilling his promises to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. The Lord should be blessed but what is a blessing? The word can be used as an adjective or a verb. You can say that someone is blessed or you can invoke a blessing. It seems that in these psalms, David who is attributed with Psalm 103 (Psalms 104 and 105 have no attribution) is using the word bless as a verb. He is saying that we should bless the Lord. The Lord created everything. The Lord sustains everything. The Lord fulfills his promises in ways that go beyond human understanding. Yet, the psalmists writes that we should bless the Lord. Does God need our blessing? No! He needs nothing from his creation, y…

What does it say? Psalm 96: The Lord should be praised and feared above all gods, for all other gods are idols. The people should ascribe to the Lord glory and strength in His name. Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice because the Lord is coming to judge the world in righteousness and the people with His faithfulness.  Psalm 97: Righteousness and justice are the foundation of the Lord’s thrown. The Lord is exalted overall gods. If you love the Lord you should hate evil. Psalm 98: The Lord has made known his salvation and has revealed His righteousness in the sight of the people. All of the earth should shout joyfully to the Lord, singing with joy and praise. The Lord is coming to judge the wold with righteousness and the peoples with uprightness.  Psalm 99: The Lord reigns and the people should tremble before Him, worshiping the Lord at His footstool for His is holy. The Lord forgives those who call out to Him, yet He is an avenger of evil deeds.  Psalm 100: The Lord has made us, …