Hello from the novice blogger

A bit about my past. During college lost interest in bible and church because it didn's seem to say anything other than stories. No discussion on what it all meant. So ignored it for 15 years till met my wife to be, at which point I started reading the bible. Was a blessing actually because I was now ready to listen after learning the world had no answers. Years later I'm still learning to listen.

Seems the biggest error Christians make is not listening to what the Bible says because we think we already know what it says. Ideally, we would know nothing before we read it so our minds are a clean slate and can notice what it really says. Plus errors by the translators don't help. One I missed was at Hebrews 9:7 in King James says -- "But into the second went the high priest alone once every year, not without blood, which he offered for himself, and for the errors of the people". The translators made an error, maybe intentional, when they translated "errors". You can check it in Strong Concordance (#51) but the New King James reads differently at the end "offered for himself and for theh people's sins committed in ignorance". The sin offerings of the Old Testament (Leviticus Chapter 4) was for sins committed in ignorance, but there was no sin offering for deliberate sins. Jesus sacrificial death was not a better version of the sin offering but completely different sin offering for intentional sins. The rest of Hebrews 9 does not say the Jesus sacrific was better than the temple/tabernacle sin sacrifice but completely different -- and in fact it finally provided justification for these sins that never existed before. I must have read this verse 10-30 times before I finally noticed what it said. Makes you consider how many other verses one reads incorrectly. I now read through the Bible continuously and notice these gems of truth that missed for years.

Regarding Stephen reaction at the end: at that point you have only three choices, curse your killers, be silent, or pray for them. Nothing good can come from the first two so the only positive effect of your last breath is to pray for them so they may question what they've done. Maybe Stephen remembered Proverbs 25:22 -- For thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head, and the LORD shall reward thee. Would be nice to know if any turned to Christ and regretted being part of those that killed Stephen.

Compassion in the face of hatred and ignorance

          I was reading Acts 6 and 7 this morning. I want to specifically talk about what happened at the end of chapter 7. Stephen was an early Christian. He was spreading the gospel and all that jazz. These Jews from "the Synagogue of Freedom" (this is rather ironic, come to think of it) didn't really like what Stephen was doing and accused him of blasphemy. He was arrested and brought before the Sanhedrin (which, as I understand is a sort of religious ruling council).
          When asked about the accusations, Stephen recounts a story all Jews were intimately familiar with: a brief history of Abraham through Joseph and the Exodus. He point out how they are just as stubborn and closed-minded as their ancestors. The council got really angry about this "When they heard this, they were furious and gnashed their teeth at him. But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. "Look," he said, "I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God." " (Acts 7:54-56, NIV). They covered their ears at this (can you believe it?!) and dragged him out to be stoned.
          This is the part I am really astounded by: While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit." Then he fell on his knees and cried out, "Lord, do not hold this sin against them." When he had said this, he fell asleep. (59 and 60). Even in the face of death, he showed compassion and begged for mercy on their behalf. How many of us would be so loving and compassionate to those who would harm us, those who are so against us it would only be natural to resent them. Stephen didn't curse them or anything like that. Could we do the same?

Something to think about

Damming the river of love. Opening myself up. Concepts mentioned might make for discussion, I figured.