Uhh...Wow...

I was just reading today in the book of Philippians chapter 1 verse 8 from my TBN Special Edition KJV/NLT Parallel Bible...(i know right, what does it even matter?) anywho, i began reading this verse in the New Living Translation and it reads:

God knows how much I love you and long for you with the tender compassion of Christ Jesus.

Sounds good huh? But...Then i read it in the King James Version and let me tell you, it gave me some real insight as to why the bible was retranslated. It reads:

For God is my record, how greatly i long for you all IN THE BOWELS of Jesus Christ.

just some back story, this is of course the Aposle Paul talking to the believers in Philippi and he is telling them how much that he misses them because he is away from them in prison.

that being said, why would Paul say that he is longing for them in Jesus' Bowels? i understand that ancient prisons were nowhere near as nicely furnished as todays prisons however, i think that comparing his conditions to someones stomach is a little out of place. OR was Paul telling them in the ever authoritative KJV that he was waiting for them literally in Jesus' stomach OR maybe that he wanted Jesus to eat all of them so that they could be in his bowels because he longed for them to be there? this of course led me to look back into the original language.

the word used in the greek text which describes either tender affection or a persons bowels is the word Splagchnon (Splangkh' non) which can be translated in any of these ways according to Strongs Biblical Concordance:

1. bowels, intestines, (the heart, lungs, liver, etc.)

a) bowels

b) the bowels were regarded as the seat of the more violent passions, such as anger and love; but by the Hebrews as the seat of the tenderer affections, esp. kindness, benevolence, compassion; hence our heart (tender mercies, affections, etc.)

c) a heart in which mercy resides

so then i see that the word is correctly translated as bowels however, when i consider the idea of Paul longing for them in Jesus' Bowels any number of misconceptions like the ones before can and will occur provided that reference tools like the concordance, which explains ancient idioms, were not at our disposal...this is why i am concerned for speakers of modern english who limit their understanding of scripture to a bible that was honestly written in another language (olde english) that they don't speak. I believe that the KJV is a valuable tool for anyone who desires to know the word of God but i don't think that in today's world it should be someones only bible.
In today's english there is a big diference between a persons bowels and tender affections. I don't know, i just thought that was an interesting little thing ;-)

I am...

absolutely smitten by the show Heroes! it's awesome...

Happy Thanksgiving!

so of course with the Thanksgiving holiday being here...literally an hour and a half ago...i've been reflecting on the last couple of church services and obviously they have been on the topic of giving thanks. i realized that i am a bit of a spoiled brat. this of course leads me to all of the things that i am thankful for. as i sit here tonight, i have a car that needs work done to it and i'm thankful that i even have a car to fix. i'm thankful to know the God of this universe on a personal level and i'm thankful for his mercy and grace which i need EVERY day. i'm thankful that i live in a nation where it's perfectly ok and for that matter legal for me to live and share the truth that has changed my life. i'm thankful for a family who loves me dearly and even puts up with me when i rant. i'm thankful that in the midst of a slight financial recession where people are losing their jobs and even their homes that i have a place to lay my head at night and that the Lord blessed me with a new job a few months ago and it pays more than any other job i've had. the truth is that i have absolutly nothing to complain about and should spend every day thanking God for meeting every single NEED that i have. Thank you Father for being AWESOME!!!

I feel like a total copycat but...

I too have literally just now been touched deeply by the lyrics of a song. sorry P Fred :P anyway, without further delay these are the lyrics:

From the Inside Out- Hillsong United


A thousand times I've failed
Still your mercy remains
And should I stumble again
Still I'm caught in your grace

Everlasting, Your light will shine when all else fades
Never ending, Your glory goes beyond all fame

In my heart, in my soul, Lord I give you control
Consume me from the inside out Lord
Let justice and praise become my embrace
To love You from the inside out

Your will above all else, my purpose remains
The art of losing myself in bringing you praise

Everlasting, Your light will shine when all else fades
Never ending, Your glory goes beyond all fame

In my heart, in my soul, Lord I give you control
Consume me from the inside out Lord
Let justice and praise become my embrace
To love You from the inside out

Everlasting, Your light will shine when all else fades
Never ending, Your glory goes beyond all fame
And the cry of my heart is to bring You praise
From the inside out Lord, my soul cries out

as a guy who struggles and battles and is at constant war with his flesh like many/all other men, it gives me such hope when i think about how the God who created you, me and everything we see loves me/us enough to send his son to be brutally destroyed and nailed to a cross because he knew that I would fail and needed to be forgiven. every word in this song is how i truly feel about my Lord and savior, Jesus. Thank You God that you didn't just create me with the intention of sending me to Hell but you teach me and train me to be the effective man of God that you've called me to be. just thought i'd share this cuz it blessed me deeply.

OMGOD!!!

God is stinkin' amazing!!! so yeah, i was just chillin' in the patrol car tonight and listening to Hillsong United which is the crazy-coolest worship band ever and go totally hits me with some awesome lyrics and a sweet song! now i just need some chords and away we go! I <3 GOD!!! He always has a way of making me feel better. no big surprise, i felt like crap a day or two ago and thanks to my father i feel way better and feel like i can take on the world again!!! thanks Pops! you're always there for me and know exactly how to cheer me up!

When did this happen?

so i'm sitting here reflecting on the events of the day and i am now at war with my own lameness. if you don't know why i'm feeling this way...neither do i but if you wanna know what i do know...i'll tell you later in private. when did i get boring and lame? last i checked, i was a wild and crazy guy and now my life is described by a blind melon song. "all i can say is that my life is pretty plain. i like watching the puddles gather rain..." ahhh!! maybe i need to take more risks and stop being so stinkin' safe all the time!!! maybe i need to stop quoting blind melon...I HATE THIS FEELING!!! i can't wait until my life gets more exciting however...will i still be this lame, or will i conquer my lameness and proceed victorious in my cool...did i just type this? I AM LAME!!! i need help! sorry, just needed to get this out. it's all good, things will look up at some point; i mean they have to right? *gulp

i was just...

reminiscing about the good old days in my old band. it was the most fun period of my life but, as the saying goes, all good things must come to an end. oh well.