God speaks: Jesus through Middle Eastern Eyes

According to my Amazon account I bought this book, "Jesus Through Middle Eastern Eyes" on August 12, 2012. I had timed the purchase when they had a discount, not intending to read it for a while.

I suppose I just finished reading this book a year ahead? It is an academic book, important but not urgent. I guess it is by divine appointment that I had started it a couple of weeks ago. The Lord was speaking loudly through at least half of the book. You know it was him when you had doubts and questions and they were answered. You know it was him when he needed to repeat himself because he doesn't just speak to your mind but heart too. And in case this isn't good enough, he had generously pointed out the dots you had known and jointed over time and he added more dots and connected them too. How did Peter know that vision of sheet of unclean animals coming down from above was from the Lord? Exactly like what me and others had gone through. Imagine coming out of IVP ACADEMIC, how likely was that? ACADEMIC.

Here are a couple of noteworthy highlights I made aside from the above which was the main feature for me.


The only way to build love between two people or two groups of people is to be so related to each other as to stand in need of each other.
Kenneth E. Bailey. Jesus Through Middle Eastern Eyes: Cultural Studies in the Gospels (Kindle Locations 2384-2385). Kindle Edition. 


This suggest why as our society become richer we become alienated from each other. We have actually effectively become poorer but yet consistent with what the Bible and other religious works I believe tell us we would still choose the lesser material wealth for emotional and relationship wealth. Never mind that nobody counts money but family and friends on his death bed.


Both texts affirm that the way we live influences how we see God, which is the unfaithful servant's problem.
Kenneth E. Bailey. Jesus Through Middle Eastern Eyes: Cultural Studies in the Gospels (Kindle Location 4973). Kindle Edition.


Reminded me why I failed even after years of effort to convince her. It isn't something I didn't know but I am now reminded. Well with everyone I have all the time in the world, with her I know I will run out of time and so I went ahead and left the consequences to him. It was very costly and risked ruining my faith but it is also in such moments that you double what you already have. So you are assured it wasn't some foolish idea that got you carried away. So faith, hope and love abide but the greatest of these is love.

In a line, an academic tome unexpectedly shouted at me: "I have been there and worse many times" and "come and join me"

I am amazed and regularly mystified when preachers say, "I have a word from the Lord" Huh? This isn't a joking matter. I would rather tell God that I am quite deaf and slow to understand. Please forgive me if I fail to recognize your voice and you had to shout at me.