tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-56299456676875344042024-03-05T01:08:42.663-06:00Live, GOD! Go Climb GOD's MountainWhile climbing GOD's mountain draw close to Him through prayer. Ask him the honest questions of your heart, expecting an answer. Ask the Holy Spirit to show you the deep things of God. Be ready to hear anything He desires to tell you. Understand that there are times we encounter the holiness and sovereign power of God and experience physical manifestations. Write down what God shows you so that when those things happen, they will serve as a testimony to His faithfulness. -NSFB-Debi Webster Perryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11336569731034488135noreply@blogger.comBlogger427125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5629945667687534404.post-35874728389093872132023-11-09T13:57:00.011-06:002023-11-09T21:33:02.407-06:00What Is The Most Precious Gift In Life? <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrXI3WudyetrqgTbQsx6syhNAyhoYJU-OjFzgnfIcyPK8mv3ZduNJAEJaTGh-KAjlPhsoQzNaKLDqxqcz-fH2jeObPSWgL6v5juT7l40Fiy9mijZRwxFpMNMN-zxnktXAGySKCejdb9NjISoMbJLlVD_A3vIZoaIzJoCg2uOBLALuHmnJFOT97E3w1r58/s1200/family%20gods%20gift.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="630" data-original-width="1200" height="168" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrXI3WudyetrqgTbQsx6syhNAyhoYJU-OjFzgnfIcyPK8mv3ZduNJAEJaTGh-KAjlPhsoQzNaKLDqxqcz-fH2jeObPSWgL6v5juT7l40Fiy9mijZRwxFpMNMN-zxnktXAGySKCejdb9NjISoMbJLlVD_A3vIZoaIzJoCg2uOBLALuHmnJFOT97E3w1r58/s320/family%20gods%20gift.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p style="text-align: justify;"><b style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #2a221a; font-size: 14.85px; font-weight: 400; text-align: start;">The Holy Spirit woke me with the Words "Tanner and Sheneen are pregnant" and not sure who they are, but congratulations. I did write the date down but now I need to find the notebook I wrote it in. When I find it I will add it to this post because it was the inspiration for this post.</span></b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: verdana;">What Is The Most Precious Gift In life? </b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Giving is the ultimate gift of life – and you don't need money or special skills to do it. The best way to give to others is to be fully present. To give deeply of yourself, your time and attention. The gift of presence, of experiencing every moment fully, is also the greatest gift you can give yourself.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: verdana;">How is family a gift from God?</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">The good news is that the Bible is positive about families; the family was God's idea – an integral part of being human. God affirms families. He intended them to be something powerful for good, places of belonging and trust, of learning and loving. </span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>What is God's most precious gift?</b></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">The Lord Jesus Christ is our most precious of all gifts from God. Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: verdana;">What are the three symbolic gifts?</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Their gifts had special symbolic meanings as well: gold signified Jesus' status as "King of the Jews;" frankincense represented the infant's divinity and identity as the Son of God; and myrrh touched upon Jesus' mortality. (Learn what archaeology is telling us about the real Jesus.)</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>What are the four spiritual gifts?</b></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Inner Guidance and the Four Spiritual Gifts: </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Each of us is born with the four spiritual gifts--clairvoyance (inner vision), clairaudience (inner thoughts or ideas), prophecy (inner knowing), and healing (inner feelings).</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>What are the five spiritual gifts?</b></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Ephesians 4:11 lists 5 gifts which are Apostle, Prophet, Evangelist, Pastor and Teacher. These 5 are unique – they are governing ministry gifts given to people who are called to ministry leadership within the global and local church.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>What are the seven great gifts?</b></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Seven gifts of the Holy Spirit </span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Wisdom</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Understanding</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Counsel</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Fortitude</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Knowledge</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Piety</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Fear of the Lord</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: verdana;">Discover Your Gifts</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Here are nine ideas to help you discover some of your not-so-obvious gifts.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: verdana;">Ask Others To Let You Know</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Sometimes we don’t see in ourselves what others can see in us. Ask a friend, relative, or Church leader to write you a note about a gift or talent they see in you.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: verdana;">Look For Gifts In Adversity</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">During hard times we can choose between letting our best qualities or our worst qualities come out. When times are tough, focus on discovering and using your best qualities and gifts.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Pray For The Help To Recognize Your Gifts</b></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Heavenly Father knows our divine potential. If we have a difficult time seeing that in ourselves, He can help. You can pray for help to recognize your gifts.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: verdana;">Don’t Be Afraid To Branch Out</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Do we only develop the gifts that we already know we have because we’re too afraid to do something we haven’t done before? Now’s the time to try something new and discover unknown gifts.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Search The Word Of God</b></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Heavenly Father helps us discover and develop our gifts through clues found in the scriptures—usually through invitations to act. Take this scripture for example: “Cease to contend one with another; cease to speak evil one of another” (D&C 136:23). What gifts could you develop from this invitation? The gift of speaking kind words, the gift to calm others, the gift of restraint, and more. And that’s just from one verse!</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Look Outside Yourself</b></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Sometimes our best qualities come out when we’re not focusing on ourselves but focusing instead on how we can work with and help others. When we do that, we’ll see that we have many Christlike gifts.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Think About People You Look Up To</b></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Who are some of your role models? You can make a list of all of the gifts your role models have and, instead of focusing on which gifts you don’t have in common, celebrate discovering the ones you do.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Reflect On Your Family</b></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">What gifts do you have that your siblings, parents, or grandparents have too? Go further! Research family history, discover stories, and identify even more gifts you share with your family.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Receive and Study Your Patriarchal Blessing</b></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Your blessing could talk about gifts you have and should develop, and it could also point you to the path that will lead to the discovery of other new gifts and talents.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Be Perfected in Him</b></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">We don’t have to be the best at everything to know we’re worthwhile children of God. We just need to be dedicated to discovering and developing our gifts and talents—then, through the Atonement of Jesus Christ, we can become perfect in Him.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoIwSEWQ-pOmXPDmnHJwJTs9rzOymfFLkEU5ZKqImTGsLgoskucaO1GuoOf0PUQ7tf3wlt9MA0MlbYtjdGqZRzRSxOW9UcxCPGirDLElFck7inQzU64YXJHFjurd_tx_0lggtk6dSWdn1AEJ3LgY6LFrgDR6O5jS_wuNsJz6SHNFxmecZJcaG3azDGaUo/s1077/5dafedbf04885c9264e78e03399a90ab.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="1077" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoIwSEWQ-pOmXPDmnHJwJTs9rzOymfFLkEU5ZKqImTGsLgoskucaO1GuoOf0PUQ7tf3wlt9MA0MlbYtjdGqZRzRSxOW9UcxCPGirDLElFck7inQzU64YXJHFjurd_tx_0lggtk6dSWdn1AEJ3LgY6LFrgDR6O5jS_wuNsJz6SHNFxmecZJcaG3azDGaUo/s320/5dafedbf04885c9264e78e03399a90ab.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span><p></p>Debi Webster Perryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11336569731034488135noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5629945667687534404.post-35588321099780272752023-08-25T11:09:00.007-05:002023-08-25T13:54:25.200-05:00PRAYING FOR YOUR CHILDREN<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-size: 15px; text-align: left; white-space-collapse: preserve;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEmmhVFyMnPbEIQe9MT0nzVkbaVb9jB9dmaw9PgW8Vk3bcrblR_RjUTitE2Ryibblzu762N7PAzuaD5WK-wYCMdgovll8Qa1NNulxN0iY1PDoQzggYsavdbeoanKFUPC7ppKRp3ED-abegg4EQYjam1G2q50Zf6eLHozhYvb_Cff8d5DcPjBFcUCLOAtg/s1024/mom-praying.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="683" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEmmhVFyMnPbEIQe9MT0nzVkbaVb9jB9dmaw9PgW8Vk3bcrblR_RjUTitE2Ryibblzu762N7PAzuaD5WK-wYCMdgovll8Qa1NNulxN0iY1PDoQzggYsavdbeoanKFUPC7ppKRp3ED-abegg4EQYjam1G2q50Zf6eLHozhYvb_Cff8d5DcPjBFcUCLOAtg/s320/mom-praying.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-size: 15px; text-align: left; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #050505;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Father, I am Your child. I have been redeemed by the blood of the Lamb. My sins are forgiven. </span></span><span style="color: #050505; font-family: verdana;">As the head of my household, I pray according to Your Word, asking for Your protection for each of us. Give safety to my children and ease them day by day. Our life is exceedingly filled with the scorning and scoffing of those who are at ease and with the contempt of the proud (irresponsible tyrants who disregard Your law). </span><span style="color: #050505; font-family: verdana;">Lord, You see the violence that is in the streets and </span><a style="color: #385898; cursor: pointer;" tabindex="-1"></a><span style="color: #050505; font-family: verdana;">in our schools. The drug dealers and the gang members living in our neighborhoods are waiting to snare our children.</span></p></span></span><p></p><div class="xdj266r x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-size: 15px; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">On the authority of Your Word, I ask that You destroy [their schemes]; O Lord, confuse their tongues, for I have seen violence and strife in the inner city. Day and night they go about on its walls; iniquity and mischief are in its midst. Violence and ruin are within it; fraud and guile do not depart from its streets and marketplaces. I am calling upon You, Lord, and You will save me and my household as well.</span></div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Father, in the name of Jesus, You, and You alone, are our safety and our protection. My household and I are looking to You, for our strength comes from You — the God Who made heaven and earth. You will not let us stumble. You are our Guardian God Who will not fall asleep. You are right at our side to protect us. You guard us from every evil, You guard our very lives. You guard us when we leave and when we return. You guard us now; You guard us always.</span></div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">My household was chosen and foreknown by You, Father, and consecrated (sanctified, made holy) by the Spirit to be obedient to Jesus Christ (the Messiah) and to be sprinkled with [His] blood. We receive grace (spiritual blessing) and peace in ever-increasing abundance [that spiritual peace to be realized in and through Christ, freedom from fears, agitating passions, and moral conflicts].</span></div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Lord, Your Son, Jesus, became our Passover by shedding His own precious blood. He is the Mediator (the Go-between, Agent) of a new covenant, and His sprinkled blood speaks of mercy. On the authority of Your Word, I proclaim that the blood of Jesus is our protection, as it is written, “...when I see the blood, I will pass over you...” (Ex. 12:13). I declare and decree that I am drawing a bloodline around my children, and the evil one cannot cross it.</span></div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I know that none of the God-begotten make a practice of sin — fatal sin. The God-begotten are also the God-protected. The evil one can’t lay a hand on my household. I know that we are held firm by You, Lord. </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Father, thank You for Your divine protection. In the name of Jesus I pray, amen.</span></div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Scripture References:</b></span></div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> 1 John 3:1 Psalm 121:1-8 MESSAGE</span></div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> 1 Peter 1:18,19 1 Peter 1:2 AMP</span></div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> 1 John 2:12 Hebrews 12:24 AMP</span></div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> Psalm 123:4 AMP 1 John 5:18,19 MESSAGE</span></div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> Psalm 55:9-11,16 AMP</span></div></div>Debi Webster Perryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11336569731034488135noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5629945667687534404.post-92100232848468799142023-06-21T10:55:00.002-05:002023-06-21T11:11:04.620-05:00BIBLE EMERGENCY NUMBERS<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi1kUY3Sa3NomQF0PQVLD7j9KRb0ni--bcXyvPUSp4V440ySdJzNxQ2JR4_5YHffMIMXNdGh4yvkrhA5QZeE1GqwVsvwTMUMYP8hvzTAXxVYNe1id1TjPLamiug4vPpErJjQVwdqYZx8qFvU2GAwWx9IhUHsJxtRTqvFx5MlD5uS_a_fkWFV7dXxF-hI6M" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="846" data-original-width="564" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi1kUY3Sa3NomQF0PQVLD7j9KRb0ni--bcXyvPUSp4V440ySdJzNxQ2JR4_5YHffMIMXNdGh4yvkrhA5QZeE1GqwVsvwTMUMYP8hvzTAXxVYNe1id1TjPLamiug4vPpErJjQVwdqYZx8qFvU2GAwWx9IhUHsJxtRTqvFx5MlD5uS_a_fkWFV7dXxF-hI6M" width="160" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: verdana;">John14:1–4 In 13:36 Jesus responded to Peter’s question individually; now He answers the same question for all the disciples.</span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">14:2 Mansions literally means “dwelling places.” A better translation is “rooms,” conveying the idea that there is ample space in heaven for all who come to Jesus as Savior.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: verdana;">Psalm 23:1–6 This refreshing pastoral psalm reflects absolute trust and peaceful confidence in God. It is divided into two metaphors: the Shepherd (vv. 1–4) and the Host (vv. 5, 6).</span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">23:1 The picture of God as Shepherd is fulfilled and completed in the Person and work of Jesus Christ who is presented as the redeeming Good Shepherd (John 10:11), the resurrected Great Shepherd (Heb. 13:20), and the returning Chief Shepherd (1 Pet. 5:4).</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">23:3 Daily restoration of the anxious, weary soul is a major human need (2 Cor. 4:16). Walking the paths of righteousness that the Lord marks results in bringing honor to His name.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">23:4 The key to provision is the presence of God (Josh. 1:5–9). This awesome thought causes the psalmist to change from mere statements (He . . .) to spontaneous heavenward praise (You are with me).</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><div style="text-align: justify;">23:5 Of the two kinds of oil, the priestly anointing oil and the Oriental perfumed oil, this is the latter. This act shows favor and excellent hospitality.</div></span><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">23:6 Mercy (Hebrew chesed) is the unfailing, steadfast covenant love of God. This lovingkindness is similar to the NT word “grace” (John 1:16)</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">That’s God! S</span><span style="font-family: verdana;">o, with him on my side I’m </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">fearless,</span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">afraid of no one and nothing. </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">2 When vandal hordes ride down </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">ready to eat me alive, </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Those bullies and toughs </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">fall flat on their faces. </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">3 When besieged,</span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> I’m calm as a baby. </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">When all hell breaks loose, </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">I’m collected and cool. </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">4 I’m asking God for one thing, </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">only one thing: </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">To live with him in his house </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">my whole life long. </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">I’ll contemplate his beauty; </span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> I’ll study at his feet.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">11-12 Point me down your highway, God; </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">direct me along a well-lighted street; </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">show my enemies whose side you’re on. </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Don’t throw me to the dogs, </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">those liars who are out to get me</span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> filling the air with their threats. </span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">13-14 I’m sure now I’ll see God’s goodness </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">in the exuberant earth. </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Stay with God! </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Take heart. Don’t quit. </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">I’ll say it again: </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Stay with God.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Psalm 27:1-4</b> We readily recognize that God’s strength lessens our need for fear, but we may overlook this same potential in His light and salvation.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">2, 3 These threats can be withstood because of the confidence David gains from what is described in v. 4.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">4 This desire of David gives us a key to understanding why he was a “man after God’s heart,” and so beloved and blessed by Him.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Psalm 27:7-14 MSG</b></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Listen, God, I’m calling at the top of my lungs: “Be good to me! Answer me!” When my heart...</span><span style="font-family: verdana;">After the praise in the first half of this psalm, the topic swings to prayer, ending with the statement revealing the key to victorious living: Wait on the Lord.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">27:10 This is the psalmist’s way of saying that God is more concerned about our welfare than even one’s cherished father and mother could ever be. God’s love transcends parental love. This is more of a “proverbial statement,” and is not to be understood as if David’s parents forsook him. </span></span><span style="font-family: verdana; text-align: left;">~MSG</span></p>Debi Webster Perryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11336569731034488135noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5629945667687534404.post-15507337459391400892023-06-14T11:31:00.001-05:002023-06-14T11:31:44.661-05:00THE PROPHECY OF THE SEVENTY WEEKS<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjKMj0jiWcTj70T5fRcHhzq142pM59sfE4qckp9UrNxGMp96nbGbInyqD7oCAOLv9LJQTOPtkkQMBwgn_M7VM8HADEgTUGh4r7ambTU-tGxOlYTABs3XBz63lcEzZ5fdGv_a8f4Aieg4DENov457rR2FiqeieXb54oSkRDVuydavArnb2JrurvHPQqu" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="423" data-original-width="564" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjKMj0jiWcTj70T5fRcHhzq142pM59sfE4qckp9UrNxGMp96nbGbInyqD7oCAOLv9LJQTOPtkkQMBwgn_M7VM8HADEgTUGh4r7ambTU-tGxOlYTABs3XBz63lcEzZ5fdGv_a8f4Aieg4DENov457rR2FiqeieXb54oSkRDVuydavArnb2JrurvHPQqu" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: verdana;">What is the main purpose of Daniel Chapter 9?</span></b></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">The Prophecy of Seventy Weeks is the narrative in chapter 9 of the Book of Daniel in which Daniel prays to God to act on behalf of his people and city (Judeans and Jerusalem), and receives a detailed but cryptic prophecy of "seventy weeks" by the angel Gabriel.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: verdana;">God’s Covenant Commitment</span></b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">9 1-4 “Darius, son of Ahasuerus, born a Mede, became king over the land of Babylon. In the first year of his reign, I, Daniel, was meditating on the Scriptures that gave, according to the Word of God to the prophet Jeremiah, the number of years that Jerusalem had to lie in ruins, namely, seventy. I turned to the Master God, asking for an answer—praying earnestly, fasting from meals, wearing rough penitential burlap, and kneeling in the ashes. I poured out my heart, baring my soul to God, my God:</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: verdana;">Seventy Sevens</span></b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">20-21 “While I was pouring out my heart, baring my sins and the sins of my people Israel, praying my life out before my God, interceding for the holy mountain of my God—while I was absorbed in this praying, the humanlike Gabriel, the one I had seen in an earlier vision, approached me, flying in like a bird about the time of evening worship.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">22-23 “He stood before me and said, ‘Daniel, I have come to make things plain to you. You had no sooner started your prayer when the answer was given. And now I’m here to deliver the answer to you. You are much loved! So listen carefully to the answer, the plain meaning of what is revealed:</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">24 “‘Seventy sevens are set for your people and for your holy city to throttle rebellion, stop sin, wipe out crime, set things right forever, confirm what the prophet saw, and anoint The Holy of Holies.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">25-26 “‘Here is what you must understand: From the time the word goes out to rebuild Jerusalem until the coming of the Anointed Leader, there will be seven sevens. The rebuilding will take sixty-two sevens, including building streets and digging a moat. Those will be rough times. After the sixty-two sevens, the Anointed Leader will be killed—the end of him. The city and Sanctuary will be laid in ruins by the army of the newly arriving leader. The end will come in a rush, like a flood. War will rage right up to the end, desolation the order of the day.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">27 “‘Then for one seven, he will forge many and strong alliances, but halfway through the seven he will banish worship and prayers. At the place of worship, a desecrating obscenity will be set up and remain until finally the desecrator himself is decisively destroyed.’”</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://www.gotquestions.org/seventy-weeks.html" target="_blank">What are the seventy weeks of Daniel?</a><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p>Debi Webster Perryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11336569731034488135noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5629945667687534404.post-1691100966424386612023-06-12T12:46:00.005-05:002023-06-12T13:51:56.849-05:00MATTHEW 10:1-28 THE TWELVE HARVEST HANDS <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Matthew 10:1-4</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEijvRecgJ06GaTHBQfyU_bLmlyHIJqq5KFsP06VADkvuVaLNXOxXwNnP9lDhzqOHXiXhDTSBTCymYMsHIpCbpY-twfmk9NphM9rdOUNhXPdJ0sUmygQatfMyQFh_ui9xFFS-bfNTJMY1TaPreVm0gza6E63BBjp0jWiSYSWQi_2tS4tZTSWIZgFxQTn" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="375" data-original-width="581" height="207" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEijvRecgJ06GaTHBQfyU_bLmlyHIJqq5KFsP06VADkvuVaLNXOxXwNnP9lDhzqOHXiXhDTSBTCymYMsHIpCbpY-twfmk9NphM9rdOUNhXPdJ0sUmygQatfMyQFh_ui9xFFS-bfNTJMY1TaPreVm0gza6E63BBjp0jWiSYSWQi_2tS4tZTSWIZgFxQTn" width="320" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;">The Twelve Harvest Hands</p><div style="text-align: justify;"><p style="text-align: left;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">The prayer was no sooner prayed than it was answered. Jesus called twelve of his followers and sent them into the ripe fields. He gave them power to kick out the evil spirits and to tenderly care for the bruised and hurt lives. This is the list of the twelve he sent: Simon (they called him Peter, or “Rock”), Andrew, his brother, James, Zebedee’s son, John, his brother, Philip, Bartholomew, Thomas, Matthew, the tax man, James, son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus, Simon, the Canaanite, Judas Iscariot (who later turned on him).</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Matthew 10:5-8 Jesus sent his twelve harvest hands out with this charge: </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">“Don’t begin by traveling to some far-off place to convert unbelievers. And don’t try to be dramatic by tackling some public enemy. Go to the lost, confused people right here in the neighborhood. Tell them that the kingdom is here. Bring health to the sick. Raise the dead. Touch the untouchables. Kick out the demons. You have been treated generously, so live generously.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">9-10 “Don’t think you have to put on a fund-raising campaign before you start. You don’t need a lot of equipment. You are the equipment, and all you need to keep that going is three meals a day. Travel light.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">11 “When you enter a town or village, don’t insist on staying in a luxury inn. Get a modest place with some modest people, and be content there until you leave.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">12-15 “When you knock on a door, be courteous in your greeting. If they welcome you, be gentle in your conversation. If they don’t welcome you, quietly withdraw. Don’t make a scene. Shrug your shoulders and be on your way. You can be sure that on Judgment Day they’ll be mighty sorry—but it’s no concern of yours now.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">16 “Stay alert. This is hazardous work I’m assigning you. You’re going to be like sheep running through a wolf pack, so don’t call attention to yourselves. Be as shrewd as a snake, inoffensive as a dove.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">17-20 “Don’t be naive. Some people will question your motives, others will smear your reputation—just because you believe in me. Don’t be upset when they haul you before the civil authorities. Without knowing it, they’ve done you—and me—a favor, given you a platform for preaching the kingdom news! And don’t worry about what you’ll say or how you’ll say it. The right words will be there; the Spirit of your Father will supply the words.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">21-23 “When people realize it is the living God you are presenting and not some idol that makes them feel good, they are going to turn on you, even people in your own family. There is a great irony here: proclaiming so much love, experiencing so much hate! But don’t quit. Don’t cave in. It is all well worth it in the end. It is not success you are after in such times but survival. Be survivors! Before you’ve run out of options, the Son of Man will have arrived.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">24-25 “A student doesn’t get a better desk than her teacher. A laborer doesn’t make more money than his boss. Be content—pleased, even—when you, my students, my harvest hands, get the same treatment I get. If they call me, the Master, ‘Dungface,’ what can the workers expect?</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">26-27 “Don’t be intimidated. Eventually everything is going to be out in the open, and everyone will know how things really are. So don’t hesitate to go public now.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">28 “Don’t be bluffed into silence by the threats of bullies. There’s nothing they can do to your soul, your core being. Save your fear for God, who holds your entire life—body and soul—in his hands. ~MSG</span></div></div><p></p></div>Debi Webster Perryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11336569731034488135noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5629945667687534404.post-20898789750843684782023-06-09T13:30:00.002-05:002023-06-09T13:43:30.278-05:00THE EPISTLE OF PAUL THE APOSTLE TO THE ROMANS<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhDMIIw3ZxmnMHl6rvIB_3FdyLP7L5P0sBvctlYlHZA99Pe6VQszy7naG25gON9G6oOsSbK6aR-FHhBMjLOmXgcLHUv0VDZ5OtptUpvBX8p6JomPzvy3_13TnE21VrYgX0rpSo3_S_OLKmTbrTBjVpn9h3dQMxUrejRszMtH4Yf4v9qI8wjcV5JbuV6" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="450" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhDMIIw3ZxmnMHl6rvIB_3FdyLP7L5P0sBvctlYlHZA99Pe6VQszy7naG25gON9G6oOsSbK6aR-FHhBMjLOmXgcLHUv0VDZ5OtptUpvBX8p6JomPzvy3_13TnE21VrYgX0rpSo3_S_OLKmTbrTBjVpn9h3dQMxUrejRszMtH4Yf4v9qI8wjcV5JbuV6" width="240" /></a></div><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Romans 15:1-2 </span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> Those of us who are strong and able in the faith need to step in and lend a hand to those who falter, and not just do what is most convenient for us. Strength is for service, not status. Each one of us needs to look after the good of the people around us, asking ourselves, “How can I help?”</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">3-6 That’s exactly what Jesus did. He didn’t make it easy for himself by avoiding people’s troubles, but waded right in and helped out. “I took on the troubles of the troubled,” is the way Scripture puts it. Even if it was written in Scripture long ago, you can be sure it’s written for us. God wants the combination of his steady, constant calling and warm, personal counsel in Scripture to come to characterize us, keeping us alert for whatever he will do next. May our dependably steady and warmly personal God develop maturity in you so that you get along with each other as well as Jesus gets along with us all. Then we’ll be a choir—not our voices only, but our very lives singing in harmony in a stunning anthem to the God and Father of our Master Jesus!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">7-13 So reach out and welcome one another to God’s glory. Jesus did it; now you do it! Jesus, staying true to God’s purposes, reached out in a special way to the Jewish insiders so that the old ancestral promises would come true for them. As a result, the non-Jewish outsiders have been able to experience mercy and to show appreciation to God. Just think of all the Scriptures that will come true in what we do! For instance:</span></div><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Then I’ll join outsiders in a hymn-sing;</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I’ll sing to your name!</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">And this one:</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Outsiders and insiders, rejoice together!</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">And again:</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">People of all nations, celebrate God!</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">All colors and races, give hearty praise!</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">And Isaiah’s word:</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">There’s the root of our ancestor Jesse,</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> breaking through the earth and growing tree tall,</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Tall enough for everyone everywhere to see and take hope!</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; text-align: justify;">Oh! May the God of green hope fill you up with joy, fill you up with peace, so that your believing lives, filled with the life-giving energy of the Holy Spirit, will brim over with hope!</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">14-16 Personally, I’ve been completely satisfied with who you are and what you are doing. You seem to me to be well-motivated and well-instructed, quite capable of guiding and advising one another. So, my dear friends, don’t take my rather bold and blunt language as criticism. It’s not criticism. I’m simply underlining how very much I need your help in carrying out this highly focused assignment God gave me, this priestly and gospel work of serving the spiritual needs of the non-Jewish outsiders so they can be presented as an acceptable offering to God, made whole and holy by God’s Holy Spirit.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">17-21 Looking back over what has been accomplished and what I have observed, I must say I am most pleased—in the context of Jesus, I’d even say proud, but only in that context. I have no interest in giving you a chatty account of my adventures, only the wondrously powerful and transforming present words and deeds of Christ in me that triggered a believing response among the outsiders. In such ways I have trailblazed a preaching of the Message of Jesus all the way from Jerusalem far into northwestern Greece. This has all been pioneer work, bringing the Message only into those places where Jesus was not yet known and worshiped. My text has been,</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Those who were never told of him—</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> they’ll see him!</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Those who’ve never heard of him—</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> they’ll get the message!</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">22-24 And that’s why it has taken me so long to finally get around to coming to you. But now that there is no more pioneering work to be done in these parts, and since I have looked forward to seeing you for many years, I’m planning my visit. I’m headed for Spain, and expect to stop off on the way to enjoy a good visit with you, and eventually have you send me off with God’s blessing.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">25-29 First, though, I’m going to Jerusalem to deliver a relief offering to the followers of Jesus there. The Greeks—all the way from the Macedonians in the north to the Achaians in the south—decided they wanted to take up a collection for the poor among the believers in Jerusalem. They were happy to do this, but it was also their duty. Seeing that they got in on all the spiritual gifts that flowed out of the Jerusalem community so generously, it is only right that they do what they can to relieve their poverty. As soon as I have done this—personally handed over this “fruit basket”—I’m off to Spain, with a stopover with you in Rome. My hope is that my visit with you is going to be one of Christ’s more extravagant blessings.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">30-33 I have one request, dear friends: Pray for me. Pray strenuously with and for me—to God the Father, through the power of our Master Jesus, through the love of the Spirit—that I will be delivered from the lions’ den of unbelievers in Judea. Pray also that my relief offering to the Jerusalem believers will be accepted in the spirit in which it is given. Then, God willing, I’ll be on my way to you with a light and eager heart, looking forward to being refreshed by your company. God’s peace be with all of you. Oh, yes! ~MSG</span></p>Debi Webster Perryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11336569731034488135noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5629945667687534404.post-60969072711576037882023-06-08T14:56:00.005-05:002023-06-09T10:22:42.040-05:00CULTIVATING GOOD RELATIONSHIPS<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #4d5156; font-family: verdana; text-align: left;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgtftwjczyW-S9dJWdCbsp6pPNtZeJ989ipt0tBR43Ojkuc3fiFLpC14aRiDfZRhigPoRiL-XtQ_RK9a5M-gs0Xvm9sybyFbAPC9wXEWkNVudPb3i3byjTDSc_VOCAaV7HFpLHzoMYUXL8D-0npfcuPgHIDETuMYmLgAXJt6H0uhNgIHL3fVGtRxy38" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="736" data-original-width="736" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgtftwjczyW-S9dJWdCbsp6pPNtZeJ989ipt0tBR43Ojkuc3fiFLpC14aRiDfZRhigPoRiL-XtQ_RK9a5M-gs0Xvm9sybyFbAPC9wXEWkNVudPb3i3byjTDSc_VOCAaV7HFpLHzoMYUXL8D-0npfcuPgHIDETuMYmLgAXJt6H0uhNgIHL3fVGtRxy38" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Romans 14:1–23 These are guidelines with respect to things that are neither commanded nor forbidden in Scripture. Determining the neutrality of certain moral issues is not simple. However, when the principles taught here are obeyed, the Holy Spirit is free to guide individuals.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">1 Welcome with open arms fellow believers who don’t see things the way you do. And don’t jump all over them every time they do or say something you don’t agree with—even when it seems that they are strong on opinions but weak in the faith department. Remember, they have their own history to deal with. Treat them gently.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">2-4 For instance, a person who has been around for a while might well be convinced that he can eat anything on the table, while another, with a different background, might assume he should only be a vegetarian and eat accordingly. But since both are guests at Christ’s table, wouldn’t it be terribly rude if they fell to criticizing what the other ate or didn’t eat? God, after all, invited them both to the table. Do you have any business crossing people off the guest list or interfering with God’s welcome? If there are corrections to be made or manners to be learned, God can handle that without your help.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">5 Or, say, one person thinks that some days should be set aside as holy and another thinks that each day is pretty much like any other. There are good reasons either way. So, each person is free to follow the convictions of conscience.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">6-9 What’s important in all this is that if you keep a holy day, keep it for God’s sake; if you eat meat, eat it to the glory of God and thank God for prime rib; if you’re a vegetarian, eat vegetables to the glory of God and thank God for broccoli. None of us are permitted to insist on our own way in these matters. It’s God we are answerable to—all the way from life to death and everything in between—not each other. That’s why Jesus lived and died and then lived again: so that he could be our Master across the entire range of life and death, and free us from the petty tyrannies of each other.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">10-12 So where does that leave you when you criticize a brother? And where does that leave you when you condescend to a sister? I’d say it leaves you looking pretty silly—or worse. Eventually, we’re all going to end up kneeling side by side in the place of judgment, facing God. Your critical and condescending ways aren’t going to improve your position there one bit. Read it for yourself in Scripture:</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">“As I live and breathe,” God says,</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> “every knee will bow before me;</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Every tongue will tell the honest truth</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> that I and only I am God.”</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">So mind your own business. You’ve got your hands full just taking care of your own life before God.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">13-14 Forget about deciding what’s right for each other. Here’s what you need to be concerned about: that you don’t get in the way of someone else, making life more difficult than it already is. I’m convinced—Jesus convinced me!—that everything as it is in itself is holy. We, of course, by the way we treat it or talk about it, can contaminate it.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">15-16 If you confuse others by making a big issue over what they eat or don’t eat, you’re no longer a companion with them in love, are you? These, remember, are persons for whom Christ died. Would you risk sending them to hell over an item in their diet? Don’t you dare let a piece of God-blessed food become an occasion of soul-poisoning!</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">17-18 God’s kingdom isn’t a matter of what you put in your stomach, for goodness’ sake. It’s what God does with your life as he sets it right, puts it together, and</span></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #4d5156; font-family: verdana;"><div>completes it with joy. Your task is to single-mindedly serve Christ. Do that and you’ll kill two birds with one stone: pleasing the God above you and proving your worth to the people around you.</div><div><br /></div><div>19-21 So let’s agree to use all our energy in getting along with each other. Help others with encouraging words; don’t drag them down by finding fault. You’re certainly not going to permit an argument over what is served or not served at supper to wreck God’s work among you, are you? I said it before and I’ll say it again: All food is good, but it can turn bad if you use it badly, if you use it to trip others up and send them sprawling. When you sit down to a meal, your primary concern should not be to feed your own face but to share the life of Jesus. So be sensitive and courteous to the others who are eating. Don’t eat or say or do things that might interfere with the free exchange of love.</div><div><br /></div><div>22-23 Cultivate your own relationship with God, but don’t impose it on others. You’re fortunate if your behavior and your belief are coherent. But if you’re not sure, if you notice that you are acting in ways inconsistent with what you believe—some days trying to impose your opinions on others, other days just trying to please them—then you know that you’re out of line. If the way you live isn’t consistent with what you believe, then it’s wrong. ~MSG</div><div><br /></div></span></div>Debi Webster Perryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11336569731034488135noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5629945667687534404.post-68937759726872698262023-05-01T08:01:00.006-05:002023-05-01T08:21:19.738-05:00 I, GOD, WANT TO REASSURE YOU<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjx9GHlZKdV802KAhMBYaaVuW9ZIvNp_vIyeHfrNeZSi0aDDlxr60dSxvshhm7fg9lRIFU-sHBKXeEtz2RxmN0t6l2dcLrlMcgjVv8VGwPxqgSsLlyqkNQnY-lVrJMUpb4l9mhLGB9BjMRzyyevkYpoeHVtp2sd1RnYkkSCEWBTQOG2XCIwIOX4wNKd" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="894" height="170" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjx9GHlZKdV802KAhMBYaaVuW9ZIvNp_vIyeHfrNeZSi0aDDlxr60dSxvshhm7fg9lRIFU-sHBKXeEtz2RxmN0t6l2dcLrlMcgjVv8VGwPxqgSsLlyqkNQnY-lVrJMUpb4l9mhLGB9BjMRzyyevkYpoeHVtp2sd1RnYkkSCEWBTQOG2XCIwIOX4wNKd" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: verdana;">Do You Feel Like a Lowly Worm? </span></div><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">1 “Quiet down, far-flung ocean islands. Listen! Sit down and rest, everyone. Recover your strength. Gather around me. Say what’s on your heart. Together let’s decide what’s right.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; text-align: center;">2-3 “Who got things rolling here, </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">got this champion from the east on the move? </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Who recruited him for this job, </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">then rounded up and corralled the nations </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">so he could run roughshod over kings? </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">He’s off and running, </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">pulverizing nations into dust, </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">leaving only stubble and chaff in his wake. </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">He chases them and comes through unscathed, </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">his feet scarcely touching the path. </span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">4 “Who did this? Who made it happen? </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Who always gets things started? </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">I did. God. I’m first on the scene. </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">I’m also the last to leave.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">5-7 “Far-flung ocean islands see it and panic. </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">The ends of the earth are shaken. </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Fearfully they huddle together. </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">They try to help each other out, </span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> making up stories in the dark. </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">The godmakers in the workshops </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">go into overtime production, crafting new models of no-gods, </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Urging one another on—‘Good job!’ ‘Great design!’— </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">pounding in nails at the base </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">so that the things won’t tip over.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">8-10 “But you, Israel, are my servant. </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">You’re Jacob, my first choice,</span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> descendants of my good friend Abraham. </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">I pulled you in from all over the world, </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">called you in from every dark corner of the earth, t</span><span style="font-family: verdana;">elling you, ‘You’re my servant, serving on my side. </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">I’ve picked you. I haven’t dropped you.’ </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Don’t panic. I’m with you. </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">There’s no need to fear for I’m your God. </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">I’ll give you strength. I’ll help you. </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">I’ll hold you steady, keep a firm grip on you. </span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">11-13 “Count on it: Everyone who had it in for you </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">will end up out in the cold—</span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> real losers. </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Those who worked against you </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">will end up empty-handed—</span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> nothing to show for their lives. </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">When you go out looking for your old adversaries </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">you won’t find them—</span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Not a trace of your old enemies, </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">not even a memory. </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">That’s right. Because I, your God, </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">have a firm grip on you and I’m not letting go. </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">I’m telling you, ‘Don’t panic. </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">I’m right here to help you.’</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">14-16 “Do you feel like a lowly worm, Jacob? </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Don’t be afraid. </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Feel like a fragile insect, Israel? </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">I’ll help you. I,</span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> God, want to reassure you. </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">The God who buys you back, The Holy of Israel. </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">I’m transforming you from worm to harrow, </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">from insect to iron. </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">As a sharp-toothed harrow you’ll smooth out the mountains, </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">turn those tough old hills into loamy soil. </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">You’ll open the rough ground to the weather,</span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> to the blasts of sun and wind and rain. </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">But you’ll be confident and exuberant, </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">expansive in The Holy of Israel!</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">21-24 “Set out your case for your gods,” says God. "</span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Bring your evidence,” says the King of Jacob. </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">“Take the stand on behalf of your idols ,offer arguments,</span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> assemble reasons. </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Spread out the facts before us </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">so that we can assess them ourselves. </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Ask them, ‘If you are gods, explain what the past means—</span><span style="font-family: verdana;">or, failing that, tell us what will happen in the future. </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Can’t do that? </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">How about doing something—anything! </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Good or bad—whatever. </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Can you hurt us or help us? Do we need to be afraid?’ </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">They say nothing, because they are nothing—</span><span style="font-family: verdana;">sham gods, no-gods, fool-making gods.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">25-29 “I, God, started someone out from the north and he’s come. </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">He was called out of the east by name. </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">He’ll stomp the rulers into the mud </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">the way a potter works the clay. </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Let me ask you, Did anyone guess that this might happen? </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Did anyone tell us earlier so we might confirm it </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">with ‘Yes, he’s right!’? </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">No one mentioned it, no one announced it, </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">no one heard a peep out of you.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">But I told Zion all about this beforehand. </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">I gave Jerusalem a preacher of good news. </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">But around here there’s no one—</span><span style="font-family: verdana;">no one who knows what’s going on. </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">I ask, but no one can tell me the score. </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Nothing here. It’s all smoke and hot air—</span><span style="font-family: verdana;">sham gods, hollow gods, no-gods.” </span><span style="font-family: verdana; text-align: center;">~The Message</span></p>Debi Webster Perryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11336569731034488135noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5629945667687534404.post-2143171706904426162023-04-30T21:03:00.003-05:002023-04-30T21:06:51.234-05:00THE MESSAGE OF GOD, THE MASTER<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjB2nSbqWf374v1VjquvNtQqJ2xzexOKAucc4ZsgtDezo8PWoNWP9Pj9ZCr-JyKtEdGAR0CqkmPJdZ84i_v6MuJAGOuVdcJ9ANVKK0-Bqjuag9_aWQ_ai_8JC6PmWgDsYBgjE_pHGceN4cDSVhyeuI9Yrf9MK1Ns04bp-R2C8vNOkLWtQBjamLa_XRI" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="700" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjB2nSbqWf374v1VjquvNtQqJ2xzexOKAucc4ZsgtDezo8PWoNWP9Pj9ZCr-JyKtEdGAR0CqkmPJdZ84i_v6MuJAGOuVdcJ9ANVKK0-Bqjuag9_aWQ_ai_8JC6PmWgDsYBgjE_pHGceN4cDSVhyeuI9Yrf9MK1Ns04bp-R2C8vNOkLWtQBjamLa_XRI" width="240" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Back to Your Own Land</span></b></div></span><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">EZEKIEL 36:1-5 “And now, son of man, prophesy to the mountains of Israel. Say, ‘Mountains of Israel, listen to God’s Message. God, the Master, says, Because the enemy crowed over you, “Good! Those old hills are now ours!” now here is a prophecy in the name of God, the Master: Because nations came at you from all sides, ripping and plundering, hauling pieces of you off every which way, and you’ve become the butt of cheap gossip and jokes, therefore, Mountains of Israel, listen to the Message of God, the Master. My Message to mountains and hills, to ditches and valleys, to the heaps of rubble and the emptied towns that are looted for plunder and turned into jokes by all the surrounding nations: Therefore, says God, the Master, now I’m speaking in a fiery rage against the rest of the nations, but especially against Edom, who in an orgy of violence and shameless insolence robbed me of my land, grabbed it for themselves.’</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">6-7 “Therefore prophesy over the land of Israel, preach to the mountains and hills, to every ditch and valley: ‘The Message of God, the Master: Look! Listen! I’m angry—and I care. I’m speaking to you because you’ve been humiliated among the nations. Therefore I, God, the Master, am telling you that I’ve solemnly sworn that the nations around you are next. It’s their turn to be humiliated.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">8-12 “‘But you, Mountains of Israel, will burst with new growth, putting out branches and bearing fruit for my people Israel. My people are coming home! Do you see? I’m back again. I’m on your side. You’ll be plowed and planted as before! I’ll see to it that your population grows all over Israel, that the towns fill up with people, that the ruins are rebuilt. I’ll make this place teem with life—human and animal. The country will burst into life, life, and more life, your towns and villages full of people just as in the old days. I’ll treat you better than I ever have. And you’ll realize that I am God. I’ll put people over you—my own people Israel! They’ll take care of you and you’ll be their inheritance. Never again will you be a harsh and unforgiving land to them.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">13-15 “‘God, the Master, says: Because you have a reputation of being a land that eats people alive and makes women barren, I’m now telling you that you’ll never eat people alive again nor make women barren. Decree of God, the Master. And I’ll never again let the taunts of outsiders be heard over you nor permit nations to look down on you. You’ll no longer be a land that makes women barren. Decree of God, the Master.’”</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">16-21 God’s Message came to me: “Son of man, when the people of Israel lived in their land, they polluted it by the way they lived. I poured out my anger on them because of the polluted blood they poured out on the ground. And so I got thoroughly angry with them polluting the country with their wanton murders and dirty gods. I kicked them out, exiled them to other countries. I sentenced them according to how they had lived. Wherever they went, they gave me a bad name. People said, ‘These are God’s people, but they got kicked off his land.’ I suffered much pain over my holy reputation, which the people of Israel blackened in every country they entered.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">22-23 “Therefore, tell Israel, ‘Message of God, the Master: I’m not doing this for you, Israel. I’m doing it for me, to save my character, my holy name, which you’ve blackened in every country where you’ve gone. I’m going to put my great and holy name on display, the name that has been ruined in so many countries, the name that you blackened wherever you went. Then the nations will realize who I really am, that I am God, when I show my holiness through you so that they can see it with their own eyes.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">24-28 “‘For here’s what I’m going to do: I’m going to take you out of these countries, gather you from all over, and bring you back to your own land. I’ll pour pure water over you and scrub you clean. I’ll give you a new heart, put a new spirit in you. I’ll remove the stone heart from your body and replace it with a heart that’s God-willed, not self-willed. I’ll put my Spirit in you and make it possible for you to do what I tell you and live by my commands. You’ll once again live in the land I gave your ancestors. You’ll be my people! I’ll be your God!</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">29-30 “‘I’ll pull you out of that stinking pollution. I’ll give personal orders to the wheat fields, telling them to grow bumper crops. I’ll send no more famines. I’ll make sure your fruit trees and field crops flourish. Other nations won’t be able to hold you in contempt again because of famine.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">31 “‘And then you’ll think back over your terrible lives—the evil, the shame—and be thoroughly disgusted with yourselves, realizing how badly you’ve lived—all those obscenities you’ve carried out.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">32 “‘I’m not doing this for you. Get this through your thick heads! Shame on you. What a mess you made of things, Israel!</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">33-36 “‘Message of God, the Master: On the day I scrub you clean from all your filthy living, I’ll also make your cities livable. The ruins will be rebuilt. The neglected land will be worked again, no longer overgrown with weeds and thistles, worthless in the eyes of passersby. People will exclaim, “Why, this weed patch has been turned into a Garden of Eden! And the ruined cities, smashed into oblivion, are now thriving!” The nations around you that are still in existence will realize that I, God, rebuild ruins and replant empty waste places. I, God, said so, and I’ll do it.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">37-38 “‘Message of God, the Master: Yet again I’m going to do what Israel asks. I’ll increase their population as with a flock of sheep. Like the milling flocks of sheep brought for sacrifices in Jerusalem during the appointed feasts, the ruined cities will be filled with flocks of people. And they’ll realize that I am God.’” </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">~The Message</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>God Against Gog</b></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">EZEKIEL 38:1-6 God’s Message came to me: “Son of man, confront Gog from the country of Magog, head of Meshech and Tubal. Prophesy against him. Say, ‘God, the Master, says: Be warned, Gog. I am against you, head of Meshech and Tubal. I’m going to turn you around, put hooks in your jaws, and drag you off with your whole army, your horses and riders in full armor—all those shields and bucklers and swords—fighting men armed to the teeth! Persia and Cush and Put will be in the ranks, also well-armed, as will Gomer and its army and Beth-togarmah out of the north with its army. Many nations will be with you!</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">7-9 “‘Get ready to fight, you and the whole company that’s been called out. Take charge and wait for orders. After a long time, you’ll be given your orders. In the distant future you’ll arrive at a country that has recovered from a devastating war. People from many nations will be gathered there on the mountains of Israel, for a long time now a wasteland. These people have been brought back from many countries and now live safe and secure. You’ll rise like a thunderstorm and roll in like clouds and cover the land, you and the massed troops with you.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">10-12 “‘Message of God, the Master: At that time you’ll start thinking things over and cook up an evil plot. You’ll say, “I’m going to invade a country without defenses, attack an unsuspecting, carefree people going about their business—no gates to their cities, no locks on their doors. And I’m going to plunder the place, march right in and clean them out, this rebuilt country risen from the ashes, these returned exiles and their booming economy centered down at the navel of the earth.”</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">13 “‘Sheba and Dedan and Tarshish, traders all out to make a fast buck, will say, “So! You’ve opened a new market for plunder! You’ve brought in your troops to get rich quick!”’</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">14-16 “Therefore, son of man, prophesy! Tell Gog, ‘A Message from God, the Master: When my people Israel are established securely, will you make your move? Will you come down out of the far north, you and that mob of armies, charging out on your horses like a tidal wave across the land, and invade my people Israel, covering the country like a cloud? When the time’s ripe, I’ll unleash you against my land in such a way that the nations will recognize me, realize that through you, Gog, in full view of the nations, I am putting my holiness on display.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">17-22 “‘A Message of God, the Master: Years ago when I spoke through my servants, the prophets of Israel, wasn’t it you I was talking about? Year after year they prophesied that I would bring you against them. And when the day comes, Gog, you will attack that land of Israel. Decree of God, the Master. My raging anger will erupt. Fueled by blazing jealousy, I tell you that then there will be an earthquake that rocks the land of Israel. Fish and birds and wild animals—even ants and beetles!—and every human being will tremble and shake before me. Mountains will disintegrate, terraces will crumble. I’ll order all-out war against you, Gog—Decree of God, the Master—Gog killing Gog on all the mountains of Israel. I’ll deluge Gog with judgment: disease and massacre, torrential rain and hail, volcanic lava pouring down on you and your mobs of troops and people.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">23 “‘I’ll show you how great I am, how holy I am. I’ll make myself known all over the world. Then you’ll realize that I am God.’” ~The Message</span></p>Debi Webster Perryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11336569731034488135noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5629945667687534404.post-47127466993057018962023-04-23T16:06:00.012-05:002023-04-23T20:27:41.519-05:00Walk from the Room of Last Supper to Gethsemane! Through the Kidron Valley!<div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/0movb52Lm-k" width="320" youtube-src-id="0movb52Lm-k"></iframe></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Premiered Apr 8, 2023</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; text-align: justify;">ISRAEL MY CHANNEL</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">In this video tour, we will see and experience entering the Jaffa Gate, Tower of David, Arminian Quarter, Zion Gate, the room of the Last Supper, Tomb of David, Peter in Gallicantu, Dung Gate, Kidron Valley, Gethsemane, Church of Nations.</span></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><div style="text-align: justify;">So you can see a lot of police, a lot of Army people, and this is because we are in a very tense time in Israel. Someone was shot yesterday. From Lebanon many Rockets were fired at Israel, it's a tense time right now, and that's why there's so many soldiers, policemen on the streets. Of course this is also the Holiday so a lot of people come to Jerusalem in this particular time...</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">...So today we're we're gonna go to those different places connected to the Last Supper and crucifixion and you will be able to see how far everything is from each other. So, it's quite a walk actually especially from get some Mana which is on the bottom of Mount of Olives to the Tower of David were supposedly was Herod's Palace and where Jesus was trialed, it's quite a walk. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">So here is the Zion Gate, the gate through which we will go. The gate to which we will go. Again built by Sulaiman the magnificent in the 16th century. And this is from the other side. Now I want you to I want you to look at this gate and you will see holes, destruction. I will tell you in a moment what it's about. It's a reminder, it's a witness to a big battle that happened here when Israel was attacked by five countries in 1967, the Six Day War started and Israel won with five countries in six days. And of course this time gave the Jewish people for the first time to take control of East Jerusalem, because before that the Jewish people did not control East Jerusalem, and after The Six Day War they were controlling the Western Wall, the Temple Mount, they were even taking control of the Old City. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Also, those are the bullets that were shot towards this gate, okay, let's go now to this mountain. I mainly want to go here because there is a nice view and I want you to see it, because as I told you the places that are connected with this place our traditional. They are probably not what actually is. So this is a big Lutheran Church that was built here by the Germans. You know every country that came to Jerusalem basically built a church, so you have Russian churches, you have English churches, you have German churches, and that way each country has a piece of land here in Jerusalem. This land belongs to the Lutheran Church so it's a big Church.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Okay guys, now we're gonna walk into the place where traditionally to sell that the last supper was. So what you will see is again Mosaic because it used to be a mosque and now it's like a museum. It's like a place where you come and visit. It's not a church, but it's not also a mosque, so you will see resemblance of that. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Here's some remains that remind you that it was a mosque and also the the signs over here. Okay, I wasn't there for a long time because my camera doesn't have good light. When I'm in rooms and there's artificial light I need to change the settings so that's why I didn't spend time much over there. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">This is a place that not a lot of people go too because they don't know you can come here but you can. And suddenly you are on a rooftop, and you have a beautiful view of Jerusalem. So we just went up on a roof of this room which we just were in the room which is called the Room of the Last Supper is where tradition says that the Last Supper happened in the roof below us. So, it used to be a mosque as you can see, here's even a minoret which stayed.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">From this roof you can see a very beautiful view of Jerusalem. So, you can see in the distance there is The Mound of Olives, it's nice now with the flag you can see. Over there is the Kidron Valley and the City of David in that direction. In that direction is the the Hotel King David Hotel. So it's a nice place just to see the Panorama of Jerusalem. It's the people that come to visit those places, do not usually know that you can come here and see the view. So over there you can even see a little bit the Dome of the Rock.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Okay, so the last place we're gonna go here is the traditional place of the burial of David. I will not be talking much when I enter the room because the second synagogue it's an active synagogue, so I just want to go in and not disturb. So, here's the synagogue with me change the settings. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">So, everybody are in the big tomb and it was there that the Jewish people are here praying next to it. I know this place pretty well because I used to actually work here. I was doing a course in archaeological conservation and we worked on those stones there because before that the stones were covered with cement and it was very bad.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The stone was done by the Jordanians before Israel's independence this territory was controlled by Jordan, and the cement was very bad. Because it's stronger than the stone and when that happens the water starts coming out not from the cement but from the stones. So what we had to do is take out all the cement and create a special mortar instead, so this is what we did here.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Okay, so let's go now. This is this place where you get out. See guys we are still on Mount Zion, but we were there at the roof. I'm just walking around here to see what else is here. It's been a while since I've been here. I want to see because this place wasn't open like this before. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Here you can see the backside of Mount Zion, wow, this is quite beautiful actually. See with these flowers, so nice, the trees, and wow over there the purple flowers too. This is very beautiful, it's a nice view for a day like this right. Oh, there is somebody reading something next to a tree.</div></span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">It is possible that the Last Supper was happening somewhere around here, and Jesus was spending the last few moments with his disciples. Ahead of him was a very difficult time, he was to suffer greatly for the cause of all people. And he did that because he loved people so much, that he wanted to sacrifice his own life so they may have eternal life. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">So, here's an Armenian Church over here. Behind this plant is King David's Hotel, over there. That's New Jerusalem. Okay very nice, very close too. Here is also a cemetery on which Schindler, the famous Schindler. Schindler is buried on Mount Zion. So if you ever are here in the area you can visit that to give a tribute.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">We're gonna get out of this complex now and we're gonna go into the direction of The Garden of Gethsemane. This will give you also an idea how far it is all together. Cedar Tree's, how nice. This is the other side of the Church right here, so you can exercise, workout here, and you can skip rope.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Here this is a different Road, you will see how long of a walk it is from here to the Garden of Gethsemane it takes a while. And of course on the road on the way you have discoveries. This is Jerusalem, wherever you put the shovel we will find something, that's why it's so difficult to build roads here. Once you start building all the archaeologists come and want to see what you found.</div></span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">So, over there you have the Kidron Valley and downstairs we walked from Mount Zion as it is called. Although again, I have to say, this according to me Mount Zion is always the City of David, and eventually the Temple mount. Although I know that in the Bible the term Zion is used in a more general way. For example the whole Israel can be called Zion or Jerusalem. As a whole can be called Zion, so it doesn't have to be a specific place. But this is funny, in this case, because this is a mountain which is called Mount Zion. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">If we have to point to a mountain, which mountain is Mount Zion, it would have to be the City of David. This is where the history of David started with Jerusalem and we agreed that David took the Fortress of Zion, and where was the Fortress of Zion? In the city of David, we visited it yesterday, and you saw the stones.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Here you can see a lot of Jewish people going to pray, because this is also a way to the Western Wall in that direction, so you can go through this road. See how many people are going to pray. In Judaism you should pray three times, in the morning, in the afternoon, and in the evening. Sometimes Jewish people combine the two prayers in the evening one also.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Over there you can see a church it's a Roman Catholic Church of Saint Peter in Galicanto from Latin, it means where the rooster crowed. This is the place where Peter denied, Jesus three times. It's that church, right where I'm pointing now. Like a gray Coppola this is where it is, and this is a road to the Western tunnel.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Today, it's still the whole day, it's Passover but also today starts another big holiday which is the Shabbat. Very important in Jewish life. In Jerusalem when Shabbat starts then Jerusalem, the Jewish Jerusalem, is closed. People are in home spending time with their family, this is something very nice.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">You can see Jewish people walking with their children, spending time with their whole family. That's a very nice aspect of Shabbat, it gives you peace, you are disconnected from all the mobile phones, from the internet, from YouTube. You have a time just to rest. So here again another perspective on the church of Saint Peter in Galicanto downstairs. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Over here David and the Kidron Valley is below. This is the proper Mount Zion and here you can already see the Temple Mound. We have not come from this direction yet in my videos, I don't think so I will show you this road, we can view on the City of David. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">You can look also up their walls and go to the Western Wall. There's going to be a gate through which you go through and then you are basically next to the Western Wall Plaza. But today, we're gonna go to the get Samana inn The Garden of Gethsemane, which means The Garden of the Oil Press. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Alot of things are happening here, a lot of security, a lot of construction work, everything at once. Alot of Holidays, it's a mix. That's the Dome Gate, this is where you would enter to go to the Western Wall, but we are going further down to the valley, we walked this way yesterday, no not yesterday, on the first day of PESA tour. But, I'm doing it again because I want to do all the Christian sites that are connected with the Last Supper Friday Resurrection.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">We're gonna do a detour here because I want to go to the Pool of Siloam. Yesterday, I did not go because it was a Holiday, it might be open. We are getting to the Church, this is the South of the Temple mount, and here is the City of David which we visited. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">So now, I will not be talking much about things that are in the City of David. If you are interested in learning more see my other videos. A video from yesterday would be good to see because there I talk more about the Archeology of the importance of the place.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">So now we're gonna walk very close to the Arab neighborhood. This is the Sylvan neighborhood. We have some shops here, and this is the Sylvan neighborhood, and we'll walk the Kidron Valley, and get out next to the Garden of Gethsemane. Here in the valley it's very warm, so I think I will end my tour in the Garden of Gethsemane, and tomorrow we will visit the two places that are considered to be the go for Calvaria, the Skull. The Burial side of Jesus and crucifixion and Resurrection.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">You can already see where we are, this is South East End of the Temple Mount, this is the City of David where we just were since in this Arab neighborhood here. That's how it looks from the bottom of the valley, I did the video once when I was walking here, but was a while ago, and every time, even it depends when you come in the summer or you go in the spring. Every time it's different, a Supermarket.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">An Asian neighborhood, and here you can see you can see the Valley. Those houses are built on a rock scarp and actually in some of them, in some places there are like holes. Those are Asian burial sites. This is of course a very uh problematic place because everything is built here without permits, people build how they like on top they build up build up so in one house a whole generation lives. Some of those houses are very old but nobody knows what is the state of the foundations of those buildings.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">So here we are the Kidron Valley. We're at the bottom of the Kidron Valley. This is where we came from, in the distance you can see the Orthodox Church. Here it's the slope of the Kidron Valley. It's like going back in time now 2000 years. It feels like walking in ancient times somewhere. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Not a lot of people come here, it's very quiet. So you see some caves, over there the houses are built on ancient caves they are Burial sites. So as we walk here we can also remember the story of Abraham and Melchizedek. Remember Abraham was returning after rescuing his nephew a lot and as he was walking next to Salem, the King approached him and blessed him. It's not Abraham who lesses Melchizedek although he was a legend already but it's Melchizedek who is worshiping the God most high. So perhaps it happened somewhere here when they met. These are also very old burial sites of noble people. You can see where we walked and where we are now.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">So, this is where where we get out. This is where the Church of Nations is or to The Garden of Gethsemane it's salmon. So here is a view on the Golden Gate once again. Here you can see where we came from, this is where we're going.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Thank you! So once again, the View on the Mount of Olives, Kidron Valley. This is the Church of Nations, it will be probably very busy today, because it's The Good Friday. You can already see there's an active mask going on there for a moment we'll be able to then going on there let's see if we can go for a few.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">We have been here before in my previous videos, but I just wanted to end here on Friday, because this is the place of the Greatest Suffering. This is the place of the Greatest Suffering of the Messiah when he was suffered that much. So let me get out a little bit because it's very loud. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">There you may not be able to hear me well, you see a person selling next to the church as it was in nation times. Next to the temple people who are selling today, also, people never change Church, Another tradition you also have olive trees here so generally, The Garden of Gethsemane could have been somewhere in this area, because there are olive trees that are very old here. There's a tradition of having olive trees here, so perhaps some are here.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Jesus was suffering in the garden before he was betrayed by Judas. And more of you Church of Nations, let me get out of the way of the group here, this is a better view. So, once again olive trees when Jesus came to Jerusalem on a donkey He was greeted with palm branches and you can see palm trees right now. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">You came from the East from there from the Mount of Olives and entered Jerusalem here on a donkey. Jesus suffered much, guys thank you for your attention. I hope you enjoyed this tour today! I'll see you on our next tour have a great day shalom.</div></span>Debi Webster Perryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11336569731034488135noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5629945667687534404.post-33866441989371211792023-04-18T18:54:00.013-05:002023-04-19T16:40:14.292-05:00 A LIVING HOPE THROUGH THE RESURRECTION OF JESUS CHRIST<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgifFxfCPfgmNNu0b092JbRU9XLEvc44FzMl16yO0UAgRPy6HijWdz20pFzymslhH3VKeEz36h3TPv8HBXUUCYvpyH4_x3h6PaFes_gsntpKGLCcWxyWi2AvTs8hZHgFbZH5DXik_c7detVGdwYSY64sNdod34xLCVdgBztW0crCIGiqQaqKGHlxooi" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="667" data-original-width="1000" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgifFxfCPfgmNNu0b092JbRU9XLEvc44FzMl16yO0UAgRPy6HijWdz20pFzymslhH3VKeEz36h3TPv8HBXUUCYvpyH4_x3h6PaFes_gsntpKGLCcWxyWi2AvTs8hZHgFbZH5DXik_c7detVGdwYSY64sNdod34xLCVdgBztW0crCIGiqQaqKGHlxooi" width="320" /></a></p><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: verdana; font-size: 15px; text-align: start;"> "He is not here; He has risen!"</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: verdana; font-size: 15px; text-align: start;">"Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee: 'The Son of Man' must be delivered over to the hands of sinners, be crucified and on the third day be raised again." (</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: verdana; font-size: 15px; text-align: left;">Luke 24:6-7)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: verdana; font-size: 15px;">At death his Spirit went to the Father in heaven, and then returned to be clothed in the resurrection body, in which he appeared to the disciples over a period of 40 days before the ascension. The statement in John 20:17 tells us that the ascension of the resurrected Christ had not yet happened.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: verdana; font-size: 15px;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 15px;"><span style="color: #050505; font-family: verdana;">The resurrection amounts to the Father's clear signal that Jesus is the powerful Son of God who has conquered death and reigns as Lord of all (Romans 1:4; 4:25). The resurrection demonstrates that Jesus' “blood of the new covenant” saves His people from their sins.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: verdana; font-size: 15px;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 15px;"><span style="color: #050505; font-family: verdana;">Based on the wording in 1 Peter, there's an argument that Jesus spent the weekend between His death and Resurrection in Hell preaching to the souls who were already there, giving them a chance at the forgiveness available through His sacrifice not previously available before His death.</span></span></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 15px; text-align: start;"><span style="color: #050505; font-family: verdana;">Jesus died and rose again not only so that we could receive forgiveness, but even more so, He died and rose again so that we might have life. It is through His death and resurrection that we receive life.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 15px; text-align: start;"><span style="color: #050505; font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: verdana; font-size: 15px; text-align: start;">1 Corinthians 6:14 says, "And God raised the Lord and will also raise us up by his power." </span><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 15px; text-align: start;"><span style="color: #050505; font-family: verdana;">R</span></span><span style="font-family: verdana;">omans 6:8-11 says,"The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God. In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus.</span><span style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">"We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him." </span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: verdana; font-size: 15px; text-align: start;">Romans 8:34 says, "Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us." </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: verdana; font-size: 15px; text-align: start;">Romans 8:34 says, "Who then is the one who condemns? No one."</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: verdana; font-size: 15px; text-align: start;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">What are the 4 accounts of Jesus' resurrection? </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: verdana; font-size: 15px;">Jesus' resurrection appears in all four of the Gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John—only it is not the same exact story.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #050505; font-family: verdana; font-size: 15px; text-align: start;">Now when Jesus meets with the disciples on the evening of the first day of the week, the day in which Jesus resurrected, his first words were “Peace Be With You.” Not only are they uttered as a culmination of Jesus' previous teaching, they are also filled with meaning because of his death-burial-resurrection.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #050505; font-family: verdana; font-size: 15px; text-align: start;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 15px; text-align: start;"><span style="color: #050505; font-family: verdana;">Post-resurrection miracles attributed to Jesus are also recorded in the Gospels: A miracle similar to the miraculous catch of fish, also called the catch of 153 fish to distinguish it from the account in Luke, is reported in the Gospel of John but takes place after the Resurrection of Jesus.</span></span></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Why did Jesus rise from the dead on the third day? </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: verdana; font-size: 15px;">Jesus was adamant about the third day because it represents God's pattern of creating new life and establishing a covenant with humanity.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: verdana; font-size: 15px;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: verdana; font-size: 15px;">How do you know Jesus was resurrected? </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: verdana; font-size: 15px;">In 1 Corinthians 15:3-8, Paul gives a list of people to whom the risen Jesus appeared. These witnesses to see the resurrected Jesus include the Apostle Peter, James the brother of Jesus, and, most intriguingly, a group of more than 500 people at the same time.</span></div><p></p><div style="text-align: justify;"><p></p><div><span style="background-color: white;"><div></div></span></div></div><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: verdana; font-size: 15px;">How many times did Jesus appear after the resurrection?</span><b style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: verdana; font-size: 15px;"> </b><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: verdana; font-size: 15px;">The Bible records at least eight appearances of the resurrected Jesus to different people at various times and locations over a 40-day period before He ascended into heaven.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: verdana; font-size: 15px;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: verdana; font-size: 16px; text-align: start;"><span style="background-color: transparent; text-align: justify;">What is the power of Jesus' resurrection?<b> </b></span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: verdana; font-size: 16px;">His resurrection brought unquantifiable blessings to the Church and the world. His resurrection reminds us that he was raised by the Spirit of the Father, and that same Spirit dwells in us and would give life to our mortal bodies (Romans 8:11). </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: verdana; font-size: 16px;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: verdana; font-size: 16px;"><span style="color: #050505; font-family: verdana; font-size: 15px; text-align: start;">"With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And God's grace was so powerfully at work in them all (</span><span style="font-size: 15px; text-align: left;">Acts 4:33).</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span face=""Google Sans", Roboto, arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-size: 16px; text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-size: 16px; text-align: left;">What lessons do we learn from the death and resurrection of Jesus? </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #4d5156; font-size: 16px; text-align: left;">Because of Jesus' resurrection, you can live a forgiven life</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #4d5156; font-size: 16px; text-align: left;">. Because Jesus went to the cross and overcame death, His forgiveness can turn your failures into acts of faith and faithfulness. You can place your trust in His death and resurrection and receive forgiveness for all your sins.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #4d5156; font-size: 16px; text-align: left;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 16px; text-align: start;">Psalm 107:2, says, </span><em style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: start; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">“Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, whom He has redeemed from the hand of the enemy...”</span></em></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><em style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: start; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></span></em></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: verdana; font-size: 15px;"><i>1 Peter 1:3 says, "Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead."</i></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: verdana; font-size: 15px;"><br /></span></div><p></p>Debi Webster Perryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11336569731034488135noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5629945667687534404.post-78185220599643562222023-04-16T23:58:00.020-05:002023-04-17T10:42:55.262-05:00EMBRACED BY GOD IN THE JOURNEY<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEguX-nGQuKaYQgcCA-KWWs_YzSRIlE9f0ogu7n6ju2cuJU9BbTCYoeF_qOARTGLOeNMbwdgfo2csN8gY_PJ91Kktui8cuxqyA2Ptu8T7MuovWBzMi5U_abKP6ykcPIWGXE6XM-L_1JO5kmcea3Ycifor0GXvzFi_4eJb2pr7qJQ9pUxM5bw6N2TqZ9d" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="552" data-original-width="736" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEguX-nGQuKaYQgcCA-KWWs_YzSRIlE9f0ogu7n6ju2cuJU9BbTCYoeF_qOARTGLOeNMbwdgfo2csN8gY_PJ91Kktui8cuxqyA2Ptu8T7MuovWBzMi5U_abKP6ykcPIWGXE6XM-L_1JO5kmcea3Ycifor0GXvzFi_4eJb2pr7qJQ9pUxM5bw6N2TqZ9d" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The Book of Habakkuk gives the account of a spiritual journey, telling of one man’s pilgrimage from doubt to worship. The difference between the beginning of the book (1:1–4) and the end of the book (3:17–19) is striking.</div></span><p></p><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">The name “Habakkuk” means “Embrace,” either signifying that he was “embraced by God” and thus strengthened by Him for his difficult task, or “embracing others” and so encouraging them in time of national crisis. The musical notation in 3:19 may indicate that Habakkuk was qualified to lead in temple worship as a member of the Levitical family. The prophet is imbued with a sense of justice, which will not let him ignore the rampant unrighteousness around him. He has also learned the necessity of bringing the major questions of life to the One who created and redeems life.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Habakkuk lived during one of Judah’s most critical periods. His country had fallen from the heights of Josiah’s reforms to the depths of violent treatment of its citizens, oppressive measures against the poor, and collapse of the legal system. The world around Judah was at war, with Babylonia rising to ascendancy over Assyria and Egypt. The threat of invasion from the north added to Judah’s internal turmoil. Habakkuk probably wrote during the interval between the fall of Nineveh in 612 b.c. and the fall of Jerusalem in 586 b.c.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">In the first four verses Habakkuk is overwhelmed by the circumstances all about him. He can think of nothing except the iniquity and violence he sees among his people. Although Habakkuk addresses God (1:2), he believes God has removed Himself from the earthly scene: His words are forgotten; His hand is not manifest; God is nowhere to be found. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Men are in control, and evil men at that. And they act just as one would expect men to act without God’s restraint. These words and phrases describe the scene: “iniquity... trouble...plundering...violence... strife... contention...law is powerless... justice never goes forth. . .wicked surround the righteous. . .perverse judgment proceeds.”</span></div><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; text-align: left;"></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; text-align: left;"><b>HABAKKUK 2:1-20</b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">2:1 What’s God going to say to my questions? I’m braced for the worst. </span>I’ll climb to the lookout tower and scan the horizon. I’ll wait to see what God says, how he’ll answer my complaint. Having completed his questioning, Habakkuk stands like a sentinel to await his answer from God.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; text-align: left;"><b>Full of Self, but Soul-Empty</b></span></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">2:2-3 And then God answered: “Write this, </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Write what you see. </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Write it out in big block letters </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">so that it can be read on the run. </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">This vision-message is a witness </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">pointing to what’s coming. </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">It aches for the coming—it can hardly wait! </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">And it doesn’t lie. </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">If it seems slow in coming, wait. </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">It’s on its way. It will come right on time.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">2:4 “Look at that man, bloated by self-importance—</span><span style="font-family: verdana;">full of himself but soul-empty. </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">But the person in right standing before God </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">through loyal and steady believing </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">is fully alive, really alive.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Paul the apostle takes the statement of Habakkuk 2:4 and makes it the heart of the gospel. The righteousness of God is attained only through faith, so that the right way to live is to trust. Habakkuk calls all believers in all times to trust God, to be faithful to Him, and so to find life as God means it to be lived. </span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">If the heart of the gospel is change and transformation, the Book of Habakkuk demonstrates evangelical renewal. At the center of the change and at the center of the book stands this clear credo of faith: “The just shall live by his faith” (2:4). </span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">For the prophet, the promise is for physical protection in time of great upheaval and war. When the predicted invasion by foreign armies becomes a reality, that righteous remnant whose God is the Lord, whose trust and dependence is in Him, will be delivered and they will live. </span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">For New Testament writers, such as Paul and the author of Hebrews, this statement of confident faith becomes demonstration of the power of the gospel to give assurance of eternal salvation. For Martin Luther, Habakkuk’s theme becomes the watchword of the Reformation.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">2:5-6 “Note well: Money deceives. </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">The arrogant rich don’t last. T</span><span style="font-family: verdana;">hey are more hungry for wealth </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">than the grave is for cadavers. </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Like death, they always want more, </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">but the ‘more’ they get is dead bodies. </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">They are cemeteries filled with dead nations, </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">graveyards filled with corpses. </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Don’t give people like this a second thought. </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Soon the whole world will be taunting them:</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">2:6-8 “‘Who do you think you are—</span><span style="font-family: verdana;">getting rich by stealing and extortion? </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">How long do you think </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">you can get away with this?’ I</span><span style="font-family: verdana;">ndeed, how long before your victims wake up, </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">stand up and make you the victim? </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">You’ve plundered nation after nation. </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Now you’ll get a taste of your own medicine. </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">All the survivors are out to plunder you, </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">a payback for all your murders and massacres. </span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">2:9-11 “Who do you think you are—</span><span style="font-family: verdana;">recklessly grabbing and looting, </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Living it up, acting like king of the mountain, </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">acting above it all, above trials and troubles?</span><span style="font-family: verdana;">You’ve engineered the ruin of your own house. </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">In ruining others you’ve ruined yourself. </span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">You’ve undermined your foundations, </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">rotted out your own soul. </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">The bricks of your house will speak up and accuse you. </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">The woodwork will step forward with evidence. </span><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">2:11 Stone will cry out: As often occurs in Scripture, inanimate objects take the role of witness against cruelty. </span></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">2:12-14 “Who do you think you are—</span><span style="font-family: verdana;">building a town by murder, a city with crime?</span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Don’t you know that God-of-the-Angel-Armies </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">makes sure nothing comes of that but ashes, </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Makes sure the harder you work </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">at that kind of thing, the less you are?</span><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">It is of the Lord that gain through unrighteous means will prove unprofitable. </span></span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Meanwhile the earth fills up </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">with awareness of God’s glory </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">as the waters cover the sea. </span><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">God’s actions in bringing down the wicked demonstrate His sovereignty in all the Earth.</span></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">2:15-17 </span><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">The Babylonians’ subjugation and humiliation of other nations is compared to a person who makes his neighbor drunk and then takes advantage of his weakness. </span></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">“Who do you think you are—</span><span style="font-family: verdana;">inviting your neighbors to your drunken parties, </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Giving them too much to drink, </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">roping them into your sexual orgies? </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">You thought you were having the time of your life. </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Wrong! </span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">You’ll wake up holding your throbbing head, hung over—</span><span style="font-family: verdana;">hung over from Lebanon violence, </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Hung over from animal massacres, </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">hung over from murder and mayhem, </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">From multiple violations </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">of place and people.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">It’s a time of disgrace. What they have done to others (v. 15) will happen to them; they will drink and be exposed. Uncircumcised is the equivalent of being totally out of relationship with God. Babylon ravaged the forests, animals, and people of Lebanon. All the time you were drinking, you were drinking from the cup of God’s wrath. </span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">2:18-19 “What’s the use of a carved god </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">so skillfully carved by its sculptor? </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">What good is a fancy cast god </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">when all it tells is lies? </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">What sense does it make to be a pious god-maker </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">who makes gods that can’t even talk? </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Who do you think you are—</span><span style="font-family: verdana;">saying to a stick of wood, ‘Wake up,’ </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Or to a dumb stone, ‘Get up’? </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Can they teach you anything about anything? </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">There’s nothing to them but surface. </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">There’s nothing on the inside. </span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">2:20 “But oh! God is in his holy Temple! </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Quiet everyone—a holy silence. Listen!” </span><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> In contrast to lifeless, powerless idols (vv. 18, 19), the Lord is present and about to act </span></span><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">in strength.</span></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; text-align: left;">How different is the scene in the last three verses of the book (3:17–19)! All has changed. The prophet is no longer controlled by or even anxious over his circumstances, for his sights have been raised. Temporal affairs no longer fill his thoughts, but his thoughts are on things above. Instead of being ruled by worldly considerations, Habakkuk has fixed his hopes on God, for he realizes that God does take an interest in His creatures. He is the Source of the prophet’s strength and joy. Habakkuk has discovered that he is made for higher ground: “He will make me walk on my high hills” (3:19).</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; text-align: left;">The words in the last paragraph contrast sharply with those in the first: “rejoice in the Lord. . .joy in the God of my salvation. . .God is my strength. . .feet like deer’s feet. . .walk on my high hills” (3:18, 19). So Habakkuk has gone from complaining to confidence, from doubt to trust, from man to God, from the valley to the high hills.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Habakkuk reminds us that the question “Why?” can and should, be asked. His circumstances demanded that he ask God about the apparent reign of unrighteousness around him. Because he believed in God, he believed that God had an answer to his problem. His questions demonstrated the presence of faith, not the lack of it. For an atheist the question “Why?” has no meaning; for a believer the question “Why?” finds its ultimate answer in God. </span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">The terms used by Habakkuk in 3:13 join the idea of salvation with the Lord’s Anointed. The Hebrew roots of these words reflect the two names of our Lord: Jesus, meaning “Salvation,” and Christ, meaning “the Anointed One.” The context here is God’s great power manifested in behalf of His people through a Davidic King to bring them deliverance from their enemies. The Messiah came in the fullness of time (2:3; Gal. 4:4), was given the name “Jesus” as a prenatal prophecy of His ministry (Matt. 1:21), and was born “in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord” (Luke 2:11).</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Also, in Galatians, Paul links the most famous verse from Habakkuk with the reception of the promised Holy Spirit through faith (2:4; Gal. 3:11–14). The righteous person lives by his faith in all aspects of his life, including entering into the life of the Spirit.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Though no direct references to the Holy Spirit are found in Habakkuk, there are intimations of His life working in the prophet. As Habakkuk surveys the ruin brought about by the invading armies, he nevertheless expresses an abiding joy that even disaster on so large a scale cannot steal from him, reminding us that “the fruit of the Spirit is. . .joy” (Gal. 5:22). </span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">The final verses of this prophecy teach that it is possible to rise above circumstances, and even to rejoice in them, by focusing on God who stands above all. Habakkuk does not deny his problems, nor does he treat them lightly; instead, he finds God sufficient in the midst of his troubles. As Habakkuk waits for the answer to his questions, God grants him the gift of a truth that satisfies his unspoken longings as well as provides the solution to his present situation: “The just shall live by his faith” (2:4). The apostle Paul sees this statement of Habakkuk as the foundation stone of the gospel of Christ (Rom. 1:16, 17). Christ is the answer to human needs, including cleansing from sin, relationship with God, and hope for the future. </span></span><span style="font-family: verdana;">~NSFL BIBLE</span></p>Debi Webster Perryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11336569731034488135noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5629945667687534404.post-89980739138742682052023-04-16T11:02:00.010-05:002023-04-17T21:27:00.339-05:00 HOW TO BE A REFLECTION OF GOD<p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-ypmqijLIcRAH9cRetK0Jv0bcXB-NsMb5mkYNYUcBoUDXX9nbMr8pZEJ9PcjpmuvPHskwAFbT9CCILY-PXiOtkae9kDcL7fZnAXBwClCBmba5fP5qVqm4bGPI-AL1XZ1YWy_4ezBeciHe14MHvf8MeeJ-oI7NxXoGvxANbkpD4NEvyl1MSqFTDJYf/s1500/Rainy-day-Cool-Good-Afternoon-Images.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1500" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-ypmqijLIcRAH9cRetK0Jv0bcXB-NsMb5mkYNYUcBoUDXX9nbMr8pZEJ9PcjpmuvPHskwAFbT9CCILY-PXiOtkae9kDcL7fZnAXBwClCBmba5fP5qVqm4bGPI-AL1XZ1YWy_4ezBeciHe14MHvf8MeeJ-oI7NxXoGvxANbkpD4NEvyl1MSqFTDJYf/s320/Rainy-day-Cool-Good-Afternoon-Images.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">While looking at this pic the Holy Spirit said, <b>"A REFLECTION OF GOD"</b>, then I noticed the words attached to the picture,<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"> there was nothing about GOD in it, so I began a search about what the Holy Spirit spoke to me.</span> There are many other blogs with a study on the topic which are good studies, when you google search it. </span></div></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Proverbs 27:19 (MSG) Just as water mirrors your face, so your face mirrors your heart. Becoming a reflection of God isn't about becoming perfect; it's about resting in the idea that it's possible in any situation we have in life to mirror God's love.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Reflection: Serious thought or consideration. Contemplation, deliberation, pondering, meditation, musing. </span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: verdana;">WHY IS REFLECTION WITH GOD IMPORTANT?</span></b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">If we reflect daily on what God is doing and has done in our lives, it makes living in God's presence (coram Deo) much easier for us. Reflection allows us to look for God—in our own lives, in the lives of those around us, in our churches, and in our world.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Did you know that the single most effective thing you can do to accelerate and deepen your spiritual growth is to reflect on the meaning of Scripture in your life?</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Isaiah 41:10 Don’t be afraid, because I am with you. Don’t be intimidated; I am your Elohim. I will strengthen you. I will help you. I will support you with my victorious right hand.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: verdana;">HOW TO BE A REFLECTION OF GOD</span></b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Proverbs 27:19 (MSG) Just as water mirrors your face, so your face mirrors your heart. Becoming a reflection of God isn't about becoming perfect; it's about resting in the idea that it's possible in any situation we have in life to mirror God's love.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">https://bibleleague.ca/blog-reflection-of-god/</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: verdana;">6 WAYS YOU CAN PUT GOD'S GLORY ON DISPLAY</span></b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: verdana;">1. Confess sin. When we confess sin, we are putting on display His glory by declaring His righteousness. </span></b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">https://www.biblelyfe.com/blog/benefits-of-confession-1-john-1-9</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: verdana;">2. Forgive others. Our God is a forgiving God (Ps 130:3-4; Mic 7:18-19)</span></b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">https://www.countryliving.com/life/g32083109/bible-verses-about-forgiveness/</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: verdana;">3. Trust God</span></b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">https://www.biblelyfe.com/blog/bible-verses-about-trusting-god</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: verdana;">4. Produce fruit</span></b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">https://www.navigators.org/blog/the-kingdom-of-god-is-about-bearing-fruit/</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: verdana;">5. Give thanks</span></b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">https://outuponthewaters.com/give-thanks-in-all-circumstances/</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: verdana;">6. Pray</span></b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">https://dailyverses.net/prayer/niv/esv</span></p>Debi Webster Perryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11336569731034488135noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5629945667687534404.post-52957532395331384262023-04-08T17:21:00.007-05:002023-04-08T19:44:32.830-05:00The Book of the Apostle Matthew<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGxAFz_mkw0HWTOjmFMyfvx_PFhBrDPrXgYLr8ZjW4ZPGY3QTJTmKcN9iO3aA2FUS4DT8q15zsxCM8KDI1kcjP7YPghGY7rTvBZK1qkJ8wK4Gg0WymrNCRgKoOD9tTi1gZeXeJvAP4AsSXX94ey_0bybLp5ZrjjRyStG9sTh_GYqHXRTsFIdcC9z_2/s594/Saint-Matthew-the-Apostle-1st-century-Feast.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="594" data-original-width="594" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGxAFz_mkw0HWTOjmFMyfvx_PFhBrDPrXgYLr8ZjW4ZPGY3QTJTmKcN9iO3aA2FUS4DT8q15zsxCM8KDI1kcjP7YPghGY7rTvBZK1qkJ8wK4Gg0WymrNCRgKoOD9tTi1gZeXeJvAP4AsSXX94ey_0bybLp5ZrjjRyStG9sTh_GYqHXRTsFIdcC9z_2/s320/Saint-Matthew-the-Apostle-1st-century-Feast.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Matthew’s aim is to present Jesus, not only as the Messiah, but as the Son of David, and to elaborate this truth in such a way that it would aid the Christians in their controversies with the Jews. He shows how Jesus fulfilled Old Testament prophecy, and how the Law is filled with new meaning and supplemented in the Person, words, and work of Christ. Matthew also points out how the rejection of Christ by Israel’s leadership results in the extension of God’s salvation to all people who will receive, rather than reject, His Son. “The kingdom of God will be taken from you [Israel] and given to a nation bearing the fruits of it” (21:43).</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>The purpose of Matthew is evident in the structure of his book, which groups the teachings and deeds of Jesus into five divisions.</b> The fivefold structure, common in Judaism, may reveal Matthew’s purpose of showing Jesus as the fulfillment of the Law. Each division concludes with the formula, “And when Jesus had ended these sayings” (7:28; 11:1; 13:53; 19:1; 26:1).</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>In the prologue</b> (1:1—2:23), Matthew shows that Jesus is the Messiah by linking Him with promises made to Abraham and David. The birth of Jesus highlights the fulfillment theme, portrays Jesus’ royalty, and underscores the significance of Jesus for the Gentiles. </span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>The first division </b>(chs. 3—7) contains the Sermon on the Mount, in which Jesus describes how people should live under God’s reign.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>The second division</b> (chs. 8:1—11:1) features the instructions of Jesus to His disciples when He sent them out on their missionary journey.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>The third division </b>(11:2—13:52) records several controversies in which Jesus was involved and seven parables describing some aspect of the kingdom of heaven, coupled with the necessary human response.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>The major discourse in the fourth division</b> (13:53—18:35) concerns the conduct of believers within the Christian fellowship (ch. 18).</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Matthew’s fifth division</b> (19:1—25:46) narrates the final journey of Jesus to Jerusalem and reveals His climactic conflict with Judaism. Chapters 24 and 25 contain the teaching of Jesus relating to the last things. The remainder of the book (26:1—28:20) details events and teachings pertaining to the Crucifixion, the Resurrection, and the Lord’s commission to the church. Except at the beginning and at the end of the Gospel, Matthew’s arrangement is not chronological and not strictly biographical, but is designed to show that in Jesus Judaism finds the fulfillment of its hopes.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Matthew’s emphasis on Jesus as the fulfillment of prophecy</b> (41 OT quotes) shows that Jesus’ life and ministry were part of the single plan of God throughout the history of Israel, and that His death and Resurrection were part of God’s divine plan from the beginning. The entire Gospel stresses that Jesus is Immanuel—God-With-Us.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Because God is with us in the Person of Jesus, Matthew’s Gospel calls for complete obedience in personal and corporate life.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>The book also gives to the church a clarion call to mission, the proclamation of the good news to all peoples.</b> Christian disciples must learn to live within the tension of two ages, the present age of fulfillment in the Person of Jesus (in His words and works through His church by the Spirit’s power) and the Age to Come, that is, the consummation of all things. In the interim, Christians are called to be humble, patient, genuine, faithful, watchful, and responsible—assured of the risen Jesus’ presence as they are expectant of His return when faith will give way to sight.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>This Gospel presents Jesus as the fulfillment of all messianic hopes and expectations.</b> Matthew carefully structures his narratives to reveal Jesus as fulfilling specific prophecies. Therefore, he saturates his Gospel with both quotations from and allusions to the Old Testament, introducing many of them with the formula “that it might be fulfilled.”</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>In the Gospel, Jesus often refers to Himself as the Son of Man, a veiled reference to His messiahship</b> (see Dan. 7:13, 14). Not only did the term allow Jesus to avoid common misunderstandings stemming from more popular messianic titles, but it enabled Him to interpret both His redemptive mission (as in 17:12, 22; 20:28; 26:24) and His return in glory (as in 13:41; 16:27; 19:28; 24:30, 44; 26:64).</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Matthew’s use of the title “Son of God” clearly underscores Jesus’ deity</b> (see 1:23; 2:15; 3:17; 16:16). As the Son, Jesus has a direct and unmediated relationship with the Father (11:27).</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Matthew presents Jesus as Lord and Teacher of the church, the new community, which is called to live out the new ethic of the kingdom of heaven.</b> Jesus declares “the church” as His select instrument for fulfilling the purposes of God on Earth (16:18; 18:15–20). Matthew’s Gospel may have served as a teaching manual for the early church, including the amazing world-oriented Great Commission (28:12–20), with its guarantee of Jesus’ living presence.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>The activity of the Holy Spirit is evident at every phase of the life and ministry of Jesus.</b> It was by the power of the Spirit that Jesus was conceived in Mary’s womb (1:18, 20).</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Before Jesus began His public ministry, He was filled with the Spirit of God </b>(3:16), and followed the Spirit’s leading into the wilderness to be tempted by the Devil as further preparation for His messianic role (4:1). The power of the Spirit enabled Jesus to heal (12:15–21) and to cast out demons (12:28).</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Just as John immersed his followers in water, Jesus will immerse His followers in the Holy Spirit </b>(3:11). <b>In Matthew 7:21–23</b> we find a warning directed against false charismatics, those in the church who prophesy, cast out demons, and do wonders, but do not do the will of the Father. Presumably, the same Holy Spirit who inspires charismatic activities, must also empower the people of the church to do the will of God (7:21).</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Jesus declared that His works were done in the power of the Holy Spirit,</b> giving evidence that the kingdom of God had come and that the power of Satan was being overthrown. Therefore, to ascribe the power of the Spirit to the Devil was to commit an unpardonable sin (12:28–32).</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>In Matthew 12:28</b> the Holy Spirit is connected to Jesus’ exorcisms and the present reality of the kingdom of God, not solely by the fact of exorcism per se, for the Pharisees’ sons (disciples) also practice exorcism (12:27). Rather, the Holy Spirit is with the Messiah effecting a new event—“the kingdom of God has come upon you” (v. 28).</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Finally, the Holy Spirit is found in the Great Commission</b> (28:16–20). The disciples are commanded to go and make disciples of all nations, “baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (v. 19). That is, they are to baptize them “unto/with reference to” the name, or authority, of the triune God. In their obedience to this commission, Jesus’ disciples are assured of His ongoing presence with them. </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">~The Message (MSG)</span></p>Debi Webster Perryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11336569731034488135noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5629945667687534404.post-4907230547734925412023-03-31T17:29:00.007-05:002023-03-31T20:03:40.711-05:00WE ARE CALLED CHILDREN OF GOD<p><span style="background-color: white;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiDDTkBHAc0EOv7z-8glM5c9whnn4k1zGbZDIoGdqHYgWbKDZZjQGgNyizWUo6dQpVufZILD_N3X86EnnZhZ9GOTnr0Kl3FqXoSK2J1P4GPgRU9IdR6Z2qRHyDEdTKMl2tIH0AAnZuUZ7Y4OOC4g3a3eK_6yMsf357ly29juXm8ZXlNhqIVIHI1U6rv" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="315" data-original-width="850" height="119" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiDDTkBHAc0EOv7z-8glM5c9whnn4k1zGbZDIoGdqHYgWbKDZZjQGgNyizWUo6dQpVufZILD_N3X86EnnZhZ9GOTnr0Kl3FqXoSK2J1P4GPgRU9IdR6Z2qRHyDEdTKMl2tIH0AAnZuUZ7Y4OOC4g3a3eK_6yMsf357ly29juXm8ZXlNhqIVIHI1U6rv" width="320" /></a></div><div style="color: #050505; font-size: 15px; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 15px; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #050505; font-family: verdana;"><b>It has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him. (1 John 3:2)</b></span></span></div><div style="color: #050505; font-size: 15px; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: transparent; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span></div><span style="background-color: white;"><div style="color: #050505; font-size: 15px; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: verdana;"><b>1 John 3:</b></span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: verdana;"><b>2-3</b> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">What marvelous love the Father has extended to us! Just look at it—we’re called children of God! That’s who we really are. But that’s also why the world doesn’t recognize us or take us seriously, because it has no idea who he is or what he’s up to. </span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: verdana;">But friends, that’s exactly who we are: children of God. And that’s only the beginning. Who knows how we’ll end up! What we know is that when Christ is openly revealed, we’ll see him—and in seeing him, become like him. All of us who look forward to his Coming stay ready, with the glistening purity of Jesus’ life as a model for our own. ~</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: verdana;">The Message</span></div></span><p></p><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505;"><div style="font-size: 15px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Each of us will have a unique body as God determines, just as a single seed produces its own unique plant. (1 Cor 15:35-58) Think about how much more grandeur a plant is than its seed! (See also Mark 4:30-32, 1 Pet 1:22-23)</b></span></div><div style="font-size: 15px; text-align: justify;"><br /></div></span><div><div><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>To gain our new body, our current body must die.</b> (<b>1 Cor 15:35-49)</b> <b>(See also Phil 1:18-26)</b></span></span></div></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #050505; font-family: verdana;"><span><div style="font-size: 15px;"><b>1 Corinthians 15:35-38 </b>Some skeptic is sure to ask, “Show me how resurrection works. Give me a diagram; draw me a picture. What does this ‘resurrection body’ look like?” If you look at this question closely, you realize how absurd it is. There are no diagrams for this kind of thing. We do have a parallel experience in gardening. You plant a “dead” seed; soon there is a flourishing plant. There is no visual likeness between seed and plant. You could never guess what a tomato would look like by looking at a tomato seed. What we plant in the soil and what grows out of it don’t look anything alike. The dead body that we bury in the ground and the resurrection body that comes from it will be dramatically different. ~The Message </div><div style="font-size: 15px;"><br /></div><div style="font-size: 15px;"><b>1 Corinthians 15:39-41</b> You will notice that the variety of bodies is stunning. Just as there are different kinds of seeds, there are different kinds of bodies—humans, animals, birds, fish—each unprecedented in its form. You get a hint at the diversity of resurrection glory by looking at the diversity of bodies not only on earth but in the skies—sun, moon, stars—all these varieties of beauty and brightness. And we’re only looking at pre-resurrection “seeds”—who can imagine what the resurrection “plants” will be like! ~The Message</div><div style="font-size: 15px;"><br /></div><div style="font-size: 15px;"><b>I Corinthians 15:42-44</b> This image of planting a dead seed and raising a live plant is a mere sketch at best, but perhaps it will help in approaching the mystery of the resurrection body—but only if you keep in mind that when we’re raised, we’re raised for good, alive forever! The corpse that’s planted is no beauty, but when it’s raised, it’s glorious. Put in the ground weak, it comes up powerful. The seed sown is natural; the seed grown is supernatural—same seed, same body, but what a difference from when it goes down in physical mortality to when it is raised up in spiritual immortality! ~The Message</div><div style="font-size: 15px;"><br /></div><div style="font-size: 15px;"><b>1 Corinthians 15:45-49</b> We follow this sequence in Scripture: The First Adam received life, the Last Adam is a life-giving Spirit. Physical life comes first, then spiritual—a firm base shaped from the earth, a final completion coming out of heaven. The First Man was made out of earth, and people since then are earthy; the Second Man was made out of heaven, and people now can be heavenly. In the same way that we’ve worked from our earthy origins, let’s embrace our heavenly ends. </div><div style="font-size: 15px;"><br /></div><div><div><span style="font-size: 15px;"><b>(Philippians 1:18-26)</b> </span><span style="font-size: 15px;">So how am I to respond? I’ve decided that I really don’t care about their motives, whether mixed, bad, or indifferent. Every time one of them opens his mouth, Christ is proclaimed, so I just cheer them on! </span></div><div><span style="font-size: 15px;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: 15px;">And I’m going to keep that celebration going because I know how it’s going to turn out. Through your faithful prayers and the generous response of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, everything he wants to do in and through me will be done. I can hardly wait to continue on my course. I don’t expect to be embarrassed in the least. On the contrary, everything happening to me in this jail only serves to make Christ more accurately known, regardless of whether I live or die. They didn’t shut me up; they gave me a platform! Alive, I’m Christ’s messenger; dead, I’m his prize. Life versus even more life! I can’t lose.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: 15px;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: 15px;">As long as I’m alive in this body, there is good work for me to do. If I had to choose right now, I hardly know which I’d choose. Hard choice! The desire to break camp here and be with Christ is powerful. Some days I can think of nothing better. But most days, because of what you are going through, I am sure that it’s better for me to stick it out here. So I plan to be around awhile, companion to you as your growth and joy in this life of trusting God continues. You can start looking forward to a great reunion when I come visit you again. We’ll be praising Christ, enjoying each other. ~The Message</span></div></div><div style="font-size: 15px;"><br /></div><div style="font-size: 15px;"><b>1 Corinthians 15:50</b> I need to emphasize, friends, that our natural, earthy lives don’t in themselves lead us by their very nature into the kingdom of God. Their very “nature” is to die, so how could they “naturally” end up in the Life kingdom?</div><div style="font-size: 15px;"><br /></div></span></span><span style="color: #050505; font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: 15px;"><div><b>1 Corinthians 15:51-57</b> But let me tell you something wonderful, a mystery I’ll probably never fully understand. We’re not all going to die—but we are all going to be changed. You hear a blast to end all blasts from a trumpet, and in the time that you look up and blink your eyes—it’s over. On signal from that trumpet from heaven, the dead will be up and out of their graves, beyond the reach of death, never to die again. At the same moment and in the same way, we’ll all be changed. In the resurrection scheme of things, this has to happen: everything perishable taken off the shelves and replaced by the imperishable, this mortal replaced by the immortal. Then the saying will come true:</div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Death swallowed by triumphant Life!</div><div style="text-align: center;">Who got the last word, oh, Death?</div><div style="text-align: center;">Oh, Death, who’s afraid of you now?</div><div><br /></div><div>It was sin that made death so frightening and law-code guilt that gave sin its leverage, its destructive power. But now in a single victorious stroke of Life, all three—sin, guilt, death—are gone, the gift of our Master, Jesus Christ. Thank God!</div><div><br /></div></span></span><span style="color: #050505; font-family: verdana;"><span><div style="font-size: 15px;"><b>1 Corinthians 15:58</b> With all this going for us, my dear, dear friends, stand your ground. And don’t hold back. Throw yourselves into the work of the Master, confident that nothing you do for him is a waste of time or effort.</div><div style="font-size: 15px;"><br /></div><div><div><span style="font-size: 15px;"><b>(Mark 4:30-32)</b> “How can we picture God’s kingdom? What kind of story can we use? It’s like an acorn. When it lands on the ground it is quite small as seeds go, yet once it is planted it grows into a huge oak tree with thick branches. Eagles nest in it.” </span></div><div><span style="font-size: 15px;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: 15px;">This parable speaks of the destined greatness of the kingdom, contrasting its limited present significance in a small band of original followers with worldwide domination at Jesus’ return. ~The Message</span></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-size: 15px;"><b>(Peter 1:22-25)</b> Now that you’ve cleaned up your lives by following the truth, love one another as if your lives depended on it. Your new life is not like your old life. Your old birth came from mortal sperm; your new birth comes from God’s living Word. Just think: a life conceived by God himself! That’s why the prophet said,</span></div><div><span style="font-size: 15px;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 15px;">The old life is a grass life,</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 15px;"> its beauty as short-lived as wildflowers;</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 15px;">Grass dries up, flowers wilt,</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 15px;"> God’s Word goes on and on forever.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: 15px;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: 15px;">This is the Word that conceived the new life in you. ~The Message</span></div></div><div><br /></div></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: verdana; font-size: 15px;"><b>Our new body will be incorruptible. </b>Our current body is corruptible. </span><b style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: verdana; font-size: 15px;">Our new body will be glorified. </b><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: verdana; font-size: 15px;">Our current body is dishonorable.</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: verdana; font-size: 15px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: verdana; font-size: 15px;"><b>Our new body will be powerful. </b>Our current body is weak.</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: verdana; font-size: 15px;"><b> </b></span><b style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: verdana; font-size: 15px;">Our new body will be spiritual. </b><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: verdana; font-size: 15px;">Our current bodies natural.</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: verdana; font-size: 15px;"> <b>(1 Cor 15:42-44, In context: 1 Cor 15:35-58)</b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #050505; font-size: 15px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span></div><span style="background-color: white;"><div style="color: #050505; font-size: 15px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>(2 Corinthians 5:1-5) </b>Our new bodies will be from God, eternal and in the heavens. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #050505; font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: 15px;">For instance, we know that when these bodies of ours are taken down like tents and folded away, they will be replaced by resurrection bodies in heaven—God-made, not handmade—and we’ll never have to relocate our “tents” again. Sometimes we can hardly wait to move—and so we cry out in frustration. Compared to what’s coming, living conditions around here seem like a stopover in an unfurnished shack, and we’re tired of it! We’ve been given a glimpse of the real thing, our true home, our resurrection bodies! The Spirit of God whets our appetite by giving us a taste of what’s ahead. He puts a little of heaven in our hearts so that we’ll never settle for less. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #050505; font-family: verdana; font-size: 15px;">~The Message</span></div></span>Debi Webster Perryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11336569731034488135noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5629945667687534404.post-11650891811345886342023-03-13T17:28:00.007-05:002023-03-14T15:56:40.931-05:00BOOK OF MOSES CALLED GENESIS<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjuHOYtXyuQXBxMWDsntKn1Ax7ZvGQ9PhwNkOcgYT7he7G4MxmbjVYLTgtiZP6UoKHF4XQ3Cj8hm92mHpylPBvN1ePa_rQzUuoQkW3rR5CdtxFM9WEvywcjHsA1NuoF9_AXcinDjGycTQodto2HgORv7WBpVRVOFiGXl-a1RL1cXpLXjt9q0JqgwIFC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="479" data-original-width="612" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjuHOYtXyuQXBxMWDsntKn1Ax7ZvGQ9PhwNkOcgYT7he7G4MxmbjVYLTgtiZP6UoKHF4XQ3Cj8hm92mHpylPBvN1ePa_rQzUuoQkW3rR5CdtxFM9WEvywcjHsA1NuoF9_AXcinDjGycTQodto2HgORv7WBpVRVOFiGXl-a1RL1cXpLXjt9q0JqgwIFC" width="307" /></a></span></div><br /><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Jewish tradition lists Moses as the author of Genesis and of the next four books. Together these books are called the Pentateuch. Jesus said, “If you believed Moses, you would believe Me; for he wrote about Me” (John 5:46). The Pentateuch itself depicts Moses as having written extensively. See Exodus 17:14; 24:4; Deuteronomy 31:24. Acts 7:22 tells us that “Moses was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians.” In the notes accompanying the text we observe a number of loanwords from Egyptian that are found in Genesis, a fact which suggests that the original author had his roots in Egypt, as did Moses.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Genesis 1 MSG </span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>First this:</b> <b>God created the Heavens and Earth</b>—all you see, all you don’t see. Earth was a soup...</span><span style="font-family: verdana;">We are given here the consequence of God’s first creative act—the earth was without form (lacking the order it would have when God’s commands were complete) and darkness was on the face of the deep (a further description of the lack of complete order and beauty that would emerge within six days). Both statements reveal that creation reflected God’s normal process of bringing order out of chaos. The deep is the primeval ocean that underlies the Earth (see 7:11). Hovering connotes “sweeping” or “moving” rather than staying stationary. The Holy Spirit is the “executive arm” of the Trinity, so He was quite active as God spoke each word. An alternate view, which recommends the possibility of the initial Gen. 1:1 creation becoming disordered (possibly by reason of Lucifer’s fall), is not biblically objectionable, but neither is it verifiable.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>In the beginning God created</b> is the traditional translation of what is a somewhat complex and debated Hebrew sentence structure. One approach is to take v. 1 as a temporal, subordinate clause, with the main clause in v. 3. </span><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">God’s first divine command begins the process of transforming the chaos. <b>God said</b> will occur 10 times in ch. 1 as the means of bringing about life and order. The exact working relationship among the members of the Trinity in this process is not clearly defined in the Bible (see Col. 1:16). Light is the presence of illumination in general. The luminary bodies are created on the fourth day (vv. 14–19).</span></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; text-align: left;">The two Hebrew words <b>tohu</b> and <b>bohu</b> in v. 2 would be rendered as <b>“unformed”</b> and <b>“unfilled.”</b> Thus the first three days of creation speak of “forming,” and days four to six of “filling.” Other translation possibilities have appeared in the last century, but they presuppose the existence of chaotic matter or even a pre-Adamic race before the creation described in ch. 1 began. </span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; text-align: left;">The most direct and fully acceptable translation is the traditional one adopted here. </span><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">1:4 <b>Was good</b> is the divine approval formula that will occur seven times to emphasize creation’s quality and aptness for its purpose. It stands in contrast to the condition described following the Fall (ch. 3). </span></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; text-align: left;">1:5 <b>The evening and the morning:</b> The Hebrews began each new day at sunset. This time designation, along with the numbering of the days and the Sabbath rest on day seven, shows that the author views creation as happening in the course of six consecutive 24-hour periods, followed by a seventh of divine rest.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; text-align: left;">1:6, 7 <b>Let it divide the waters from the waters:</b> The water-covered Earth was apparently surrounded by vapor. God used the firmament, the space between the surface and the clouds, to separate the two “waters,” creating a massive vapor canopy high above the Earth (Hebrew mabbul). These waters which were above provided a protective greenhouse effect over the world of that period.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">1:8 <b>Heaven:</b> See definition of firmament in note on v. 6.</span></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">1:9, 10 The third day marked the appearance of Earth by defining the boundaries (be gathered together into one place) of the Seas.</span></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">1:11, 12 God commanded the earth, with its productive power, to bring forth the plant kingdom. <b>According to its kind:</b> God’s laws of genetics were impressed upon the plant kingdom.</span></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">1:21 <b>Great sea creatures</b> are the more magnificent ocean creatures, such as whales and dolphins. <b>According to their kind:</b> Again, the laws of genetics that preclude any evolution into another kind; a sparrow can never produce a vulture.</span></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">1:24 <b>Cattle</b> is generic for all domestic animals; creeping thing represents mice, reptiles, insects, and so on; beast of the earth represents wild animals. Together with those in v. 21 they represent the totality of the animal kingdom.</span></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">1:26 <b>Let Us:</b> God was speaking, not only to what the NT reveals to be the rest of the Trinity, but to the entire host of heaven, the angels, as well. Our image likely refers to such qualities as reason, personality, and intellect, and to the capacity to relate, to hear, to see, and to speak. All of these are characteristics of God, which He chose to reproduce in mankind. <b>Dominion over . . . the earth:</b> God created man to be His kingdom agent, to rule and subdue the rest of creation, including the aggressive satanic forces, which would soon infringe upon it.</span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Date</b></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">The traditional date of the Exodus from Egypt is the mid-fifteenth century b.c. First Kings 6:1 states that Solomon began building the temple “in the four hundred and eightieth year after the children of Israel had come out of the land of Egypt.” Solomon is thought to have begun construction about 960 b.c., dating the Exodus about 1440 b.c. So Moses wrote Genesis after 1440 b.c., during the forty years in the wilderness.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Content</b></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Genesis opens with the formation of the solar system, the preparation of the land for habitation, and the creation of life on the Earth. All of the eight acts of creation are accomplished in six days.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">The subsequent ten chapters explain the origins of many mysterious qualities of life: human sexuality, marriage, sin, sickness, pain in childbearing, death, the wrath of God, man’s enmity toward man, and the dispersion of races and languages throughout the Earth.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Genesis, beginning in chapter 12, recounts the call of Abraham and the inauguration of God’s covenant with him, a glorious, eternal covenant renewed with Isaac and Jacob. Genesis is remarkable for its exquisite narrative, highlighted by the inspiring account of Joseph and the divine preservation and multiplication of the people of God in Egypt. It is a lesson in divine election, as Paul recounts in Romans 9.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Genesis in many ways anticipates the New Testament: the very personal God, the Trinity, the institution of marriage, the seriousness of sin, divine judgment, and righteousness by faith. The Tree of Life, lost in Genesis, is restored in Revelation 22.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Genesis concludes with the blessing of Jacob upon Judah, from whose tribe was to come the Messiah: “The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh comes; and to Him shall be the obedience of the people” (49:10). Many centuries and many struggles will follow before this prophecy finds its fulfillment in Jesus Christ.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Personal Application</b></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Genesis immediately brings into question many secular world views, so serious Genesis students must become accustomed to thinking differently. We must perceive the world and its history as the ancient biblical authors reveal it. For example, the narratives of chapters 1—3 are not to be understood allegorically but as actual history. The Word of God must always stand above the word of man; we are not to judge His Word, but rather, it judges us. Therefore, ancient Hebrews should not be thought of as primitive simply because they relate reality differently. Rationalized Greek thinking about world realities may be our heritage, but it is not always true.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Genesis teaches many other lessons as well: Abraham is our example of faith (15:6; Gal. 3:7); Joseph’s life is an exquisite sermon for all who suffer unfairly and is a challenge to faithfulness in this age of undisciplined permissiveness.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Finally, we understand human nature properly only as we grasp the truth of “original sin.” When Adam sinned, all of us not only sinned but inherited a resident sin nature (8:21; Rom. 5:19; 7:18). Only a Savior can deal effectively with this inherited natural corruption.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Christ Revealed</b></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">The preexistent Christ, the living Word, was very much involved in the creation. “All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made” (John 1:3). Jesus’ ministry is anticipated in Genesis 3:15, suggesting that the “Seed” of the woman who will bruise the Serpent’s (Satan’s) head is Jesus Christ, the “Seed” of Abraham mentioned by Paul in Galatians 3:16. Melchizedek is the mysterious king-priest of chapter 14. Since Jesus Christ is both King and High Priest, the letter to the Hebrews makes this appropriate identification (Heb. 6:20).</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">The greatest revelation of Christ in Genesis is found in God’s establishment of His covenant with Abraham in chapters 15 and 17. God made glorious promises to Abraham, and Jesus is the major fulfillment of those promises, a truth explained in detail by Paul in Galatians. Much of the Bible is built upon the Abrahamic covenant and its flowering in Jesus Christ.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">The dramatic story of Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice Isaac at God’s command bears a startling similarity to the crucial event of the New Testament. “Take. . .your only son Isaac, whom you love. . .and offer him there as a burnt offering” (22:2) reminds us of God’s willingness to sacrifice His only Son for the sins of the world.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Finally, Jacob’s blessing upon Judah anticipates the coming of “Shiloh,” to be identified as the Messiah. “And to Him shall be the obedience of the people” (49:10).</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>The Holy Spirit at Work</b></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">“The Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters” (1:2). Thus we find the Spirit involved in creation. The Holy Spirit also worked in Joseph, a fact obvious to Pharaoh: “Can we find such a one as this, a man in whom is the Spirit of God?” (41:38).</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Although the Holy Spirit is otherwise not mentioned in Genesis, we see His work in drawing the animals from the four corners of the Earth into Noah’s ark. We also perceive His working throughout the lives of the patriarchs as He protected them and their families and as He blessed them materially. All sorts of difficulties and impossible situations beset the chosen family, frustrating, if possible, the fulfillment of God’s promises to Abraham; but the Spirit of God supernaturally resolved every challenge. ~ NSFL BIBLE STUDY</span></p>Debi Webster Perryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11336569731034488135noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5629945667687534404.post-27475236692937679002023-03-05T07:37:00.006-06:002023-03-05T08:01:16.543-06:00LIVE TOGETHER WHOLE AND HEALED<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b></b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEixVoabKqMMSfTOkxbLXoJQk1qBxrLuk45kB_P4ft9VGgtitV7FR4JGH2GKCZvhxL3cWmARlb8Bgtvaq6NH_vR5GuvuX-Auy7NT2w_bRcZt5JifUY5dMzuPYIkA2uM_NIyHd9hzl83R86YvLBn08s-__ok9YTOTWfH78tuveQxIxm3OqTUS0Z8XsCna" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="550" data-original-width="550" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEixVoabKqMMSfTOkxbLXoJQk1qBxrLuk45kB_P4ft9VGgtitV7FR4JGH2GKCZvhxL3cWmARlb8Bgtvaq6NH_vR5GuvuX-Auy7NT2w_bRcZt5JifUY5dMzuPYIkA2uM_NIyHd9hzl83R86YvLBn08s-__ok9YTOTWfH78tuveQxIxm3OqTUS0Z8XsCna" width="240" /></a></b></span></div></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><b style="font-weight: bold;">James 5:16-18</b><span style="font-family: verdana;"> Make this your common practice: Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you can live together whole and healed. The prayer of a person living right with God is something powerful to be reckoned with. Elijah, for instance, human just like us, prayed hard that it wouldn’t rain, and it didn’t—not a drop for three and a half years. Then he prayed that it would rain, and it did. The showers came and everything started growing again.</span></div></span><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>PRAYER TO BREAK GENERATIONAL CURSES</b> "Father, I know Your Word says that if we confess our iniquity (sins) and the iniquity (sins) of our fathers that you will heal us (James 5:16; Leviticus 26:40-42). Father, I take responsibility for my sins. I ask You to forgive me of my sins, separate them from me, and place them on the cross of Jesus Christ. I also ask you to forgive my fathers of this same sin, separate their sins from them, put them on the cross as well and thus break the curse off of me and my family, in Jesus' name."</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>PRAYER OF SALVATION</b> "Father, I know that Jesus came that we may have life and that life more abundantly (John 10:10). The Word of God confirms that he who follows Jesus must be a servant of the Lord. As that servant, he would lose the life he knows and would receive a new life in Christ (Mark 10:43; Romans 6:4). I am willing to die to my old life and pick up this new life as a servant of the Lord Jesus Christ. "Father, I confess I have been living for my self. The path I have chosen has not produced life-giving fruit that lasts. I am willing to give my whole life to You and confess with my mouth that Jesus is Lord and that I am now the servant of the Lord. No longer will I live for myself, but I will live for Christ from this day forth. I confess my sins and ask that they be removed from me and put on the cross of Jesus Christ. (Take the time needed to confess these sins). I know this is the beginning of a journey that will continue through eternity. I (insert full Christian name) give You 100 percent of my heart and confirm my covenant with Jesus who is raised from the dead and now lives in my heart."</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>PRAYER OF FORGIVENESS</b> "Father, I understand that You do not forgive sin but You do forgive people who sin (Matt. 6:12). I understand that You separate the sins from those who confess and repent of those sins. The Word of God confirms that Jesus bore my confessed sins on the cross and that He no longer holds them against me (1 Peter 2:24). I also understand that no one but Jesus deserved forgiveness and that You will forgive me of my sins with the same measure that I choose to forgive others (Matt. 6:14-15)." "Father, I choose to forgive (insert name). What they did to me is sin. Take this sin from them and put it on the cross. And on the day of judgment when I stand before Your Throne, I will hold no accusation against them. Father, I ask you to bless them, in Jesus' name."</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>REPENTANCE FOR JUDGMENT AND CONDEMNATION</b> "Father, I understand you Word says You will judge me with the same measure I use to judge others. I also know by Your Word that I will be condemned with the same measure that I use to condemn others (Luke 6:37-38; I Cor. 5:12). I know it is correct to judge things as right and wrong according to Your Word, but only You know the motives and intent of another's Heart (Hebrews 4:12). "Father, I have judged others and condemned them. this is sin, and I repent of this sin and ask You to separate this sin from me in Jesus' name and put it on the cross of Jesus Christ."</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>PRAYER TO BREAK WORD CURSES</b> "Father, I know Your Word says to say things that edify, build up, correct in love, and confirm (1 Thes. 5:11: 2 Timothy 4:2). Words of condemnation, slander, complaining, griping, and gossip or accusation are not of You. They are sin (James 5:9). Father, I have said words that did not edify, exhort, correct in love, or confirm. I take responsibility for those words. They are sin. Take this sin from me, put it on the cross of Jesus, and on the day of judgment, hold no accusations against me. I renounce those words in Jesus' name. I ask you to bless those whom I have said bad words about. "Father, people have said words about me that did not edify, exhort, correct in love or confirm. That is sin. Take the sin from them, put it on the cross of Jesus and on the day of judgment, hold no accusations against them. They are free. I choose to release them from this, and those words are now broken off me, in Jesus' name."</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>PRAYER TO BREAK UNGODLY COVENANTS</b> "Father, I understand that sexual intercourse is the sign of the marriage covenant and that you call the marriage covenant holy (Matt. 19:6). I know Your Word states that sex outside of marriage is sin (Matt. 15:19-20). I also understand that I have entered into a covenant with every person with whom I have had sexual relations. Father, I renounce the ungodly covenant I made with (insert name). This was sin and I renounce it as such. Separate this sin from me, place it on the cross of Jesus, and break this covenant I made off of me and my household. I also renounce any other ungodly covenants I have made as well, in Jesus' name."</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: verdana;">IT'S ALL ABOUT RELATIONSHIPS</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>PRAYER TO RELEASE SPOUSE</b> "I willingly lay down all the conditions that I am expecting my spouse to meet on the altar of God. I (your full Christian name) choose to give 100 percent of my heart to ( your spouse's full Christian name) from this day forth."</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>PRAYER OF RESTORATION</b> "Father, I willingly lay down on Your Altar all the conditions that I was expecting You to meet. I (your full Christian name) choose to give 100 percent of my heart to You from this day forth. I will be Your servant and You will be my God, in Jesus' name."</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>PRAYER TO CONFESS SIN</b> "Father, I have sinned. I confess my sin(s) of (insert the sin(s) you committed). I repent and turn from this. Forgive me of this sin. I choose to forgive those who have sinned against me. Father, I choose to forgive (name of person who sinned against you). What they did was sin. Take this sin from them and place it on the cross of Jesus and on the day of judgment I will not hold this sin against them. Even now they are free. Father, bless them."</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>PRAYER TO CONFESS UNBELIEF</b> "Father, I have not applied the faith You have given me. I have allowed doubt and unbelief to enter in. I confess this as sin and choose to turn back to You. Forgive me for this sin, in Jesus' name."</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>PRAYER FOR DISOBEDIENCE</b> "Father, I have disobeyed Your Word and Your plan for my life. I repent and turn back to serving You alone. Forgive me of this sin and place it on the cross of Jesus Chris. I am Your servant from this day forth."</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>PRAYER OF REPENTANCE</b> "Father, I have not acted in accordance to Your nature and I am upset with myself for these actions. They are sin. I repent and I will no longer continue to act this way. Father, take this sin from me, place it on the cross of Jesus Christ, and separate it from me. Forgive me of this sin and forgive my fathers of this same sin as well, in Jesus' name."</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>PRAYER TO CAST CARES ON THE ALTAR</b> "Father, I am carrying the burdens of my relationships and circumstances. I choose to lay all my cares, all my worries, all my fears, all things I cannot change on Your altar. Father, I lay my spouse on Your altar. Father, I lay my children on your altar. Father, I lay my job, my finances on Your altar. Father, I lay (name the circumstances that you cannot change) on Your altar. You are my supply and You alone can move in my circumstances. I give these to You and trust You with them, in Jesus' name."</span></p>Debi Webster Perryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11336569731034488135noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5629945667687534404.post-74634646461678024052023-02-28T10:41:00.004-06:002023-02-28T10:41:44.877-06:00THE VOICE OF THE MASTER: "WHOM SHALL I SEND?" I SPOKE UP, "I'LL GO. SEND ME!"<p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi5W8ZKcatXAQIiPD7l1ciWmjarI94-_NMaUMLlooSFcQOMHGMeYCRsqq5QApYO_WuNrggFcvQhCiqpD95V5BqBNhgIyDVFZkYo3urvrqeSU7RqEkBl3ODLvl0uwRFTxVv-DtI_sy57DlENkhK8V8MXSIionlqXP1nePts6dsjU9svuyOz6TfgXCLlK" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="550" data-original-width="550" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi5W8ZKcatXAQIiPD7l1ciWmjarI94-_NMaUMLlooSFcQOMHGMeYCRsqq5QApYO_WuNrggFcvQhCiqpD95V5BqBNhgIyDVFZkYo3urvrqeSU7RqEkBl3ODLvl0uwRFTxVv-DtI_sy57DlENkhK8V8MXSIionlqXP1nePts6dsjU9svuyOz6TfgXCLlK" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span face=""Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-size: 15px; text-align: left;">Isaiah 6:8 The Message (MSG) </span><span face=""Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-size: 15px; text-align: left;">Holy, Holy, Holy!</span></div><p></p><span face=""Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-size: 15px;"><div style="text-align: justify;">6 1-8 In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Master sitting on a throne—high, exalted!—and the train of his robes filled the Temple. Angel-seraphs hovered above him, each with six wings. With two wings they covered their faces, with two their feet, and with two they flew. And they called back and forth one to the other, Holy, Holy, Holy is God-of-the-Angel-Armies. His bright glory fills the whole earth. The foundations trembled at the sound of the angel voices, and then the whole house filled with smoke. I said,</div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><span face=""Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #050505; font-size: 15px;"><br /></span></div><span face=""Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-size: 15px;"><div style="text-align: justify;">“Doom! It’s Doomsday! I’m as good as dead! Every word I’ve ever spoken is tainted—blasphemous even! And the people I live with talk the same way, using words that corrupt and desecrate. And here I’ve looked God in the face! The King! God-of-the-Angel-Armies!” Then one of the angel-seraphs flew to me. He held a live coal that he had taken with tongs from the altar. He touched my mouth with the coal and said, “Look. This coal has touched your lips. Gone your guilt, your sins wiped out.”</div></span><div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span face=""Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #050505; font-size: 15px;"><br /></span></div><span face=""Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #050505;"><div style="font-size: 15px; text-align: justify;">And then I heard the voice of the Master: “Whom shall I send? Who will go for us?” I spoke up, “I’ll go. Send me!” </div><div style="font-size: 15px; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div><span style="font-size: 15px;">Isaiah entered his ministry at about the time of the founding of Rome and the first Olympic games of the Greeks. European powers were not quite ready for wide conquest, but several Asian powers were looking beyond their borders. Assyria particularly was poised for conquest to the south and to the west. The prophet, who was a student of world affairs, could see the conflict that was imminent. Assyria took Samaria in 721 b.c., resulting in the fall of the northern kingdom of Israel and its people being taken into Assyrian captivity.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: 15px;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: 15px;">One of Isaiah’s purposes was to declare God’s displeasure with and judgment upon sin in Judah, Israel, and the surrounding nations. Almost all the Hebrew words for sin are employed by the prophet. A parallel purpose was to endeavor to turn God’s people away from disobedience in order to avert disaster, a purpose that was only partially successful. Perhaps the greatest purpose, however, was to lay a foundation of hope and promise for the faithful remnant of God’s people. Thus the book is full of promises of restoration and redemption, of the certain advent of the Messiah, of salvation for all the nations, and of the triumph of God’s purposes in spite of intervals of suffering.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: 15px;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: 15px;">No Old Testament book, with the possible exception of the Psalms, speaks more powerfully and appropriately to the modern-day church than the Book of Isaiah. Isaiah has been called both the “messianic prophet” and the “evangelical prophet.” He prophesied for all future ages, predicting both the first and second advents of Christ. His very name means “Salvation,” a salvation not only for those of his day, but also a salvation of the peoples of the nations for all time. This salvation issues from a Savior or Redeemer who has provided a ransom; it is always a vicarious salvation by grace. The prophetic time frame of Isaiah will not close until the Son of David rules over His kingdom of peace (2:1–5; 11:1–9; 42:1–4; 61:1–11; 65:17–25; 66:22, 23).</span></div><div><span style="font-size: 15px;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: 15px;">Isaiah speaks as powerfully to our day as he did to the society of his day. He focused a spotlight of holiness upon the sordid sins of Israel and Judah; he summoned his contemporaries to cease from their social injustice, their quest for carnal indulgence, their trust in the arm of flesh, and their hypocritical pretense of orthodox religion. He also warned of the consequences of judgment if sin continued.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: 15px;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: 15px;">After His resurrection Jesus walked with two of His disciples and “expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself” (Luke 24:27). To do so He must have drawn heavily from the Book of Isaiah, because seventeen chapters of Isaiah contain prophetic references to Christ.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: 15px;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: 15px;">Christ is spoken of as the “Lord,” “Branch of the Lord,” “Immanuel,” “Wonderful, Counselor,” “Mighty God,” “Everlasting Father,” “Prince of Peace,” “Rod of Jesse,” “Cornerstone,” “King,” “Shepherd,” “Servant of Yahweh,” “Elect One,” “Lamb of God,” “Leader and Commander,” “Redeemer,” and “Anointed One.” (MSG)</span></div></div></span></div>Debi Webster Perryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11336569731034488135noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5629945667687534404.post-49523429794906901792023-02-28T09:15:00.000-06:002023-02-28T09:15:40.410-06:00ELIJAH WAS A MAN SENT FROM GOD<p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiJR228IibVLSH8joqaJt0rzTODWCT2c74XMfXHBiQSqnG3ASJ2dByRlO2eT5y5G595p7jTMsEti_FPsrpzM4g_5Mgd346OjpgxTK97m95RsObjdNBNmNPfM9Ma_BRQzrodGe_NKlWkQbnEp8S6agLXSB0RUSX6WLbIS9QhqJ3i9-Z1-DlU7JT3wquZ" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="381" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiJR228IibVLSH8joqaJt0rzTODWCT2c74XMfXHBiQSqnG3ASJ2dByRlO2eT5y5G595p7jTMsEti_FPsrpzM4g_5Mgd346OjpgxTK97m95RsObjdNBNmNPfM9Ma_BRQzrodGe_NKlWkQbnEp8S6agLXSB0RUSX6WLbIS9QhqJ3i9-Z1-DlU7JT3wquZ" width="183" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Elijah was a man sent from God. He was sent to a wicked people to declare that judgment was coming from the hand of God. He was not afraid to speak up and expose the evils of his day. He was not afraid to live by faith in the God of Heaven. He was not afraid to put his very life into the hand of God and trust God all the way through. I just wonder this morning how many of us are like Elijah? How many of us are trusting God com what may? How many of us are taking our stand for God in the midst of this wicked world? How many of us are standing against the tide of evil in the world today? How many of us really know God like Elijah did. We need some Elijah's in our day. Elijah's God has not changed. Where are the Elijah's who will believe Him regardless of the cost?</p><p style="text-align: justify;">God has a place that each of His children must pass through. He has a university, a training experience, for each of those He intends to use. When we think of Elijah, there are usually two events that seem to characterize his life. The first is the fact that he was carried away to Heaven in a chariot of fire. The second has to do with his great victory on top of Mount Carmel. I think we need to be reminded that before we can be trusted to stand on Carmel, we must first pass by the dry brook. What I am trying to communicate is the truth that before God can use His servants, He must train them. Before He can use us greatly before men, He must first break us before Himself.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Remember that God is sending Elijah to school. He is training a prophet. He is building a man of God. God knows that before Elijah can stand in power on Carmel, he must first be broken at Cherith. His goal is the same in our lives today. Many of us have attended the same university that Elijah attended. We are alumni of Dry Brook University. Others are just enrolling. Brooks are beginning to dry up in your life. You wonder what to do and how you will make it. My advice today is that you come to the place early where you roll everything off onto the Lord and you trust Him to take care of you.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Elijah holds in his hand a diploma from Dry Brook University. He has trusted God to take care of him even in the most desperate of situations. He trusted God to send the ravens to feed him, and he trusted God to supply his water using the little brook Cherith. He watched as God met his needs day in and day out. He also watched as God allowed his brook, the only source of water he had, to dry up before his eyes. Surely, enduring this kind of trial would count for something! Surely, things would get better for the prophet now!</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Yet, when God speaks to Elijah, it is to send him into another difficult situation. You see, the prophet's training isn't over just yet. God is creating a man of God! Elijah may have graduated from Dry Brook University, but now he is about to enroll in Empty Barrel Graduate School. At Cherith God broke the prophet's flesh: He taught Elijah to depend on God. At Zarephath, God will break Elijah's pride. Here, he will learn that God, not Elijah calls all the shots of life. He will learn that things are never like they appear. He will learn that God can use the humblest of means to train His children fro His glory.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Remember, God intends to use this man in a mighty way! When we get to chapter 18, we will see why God put the prophet through such rigorous training. God is building a man of God!</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Now, with that in mind, there are times when it seems that our trials come back to back to back to back. That is, it seems that before one trial can end, another begins! When these times come, we may be tempted to question the Lord as to what He is doing. Simply stated, God is getting you in a position where He can use you in a greater way. I will remind you that before He can mold us, He must first melt us! After all, God's goal for every saint of God is that we be made into the image of the Lord Jesus Christ, "Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:", Eph. 4:13.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Elijah is a recent graduate from Dry Brook University. There he learned to depend upon the Lord for all his provisions and not upon himself. It was there, by the brook Cherith, in the wilderness, that Elijah had his flesh broken. As soon as that trial of faith was past, Elijah finds himself enrolled in Empty Barrel Graduate School. While there, he has his pride broken as he must trust the Lord to provide for a widow, who in turn provides for the prophet. It seems that Elijah's life is marked by one trial after another. Someone who did not know any better might start to think that Elijah is being punished for something.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Of course, the Bible teaches us a different truth. God isn't correcting His prophet, He is perfecting Him. God is teaching Elijah lessons that can be learned in no other fashion than through trial and difficulty. You see, it is in the storms of life that we learn God can walk on the waves. It is in the valleys of life that we learn that He is the Lily of the Valleys. Sometimes we must go through the fires of life to find out that He will go with us every step of the way. These are the things Elijah is learning and they will serve him well in the very near future. God is preparing Elijah to stand for Him in very powerful way.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">After a three year period of being hidden away from public view, first by the Brook Cherith and then at Zarephath, Elijah is brought back into the spotlight. When he first appeared before the throne of king Ahab and announced the drought, he was a man of faith. However, as he passed through the trials of the dried brook, the empty meal barrel and the dead son, Elijah was transformed into a man of God.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">He is a man wholly dedicated to the Lord God! As he reenters the public eye, Elijah's first encounter is with a fellow believer by the name of Obadiah. While both are believers, the contrast between these men is striking! Elijah is seen to be a faithful servant of God, while Obadiah is pictured as a mere hireling, that is, one who gives lip service to God, but by his life he denies the God he claims to serve.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">All the training, all the trials, and all the trusting have been to bring Elijah to the place where he could stand in the pure power of God and show a lost nation that Jehovah, not Baal, was Lord of all. You see, the entire nation of Israel, with the exception of some 7,000 faithful people, 1 Kings 19:18, had given themselves over to the worship of the false god Baal. Things were so bad that even the king and the queen of Israel were leaders in promoting the worship of these idol gods. However, God had not forgotten His investment in His people! He had not forgotten how He had chosen them out of all the other people's on the face of the earth. How He had brought them out of Egypt and led them through the wilderness. He remembered giving them the land, the Law and the covenants of promise. He never forgot for an instant that they were His people and that he had plans for them.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Therefore, God had called, trained, and groomed a man named Elijah. All the preparation had been for just this moment. A moment when God would call the nation back to Himself. A moment when God would prove beyond all question that He was Lord and God.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">For Elijah, this was a event that required great faith and courage, but he had been adequately prepared by the Lord for a task such as this. In fact, it was time for Elijah to prove that he was who he was rumored to be. It was time to put up or shut up. In other words, It's Showtime!</p><p style="text-align: justify;">If you are a child of God, may He help you to come to the place where you realize that everything that happens in your life is part of God's plan for you, Rom. 8:28. And that nothing can happen in you or to you that He does not allow.</p>Debi Webster Perryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11336569731034488135noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5629945667687534404.post-88002642508084460802023-02-10T18:30:00.000-06:002023-02-10T18:30:54.072-06:00JESUS IS THE FOCUS OF OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEHs7BjYS81ugFv4nQgt7T9XumS7evQmwOECn-pY3LmjbavlpoF-fVoL8dOJohYsZsRX1A9r4PEBukDaXTWt6mkatIHe8m3Iw4IkC_wowaThVuCHWIQkWEvSYyB7O04MkGw7CLya9GOBY5BExgYXaISx-Y1Psgur5so6xXV0fK1nVlB6GY_ztpSlkM/s500/Halee%20&%20Family%20prayer.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="363" data-original-width="500" height="232" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEHs7BjYS81ugFv4nQgt7T9XumS7evQmwOECn-pY3LmjbavlpoF-fVoL8dOJohYsZsRX1A9r4PEBukDaXTWt6mkatIHe8m3Iw4IkC_wowaThVuCHWIQkWEvSYyB7O04MkGw7CLya9GOBY5BExgYXaISx-Y1Psgur5so6xXV0fK1nVlB6GY_ztpSlkM/s320/Halee%20&%20Family%20prayer.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">Second Corinthians is a valuable guide in examining our own motives for serving the Lord, whether as lay people or as ordained pastors and evangelists. As an instrument of the Holy Spirit, this letter can refine our motives until we reflect the kind of selfless giving best exemplified in Christ, but also found in His servant Paul. The instructions concerning the collection for Jerusalem (chs. 8 and 9) emphasize generosity in the area of financial resources, just as Paul emphasized generosity in self-giving throughout the book.</div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Jesus Christ is the focus of our relationship with God. All God’s promises to us are Yes in Jesus, and we say “Amen” to God’s promises in Jesus (1:19, 20). Jesus is God’s Yes to us and our Yes to God. Only in Christ do we see the glory of God, and only in Him are we transformed by that glory (3:14, 18), for Christ is the very image of God (4:4–6). God came to us in Christ, reconciling the world to Himself (5:19). Thus, it is “in Christ” that we have become new creatures (5:17). This change was accomplished through the marvelous act of God’s grace in which Christ, “who knew no sin,” became “sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him” (5:21).</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Jesus is also the focus of our service to God. We proclaim Jesus as Lord and ourselves as servants for His sake (4:5). We willingly share not only Christ’s life and glory but also His dying (4:10–12), His willingness to be weak so that others might experience the power of God (13:3, 4, 9), and His willingness to be impoverished so that others might be enriched (8:9). We experience His weakness but also His strength as we seek to bring “every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ” (10:5).</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Again, Jesus is the focus of our present life in this world, where we simultaneously experience in our mortal bodies both “the dying of the Lord Jesus” and His life (4:10, 11).</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Finally, Jesus is the focus of our future life, for we will be raised up with Jesus (4:14), who is the “betrothed. . .husband” of the church (11:2) and the judge of all men (5:10).</p><p style="text-align: justify;">The Holy Spirit is the power of the New Covenant (3:6), because He makes real to us the present and future provisions of our salvation in Christ. By the gift of “the Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee,” we are assured that all God’s promises are Yes in Christ, and that we are anointed and “sealed” as belonging to Him (1:20–22). The present experience of the Spirit is specifically “a guarantee” of the glorified bodies we will one day receive (5:1–5).</p><p style="text-align: justify;">We do not merely read about the will of God in the “letter” of Scripture, for “the letter [alone] kills.” The Spirit who gives life (3:6) changes our way of living by opening our eyes to the living reality of what we read. Thus, we progressively experience and embody the will of God, and we ourselves become epistles of Christ, “known and read by all men” (3:2).</p><p style="text-align: justify;">When we submit ourselves to the work of the Spirit, we experience a miracle. We find that “where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty” (3:17). There is liberty to behold the unveiled glory of the Lord and to be changed more and more into the likeness of what we behold. The Holy Spirit gives us freedom to see and freedom to be what God wants us to be (3:16–18).</p><p style="text-align: justify;">The work of the Holy Spirit is evident in daily inward renewal (4:16), spiritual warfare (10:3–5), and the “signs and wonders and mighty deeds” of Paul’s ministry in Corinth (12:12). Paul ended his letter with a blessing, which included “the communion [fellowship] of the Holy Spirit” (13:14). This could indicate a sense of the Spirit’s presence or, more likely, an enjoyment of the fellowship the Spirit gives us with Christ and with all people who love Christ. ~New Spirit-Filled Life Bible</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Heavenly Father, I thank and praise You for Your Word, the Holy Scriptures and for the promise that Your Holy Spirit will guide me into all truth. Give me a teachable spirit so that I may learn all that You would teach me in Your word and prevent me from falling into deceptive teaching or false doctrine.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Lord I ask that by Your Holy Spirit You would open my mind to the truth and give me discernment so that I am not tossed about by every wind of doctrine. Thank You for what You are teaching me in Your Word and give me a thirst to read, mark learn and inwardly digest all that You would have me learn.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Lead me in the path of righteousness and guide me into all truth for Your holy names sake and help me to come to a deeper knowledge of the Lord Jesus, so that I may grow in grace and in a knowledge of Him – and of all that You would have me learn. Keep me from pride I pray and may I walk humbly before You all the days of my life – I ask this in the precious name of my Saviour, Jesus Christ my Lord, Amen</p>Debi Webster Perryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11336569731034488135noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5629945667687534404.post-69267017863218240302022-11-26T18:24:00.008-06:002022-11-27T07:39:39.997-06:00O MY SOUL, BLESS GOD!<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-size: 15px; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaS0jq6ODJc7LF01HXVUxQd3yWtuUCPnjwyf6foKYnO8NSfbDpaSkdE-bL-Tj-8DpFXH_OyAx0WDTha_hDea7A8_gJJTpQAwbKgek1PMmjJcQGNOaXFWj7Ge3hkCdiQZcAKfcFxUQpeTw7WRimcTl-VUK-TPa5MtUPalqdigRRJ0EncZuAxjsUl5wY/s736/6e28a642d6beff93b59477d963dde738--bible-college-daddy-daughter.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="552" data-original-width="736" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaS0jq6ODJc7LF01HXVUxQd3yWtuUCPnjwyf6foKYnO8NSfbDpaSkdE-bL-Tj-8DpFXH_OyAx0WDTha_hDea7A8_gJJTpQAwbKgek1PMmjJcQGNOaXFWj7Ge3hkCdiQZcAKfcFxUQpeTw7WRimcTl-VUK-TPa5MtUPalqdigRRJ0EncZuAxjsUl5wY/s320/6e28a642d6beff93b59477d963dde738--bible-college-daddy-daughter.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div></div></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><div style="text-align: justify;">When I woke up this morning I looked out my window and the Sun had not risen yet and for some reason I had the thought, Is the Sun going to rise? Then later as I was going about my daily chores the Holy Spirit spoke, "There will be more Sunrises and more Sunsets", which had a urgency to it. I searched the Biblical Meaning and PSALMS 103:1-22 was one of the scriptures given. Also a Blog post showed up in the search titled "Sunrise and Sunset: Evidence of God’s Goodness." The post also had the same scriptures, so I read it, and because of the urgency when the <span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a style="color: #385898; cursor: pointer;" tabindex="-1"></a></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">words were given I'm sharing that blog info at the bottom of my blog post. </span></div></span><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">PSALMS 103 1-2 O my soul, bless God.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> From head to toe, I’ll bless his holy name!</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">O my soul, bless God,</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> don’t forget a single blessing!</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">3-5 He forgives your sins—every one.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> He heals your diseases—every one.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> He redeems you from hell—saves your life!</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> He crowns you with love and mercy—a paradise crown.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> He wraps you in goodness—beauty eternal.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> He renews your youth—you’re always young in his presence.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">6-18 God makes everything come out right;</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> he puts victims back on their feet.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">He showed Moses how he went about his work,</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> opened up his plans to all Israel.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">God is sheer mercy and grace;</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> not easily angered, he’s rich in love.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">He doesn’t endlessly nag and scold,</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> nor hold grudges forever.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">He doesn’t treat us as our sins deserve,</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> nor pay us back in full for our wrongs.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">As high as heaven is over the earth,</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> so strong is his love to those who fear him.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">And as far as sunrise is from sunset,</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> he has separated us from our sins.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">As parents feel for their children,</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> God feels for those who fear him.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">He knows us inside and out,</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> keeps in mind that we’re made of mud.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Men and women don’t live very long;</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> like wildflowers they spring up and blossom,</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">But a storm snuffs them out just as quickly,</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> leaving nothing to show they were here.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">God’s love, though, is ever and always,</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> eternally present to all who fear him,</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Making everything right for them and their children</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> as they follow his Covenant ways</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> and remember to do whatever he said.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">19-22 God has set his throne in heaven;</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> he rules over us all. He’s the King!</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">So bless God, you angels,</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> ready and able to fly at his bidding,</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> quick to hear and do what he says.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Bless God, all you armies of angels,</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> alert to respond to whatever he wills.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Bless God, all creatures, wherever you are—</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> everything and everyone made by God.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">And you, O my soul, bless God!</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">"The real message in sunrises and sunsets is their predictability. Every day the sun comes up, and every evening it goes back down. No need to be sad when it sets, or to worry whether it will rise again the next morning. It will. Some days the sky may be covered in thick clouds that hide the sun from view, but we don’t doubt that it’s up there shining away, or worry that it won’t rise again the next day. We can count on it". ~</span><a href="https://judyaknox.com/blog/page/4/" style="font-family: verdana;" target="_blank">Bits & Pieces of </a><a href="https://judyaknox.com/blog/page/4/" style="font-family: verdana;" target="_blank">"Sunrise and Sunset: Evidence of God’s Goodness"</a></p>Debi Webster Perryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11336569731034488135noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5629945667687534404.post-16132564282055318682022-11-11T13:23:00.002-06:002022-11-11T18:51:13.193-06:00GOD LOOKS INTO THE HEART<p> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj5sqC5bmNCKX_9_CvcCrOFIdQPoh6aEKucLrFP_tCnXBDM939tEL6_xkZg_fXd2KiyZVUBl_F4flLKdRvGWxTI0HdFF0WQ_qAwtxvlfgQ56EYK6AVdVYE3jPf4h-BNQmMzR-ApFTzoRDtaR3RTLN8p2irqKoYe1Hpi-2a47k1ed9nfvIW1x2Co0WkD" style="font-family: verdana; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img alt="" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="810" height="178" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj5sqC5bmNCKX_9_CvcCrOFIdQPoh6aEKucLrFP_tCnXBDM939tEL6_xkZg_fXd2KiyZVUBl_F4flLKdRvGWxTI0HdFF0WQ_qAwtxvlfgQ56EYK6AVdVYE3jPf4h-BNQmMzR-ApFTzoRDtaR3RTLN8p2irqKoYe1Hpi-2a47k1ed9nfvIW1x2Co0WkD=w274-h178" width="274" /></a></p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>The cure for Saul’s affliction came through David’s music, and it was two-fold.</b> </span><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">First, Saul Benefited From Temporary Spiritual Deliverance: </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Whatever one believes concerning the identity and/or scope of the “evil, distressing spirit,” this much is clear the music had the power to cause the spirit to depart from Saul. </span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">The implications here are important for the discussion of the morality of music because the ability of David’s music to interrupt spiritual oppression qualifies its moral substance.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">The text is not implying, by any stretch of the imagination, that music has the power to deliver men from their sin. Only the gospel of Jesus Christ contains that atoning power (cf. John 14:6; Ephesians 2:8–10).</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">The point here is that the music created by David evidenced the unique ability to either directly remove the distressing spirit or indirectly create an atmosphere whereby the spirit could no longer distress Saul.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Both possibilities direct us to the same conclusion. The elements of David’s music were able to render the spirit unable or unwilling to continue its oppression of Saul. </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">One must not relegate to obscurity this representation of music’s power.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b style="font-family: verdana;">The Cure for King Saul’s Affliction: Physical Deliverance</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="text-align: left;"></span></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Second in this two-fold cure, Saul benefited from temporary physical deliverance: </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">The word used here is ravach, which means “to be spacious or wide, cause enlargement, relief.” It may also contain the idea of feeling relieved. </span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">This word is also used in Job 32:20 where Job seeks relief from terrible abdominal pain. The word signifies that Saul’s body felt complete relief from the affliction. Medical research has proven that the right kind of music can speed physical healing in war casualties.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">A writer points out the similarity of this Hebrew word with the word translated “spirit, wind, breath” and believes that Saul’s affliction may have included difficulty in breathing.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">David’s music was powerful enough to bring about temporary, complete physical relief from the severe agony that Saul was experiencing.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Some have used Saul’s murderous treachery in Chapters 18 and 19 to argue that the music could not help Saul. The context of these two examples is key to answering this objection. One must remember that David had become a national hero by slaying Goliath in Chapter 17.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">King Saul had promoted David from a lowly shepherd to the King’s royal armor-bearer, and now the nation of Israel had fallen in love with David! This irony was not lost on Saul, and the people singing “Saul has slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands” only fed his resentment toward David.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">David’s political popularity created deep hatred within the heart of Saul, and he was now determined to murder David. The text indicates that David’s music had refreshed Saul previously on numerous occasions; it says that whenever the distressing spirit would come upon Saul, he would call for David to come and play, and only then would the spirit depart. Saul’s physical deliverance is emphasized clearly in the Hebrew language: the music made him well.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; text-align: left;">First Samuel contains remarkable instances of the coming of the Holy Spirit upon the prophets, as well as upon Saul and his servants. In 10:6 the Holy Spirit comes upon Saul, who prophesies and is “turned into another man,” that is, equipped by the Spirit to fulfill God’s calling.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">It is not only in the broad sweeps of history that God’s hand is obvious. The following lessons are also evident in First Samuel. God steps into the pain and misery of Hannah to give her, not only a son, but three sons and two daughters (2:21). Though men look on the outward appearance, God looks on the heart (16:7). </span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Obedience is better than sacrifice (15:22, 23), indicating that God is concerned about men’s hearts as well as their actions. God does not spare even those in high position when they have sinned, but He is still a God of patience and forgiveness.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; text-align: left;">The tragic end of Saul illustrates the ultimate result of earthly kingdoms. The only hope is a kingdom of God on Earth, whose ruler is God Himself. In David, the earthly lineage of God’s King begins. In Christ, God comes as King and will come again as King of Kings. </span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">The similarities between Jesus and the boy Samuel are striking. Both were children of promise. Both were dedicated to God before birth. Both were the bridges of transition from one stage of the nation’s history to another. Samuel combined the offices of prophet and priest; Christ is Prophet, Priest, and King.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">The phenomenon of the Spirit inspiring worship occurs in chapter 10 and 19:20. This was not the emotionalized raving of the pagans, but true, Spirit-inspired worship and praise to God, not unlike what happened on the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2).</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">On a side note, the musical abilities of man made in the image of God, coupled with the Bible’s teaching that God sings (Zephaniah 3:17), remind us of the possibility that God did not create music but rather that music is a part of His very being. </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Man’s expression in music could be a part of the image of God placed within him. </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">This author believes that music is a part of God’s essence and that He has evidenced this aspect of His being in the universe.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Music that contains elements consistent with the fruits of the Spirit such as goodness, gentleness, and self-control (Gal. 5:22–23) can communicate those concepts to the listener. Music is ultimately a spiritual issue. 1 Samuel 16:14–23 communicates that good music has power to relieve spiritual and physical suffering. The text states that, when David would play his lyre, the spirit would depart from Saul. David’s music, therefore, was responsible for Saul’s relief.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">The current debate within Christianity concerning music certainly invites further study and writing among theologians. The implications of such a study would yield valuable information for the application of music both in the church and in the individual Christian life.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Our anointing is displayed in the gifts God has given us. Others might notice them before we realize them ourselves. They will be pleasing and helpful to someone. Just like David played the harp for Saul, our gifts are a help to someone.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://faith.edu/faith-news/davids-musical-therapy-i-samuel-1614-23-part-2/" target="_blank">BITS & PIECES OF DAVID’S MUSICAL THERAPY, I SAMUEL 16:14-23</a></span></p>Debi Webster Perryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11336569731034488135noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5629945667687534404.post-91863276723641416612022-08-17T10:41:00.008-05:002022-08-21T12:54:57.406-05:00THE PARABLE OF THE TARES & OF THE DRAGNET<p style="text-align: justify;"></p><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsm5oVToOavJ7vrwDHfUOCKW0cwJTdCrlabv5_j812S-ii84Wnl_DKpi1OiUr0koEEQ_V7EwECX9sJd2FdLN1I5GMawCaVwoT8Gkq0jjlHufaPc3wsVe8pYC0hUAWr26ofeQkdJ3hhPRWkcy3uFs4T_JktwlV4n3at9Qeg3yUjHvI27DaFzTNV9Vfv/s960/Matthew%2013%2024-30a.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="683" data-original-width="960" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsm5oVToOavJ7vrwDHfUOCKW0cwJTdCrlabv5_j812S-ii84Wnl_DKpi1OiUr0koEEQ_V7EwECX9sJd2FdLN1I5GMawCaVwoT8Gkq0jjlHufaPc3wsVe8pYC0hUAWr26ofeQkdJ3hhPRWkcy3uFs4T_JktwlV4n3at9Qeg3yUjHvI27DaFzTNV9Vfv/s320/Matthew%2013%2024-30a.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><b style="font-family: verdana;"><div><b style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>What is the main point of Matthew chapter 13?</b></div></b><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="background-color: white;"></span></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">First, Jesus describes the different responses a person can have toward knowledge of the kingdom of heaven and their consequences. The Lord then told a parable about a farmer whose field had been sown with both wheat and weeds.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Matthew 13:24–30 MSG </b></span><b style="font-family: verdana;">PARABLE OF TARES (WEEDS)</b><span style="font-family: verdana;">: The central message of this parable is that the consummated kingdom of God will be different from the present kingdom (reign) in that the consummated kingdom will be in a perfected environment of only sons of the kingdom. Currently, sons of the kingdom and sons of the Evil One live together in human society.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">This means that on Earth, good and bad people will grow and live together. The Kingdom of God will be present amongst the evil of the world. At the end of time people will be separated into their eternal destiny.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">24-26 He told another story. “God’s kingdom is like a farmer who planted good seed in his field. That night, while his hired men were asleep, his enemy sowed thistles all through the wheat and slipped away before dawn. When the first green shoots appeared and the grain began to form, the thistles showed up, too.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">27 “The farmhands came to the farmer and said, ‘Master, that was clean seed you planted, wasn’t it? Where did these thistles come from?’</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">28 “He answered, ‘Some enemy did this.’</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">“The farmhands asked, ‘Should we weed out the thistles?’</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">29-30 “He said, ‘No, if you weed the thistles, you’ll pull up the wheat, too. Let them grow together until harvest time. Then I’ll instruct the harvesters to pull up the thistles and tie them in bundles for the fire, then gather the wheat and put it in the barn.’”</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">13:25 Tares were very common in Palestine and closely resemble wheat; they are not really distinguishable from wheat until the grain appears at harvest time.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">13:30 The question of separation or relative purity in conduct or doctrine among the disciples and the church is answered by Jesus’ directive. This is not to be done by the disciples nor by the church—but will ultimately be done by God’s angels (vv. 39, 41). Premature separation in the present age is out of the question and becomes more destructive than it is purifying.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Matthew 13:47-50 MSG - </b></span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>PARABLE OF THE DRAGNET</b>: “Or, God’s kingdom is like a fishnet cast into the sea, catching all kinds of fish. When it is full, it is hauled onto the beach. The good fish are picked out and put in a tub; those unfit to eat are thrown away. That’s how it will be when the curtain comes down on history. The angels will come and cull the bad fish and throw them in the garbage. There will be a lot of desperate complaining, but it won’t do any good.”</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="background-color: white;">The parable of the </span><i style="background-color: white;">dragnet,</i><span style="background-color: white;"> like the parable of the tares (vv. </span><a class="bibleref" data-bibleref="Matt.13.24-Matt.13.30" href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matt%2013:24-Matt%2013:30" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #4a4a4a; min-width: 0px;">24–30</a><span style="background-color: white;">), deals with saints (</span><i style="background-color: white;">the good</i><span style="background-color: white;">) and sinners (</span><i style="background-color: white;">the bad</i><span style="background-color: white;">) in a mixed society. Its uniqueness is that it alludes to the church’s responsibility to cast the gospel message before all of society, realizing it will attract all types of people, some of whom will be found unredeemed by </span><i style="background-color: white;">the angels at the end of the age.</i></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: verdana;">What are the two meanings of the parable of the three servants?</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">The first two servants are able to see God in a positive perception, as understanding, generous, and kind, while the third servant sees God as harsh, demanding, and critical. Finley suggests these interpretations among the teachings for Christians: The nobleman (Lk 19:12), or the man (Matthew 25:14) is Christ.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Who are the tares in Matthew 13?</b></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="background-color: white;"></span></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">In Matthew 13, Jesus taught the parable of the wheat and the tares. Tares are weeds that resemble wheat. In the parable, a wheat field had deliberately been polluted by an enemy who sowed the seeds of the weeds intermixed with the wheat. Only after the plants were partly grown did the problem become apparent.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: verdana;">What does it mean to separate the wheat from the tares?</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">The tares bound and burned are the evil ones separated out and cast into fire (punishment) at the Judgment. The wheat gathered into the barn represents the righteous who are separated out and made to “shine forth” in the kingdom of the Father.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>What do the parables in Matthew 13 mean?</b></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">The man represents God and the seed is His message. Just as a planted seed starts to grow, the word of God starts to deepen and grow within a person. Some seed fell on the path and the birds ate it. The birds represent Satan. The seed on the path represents people who hear the message, but it is immediately lost.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>What is the main message of the parable?</b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></div><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">The Parable of the Wheat & Weeds teaches us that God does have a plan for this world and He is working to accomplish it. However, it is unfolding over time and that means there's some waiting to do, something we find difficult. Jesus is teaching us patience – the patience of a God who chooses to delay His judgment. </span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">The central message of this parable is to be ready for Christ's return. Jesus said that no one knows the day or the hour when the end will come, only the Father in Heaven knows. Jesus is instructing His disciples to be vigilant in their walk with the Lord and be ready at all times for Christ's second coming.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Prayer</b>: </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Merciful God, you plant each of us like seeds in the same field and together we are nourished and nurtured by the sun. We sway in the wind and are refreshed by the rain. We are blessed by the knowledge that you want us to grow towards what you call us to be.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">When we deprive others of that same opportunity, forgive us. </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">When we want to uproot those whom we believe do not belong in our part of the field, forgive us. </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">When we label others as good or bad rather than accept them for who they are, forgive us. </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">When we are reluctant to acknowledge that we ourselves are a mixture of weeds and wheat, forgive us. </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">When we are afraid to look into the fields of our own lives to see what is growing there, forgive us.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">O God, you know us inside and out, through and through. </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">You search us out and lay your hand upon us. </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">You know what we are going to say even before we speak. </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">So we pray that you will help us to reach out to the uprooted and rejected, </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">the lonely and the outcast, </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">and to develop and grow the good in ourselves, in others, and in the world. </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">This we pray in Jesus’s name. </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Amen.</span></p><p></p>Debi Webster Perryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11336569731034488135noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5629945667687534404.post-23543490499931497492022-06-29T16:14:00.009-05:002022-06-30T17:57:15.722-05:00The Three Heavens of the Bible<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi_hQbGU-PdKvb0wltQ0cWDYr_bdWW2QmyzPSK7IbG5UAenbbABJ-AQtUJX1ba7VQ_WkQHtr_T85rau4NUVplL9FabZaziSXvEak8MY5UiSbz-R4Iw7HBQDEq7C1FOFyWH0TVS7ys-ViGC7yNlKfKX5skzQTVGPglTT8YCTnu1mG_pldHgJmtq_GM8W" style="font-family: verdana; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="391" data-original-width="600" height="209" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi_hQbGU-PdKvb0wltQ0cWDYr_bdWW2QmyzPSK7IbG5UAenbbABJ-AQtUJX1ba7VQ_WkQHtr_T85rau4NUVplL9FabZaziSXvEak8MY5UiSbz-R4Iw7HBQDEq7C1FOFyWH0TVS7ys-ViGC7yNlKfKX5skzQTVGPglTT8YCTnu1mG_pldHgJmtq_GM8W" width="320" /></a></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">MEANING OF THE WORD “HEAVEN”: The Greek word from which heaven comes has the root meaning: </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">“solid crystal” or “spatial expansion.” The origin of this word has </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">to do with Water. </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">r (Colin Brown: The New International Dictionary of </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">New Testament Theology; Volume 2: pages 188-1969</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Colossians 1:16 </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">For by Him the all things were created in the heavens (plural). </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Throughout the Word of God there are BASICALLY THREE </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">HEAVENS or at least three heavens.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">After the Angelic Conflict God cast all the fallen angels </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">(those who chose to go with Satan) into the Deep (depths of the </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">expanse of water) then God froze that water. Then as the Holy </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Spirit moved over the deep (Genesis 1:2) water covered the earth </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">and way out there was yet another “heavenly ocean” (Brown, </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">page 189) The vastness between these two great waters was </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">called “HEAVEN” like a hollow sphere. </span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Look at Genesis 1:8 </span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> God called the expanse heaven. </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">NASV in the margin firmament. </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">The Hebrew word means an expanse, firmament, an </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">extended surface. A vault that lies between that area of </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">water around the earth and that heavenly ocean way out in </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">space and the area, the vacuum. This word also comes from </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">the root of ‘boundary” (The Complete Biblical Library Volume 4, </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">page 414) or the boundary above, referring to these waters </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">serving as a boundary above the earth – *yet below the heavenly o</span><span style="font-family: verdana;">cean or the outer circle of water around all this space – this </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">vacuum is called HEAVEN. </span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Lexicon definitions: </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">The Complete Word Study Dictionary New Testament: </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">heaven, sky, air. In the New Testament in a physical sense it </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">means the over-arching, all embracing heaven beneath which </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">is the earth and all that is therein. It is also used for that heaven </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">where the residence of God is, called by the Psalmist “THE HOLY </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">HEAVENS” A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">(Arndt and Gingrich) where they take some 4 full columns to </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">discuss this word. [simply: heaven.] This is what is found in </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">several of the Greek Lexicon..; the word heaven followed by </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">pages discussing various aspects of heaven.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Old Testament Lexicons generally also start with a simple word </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">“heaven” or “sky” and then also move on to various discussions </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">concerning the word.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">THE PLURAL HEAVENS</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">You will note in Colossians 1:16 </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">For by Him the all things were created in the heavens (plural.) </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Throughout the Word of God there are basically three heavens </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">or at least three heavens.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>First Heaven</b> is that portion of the sky immediately around the </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">earth. That part we see just above the earth—clouds in First </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Heaven and this is the abode of birds of the air.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Second Heaven</b> is what we see on a clear night, when we look </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">way up into the vastness of the stars and celestial creations; This </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">is the area of outer space like the galaxies. The far off space of </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">the stars, many of course can be seen with the naked eye, but </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">also multitudes require high powered telescopes to see. </span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">The first Biblical reference is found in Genesis 1:14 </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Then God said let there be lights or luminaries in the expanse of </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">the heavens (and one of these is the sun, others are planets, </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">comets; Comets are luminous in contrast to satellites which </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">are reflectors.)</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">There are no comets in our heaven (galaxy) but they exist in </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">other galaxies But we do have meteors in our galaxy. Meteors </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">enter our atmosphere at great velocity and it has been estimated </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">that there are some 75 million meteors entering the earths </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">atmosphere daily. </span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Chinese scientists tell us that an Asteroid is headed in the </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">direction of earth with the force of 3 billion bombs, so if you do </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">not have enough to worry about, here is something to add to </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">your list; or…you can just TRUST God that He has a plan for </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">this earth for at least 1000 and seven years.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">As we read on in Genesis 1:14-18 and then God tells us one of </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">their functions</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">14 to separate the day from the night and let them be signs and for </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">seasons and for days and years.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">15 And let them be for lights in the expanse (heaven) of the </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">heavens to give light on the earth and it was so</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">16 God made the two great lights, the greater light to govern the </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">day, and the lesser light to govern the night; He made the stars </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">also.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">17 God placed them in the expanse of the heavens to give light on </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">the earth,</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">18 and to govern the day and the night, and to separate the light </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">from the darkness; and God saw that it was good.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">So the purpose for the solar system in the Second Heaven is </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">given. We have five given functions.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">1 To divide the day from the night –purpose of the sun.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">2 For the discerning of times</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">3 For seasons—divisions of the year; winter, the season of </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">dormancy, Spring the season of sowing and germination </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">of seed. Summer the season of growth and maturity and </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Autumn the season of harvest.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">4 For days and years, the rotation of the earth was the </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">solar standard for determining time until 1940—called </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">solar time but after 1940 we use a much more accurate </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">measure called atomic time.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">5 To give light to the earth</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">To give you some idea of just how vast this Second Heaven is, </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">and all that it involves, let us look at how Astronomy measures </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">the universe because we can go to billions of miles within our </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">own solar system. The system for this measuring is in reference </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">to how fast light travels. Light travels 186,000 miles per second; </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">if you multiply that by 60, you can tell how many miles light </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">travels in a minute: 11,160,000 mpm. You carry this out to a </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">year and from this we have what astrologers call “light years”. </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">One light year equals about 6 Trillion miles.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">And beyond our system lies still more galaxies. With the naked </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">eye we can observe 100,000 light years away, so to really think of </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">just how big the Second Heaven is you have to think in terms </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">of galactic clusters.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">As we read on in Genesis 1:14-18 and then God tells us one of </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">their functions: </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">14 to separate the day from the night and let them be signs and for </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">seasons and for days and years. </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">15 And let them be for lights in the expanse (heaven) of the </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">heavens to give light on the earth and it was so </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">16 God made the two great lights, the greater light to govern the </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">day, and the lesser light to govern the night; He made the stars </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">also. </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">17 God placed them in the expanse of the heavens to give light on </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">the earth, </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">18 and to govern the day and the night, and to separate the light </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">from the darkness; and God saw that it was good.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Virgo, for example, is a cluster of several thousand galaxies, not </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">just a star but a cluster of galaxies, and it is 50,000,000 light years </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">away. </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">The Milky Way, for example, is simply a series of galaxies. </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">The Big Dipper, well when you look at the big dipper with </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">your girlfriend you are looking 650,000,000 light years away. </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Another very important reason for the design of the Second </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Heaven was for the purpose of special signs and wonders and </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">miracles, some of the great events of history. </span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Such events as the </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">“SIGNS AND WONDERS” associated with Joshua’s Long Day, the </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Exodus, the Cross and, of course, the heavenly signs at the </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Second coming of JESUS CHRIST. There are no such signs for the </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Rapture of the Church. </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Now, remember there is yet a Third Heaven beyond the </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">second.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">The <b>Third Heaven</b> we cannot see – it is way out there as the abode </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">of God. Where the Throne of God is; the garden of stones… This </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">is where JESUS CHRIST is sitting right now at the right hand of </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">God.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Now all this about the Second Heaven may not be all that </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">important to you right now, but if you, as a believer in JESUS </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">CHRIST die before the Rapture I want to give you some idea of </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">how far your soul will travel to be with the Lord. Also what is </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">going on in the Second Heaven is not all that important to us </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">right now in the Church Age, but it will become significant in </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">eschatology; that is... during and at the end of the Tribulation </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">and the return of JESUS CHRIST to the earth. Much of this </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">celestial activity is covered in the book of Revelation.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">1. The Third Heaven is the dwelling of God. Now, of course, </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">God is omnipresent, but there is a place where He reveals </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Himself in the Second Person of the Godhead, JESUS </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">CHRIST. This is a real place with a real location in the Third H</span><span style="font-family: verdana;">eaven.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">2. This is where the throne of God is located. </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Psalm 11: 4 </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">The LORD is in His holy temple; the LORD’S throne is in heaven; </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">His eyes behold, His eyelids test the sons of men. </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">God, even JESUS CHRIST can look down from the Third </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Heaven and view everything going on, on the earth. </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Psalm 103: 19 </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">The LORD has established His throne in the heavens, And His </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">sovereignty rules over all. (He rules over all the angelic </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">authorities in the Second Heaven and on earth.)</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">3. This is also called the DWELLING PLACE OF GOD </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">2 Chronicles 6:</span><span style="font-family: verdana;">21 “Listen to the supplications of Your servant and of Your people </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Israel when they pray toward this place; hear from Your </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">dwelling place, from heaven; hear and forgive. </span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">4. The Third Heaven is the dwelling place of the Third </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Member of the Godhead, God the Holy Spirit, </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Matthew 3:16, a</span><span style="font-family: verdana;">nd the Holy Spirit is called the heavenly gift, Hebrews 6:4.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">5. This is also called the Kingdom of Heaven, Matthew 4:17.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">6. JESUS CHRIST in his Resurrected Body ascended through </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">the first and Second Heaven and at this very moment is </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">seated at the right hand of God in the Third Heaven. So </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">the Resurrected Body of JESUS CHRIST is there, which </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">reveals that this is a real literal place.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">7. The Third Heaven is extremely important to the believer </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">in the Church Age living in the period called the mystery.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">(1) First this is the place of your Second birth. John 3:3 speaks </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">of being born from above This is very important in the </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">thinking of every believer. In your first birth, you were born </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">here on earth, cosmos, but in your second birth you are </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">from above, that is the Third Heaven.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">(2) And your citizenship is in the Third Heaven. </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Philippians 3:20 </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ; </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">It is amazing how many Christians get so caught up in this </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">world, when we are not from this world. We are </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">ambassadors for Christ here on earth, our citizenship is in </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">the Third heaven.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">And we do not look for great blessings from this world but </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">from the Third heaven at the coming of JESUS CHRIST. </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">One day JESUS CHRIST will rise up in His Resurrected Body </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">from the throne in the Third Heaven and travel through </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">all the Second Heaven and as He approaches earth, a </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">trumpet will sound and every believer will rise up and meet </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Him in the air. Until the coming of the Lord, will not precede </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">those who have fallen asleep.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">1 Thessalonians 4:15-18</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">15 For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">alive and remain </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">and the dead in Christ will rise first. </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">17 Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">shall always be with the Lord. </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">18 Therefore comfort one another with these words.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">So at the Rapture we will meet the Lord in the First Heaven, in </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">the clouds.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">(3) The Third Heaven is the location of the source of all Divine </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">blessing, the abode of God is the sphere of all our blessings. </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Colossians 1:5 and </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Ephesians 1: 3 </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">in Christ, </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">John 3:27 </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">John answered and said, “A man can receive nothing unless it </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">has been given him from heaven. </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Ephesians 1: 3 </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">in Christ, </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">John 3:27 </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">John answered and said, “A man can receive nothing unless it </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">has been given him from heaven. </span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">(4) In Colossians 1:5 we saw the hope laid up for you in heaven.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">(5) Our inheritance is stored in the Third heaven for us, </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">1 Peter 1:4 </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you,</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">(6) In the Angelic Conflict the Third heaven is very </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">important for it is here that the victory of JESUS CHRIST will </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">take place. </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Ephesians 1: 20</span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> which He brought about in Christ, when He raised Him from the </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places,</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">(7) This is the place of your Eternal Security, that you are saved </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">forever in JESUS CHRIST. </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Ephesians 2:</span><span style="font-family: verdana;">6 and raised us up with Him, (at the point of Faith in JESUS </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">CHRIST as Savior) and seated us with Him in the heavenly </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">places in Christ Jesus.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://www.springvalleybiblechurch.org/Audio/Colossians/notes/2016-09-25Sunday_Morning.pdf" target="_blank">~Bits&PiecesofSpringvalleybiblechurch.org</a> </span></p><p></p>Debi Webster Perryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11336569731034488135noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5629945667687534404.post-37115608629663879242022-05-26T10:00:00.003-05:002022-05-26T10:47:36.215-05:00GOD'S GIFTS TO US<p style="text-align: left;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhD72H8Qe_KqKSpg3jljR7qvg7VVRJgrInabDz7gBgLzDc63FHdhPg0YRXwcr1Zunjqf84qDuWJTOZmIgQih6KkoPVxbCKfMcbGsjg5jCzg3wickavbGDrPAtBc3sN6DQgjOHsjeZTg7kfwGVF7Yoz4Q_wPqgBYaAWsBCBBt9_zIWs-MJlbfUlSflm-" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="720" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhD72H8Qe_KqKSpg3jljR7qvg7VVRJgrInabDz7gBgLzDc63FHdhPg0YRXwcr1Zunjqf84qDuWJTOZmIgQih6KkoPVxbCKfMcbGsjg5jCzg3wickavbGDrPAtBc3sN6DQgjOHsjeZTg7kfwGVF7Yoz4Q_wPqgBYaAWsBCBBt9_zIWs-MJlbfUlSflm-" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><b style="font-family: verdana;">What is the greatest gift that God has given to the world? </b><span style="font-family: verdana;">So, instead of abandoning us or retaliating against us, he offers us a gift, the best gift that has ever been given: his Son, crucified and raised to life again. And he promises he will reign over us in an eternal kingdom that is far better than any of us could ever ask for or imagine.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>When did we receive the Holy Spirit?</b> </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">In the book of the Acts of the Apostles the arrival of the Holy Spirit happens fifty days after the resurrection of the Christ, and is celebrated in Christendom with the feast of Pentecost.</span></div></div></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Why is the Holy Spirit a gift to believers?</b> </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Jesus gave us the greatest gift that any Christian could imagine. The Holy Spirit, the counselor, the Spirit of God himself; the spirit of truth would come to guide the disciples and to guide all Christians.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Why is the Holy Spirit called a gift?</b> </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">As a gift, the Holy Spirit is not deserved or earned. He is not given as a reward, perhaps for being good and faithful, or for achieving or attaining a high degree of holiness, but rather to empower or enable attainment of these. However, the Holy Spirit, being a gift, means that He has to be accepted to be owned.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b style="font-family: verdana;">What is the Holy Spirit's greatest gift to us? </b><span style="font-family: verdana;">Through the Holy Ghost we may know that God lives, that Jesus is the Christ, and that His Church has been restored to the earth. We may have the promptings of the Holy Ghost to show us all the things we should do (see 2 Nephi 32:5).</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>How do you receive the Holy Spirit?</b> </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">The path to receiving the Holy Ghost is to exercise faith in Christ unto repentance. We can become clean through qualifying for the effects of the Savior's Atonement. The covenants offered in baptism by authorized servants of God bring that cleansing.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>How do I receive the Holy Spirit into my life?</b> Ask for God's forgiveness for your sins. </span>1 John 1:8 says, "If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us." If you want to feel God's presence—the Holy Spirit—in your life, you'll have to admit those sins to God, ask for His forgiveness, and repent, or commit to doing better in the future.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>What happens when the Holy Spirit comes upon you?</b> </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Acts 1:8 says, “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” This power that comes from the Holy Spirit allows you to stand strong for the things of God.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>What is the Holy Spirit in simple terms?</b> </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Definition of Holy Spirit is </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">the presence of God as part of a person's religious experience: I felt the Holy Spirit in the room with me, leading and guiding me in prayer. Christianity. Also called Holy Ghost, the third person of the Trinity: I baptize you in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>What is the gift of the Holy Spirit?</b> </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">The seven gifts of the Holy Spirit are wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety, and fear of the Lord</span>. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>What are the 12 fruits of the Holy Spirit?</b> </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">The fruits of the Spirit are perfections that the Holy Spirit forms in us as the first fruits of eternal glory. The tradition of the Church lists twelve of them: “charity, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, generosity, gentleness, faithfulness, modesty, self-control, chastity.”</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>What are the 9 gifts of the Holy Spirit and their meanings?</b> </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">These abilities, often termed "charismatic gifts", are the word of knowledge, increased faith, the gifts of healing, the gift of miracles, prophecy, the discernment of spirits, diverse kinds of tongues, interpretation of tongues.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>How are the gifts of the Holy Spirit used?</b> </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">The gift of the Holy Spirit, counsel, helps us to change things to the way they should be. Counsel helps us to make good judgements and giving good advice. It helps us to change things from bad to good. This gift of the Holy Spirit helps us to lead others in doing what is right and good. </span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>What is an example of the Holy Spirit helping you in your life?</b> </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">He gives us power, love, and self-discipline. Power can be many things backed up by the Holy Spirit, such as boldness to preach the gospel and power to perform healing miracles. Love given by the Holy Spirit is obvious when we have the heart to love others the way Jesus would.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>How do the gifts of the Holy Spirit effect our lives?</b> It helps us to change things from bad to good. This gift of the Holy Spirit helps us to lead others in doing what is right and good. The gift of the Holy Spirit, wisdom, can help us know what is important and what needs to be done. For example, not judging someone by something you "think" but you are not sure about.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>How can you recognize the Spirit's action in your life?</b> </span>"The only way you can recognize Spirit is by showing up and being present. Moment to moment, our attitude determines our altitude, and self-inventory of your consciousness helps too. If you are present, loving, and at peace, it is your spirit.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>How can I make the best use of what God has given me? </b></span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Discover Your God-given Gifts:</b></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Prayer:</b> Matthew 7:7 tells us to ask, seek and knock. We can pray about and seek out our talents. </span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Asking Others:</b> Asking others can also give us an idea about our talents. </span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Pay Attention to What You Enjoy:</b> What activities do you enjoy?</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Practice:</b> Talents do not develop overnight.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Do we need to thank God for all the gifts that we have received from him? </b></span><span style="font-family: verdana;">We do, however, thank God for everything wholesome and godly. God is the author of every good gift we experience in life and we thank him for these gifts. The Bible says, "give thanks in all circumstances ... " (1 Thessalonians 5:16). God's Word also teaches us to "rejoice in the Lord always ... " (Philippians 4:4).</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>What happens if you don't use your spiritual gifts? </b></span><span style="font-family: verdana;">It is possible to be sinfully careless or indifferent and not use the gifts God has given us. The gift (ability) may still be present, but lack of use may hinder its development, as well as its usefulness and productivity.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>What you are is God's gift to you, what you make of yourself with God's grace is your gift to God! </b></span><span style="font-family: verdana;">“What you are is God's gift to you, what you become is your gift to God.” “It is to the Cross that the Christian is challenged to follow his Master: no path of redemption can make a detour around it.”</span></p>Debi Webster Perryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11336569731034488135noreply@blogger.com0