Please indulge me for one more day with this verse: On the eighth day, when it was time to circumcise him, he was named Jesus, the name the angel had given him before he had been conceived. Luke 2:21
Did not he who made me in the womb make them? Job 31:15
For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be. Psalm 139:13-16
On the eighth day, when it was time to circumcise him, he was named Jesus, the name the angel had given him before he had been conceived. Luke 2:21
(find these or any other passages at www.Biblegateway.org)
Jesus purpose preexisted His earthly body.
As it is for us all.
We are not Christ, of course, but we are, indeed...each of us...an integral part of His Body on Earth.
Your purpose, and mine, has been determined for centuries. Some of us choose to accept that; others do not. Our life should be pointed toward accepting that purpose that God has determined for us...before we were even conceived...and fulfilling that which He has in His mind for us...while we were still in our mothers' wombs.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Questions:
1. How does the idea that God knows you before your birth, strike you?
2. How about the idea that He has had a purpose for you since before you were conceived?
3. How does any of this affect your day to day life?
INTERESTING THOUGHTS:
"There is within every soul a thirst for happiness and meaning."
Thomas Aquinas
"Let things true be preferred to things false,
things eternal to things momentary,
things useful to things agreeable."
Lucius Caelius Lactantius
"Whatever else may be said of man, this one thing is clear:
He is not what he is capable of being."
G.K. Chesterton
"MAN: An animal so lost in rapturous contemplation of what
he thinks he is as to overlook what he indubitably ought to be."
Ambrose Bierce
"A man can no more take in a supply of grace for the future
than he can eat enough for the next six months,
or take sufficient air into his lungs at one time to sustain life for a week.
We must draw upon God's boundless store of grace from day to day as we need it."
D.L. Moody
"Go forth today, by the help of God's Spirit,
vowing and declaring that in life----come poverty,
come wealth, in death---come pain or come what may,
you are and ever must be the Lord's.
For this is written on your heart,
'We love Him because He first loved us.'"
Charles Spurgeon
"The soul, itself invisible, is seen by what it does through the body."
Johann Albrecht Bengel
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
ListenDaily - 30 December 2008; Typical?
I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas, and pray that all of us will hold onto Christmas for a while. Let us now take a few days to look at the next events the Scriptures tell us about.
When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to him and said, "I am God Almighty; walk before me and be blameless. I will confirm my covenant between me and you and will greatly increase your numbers." Abram fell facedown, and God said to him, "As for me, this is my covenant with you: You will be the father of many nations.
No longer will you be called Abram; your name will be Abraham, for I have made you a father of many nations. I will make you very fruitful; I will make nations of you, and kings will come from you. I will establish my covenant as an everlasting covenant between me and you and your descendants after you for the generations to come, to be your God and the God of your descendants after you. The whole land of Canaan, where you are now an alien, I will give as an everlasting possession to you and your descendants after you; and I will be their God."
Then God said to Abraham, "As for you, you must keep my covenant, you and your descendants after you for the generations to come. This is my covenant with you and your descendants after you, the covenant you are to keep: Every male among you shall be circumcised. You are to undergo circumcision, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and you. For the generations to come every male among you who is eight days old must be circumcised Genesis 17:1-12
On the eighth day the boy is to be circumcised. Leviticus 12:3
On the eighth day, when it was time to circumcise him, he was named Jesus, the name the angel had given him before he had been conceived. Luke 2:21 (find these or any other passages at www.Biblegateway.org)
There are some interesting insights here into the first few days of Jesus' life, and into his parents, Mary and Joseph.
Consider His circumcision and naming. The ordinance of circumcision began with Abram, ninety-nine years old, but was put into place for boys on their eighth day. This was later revisited in the Law given in Leviticus. And so the Babe was circumcised on the eighth day according to Hebrew Law.
The tradition of naming the child after their circumcision came from the same origin, reflecting God's covenant, sealed in the ritual. With Abram's circumcision, he received his Hebrew name, Abraham, and became the Father of the Jews.
What does this tell us about Joseph and Mary? We already saw that, apart from Heavenly direction otherwise, they would follow the laws of the land, as they followed the edict to go to Bethlehem. We see here, that, once again, without God's direction otherwise, they could be expected to follow Jewish Law and traditions, explicitly.
It is important for us Gentiles, adopted into the family, to remember that our Savior was raised in many ways, as a typical Jewish boy.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Questions:
1. Have you ever considered the Jewish aspects of Jesus' childhood? (think Bar Mitzvah)
2. Should these things be important to us as Christians?
3. What does their following of Law and tradition say to you?
INTERESTING THOUGHT:
"Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets;
I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them."
Jesus
When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to him and said, "I am God Almighty; walk before me and be blameless. I will confirm my covenant between me and you and will greatly increase your numbers." Abram fell facedown, and God said to him, "As for me, this is my covenant with you: You will be the father of many nations.
No longer will you be called Abram; your name will be Abraham, for I have made you a father of many nations. I will make you very fruitful; I will make nations of you, and kings will come from you. I will establish my covenant as an everlasting covenant between me and you and your descendants after you for the generations to come, to be your God and the God of your descendants after you. The whole land of Canaan, where you are now an alien, I will give as an everlasting possession to you and your descendants after you; and I will be their God."
Then God said to Abraham, "As for you, you must keep my covenant, you and your descendants after you for the generations to come. This is my covenant with you and your descendants after you, the covenant you are to keep: Every male among you shall be circumcised. You are to undergo circumcision, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and you. For the generations to come every male among you who is eight days old must be circumcised Genesis 17:1-12
On the eighth day the boy is to be circumcised. Leviticus 12:3
On the eighth day, when it was time to circumcise him, he was named Jesus, the name the angel had given him before he had been conceived. Luke 2:21 (find these or any other passages at www.Biblegateway.org)
There are some interesting insights here into the first few days of Jesus' life, and into his parents, Mary and Joseph.
Consider His circumcision and naming. The ordinance of circumcision began with Abram, ninety-nine years old, but was put into place for boys on their eighth day. This was later revisited in the Law given in Leviticus. And so the Babe was circumcised on the eighth day according to Hebrew Law.
The tradition of naming the child after their circumcision came from the same origin, reflecting God's covenant, sealed in the ritual. With Abram's circumcision, he received his Hebrew name, Abraham, and became the Father of the Jews.
What does this tell us about Joseph and Mary? We already saw that, apart from Heavenly direction otherwise, they would follow the laws of the land, as they followed the edict to go to Bethlehem. We see here, that, once again, without God's direction otherwise, they could be expected to follow Jewish Law and traditions, explicitly.
It is important for us Gentiles, adopted into the family, to remember that our Savior was raised in many ways, as a typical Jewish boy.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Questions:
1. Have you ever considered the Jewish aspects of Jesus' childhood? (think Bar Mitzvah)
2. Should these things be important to us as Christians?
3. What does their following of Law and tradition say to you?
INTERESTING THOUGHT:
"Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets;
I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them."
Jesus
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
ListenDaily - 24 December 2008; Anticipation...
ListenDaily - 24 December 2008; Anticipation...
While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born; (NIV) or
And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. (KJV) Matrthew 2:5
(find these or any other passages at www.Biblegateway.org)
They had travelled, they were far from home, they were alone except for each other.
They were exhausted.
She was pregnant and going into labor.
There is no reason to think he was any less nervous than any man standing by his wife as she was having a baby.
They were alone except for each other...and their God...and this Baby, who was ready to be born, who was God's Child. They were about to see the actual Son of the Most High God! What a mix of emotions! Imagine the birth of any child, then add in the loneliness, the stable, the animals, and this Holy Child. What our Christmas Story takes a few minutes to tell, had played out over nine-plus months in the lives of Mary and Joseph. Anyone who has ever been present at the birth of a child, has seen the pain and agony changed, in an instant, to incredible joy as the mother takes the baby into her arms, as the father stands in tearful amazement. How much more it was to be with the Christ Child! I cannot even imagine.
Today is Christmas Eve. Children everywhere are trembling with excitement as they await tomorrow morning. imagine, if you will, Joseph and Mary as the time approached when she should be delivered. Immanuel. God with us. God with us...just about to happen...!
Now imagine Immanuel. God with you....just about to happen...or already happened. How can you not tremble at the thought?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Questions:
1. Have you ever sat and really thought of the Biblical story as a nine month long story?
2. How do you imagine Mary's emotions as she prepared to deliver?
3. How do you relate that story to Immanuel...God with you?
INTERESTING THOUGHT:
"Immanuel, God with us in our nature,
in our sorrow, in our lifework,
in our punishment, in our grave,
and now with us, or rather we with Him,
in resurrection, ascension, triumph,
and Second Advent splendor."
Charles Spurgeon
While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born; (NIV) or
And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. (KJV) Matrthew 2:5
(find these or any other passages at www.Biblegateway.org)
They had travelled, they were far from home, they were alone except for each other.
They were exhausted.
She was pregnant and going into labor.
There is no reason to think he was any less nervous than any man standing by his wife as she was having a baby.
They were alone except for each other...and their God...and this Baby, who was ready to be born, who was God's Child. They were about to see the actual Son of the Most High God! What a mix of emotions! Imagine the birth of any child, then add in the loneliness, the stable, the animals, and this Holy Child. What our Christmas Story takes a few minutes to tell, had played out over nine-plus months in the lives of Mary and Joseph. Anyone who has ever been present at the birth of a child, has seen the pain and agony changed, in an instant, to incredible joy as the mother takes the baby into her arms, as the father stands in tearful amazement. How much more it was to be with the Christ Child! I cannot even imagine.
Today is Christmas Eve. Children everywhere are trembling with excitement as they await tomorrow morning. imagine, if you will, Joseph and Mary as the time approached when she should be delivered. Immanuel. God with us. God with us...just about to happen...!
Now imagine Immanuel. God with you....just about to happen...or already happened. How can you not tremble at the thought?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Questions:
1. Have you ever sat and really thought of the Biblical story as a nine month long story?
2. How do you imagine Mary's emotions as she prepared to deliver?
3. How do you relate that story to Immanuel...God with you?
INTERESTING THOUGHT:
"Immanuel, God with us in our nature,
in our sorrow, in our lifework,
in our punishment, in our grave,
and now with us, or rather we with Him,
in resurrection, ascension, triumph,
and Second Advent splendor."
Charles Spurgeon
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
ListenDaily - 23 December 2008; Everyday miracles
"But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times." Micah 5:2
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. John 1:1
In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) 3And everyone went to his own town to register. So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. Luke 2:4-7
(find these or any other passages at www.Biblegateway.org)
It was prophesied that the Messiah, this ruler...whose origins are from of old, from ancient times would come up from Bethlehem. And through God ordained events Mary and Joseph made this arduous journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem. (According to various sources, 70 to 100 miles, depending on the route; Google Map says 96 miles, no, really.) They made this trip in response to a governmental decree, and yet, God's plan came to fruition by it.
I believe there is a vital Christmas message here for us. God's plans often require us doing our day-to-day task, following the rules, doing what we are supposed to do. (This infers that 'the rules' are not superseded by God's Word.) Mary and Joseph were righteous before the Lord, and obedient to the law of man as well, this brought them, with great personal hardship, to Bethlehem, where God's Word would be fulfilled.
What might happen if we would be obedient and righteous before God in the midst of our everyday tasks?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Questions:
1. Have you ever seen God's work in the middle of an ordinary day or event?
2. How difficult must this trip have been for a very pregnant young girl?
3. To what work has God appointed you?
INTERESTING THOUGHT:
Live as though Christ died yesterday,
rose from the grave today,
and is coming back tomorrow.
Theodore Epp
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. John 1:1
In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) 3And everyone went to his own town to register. So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. Luke 2:4-7
(find these or any other passages at www.Biblegateway.org)
It was prophesied that the Messiah, this ruler...whose origins are from of old, from ancient times would come up from Bethlehem. And through God ordained events Mary and Joseph made this arduous journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem. (According to various sources, 70 to 100 miles, depending on the route; Google Map says 96 miles, no, really.) They made this trip in response to a governmental decree, and yet, God's plan came to fruition by it.
I believe there is a vital Christmas message here for us. God's plans often require us doing our day-to-day task, following the rules, doing what we are supposed to do. (This infers that 'the rules' are not superseded by God's Word.) Mary and Joseph were righteous before the Lord, and obedient to the law of man as well, this brought them, with great personal hardship, to Bethlehem, where God's Word would be fulfilled.
What might happen if we would be obedient and righteous before God in the midst of our everyday tasks?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Questions:
1. Have you ever seen God's work in the middle of an ordinary day or event?
2. How difficult must this trip have been for a very pregnant young girl?
3. To what work has God appointed you?
INTERESTING THOUGHT:
Live as though Christ died yesterday,
rose from the grave today,
and is coming back tomorrow.
Theodore Epp
Monday, December 22, 2008
ListenDaily - 22 December 2008; None other, no other
But the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end." Luke 1:30-33
All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: "The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel", which means, "God with us." Matthew 1:22-23
(find these or any other passages at www.Biblegateway.org)
Yesterday's Wilmington News Journal ran a story about the great respect the Islamic faith has for Mary and Jesus. It also told of the great similarities between the two faiths, and how there are just a few differences, which came across in the article as insignificant. They even quoted some Christian clergy who were 'amazed' at this revelation.
Friends, I wish for peace in the world among all people of all faiths. But being close is not being right. Christians must believe and share the story of the virgin born Son of God, holy, wholly God and wholly Man, crucified, resurrected, and ascended, and the only Way, Truth, and Life.
He was, and is, Immanuell, God with us.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Questions:
1. Is it important to you that others believe in Jesus this way?
2. How do you feel about Jesus' commandment that we go and tell His story?
3. Does your church spread this message?
INTERESTING THOUGHT:
If your heart takes more pleasure in reading novels,
or watching TV, or going to the movies, or talking to friends,
rather than just sitting alone with God and embracing Him,
sharing His cares and His burdens, weeping and rejoicing with Him,
then how are you going to handle forever and ever in His presence?
You'd be bored to tears in heaven, if you're not ecstatic about God now!
Keith Green
All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: "The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel", which means, "God with us." Matthew 1:22-23
(find these or any other passages at www.Biblegateway.org)
Yesterday's Wilmington News Journal ran a story about the great respect the Islamic faith has for Mary and Jesus. It also told of the great similarities between the two faiths, and how there are just a few differences, which came across in the article as insignificant. They even quoted some Christian clergy who were 'amazed' at this revelation.
Friends, I wish for peace in the world among all people of all faiths. But being close is not being right. Christians must believe and share the story of the virgin born Son of God, holy, wholly God and wholly Man, crucified, resurrected, and ascended, and the only Way, Truth, and Life.
He was, and is, Immanuell, God with us.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Questions:
1. Is it important to you that others believe in Jesus this way?
2. How do you feel about Jesus' commandment that we go and tell His story?
3. Does your church spread this message?
INTERESTING THOUGHT:
If your heart takes more pleasure in reading novels,
or watching TV, or going to the movies, or talking to friends,
rather than just sitting alone with God and embracing Him,
sharing His cares and His burdens, weeping and rejoicing with Him,
then how are you going to handle forever and ever in His presence?
You'd be bored to tears in heaven, if you're not ecstatic about God now!
Keith Green
Friday, December 19, 2008
ListenDaily - 18 December 2008; Shhh...listen...
But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, "Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.".....Zechariah asked the angel, "How can I be sure of this? I am an old man and my wife is well along in years." The angel answered, "I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to tell you this good news." .....In the sixth month, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin's name was Mary. The angel went to her and said, "Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.".....At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea, where she entered Zechariah's home and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. In a loud voice she exclaimed: "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy .....Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord's Christ. Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the custom of the Law required, Simeon took him in his arms and praised God,.....After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, "Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him." (find these or any other passages at www.Biblegateway.org)
A common thread in these passages is communication from God. Angels appearing in the temple to Zechariah, in Nazareth to Mary, in a dream to Joseph, and though not listed here, on a hillside the the shepherds. Then there is this wondrous sign in nature to the Wise Men. Also a filling, a revelation, and a movement of the Holy Spirit.
We might be tempted to think that only these special "Bible people" would get such direct information from God.
But this is not the case. God speaks to you constantly, and desires that you would hear. The key is learning to listen. God gave you His written Word. He sent His Holy Spirit that lives inside you. Take some time in this celebratory season to listen to the One you celebrate.
Won't you try this today? Take ten minutes, get a Bible, find a quiet spot, with no TV, radio, or people.
Open your Bible to Luke 1.
Ask God to give you focus and clarity, to remove any distractions, and to speak to you through His Word.
Read Luke 1 and 2.
Think about what it says God did for you.
Thank God for His presence with you, whether you feel it or not.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Questions:
1. Have you ever heard from God? Is there a reason He would not communicate with you?
2. Does His presence depend upon you feeling it?
3. Might learning to hear Him be a great Christmas gift for you?
INTERESTING THOUGHT:
If your heart takes more pleasure in reading novels,
or watching TV, or going to the movies, or talking to friends,
rather than just sitting alone with God and embracing Him,
sharing His cares and His burdens, weeping and rejoicing with Him,
then how are you going to handle forever and ever in His presence?
You'd be bored to tears in heaven, if you're not ecstatic about God now!
Keith Green
A common thread in these passages is communication from God. Angels appearing in the temple to Zechariah, in Nazareth to Mary, in a dream to Joseph, and though not listed here, on a hillside the the shepherds. Then there is this wondrous sign in nature to the Wise Men. Also a filling, a revelation, and a movement of the Holy Spirit.
We might be tempted to think that only these special "Bible people" would get such direct information from God.
But this is not the case. God speaks to you constantly, and desires that you would hear. The key is learning to listen. God gave you His written Word. He sent His Holy Spirit that lives inside you. Take some time in this celebratory season to listen to the One you celebrate.
Won't you try this today? Take ten minutes, get a Bible, find a quiet spot, with no TV, radio, or people.
Open your Bible to Luke 1.
Ask God to give you focus and clarity, to remove any distractions, and to speak to you through His Word.
Read Luke 1 and 2.
Think about what it says God did for you.
Thank God for His presence with you, whether you feel it or not.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Questions:
1. Have you ever heard from God? Is there a reason He would not communicate with you?
2. Does His presence depend upon you feeling it?
3. Might learning to hear Him be a great Christmas gift for you?
INTERESTING THOUGHT:
If your heart takes more pleasure in reading novels,
or watching TV, or going to the movies, or talking to friends,
rather than just sitting alone with God and embracing Him,
sharing His cares and His burdens, weeping and rejoicing with Him,
then how are you going to handle forever and ever in His presence?
You'd be bored to tears in heaven, if you're not ecstatic about God now!
Keith Green
Thursday, December 18, 2008
ListenDaily - 18 December 2008; Pre-Christmas Joy
When it was time for Elizabeth to have her baby, she gave birth to a son. Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown her great mercy, and they shared her joy. Luke 1: 579 (find this or any other passage at www.Biblegateway.org)
Do you remember the story? Zechariah, on duty in the temple, meets the angel Gabriel and discovers he and his wife Elizabeth will have a son, and they are to name him John. We know him as John the Baptist. Elizabeth is Mary's cousin, and Mary comes to be with her, now carrying the unborn Jesus, and stays with her, probably until John's birth. (The Scriptures do not say this, but Mary goes when Elizabeth is six months pregnant and stays with her three months. It seems likely that she would have assisted her cousin in the last months of her pregnancy, and with the delivery.
And so, Elizabeth, an old woman with no other children, gives birth to John, and her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown her great mercy, and they shared her joy.
Three months before the arrival of the Messiah, there is joy.
One week from today, we will celebrate His arrival. But my prayer for you is that you will find joy in this day. As John the Baptist heralded his Cousin, the coming King, may your presence in the world reflect your relationship with Jesus. No matter how much shopping, baking, card writing, or whatever that you have to do, or that you will not get done...please...please...take a moment and feel the joy, then share the joy of Christmas with someone.
And you, my child, will be called a prophet of the Most High; for you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for Him, to give his people the knowledge of salvation...
Luke 1:76-77
These were Zechariah's words to his son, and, whether you are ever called 'prophet' or not, you, my child, can go on before the Lord to prepare the way for Him...to give His people the knowledge of salvation...and feel His joy...today.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Questions:
1. Are you looking for joy in the preparations for Christmas?
2. Might you have to give something up in order to receive that joy?
3. What difference might that make to those around you?
INTERESTING THOUGHTS ON JOY:
"Wise leaders should have known that the human heart cannot exist in a vacuum.
If Christians are forbidden to enjoy the wine of the Spirit they will turn to the wine of the flesh.
Christ died for our hearts and the Holy Spirit wants to come and satisfy them."
A.W.Tozer
"Rejoice, that the immortal God is born,
so that mortal man may live in eternity."
John Huss
"Spirit filled souls are ablaze for God.
They love with a love that glows.
They serve with a faith that kindles.
They serve with a devotion that consumes.
They hate sin with fierceness that burns.
They rejoice with a joy that radiates.
Love is perfected in the fire of God."
Samuel Chadwick
"The chief end of man is to
glorify God by enjoying him forever."
John Piper
"God created things which had free will.
That means creatures which can go either wrong or right.
Some people think they can imagine a creature which
was free but had no possibility of going wrong;
I cannot. If a thing is free to be good it is also free to be bad.
And free will is what has made evil possible.
Why, then, did God give them free will?
Because free will, though it makes evil possible,
is also the only thing that makes possible
any love or goodness or joy worth having."
C.S. Lewis
. "The Scotch catechism says that man's chief end is
'to glorify God and enjoy Him forever.'
But we shall then know that these are the same thing.
Fully to enjoy is to glorify. In commanding us to glorify Him, God is inviting us to enjoy Him."
C.S. Lewis
"We are to be re-made. All the rabbit in us is to disappear---the worried, conscientious,
ethical rabbit as well as the cowardly and sensual rabbit.
We shall bleed and squeal as the handfuls of fur come out;
and then, surprisingly, we shall find underneath it all a thing we have never yet imagined:
a real Man, an ageless god, a son of God, strong, radiant, wise, beautiful, and drenched in joy."
C.S. Lewis
"The joy of the Lord will arm us against the assaults of our spiritual enemies and
put our mouths out of taste for those pleasures with which the tempter baits his hooks."
Matthew Henry
--
Do you remember the story? Zechariah, on duty in the temple, meets the angel Gabriel and discovers he and his wife Elizabeth will have a son, and they are to name him John. We know him as John the Baptist. Elizabeth is Mary's cousin, and Mary comes to be with her, now carrying the unborn Jesus, and stays with her, probably until John's birth. (The Scriptures do not say this, but Mary goes when Elizabeth is six months pregnant and stays with her three months. It seems likely that she would have assisted her cousin in the last months of her pregnancy, and with the delivery.
And so, Elizabeth, an old woman with no other children, gives birth to John, and her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown her great mercy, and they shared her joy.
Three months before the arrival of the Messiah, there is joy.
One week from today, we will celebrate His arrival. But my prayer for you is that you will find joy in this day. As John the Baptist heralded his Cousin, the coming King, may your presence in the world reflect your relationship with Jesus. No matter how much shopping, baking, card writing, or whatever that you have to do, or that you will not get done...please...please...take a moment and feel the joy, then share the joy of Christmas with someone.
And you, my child, will be called a prophet of the Most High; for you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for Him, to give his people the knowledge of salvation...
Luke 1:76-77
These were Zechariah's words to his son, and, whether you are ever called 'prophet' or not, you, my child, can go on before the Lord to prepare the way for Him...to give His people the knowledge of salvation...and feel His joy...today.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Questions:
1. Are you looking for joy in the preparations for Christmas?
2. Might you have to give something up in order to receive that joy?
3. What difference might that make to those around you?
INTERESTING THOUGHTS ON JOY:
"Wise leaders should have known that the human heart cannot exist in a vacuum.
If Christians are forbidden to enjoy the wine of the Spirit they will turn to the wine of the flesh.
Christ died for our hearts and the Holy Spirit wants to come and satisfy them."
A.W.Tozer
"Rejoice, that the immortal God is born,
so that mortal man may live in eternity."
John Huss
"Spirit filled souls are ablaze for God.
They love with a love that glows.
They serve with a faith that kindles.
They serve with a devotion that consumes.
They hate sin with fierceness that burns.
They rejoice with a joy that radiates.
Love is perfected in the fire of God."
Samuel Chadwick
"The chief end of man is to
glorify God by enjoying him forever."
John Piper
"God created things which had free will.
That means creatures which can go either wrong or right.
Some people think they can imagine a creature which
was free but had no possibility of going wrong;
I cannot. If a thing is free to be good it is also free to be bad.
And free will is what has made evil possible.
Why, then, did God give them free will?
Because free will, though it makes evil possible,
is also the only thing that makes possible
any love or goodness or joy worth having."
C.S. Lewis
. "The Scotch catechism says that man's chief end is
'to glorify God and enjoy Him forever.'
But we shall then know that these are the same thing.
Fully to enjoy is to glorify. In commanding us to glorify Him, God is inviting us to enjoy Him."
C.S. Lewis
"We are to be re-made. All the rabbit in us is to disappear---the worried, conscientious,
ethical rabbit as well as the cowardly and sensual rabbit.
We shall bleed and squeal as the handfuls of fur come out;
and then, surprisingly, we shall find underneath it all a thing we have never yet imagined:
a real Man, an ageless god, a son of God, strong, radiant, wise, beautiful, and drenched in joy."
C.S. Lewis
"The joy of the Lord will arm us against the assaults of our spiritual enemies and
put our mouths out of taste for those pleasures with which the tempter baits his hooks."
Matthew Henry
--
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
ListenDaily - 17 December 2008; Your Magnificat
The Magnificat, also known as the Song of Mary, is recorded in Luke 1:46-55. Could this be your song as well?
At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea, where she entered Zechariah's home and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. 42In a loud voice she exclaimed: "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. Blessed is she who has believed that what the Lord has said to her will be accomplished!" And Mary said:
My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
For He has been mindful of the humble state of his servant.
From now on all generations will call me blessed,
For the Mighty One has done great things for me; holy is His name.
His mercy extends to those who fear Him, from generation to generation.
He has performed mighty deeds with his arm;
He has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts.
He has brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble.
He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty.
He has helped his servant Israel, remembering to be merciful
To Abraham and his descendants forever, even as He said to our fathers.
Luke 1: 39-55 (find this or any other passage at www.Biblegateway.org)
What beautiful words, what poetry, from this young girl who has had such a burden placed upon her. It seems she truly recognizes, at some level, that God is going to care for her and that this is a world-changing moment.
But what about us? Could this song be my song/ Could this song be yours? Which line does not apply to you?
My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, Does this describe your soul and spirit? Why or why not?
For He has been mindful of the humble state of his servant. Do you know that you are on His mind?
From now on all generations will call me blessed, OK, you may not be called blessed by all generations, but are you not blessed?
For the Mighty One has done great things for me; holy is His name. Has not God worked in your life? And do you consider Him to be holy?
I think you will find the rest of Mary's Song to still be true, and personal for you, as well.
Do you need a little boost in the midst of these crazy times? Pull out your Bible and read Luke 1:46-55, read it as your own.
Then read it again, directly to God as a prayer. Substitute "You" and "Your" for "He" and "His".
Feel like taking a little risk? Tell someone that you would like to express your feelings for God to them. Then read Mary's Song, as your own, to that person.
Whoever acknowledges me before men, I will also acknowledge him before my Father in heaven. Matthew 10:32
Merry Christmas friend, this holiday is for you.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Questions:
1. Have you ever read through this passage?
2. Have you ever considered it as a personal statement?
3. Does that change anything about this passage, or about the Scriptures in general, for you?
INTERESTING CHRISTMAS THOUGHTS:
"Jesus was God and man in one person,
that God and man might be happy together again." Send to a friend
George Whitefield
"For a beggar to live at court is not so much
as the King to dwell with him in his cottage."
William Gurnall
"Rejoice, that the immortal God is born,
so that mortal man may live in eternity."
John Huss
"How many observe Christ's birthday!
How few, His precepts!"
Benjamin Franklin
At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea, where she entered Zechariah's home and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. 42In a loud voice she exclaimed: "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. Blessed is she who has believed that what the Lord has said to her will be accomplished!" And Mary said:
My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
For He has been mindful of the humble state of his servant.
From now on all generations will call me blessed,
For the Mighty One has done great things for me; holy is His name.
His mercy extends to those who fear Him, from generation to generation.
He has performed mighty deeds with his arm;
He has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts.
He has brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble.
He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty.
He has helped his servant Israel, remembering to be merciful
To Abraham and his descendants forever, even as He said to our fathers.
Luke 1: 39-55 (find this or any other passage at www.Biblegateway.org)
What beautiful words, what poetry, from this young girl who has had such a burden placed upon her. It seems she truly recognizes, at some level, that God is going to care for her and that this is a world-changing moment.
But what about us? Could this song be my song/ Could this song be yours? Which line does not apply to you?
My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, Does this describe your soul and spirit? Why or why not?
For He has been mindful of the humble state of his servant. Do you know that you are on His mind?
From now on all generations will call me blessed, OK, you may not be called blessed by all generations, but are you not blessed?
For the Mighty One has done great things for me; holy is His name. Has not God worked in your life? And do you consider Him to be holy?
I think you will find the rest of Mary's Song to still be true, and personal for you, as well.
Do you need a little boost in the midst of these crazy times? Pull out your Bible and read Luke 1:46-55, read it as your own.
Then read it again, directly to God as a prayer. Substitute "You" and "Your" for "He" and "His".
Feel like taking a little risk? Tell someone that you would like to express your feelings for God to them. Then read Mary's Song, as your own, to that person.
Whoever acknowledges me before men, I will also acknowledge him before my Father in heaven. Matthew 10:32
Merry Christmas friend, this holiday is for you.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Questions:
1. Have you ever read through this passage?
2. Have you ever considered it as a personal statement?
3. Does that change anything about this passage, or about the Scriptures in general, for you?
INTERESTING CHRISTMAS THOUGHTS:
"Jesus was God and man in one person,
that God and man might be happy together again." Send to a friend
George Whitefield
"For a beggar to live at court is not so much
as the King to dwell with him in his cottage."
William Gurnall
"Rejoice, that the immortal God is born,
so that mortal man may live in eternity."
John Huss
"How many observe Christ's birthday!
How few, His precepts!"
Benjamin Franklin
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
ListenDaily - 16 December 2008; What Mary, Joseph, and Jesus Did For You
ListenDaily - 16 December 2008; What Mary, Joseph, and Jesus Did For You
I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone; for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all men—the testimony given in its proper time. 1 Timothy 2:1-6
(find this or any other passage at www.Biblegateway.org)
UPS has an advertising campaign slogan; "What can brown do for you?" In other words, while many consumers might have a perception that UPS is just for business, or just for somebody else, that they actually have a service for everyone.
Hmm...
Sometimes it seems that there is a separation between the Christmas story and us. It is like Mary, Joseph, and the Baby...the angels and the shepherds...are from an old, old story that is nice to set out on the mantle each year after we put our presents under the tree, but has little actual relevance here and now. Not that we don't believe in a Savior...but what's the connection?
God...wants all to be saved.
This means you too.
God...wants all to be saved. All!
For there is...one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.
And so, the Man, Jesus came to be the mediator...for all..and that includes you. And you are not just lumped in with the group. C.S. Lewis once said that "Christ did not just came to save every person, but each person. He would have come if only one person had ever accepted Him."
When the Son came into the world He saw you, He came for you.
Mary and Joseph may not have known about you as Jesus did, but their sacrifices, their trials, their joys, were for you.
Merry Christmas friend, this holiday is for you.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Questions:
1. How does this idea make you feel?
2. Have you ever considered that you were an integral part of Christ coming to Earth?
3. Does that change anything for you?
INTERESTING THOUGHT:
"Christianity asserts that every individual human being is going to live for ever, and this must be either true or false.
Now there are a good many things which would not be worth bothering about if I were going to live only seventy years,
but which I had better bother about very seriously if I am going to live for ever."
C.S. Lewis
I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone; for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all men—the testimony given in its proper time. 1 Timothy 2:1-6
(find this or any other passage at www.Biblegateway.org)
UPS has an advertising campaign slogan; "What can brown do for you?" In other words, while many consumers might have a perception that UPS is just for business, or just for somebody else, that they actually have a service for everyone.
Hmm...
Sometimes it seems that there is a separation between the Christmas story and us. It is like Mary, Joseph, and the Baby...the angels and the shepherds...are from an old, old story that is nice to set out on the mantle each year after we put our presents under the tree, but has little actual relevance here and now. Not that we don't believe in a Savior...but what's the connection?
God...wants all to be saved.
This means you too.
God...wants all to be saved. All!
For there is...one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.
And so, the Man, Jesus came to be the mediator...for all..and that includes you. And you are not just lumped in with the group. C.S. Lewis once said that "Christ did not just came to save every person, but each person. He would have come if only one person had ever accepted Him."
When the Son came into the world He saw you, He came for you.
Mary and Joseph may not have known about you as Jesus did, but their sacrifices, their trials, their joys, were for you.
Merry Christmas friend, this holiday is for you.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Questions:
1. How does this idea make you feel?
2. Have you ever considered that you were an integral part of Christ coming to Earth?
3. Does that change anything for you?
INTERESTING THOUGHT:
"Christianity asserts that every individual human being is going to live for ever, and this must be either true or false.
Now there are a good many things which would not be worth bothering about if I were going to live only seventy years,
but which I had better bother about very seriously if I am going to live for ever."
C.S. Lewis
Monday, December 15, 2008
ListenDaily - 15 December 2008; Only Ten Shopping Days...
"The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel" which means, "God with us." Matthew 1:23
(find this or any other passage at www.Biblegateway.org)
OK, OK, I know...there is a LOT to do before Christmas. And I know we talk a lot about the "reason for the season". I also know that I have four kids and while we emphasize the Birth of our Savior, we also enjoy presents under the tree. Nice presents. Wrapped. Which requires shopping in crowded stores with grumpy people.
But you know something? That one thing right there, is something you can have an impact on.
Choose not to be grumpy. Smile as you shop.
Does the "Happy Holidays" over "Merry Christmas" deal bother you? Tell the cashier "Have a blessed day", "God bless you", "Have a blessed Christmas". You can be clear about your own wishes!
On the first Christmas, Mary gave birth to a Son, Jesus, Immanuel, "God with us."
Say it..."God is with me."
Say it in the mall..."God is with me."
Say it in Wal-Mart..."God is with me."
Say it going in for (or coming out of) final exams..."God is with me."
Say it going to work..."God is with me."
Say it coming home..."God is with me."
Say it while putting up the tree or wrapping presents..."God is with me."
Say it going to church..."God is with me."
Say this to your family; say it today..."Immanuel...God is with us."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Questions:
1. How does the idea of "God with us" impact you?
2. Is it a part of you every day life?
3. Is it the entirety of your life?
INTERESTING THOUGHT:
"Immanuel, God with us in our nature,
in our sorrow, in our lifework,
in our punishment, in our grave,
now with us, or rather we with Him,
in resurrection, ascension, triumph,
and Second Advent splendor."
Charles Spurgeon
(find this or any other passage at www.Biblegateway.org)
OK, OK, I know...there is a LOT to do before Christmas. And I know we talk a lot about the "reason for the season". I also know that I have four kids and while we emphasize the Birth of our Savior, we also enjoy presents under the tree. Nice presents. Wrapped. Which requires shopping in crowded stores with grumpy people.
But you know something? That one thing right there, is something you can have an impact on.
Choose not to be grumpy. Smile as you shop.
Does the "Happy Holidays" over "Merry Christmas" deal bother you? Tell the cashier "Have a blessed day", "God bless you", "Have a blessed Christmas". You can be clear about your own wishes!
On the first Christmas, Mary gave birth to a Son, Jesus, Immanuel, "God with us."
Say it..."God is with me."
Say it in the mall..."God is with me."
Say it in Wal-Mart..."God is with me."
Say it going in for (or coming out of) final exams..."God is with me."
Say it going to work..."God is with me."
Say it coming home..."God is with me."
Say it while putting up the tree or wrapping presents..."God is with me."
Say it going to church..."God is with me."
Say this to your family; say it today..."Immanuel...God is with us."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Questions:
1. How does the idea of "God with us" impact you?
2. Is it a part of you every day life?
3. Is it the entirety of your life?
INTERESTING THOUGHT:
"Immanuel, God with us in our nature,
in our sorrow, in our lifework,
in our punishment, in our grave,
now with us, or rather we with Him,
in resurrection, ascension, triumph,
and Second Advent splendor."
Charles Spurgeon
Friday, December 12, 2008
ListenDaily - 12 December 2008; Strength and Means
This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit. Because Joseph her husband was a righteous man and did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly. But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, "Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins."
Matthew 1:18-21 (find this or any other passage at www.Biblegateway.org)
So then, as we have discussed for two days, Joseph was a good guy who did the right things. Now, back to Mary for a moment; looking at verses from Luke 1:
God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin's name was Mary. The angel went to her and said, "Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you." Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be.
Mary was greatly troubled...and who could blame her? The great stories she had been taught from Israel's past, of God calling out individuals, had usually been hard work and great trouble for 'great' men like Noah, Abraham, Moses...and there were only two stories of angels appearing to women...and both of those over troubled children...what could this mean for her?
But the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end."
"How will this be," Mary asked the angel, "since I am a virgin?" The angel answered, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be barren is in her sixth month. For nothing is impossible with God."
"I am the Lord's servant," Mary answered. "May it be to me as you have said."
"May it be to me as you have said."
Mary put her whole trust in the Lord. And while God never promises ease, He is always faithful to provide strength and means.
Mary, young, single, pregnant, leaning on God for her sustenance, her future, her very life. The angel did not make any detailed promises about her future, did not promise her a husband, did not promise her a home with her parents. There was so much uncertainly! Still..."May it be to me as you have said."
The angel did promise that she did not need to be afraid. He did promise that she had favor with God, and that God would be with her. Mary knew that everything would be as the angel said, for nothing is impossible with God.
Enter Joseph...whose intent was always honorable, and now armed with the truth of God, he became part of the strength and means that Mary knew that God would provide.
Friends, God will always provide strength and means for us as well. If only we could muster the faith of a frightened, unmarried, pregnant, teen-aged girl...how God would provide!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Questions:
1. Have you ever considered Joseph as part of God's promise to Mary?
2. Do you think they were following His guidance when they first became engaged?
3.How might things have been different if Mary had lost faith in God's provision?
INTERESTING THOUGHTS ON FAITHFULNESS:
"Expect great things from God.
Attempt great things for God."
William Carey
"We may be certain that whatever God has made prominent in His Word,
He intended to be conspicuous in our lives."
Charles Spurgeon
"I have found that there are three stages in every great work of God;
first, it is impossible, then it is difficult, then it is done."
Hudson Taylor
"Few are they who by faith touch Him;
multitudes are they who throng about Him."
Augustine
"Faith takes God without any ifs."
D.L. Moody
Matthew 1:18-21 (find this or any other passage at www.Biblegateway.org)
So then, as we have discussed for two days, Joseph was a good guy who did the right things. Now, back to Mary for a moment; looking at verses from Luke 1:
God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin's name was Mary. The angel went to her and said, "Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you." Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be.
Mary was greatly troubled...and who could blame her? The great stories she had been taught from Israel's past, of God calling out individuals, had usually been hard work and great trouble for 'great' men like Noah, Abraham, Moses...and there were only two stories of angels appearing to women...and both of those over troubled children...what could this mean for her?
But the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end."
"How will this be," Mary asked the angel, "since I am a virgin?" The angel answered, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be barren is in her sixth month. For nothing is impossible with God."
"I am the Lord's servant," Mary answered. "May it be to me as you have said."
"May it be to me as you have said."
Mary put her whole trust in the Lord. And while God never promises ease, He is always faithful to provide strength and means.
Mary, young, single, pregnant, leaning on God for her sustenance, her future, her very life. The angel did not make any detailed promises about her future, did not promise her a husband, did not promise her a home with her parents. There was so much uncertainly! Still..."May it be to me as you have said."
The angel did promise that she did not need to be afraid. He did promise that she had favor with God, and that God would be with her. Mary knew that everything would be as the angel said, for nothing is impossible with God.
Enter Joseph...whose intent was always honorable, and now armed with the truth of God, he became part of the strength and means that Mary knew that God would provide.
Friends, God will always provide strength and means for us as well. If only we could muster the faith of a frightened, unmarried, pregnant, teen-aged girl...how God would provide!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Questions:
1. Have you ever considered Joseph as part of God's promise to Mary?
2. Do you think they were following His guidance when they first became engaged?
3.How might things have been different if Mary had lost faith in God's provision?
INTERESTING THOUGHTS ON FAITHFULNESS:
"Expect great things from God.
Attempt great things for God."
William Carey
"We may be certain that whatever God has made prominent in His Word,
He intended to be conspicuous in our lives."
Charles Spurgeon
"I have found that there are three stages in every great work of God;
first, it is impossible, then it is difficult, then it is done."
Hudson Taylor
"Few are they who by faith touch Him;
multitudes are they who throng about Him."
Augustine
"Faith takes God without any ifs."
D.L. Moody
Thursday, December 11, 2008
ListenDaily - 11 December 2008; Joe the Carpenter, part 2, the Test
This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit. Because Joseph her husband was a righteous man and did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly. But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, "Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins."
Matthew 1:18-21 (find this or any other passage at www.Biblegateway.org)
Have you ever found the order of events here interesting? The angel appears to Mary, she becomes pregnant, Joseph finds out she is pregnant, then he gets the news that the Child is from God. If Mary told Joseph the story before, he must not have believed it.
Would it not have been much simpler for the angel to have come to Joseph before he found out about Mary's pregnancy? His mind would have been eased from the beginning, and Mary would not have had to deal with the prospect of divorce. Why did God elect to put them both through this?
It is often said that God wanted to find out what kind of man Joseph was and how he would react...some kind of test. I don't buy that. God knew very well what kind of man Joseph was. Better than Mary did, and better than Joseph himself.
Maybe that was the point.
Maybe Mary needed to learn what kind of man Joseph really was, considering the future now placed in their hands.
Maybe Joseph needed to find out what kind of man he really was too. The Law afforded him the right to disgrace Mary and put her to public trial, and have her put to death, but Joseph was a righteous man.
And he valued that righteousness...and kindness...and mercy, over the Law.
That sounds a lot like the Man he would raise his Son to be.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Questions:
1. Why do you think God ordered these events this way?
2. Have you ever considered the importance of Joseph's character on Jesus?
3.Have you ever viewed Joseph's behavior as radical, in the same way Jesus' behavior was?
INTERESTING THOUGHTS ON RIGHTEOUSNESS:
"Prayer is the first thing wherewith a righteous life beginneth,
and the last wherewith it doth end."
Richard Hooker
"Christ took our sins and the sins of the whole world as well as the Father's wrath on his shoulders,
and he has drowned them both in himself so that we are thereby reconciled to God and become completely righteous."
"This is the mystery of the riches of divine grace for sinners,
for by a wonderful exchange our sins are now not ours but Christ's,
and Christ's righteousness is not Christ's, but ours."
"Night and day I pondered until I saw the connection between the justice of God and the statement that 'the just shall live by his faith.'
Then I grasped that the justice of God is that righteousness by which through grace and sheer mercy God justifies us through faith.
Thereupon I felt myself to be reborn and to have gone through open doors into paradise."
"For God does not want to save us by our own but by an extraneous righteousness,
one that does not originate in ourselves but comes to us from beyond ourselves, which does not arise on earth but comes from heaven."
Martin Luther
"He hideth our unrighteousness with His righteousness,
He covereth our disobedience with his obedience,
He shadoweth our death with His death,
that the wrath of God cannot find us."
Henry Smith
"Our peace and confidence are to be found not in our empirical holiness, not in our progress toward perfection,
but in the alien righteousness of Jesus Christ that covers our sinfulness and alone makes us acceptable before a holy God."
Donald Bloesch
Matthew 1:18-21 (find this or any other passage at www.Biblegateway.org)
Have you ever found the order of events here interesting? The angel appears to Mary, she becomes pregnant, Joseph finds out she is pregnant, then he gets the news that the Child is from God. If Mary told Joseph the story before, he must not have believed it.
Would it not have been much simpler for the angel to have come to Joseph before he found out about Mary's pregnancy? His mind would have been eased from the beginning, and Mary would not have had to deal with the prospect of divorce. Why did God elect to put them both through this?
It is often said that God wanted to find out what kind of man Joseph was and how he would react...some kind of test. I don't buy that. God knew very well what kind of man Joseph was. Better than Mary did, and better than Joseph himself.
Maybe that was the point.
Maybe Mary needed to learn what kind of man Joseph really was, considering the future now placed in their hands.
Maybe Joseph needed to find out what kind of man he really was too. The Law afforded him the right to disgrace Mary and put her to public trial, and have her put to death, but Joseph was a righteous man.
And he valued that righteousness...and kindness...and mercy, over the Law.
That sounds a lot like the Man he would raise his Son to be.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Questions:
1. Why do you think God ordered these events this way?
2. Have you ever considered the importance of Joseph's character on Jesus?
3.Have you ever viewed Joseph's behavior as radical, in the same way Jesus' behavior was?
INTERESTING THOUGHTS ON RIGHTEOUSNESS:
"Prayer is the first thing wherewith a righteous life beginneth,
and the last wherewith it doth end."
Richard Hooker
"Christ took our sins and the sins of the whole world as well as the Father's wrath on his shoulders,
and he has drowned them both in himself so that we are thereby reconciled to God and become completely righteous."
"This is the mystery of the riches of divine grace for sinners,
for by a wonderful exchange our sins are now not ours but Christ's,
and Christ's righteousness is not Christ's, but ours."
"Night and day I pondered until I saw the connection between the justice of God and the statement that 'the just shall live by his faith.'
Then I grasped that the justice of God is that righteousness by which through grace and sheer mercy God justifies us through faith.
Thereupon I felt myself to be reborn and to have gone through open doors into paradise."
"For God does not want to save us by our own but by an extraneous righteousness,
one that does not originate in ourselves but comes to us from beyond ourselves, which does not arise on earth but comes from heaven."
Martin Luther
"He hideth our unrighteousness with His righteousness,
He covereth our disobedience with his obedience,
He shadoweth our death with His death,
that the wrath of God cannot find us."
Henry Smith
"Our peace and confidence are to be found not in our empirical holiness, not in our progress toward perfection,
but in the alien righteousness of Jesus Christ that covers our sinfulness and alone makes us acceptable before a holy God."
Donald Bloesch
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
ListenDaily - 10 December 2008; Joe the Carpenter
This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit. Because Joseph her husband was a righteous man and did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly. But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, "Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus,[c] because he will save his people from their sins."
Matthew 1:18-21 (find this or any other passage at www.Biblegateway.org)
During the recent election season we heard a lot about 'ordinary Joes'. The Christmas season seems to be the only time we talk about the Gospels' ordinary Joe. Who was this man, Joseph? He is such an integral part of the Christmas story, and yet we know so little about him. His name is mentioned a mere sixteen times in only eight passages. But we can know what God intended us to know:
He was a carpenter. (Matt. 13:55)
He lived in Nazareth. (Luke 2:39)
Like the Old Testament Joseph, his father's name was Jacob. (Matt. 1:16)
And from the house of David. (Luke 2:4)
As we first meet him, he is engaged to Mary. (Matt 1:18)
Angels appeared to him in dreams. (Matt. 1:20; 2:13&19)
He was a righteous man. (Matt. 1:19)
He was obedient to God... (Matt. 1:24)
...and to God's Law. (Luke 2:22 & 39)
Much has been said and written about the lack of Biblical information concerning Joseph. But he is not to be a forgotten character in the Christmas story, or in the life of our Savior. This is the man God entrusted with the raising and protection of His Son. Along with Mary, Joseph carried the Infant, taught the, Toddler to walk, and fed the Child.
He was a man of courage, who took God at His Word, and a pregnant teen as his wife.
He was a man of action, safely leading his family to Egypt, no easy task, to protect them from Herod's wrath.
He was God's chosen. Among all the men of Israel, of all the men in history, Joseph was the one God selected for this remarkable task. If this little bit of information is all God chose to tell us, then it is all we need to know.
But knowing that Joseph was a righteous, obedient man, appointed to raise the Child King, is, in fact, knowing a lot.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Questions:
1. Why do you think there is so little information about Joseph?
2. Is it really so little? How much more do we know about Mary?
3. What an we know about Joseph, from the few times he is written about?
INTERESTING THOUGHTS:
"One father is more than a hundred schoolmasters."
George Herbert
Matthew 1:18-21 (find this or any other passage at www.Biblegateway.org)
During the recent election season we heard a lot about 'ordinary Joes'. The Christmas season seems to be the only time we talk about the Gospels' ordinary Joe. Who was this man, Joseph? He is such an integral part of the Christmas story, and yet we know so little about him. His name is mentioned a mere sixteen times in only eight passages. But we can know what God intended us to know:
He was a carpenter. (Matt. 13:55)
He lived in Nazareth. (Luke 2:39)
Like the Old Testament Joseph, his father's name was Jacob. (Matt. 1:16)
And from the house of David. (Luke 2:4)
As we first meet him, he is engaged to Mary. (Matt 1:18)
Angels appeared to him in dreams. (Matt. 1:20; 2:13&19)
He was a righteous man. (Matt. 1:19)
He was obedient to God... (Matt. 1:24)
...and to God's Law. (Luke 2:22 & 39)
Much has been said and written about the lack of Biblical information concerning Joseph. But he is not to be a forgotten character in the Christmas story, or in the life of our Savior. This is the man God entrusted with the raising and protection of His Son. Along with Mary, Joseph carried the Infant, taught the, Toddler to walk, and fed the Child.
He was a man of courage, who took God at His Word, and a pregnant teen as his wife.
He was a man of action, safely leading his family to Egypt, no easy task, to protect them from Herod's wrath.
He was God's chosen. Among all the men of Israel, of all the men in history, Joseph was the one God selected for this remarkable task. If this little bit of information is all God chose to tell us, then it is all we need to know.
But knowing that Joseph was a righteous, obedient man, appointed to raise the Child King, is, in fact, knowing a lot.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Questions:
1. Why do you think there is so little information about Joseph?
2. Is it really so little? How much more do we know about Mary?
3. What an we know about Joseph, from the few times he is written about?
INTERESTING THOUGHTS:
"One father is more than a hundred schoolmasters."
George Herbert
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
ListenDaily - 09 December 2008; Christmas Surprises...Who Knew? Part 2
After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, "Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him." When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him... Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. He sent them to Bethlehem and said, "Go and make a careful search for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him." After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen in the east went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route. Matthew 2:1-12 (find this or any other passage at www.Biblegateway.org)
There is much to this story! I would like to follow yesterday's theme and look at the spreading of the News. The Magi, or Wise Men, traveled to see the Baby King. They did not, however, go directly to Him. They came into Bethlehem and began asking; Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? What a stir this must have caused! The news spread quickly and far...all across the land and all the way to Herod. How do we know this? When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him.
After their visit with Jesus, the Magi returned to their country. It is quite reasonable to think that they spread the news there as well.
Think of it...all Jerusalem aware of the arrival of the King of the Jews! As with the shepherds telling of the story, this news spread throughout Jerusalem, certainly would not have been quickly forgotten.
And consider this news arriving in the lands to the east. The Magi returned with this fantastic story of a star and a Child King named Jesus. Who knows how it might have been taken in the moment. But maybe years later, when the Gospel began to be carried abroad, could it be that the story was familiar? Could it be that the people of some eastern kingdom might have heard and remembered the Wise Men's story?
And so it was, and is. You and I share the story of our faith, the Good News of Christ. Maybe it is brand new to the listener. Or maybe, just maybe, there is a spark of recognition from a story heard years before, from church school, from a grandmother, and that spark grows a little...glows a little...
Who knew?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Questions:
1. Did you realize that the Wise Men told others?
2. Have you ever considered the long term impact that would have?
3. Will you agree to a reading of the Gospels this Christmas season? If you would like to compare the Gospel readings, I've posted a link below, and a sample comparison readings. I welcome any questions that arise from your study.
INTERESTING THOUGHTS:
Parallel reading of the Gospels
from http://www.are-you-for-real.com/easy-to-print/nt01of02-jesus-the-christ.pdf
Jesus The Christ
Introductions by the Gospel Writers
·
Mark 1:1
·
John 1:1-18
·
Luke 1:1-4
The Genealogies of Jesus
·
Matthew 1:1-17
·
Luke 3:23b-38
The Births of Jesus and John the Baptist
·
Luke 1:5-80
·
Matthew 1:18-25a
·
Luke 2:1-20
·
Parallel verses Matthew 1:25b and Luke 2:21
·
Luke 2:22-38
Visit of the Magi and Flight into Egypt
·
From Infancy to Manhood
·
Parallel verses Matthew 2:19-23 and Luke 2:39-40
·
Luke 2:41-52
The Ministry of John the Baptist
·
Parallel verses Matthew 3:1-3, Mark 1:2-4, and Luke 3:1-6
·
Parallel verses Matthew 3:4-6 and Mark 1:5-6
·
Parallel verses Matthew 3:7-10 and Luke 3:7-14
·
Parallel verses Matthew 3:11-12, Mark 1:7-8, and Luke 3:15-18
There is much to this story! I would like to follow yesterday's theme and look at the spreading of the News. The Magi, or Wise Men, traveled to see the Baby King. They did not, however, go directly to Him. They came into Bethlehem and began asking; Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? What a stir this must have caused! The news spread quickly and far...all across the land and all the way to Herod. How do we know this? When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him.
After their visit with Jesus, the Magi returned to their country. It is quite reasonable to think that they spread the news there as well.
Think of it...all Jerusalem aware of the arrival of the King of the Jews! As with the shepherds telling of the story, this news spread throughout Jerusalem, certainly would not have been quickly forgotten.
And consider this news arriving in the lands to the east. The Magi returned with this fantastic story of a star and a Child King named Jesus. Who knows how it might have been taken in the moment. But maybe years later, when the Gospel began to be carried abroad, could it be that the story was familiar? Could it be that the people of some eastern kingdom might have heard and remembered the Wise Men's story?
And so it was, and is. You and I share the story of our faith, the Good News of Christ. Maybe it is brand new to the listener. Or maybe, just maybe, there is a spark of recognition from a story heard years before, from church school, from a grandmother, and that spark grows a little...glows a little...
Who knew?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Questions:
1. Did you realize that the Wise Men told others?
2. Have you ever considered the long term impact that would have?
3. Will you agree to a reading of the Gospels this Christmas season? If you would like to compare the Gospel readings, I've posted a link below, and a sample comparison readings. I welcome any questions that arise from your study.
INTERESTING THOUGHTS:
Parallel reading of the Gospels
from http://www.are-you-for-real.com/easy-to-print/nt01of02-jesus-the-christ.pdf
Jesus The Christ
Introductions by the Gospel Writers
·
Mark 1:1
·
John 1:1-18
·
Luke 1:1-4
The Genealogies of Jesus
·
Matthew 1:1-17
·
Luke 3:23b-38
The Births of Jesus and John the Baptist
·
Luke 1:5-80
·
Matthew 1:18-25a
·
Luke 2:1-20
·
Parallel verses Matthew 1:25b and Luke 2:21
·
Luke 2:22-38
Visit of the Magi and Flight into Egypt
·
From Infancy to Manhood
·
Parallel verses Matthew 2:19-23 and Luke 2:39-40
·
Luke 2:41-52
The Ministry of John the Baptist
·
Parallel verses Matthew 3:1-3, Mark 1:2-4, and Luke 3:1-6
·
Parallel verses Matthew 3:4-6 and Mark 1:5-6
·
Parallel verses Matthew 3:7-10 and Luke 3:7-14
·
Parallel verses Matthew 3:11-12, Mark 1:7-8, and Luke 3:15-18
Monday, December 8, 2008
ListenDaily - 08 December 2008; Christmas Surprises...Who Knew?
And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger." Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests." When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about." So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. Luke 2:8-16 (find this or any other passage at www.Biblegateway.org)
For most of my life, I held certain perceptions about Jesus, about the Bible. Some of them have remained, but quite a few have changed, as I have examined the Scriptures for myself. (We should all follow the example set by the Bereans in Acts 17:11, who examined the Scriptures every day.) One of these notions was that Jesus remained an anonymous Messiah until the day He revealed His true identity in Nazareth.
But wait...
The shepherds in today's passage experienced the most amazing thing. The angel, the glory of God, the Heavenly host...and the Babe. We have know idea how many shepherds there were, but it is probable that there were quite a few. The all would have had families, friends, and neighbors. How could they possibly have kept this experience to themselves? But we need not wonder, we know that they told others: When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. Luke 2:17-18
...they spread the word...as anyone would expect that they would! I would expect that some of them ran screaming, yelling, rejoicing, and telling!
OK, so they told other people...so what?
Well, I think this is huge...all who heard it were amazed... Thirty years later, when Jesus began His ministry, He was not speaking strictly to people with no idea who He was. The shepherds and those they had told who were still living, and their children and grandchildren, knew about that special night. Many knew that the centuries-long waiting for the Messiah was coming to an end. There would have been a groundswell of support for Jesus' ministry.
Who knew?
The shepherds knew.
Although this is not your first Christmas, I hope you can feel the excitement of the Messiah come to save...and that you will follow their example and spread the Word.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Questions:
1. Did you realize that the shepherds told others?
2. Have you ever considered the long term impact that would have?
3. Will you agree to a reading of the Gospels this Christmas season? If you would like to compare the Gospel readings, I've posted a link below, and a sample comparison readings. I welcome any questions that arise from your study.
INTERESTING THOUGHTS:
Parallel reading of the Gospels
from http://www.are-you-for-real.com/easy-to-print/nt01of02-jesus-the-christ.pdf
Jesus The Christ
Introductions by the Gospel Writers
·
Mark 1:1
·
John 1:1-18
·
Luke 1:1-4
The Genealogies of Jesus
·
Matthew 1:1-17
·
Luke 3:23b-38
The Births of Jesus and John the Baptist
·
Luke 1:5-80
·
Matthew 1:18-25a
·
Luke 2:1-20
·
Parallel verses Matthew 1:25b and Luke 2:21
·
Luke 2:22-38
Visit of the Magi and Flight into Egypt
·
From Infancy to Manhood
·
Parallel verses Matthew 2:19-23 and Luke 2:39-40
·
Luke 2:41-52
The Ministry of John the Baptist
·
Parallel verses Matthew 3:1-3, Mark 1:2-4, and Luke 3:1-6
·
Parallel verses Matthew 3:4-6 and Mark 1:5-6
·
Parallel verses Matthew 3:7-10 and Luke 3:7-14
·
Parallel verses Matthew 3:11-12, Mark 1:7-8, and Luke 3:15-18
For most of my life, I held certain perceptions about Jesus, about the Bible. Some of them have remained, but quite a few have changed, as I have examined the Scriptures for myself. (We should all follow the example set by the Bereans in Acts 17:11, who examined the Scriptures every day.) One of these notions was that Jesus remained an anonymous Messiah until the day He revealed His true identity in Nazareth.
But wait...
The shepherds in today's passage experienced the most amazing thing. The angel, the glory of God, the Heavenly host...and the Babe. We have know idea how many shepherds there were, but it is probable that there were quite a few. The all would have had families, friends, and neighbors. How could they possibly have kept this experience to themselves? But we need not wonder, we know that they told others: When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. Luke 2:17-18
...they spread the word...as anyone would expect that they would! I would expect that some of them ran screaming, yelling, rejoicing, and telling!
OK, so they told other people...so what?
Well, I think this is huge...all who heard it were amazed... Thirty years later, when Jesus began His ministry, He was not speaking strictly to people with no idea who He was. The shepherds and those they had told who were still living, and their children and grandchildren, knew about that special night. Many knew that the centuries-long waiting for the Messiah was coming to an end. There would have been a groundswell of support for Jesus' ministry.
Who knew?
The shepherds knew.
Although this is not your first Christmas, I hope you can feel the excitement of the Messiah come to save...and that you will follow their example and spread the Word.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Questions:
1. Did you realize that the shepherds told others?
2. Have you ever considered the long term impact that would have?
3. Will you agree to a reading of the Gospels this Christmas season? If you would like to compare the Gospel readings, I've posted a link below, and a sample comparison readings. I welcome any questions that arise from your study.
INTERESTING THOUGHTS:
Parallel reading of the Gospels
from http://www.are-you-for-real.com/easy-to-print/nt01of02-jesus-the-christ.pdf
Jesus The Christ
Introductions by the Gospel Writers
·
Mark 1:1
·
John 1:1-18
·
Luke 1:1-4
The Genealogies of Jesus
·
Matthew 1:1-17
·
Luke 3:23b-38
The Births of Jesus and John the Baptist
·
Luke 1:5-80
·
Matthew 1:18-25a
·
Luke 2:1-20
·
Parallel verses Matthew 1:25b and Luke 2:21
·
Luke 2:22-38
Visit of the Magi and Flight into Egypt
·
From Infancy to Manhood
·
Parallel verses Matthew 2:19-23 and Luke 2:39-40
·
Luke 2:41-52
The Ministry of John the Baptist
·
Parallel verses Matthew 3:1-3, Mark 1:2-4, and Luke 3:1-6
·
Parallel verses Matthew 3:4-6 and Mark 1:5-6
·
Parallel verses Matthew 3:7-10 and Luke 3:7-14
·
Parallel verses Matthew 3:11-12, Mark 1:7-8, and Luke 3:15-18
Friday, December 5, 2008
ListenDaily - 05 December 2008; Christmas Surprises - Time to unwrap your gift!
The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel, which means, "God with us." He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit. The Lord's mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation. The true light that gives light to every man was coming into the world...to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God...we have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only,who came from the Father, full of grace and truth...grace and truth came through Jesus Christ...no one has ever seen God, but God the One and Only, who is at the Father's side, has made him known. From the first chapters of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John
(find this or any other passage at www.Biblegateway.org)
One Bible, four Gospels. The Gospels do not contradict each other; they compliment and fulfill each other.
The Gospels, as individual pieces, addressed disparate first century audiences. Through the inspired writing of men, God took the next step to reach people beyond those Jesus met directly. Reading just past the Gospels, into the second chapter of Acts, we see another step, as His Holy Spirit came upon the church.
Friends, we have the Spirit and the Word, the Spirit and the Truth! God has taken the steps to meet you!
This Christmas season, won't you take time to unwrap these gifts God has given you? Read the Gospels and treat them as if you have never read them; ask God to reveal new things to you. If you are like me, you have not come to the point where you think you know all there is to and about the Bible, so immerse yourself in these four books, this one story, this story about the Holy One from God.
A great Christmas surprise waits for you inside.
I cannot wait to hear about it.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Questions:
1. How long has it been since you have read the Gospels in their entirety?
2. Do you think there is anything new in them for you?
3. Will you agree to a reading of the Gospels this Christmas season? If you would like to compare the Gospel readings, I've posted a link below, and a sample comparison readings. I welcome any questions that arise from your study.
INTERESTING THOUGHTS:
Parallel reading of the Gospels
from http://www.are-you-for-real.com/easy-to-print/nt01of02-jesus-the-christ.pdf
Jesus The Christ
Introductions by the Gospel Writers
·
Mark 1:1
·
John 1:1-18
·
Luke 1:1-4
The Genealogies of Jesus
·
Matthew 1:1-17
·
Luke 3:23b-38
The Births of Jesus and John the Baptist
·
Luke 1:5-80
·
Matthew 1:18-25a
·
Luke 2:1-20
·
Parallel verses Matthew 1:25b and Luke 2:21
·
Luke 2:22-38
Visit of the Magi and Flight into Egypt
·
From Infancy to Manhood
·
Parallel verses Matthew 2:19-23 and Luke 2:39-40
·
Luke 2:41-52
The Ministry of John the Baptist
·
Parallel verses Matthew 3:1-3, Mark 1:2-4, and Luke 3:1-6
·
Parallel verses Matthew 3:4-6 and Mark 1:5-6
·
Parallel verses Matthew 3:7-10 and Luke 3:7-14
·
Parallel verses Matthew 3:11-12, Mark 1:7-8, and Luke 3:15-18
(find this or any other passage at www.Biblegateway.org)
One Bible, four Gospels. The Gospels do not contradict each other; they compliment and fulfill each other.
The Gospels, as individual pieces, addressed disparate first century audiences. Through the inspired writing of men, God took the next step to reach people beyond those Jesus met directly. Reading just past the Gospels, into the second chapter of Acts, we see another step, as His Holy Spirit came upon the church.
Friends, we have the Spirit and the Word, the Spirit and the Truth! God has taken the steps to meet you!
This Christmas season, won't you take time to unwrap these gifts God has given you? Read the Gospels and treat them as if you have never read them; ask God to reveal new things to you. If you are like me, you have not come to the point where you think you know all there is to and about the Bible, so immerse yourself in these four books, this one story, this story about the Holy One from God.
A great Christmas surprise waits for you inside.
I cannot wait to hear about it.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Questions:
1. How long has it been since you have read the Gospels in their entirety?
2. Do you think there is anything new in them for you?
3. Will you agree to a reading of the Gospels this Christmas season? If you would like to compare the Gospel readings, I've posted a link below, and a sample comparison readings. I welcome any questions that arise from your study.
INTERESTING THOUGHTS:
Parallel reading of the Gospels
from http://www.are-you-for-real.com/easy-to-print/nt01of02-jesus-the-christ.pdf
Jesus The Christ
Introductions by the Gospel Writers
·
Mark 1:1
·
John 1:1-18
·
Luke 1:1-4
The Genealogies of Jesus
·
Matthew 1:1-17
·
Luke 3:23b-38
The Births of Jesus and John the Baptist
·
Luke 1:5-80
·
Matthew 1:18-25a
·
Luke 2:1-20
·
Parallel verses Matthew 1:25b and Luke 2:21
·
Luke 2:22-38
Visit of the Magi and Flight into Egypt
·
From Infancy to Manhood
·
Parallel verses Matthew 2:19-23 and Luke 2:39-40
·
Luke 2:41-52
The Ministry of John the Baptist
·
Parallel verses Matthew 3:1-3, Mark 1:2-4, and Luke 3:1-6
·
Parallel verses Matthew 3:4-6 and Mark 1:5-6
·
Parallel verses Matthew 3:7-10 and Luke 3:7-14
·
Parallel verses Matthew 3:11-12, Mark 1:7-8, and Luke 3:15-18
Thursday, December 4, 2008
ListenDaily - 04 December 2008; Christmas Surprises - The Ancient One
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it. John 1:1-5
(find this or any other passage at www.Biblegateway.org)
This bears repeating, one last time: One Bible, the Word of God, 66 books, four Gospels. The Gospels do not contradict each other. They do tell different pieces of a story, from different perspectives, because they, initially, had four different audiences.
During the Christmas season, much of our attention is drawn to the 'Baby Jesus', and that is good. It is an amazing and wonderful thing that God presented Himself that way.
But we must remember that the being who inhabited that Baby was an ancient One.
It is a mystery how much Jesus gave up to be a Man. We know that He did what He did voluntarily: Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be held on to, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. Philippians 2:5-7
It is a mystery how much Jesus knew as a Babe, but we know that He grew and learned: And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men. Luke 2:52
But Jesus, the Word (Rev.19:13) pre-existed all else. He was there at the laying of the very foundation of the Earth. Adam and Eve were created through Him.
He saw the fall, and knew that His future included becoming Man to save men.
From His Ancient view He also saw you.
The Ancient One who became the Babe, did so for you.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Questions:
1. Have you ever considered the ancient-ness of Jesus?
2. Have you ever compared the Christmas stories between the Gospels?
3. Will you agree to a reading of the Gospels this Christmas season? If you would like to compare the Gospel readings, I've posted a link below, and a sample comparison readings. I welcome any questions that arise from your study.
INTERESTING THOUGHTS:
Parallel reading of the Gospels
from http://www.are-you-for-real.com/easy-to-print/nt01of02-jesus-the-christ.pdf
Jesus The Christ
Introductions by the Gospel Writers
·
Mark 1:1
·
John 1:1-18
·
Luke 1:1-4
The Genealogies of Jesus
·
Matthew 1:1-17
·
Luke 3:23b-38
The Births of Jesus and John the Baptist
·
Luke 1:5-80
·
Matthew 1:18-25a
·
Luke 2:1-20
·
Parallel verses Matthew 1:25b and Luke 2:21
·
Luke 2:22-38
Visit of the Magi and Flight into Egypt
·
From Infancy to Manhood
·
Parallel verses Matthew 2:19-23 and Luke 2:39-40
·
Luke 2:41-52
The Ministry of John the Baptist
·
Parallel verses Matthew 3:1-3, Mark 1:2-4, and Luke 3:1-6
·
Parallel verses Matthew 3:4-6 and Mark 1:5-6
·
Parallel verses Matthew 3:7-10 and Luke 3:7-14
·
Parallel verses Matthew 3:11-12, Mark 1:7-8, and Luke 3:15-18
(find this or any other passage at www.Biblegateway.org)
This bears repeating, one last time: One Bible, the Word of God, 66 books, four Gospels. The Gospels do not contradict each other. They do tell different pieces of a story, from different perspectives, because they, initially, had four different audiences.
During the Christmas season, much of our attention is drawn to the 'Baby Jesus', and that is good. It is an amazing and wonderful thing that God presented Himself that way.
But we must remember that the being who inhabited that Baby was an ancient One.
It is a mystery how much Jesus gave up to be a Man. We know that He did what He did voluntarily: Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be held on to, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. Philippians 2:5-7
It is a mystery how much Jesus knew as a Babe, but we know that He grew and learned: And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men. Luke 2:52
But Jesus, the Word (Rev.19:13) pre-existed all else. He was there at the laying of the very foundation of the Earth. Adam and Eve were created through Him.
He saw the fall, and knew that His future included becoming Man to save men.
From His Ancient view He also saw you.
The Ancient One who became the Babe, did so for you.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Questions:
1. Have you ever considered the ancient-ness of Jesus?
2. Have you ever compared the Christmas stories between the Gospels?
3. Will you agree to a reading of the Gospels this Christmas season? If you would like to compare the Gospel readings, I've posted a link below, and a sample comparison readings. I welcome any questions that arise from your study.
INTERESTING THOUGHTS:
Parallel reading of the Gospels
from http://www.are-you-for-real.com/easy-to-print/nt01of02-jesus-the-christ.pdf
Jesus The Christ
Introductions by the Gospel Writers
·
Mark 1:1
·
John 1:1-18
·
Luke 1:1-4
The Genealogies of Jesus
·
Matthew 1:1-17
·
Luke 3:23b-38
The Births of Jesus and John the Baptist
·
Luke 1:5-80
·
Matthew 1:18-25a
·
Luke 2:1-20
·
Parallel verses Matthew 1:25b and Luke 2:21
·
Luke 2:22-38
Visit of the Magi and Flight into Egypt
·
From Infancy to Manhood
·
Parallel verses Matthew 2:19-23 and Luke 2:39-40
·
Luke 2:41-52
The Ministry of John the Baptist
·
Parallel verses Matthew 3:1-3, Mark 1:2-4, and Luke 3:1-6
·
Parallel verses Matthew 3:4-6 and Mark 1:5-6
·
Parallel verses Matthew 3:7-10 and Luke 3:7-14
·
Parallel verses Matthew 3:11-12, Mark 1:7-8, and Luke 3:15-18
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
ListenDaily - 03 December 2008; Christmas Surprises - A Doctor's Note
Many have undertaken to draw up an account of the things that have been fulfilled among us, just as they were handed down to us by those who from the first were eyewitnesses and servants of the word. Therefore, since I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning, it seemed good also to me to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, so that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught. Mark 1:1-11
(find this or any other passage at www.Biblegateway.org)
This bears repeating, again: One Bible, the Word of God, 66 books, four Gospels. The Gospels do not contradict each other. They do tell different pieces of a story, from different perspectives, because they, initially, had four different audiences.
Luke was not a disciple, and probably did not know Jesus. However, Luke 1:1 tells that "many" have gone about the task of chronicling the life of Jesus and the surrounding events and results; and now Luke, a Gentile physician, has now done an investigative piece, and written an "orderly account".
The most excellent Theophilus was probably a Roman official; "most excellent" was a typical greeting for a Roman with a title, and it appears that he commissioned Luke to this task. The writing style and layout of Luke (and the second half of the letter, what we call the book of Acts) is very Greek, very logical, very thorough. In Luke we get many details not found, for a variety of reasons, in the other Gospels; including the boy Jesus in the temple at 12 years of age.
Theophilus had heard and learned about Jesus, and wanted to know more, and have what he had been taught confirmed. Luke provided this affirmation: you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught.
Many of us have heard so much about Jesus, but left it at the hearing. We have such an advantage over Theophilus! We have the finished accounts, of Luke and others, wholly inspired by God Himself.
This Christmas season, won't you take a cue from Theophilus? Won't you gather up every idea you have about Jesus from stories, Sunday School lessons, sermons, magazine articles, and books, and confirm it them from Scripture? If you will pray for guidance then dive into the Gospel accounts of our Savior, something wonderful will happen.
You will come to know the certainty of the things you have been taught.
Amen.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Questions:
1. Have you ever compared the Christmas stories between the Gospels?
2. Have you ever looked directly to the Word of God to confirm (or deny) what others say about Him?
3. Will you agree to a reading of the Gospels this Christmas season? If you would like to compare the Gospel readings, I've posted a link below, and a sample comparison readings. I welcome any questions that arise from your study.
INTERESTING THOUGHTS:
Parallel reading of the Gospels
from http://www.are-you-for-real.com/easy-to-print/nt01of02-jesus-the-christ.pdf
Jesus The Christ
Introductions by the Gospel Writers
· Mark 1:1
· John 1:1-18
· Luke 1:1-4
The Genealogies of Jesus
· Matthew 1:1-17
· Luke 3:23b-38
The Births of Jesus and John the Baptist
· Luke 1:5-80
· Matthew 1:18-25a
· Luke 2:1-20
· Parallel verses Matthew 1:25b and Luke 2:21
· Luke 2:22-38
Visit of the Magi and Flight into Egypt
·
From Infancy to Manhood
· Parallel verses Matthew 2:19-23 and Luke 2:39-40
· Luke 2:41-52
The Ministry of John the Baptist
· Parallel verses Matthew 3:1-3, Mark 1:2-4, and Luke 3:1-6
· Parallel verses Matthew 3:4-6 and Mark 1:5-6
· Parallel verses Matthew 3:7-10 and Luke 3:7-14
· Parallel verses Matthew 3:11-12, Mark 1:7-8, and Luke 3:15-18
· Parallel verses Matthew 3:13-17, Mark 1:9-11, and Luke 3:21-23a
--
Pastor Jim Dorton
http://pastorjimdorton.blogspot.com/
Wyoming UMC
112 Broad Street
Wyoming, De 19934
(302) 697-6651
jdorton@yahoo.com
(find this or any other passage at www.Biblegateway.org)
This bears repeating, again: One Bible, the Word of God, 66 books, four Gospels. The Gospels do not contradict each other. They do tell different pieces of a story, from different perspectives, because they, initially, had four different audiences.
Luke was not a disciple, and probably did not know Jesus. However, Luke 1:1 tells that "many" have gone about the task of chronicling the life of Jesus and the surrounding events and results; and now Luke, a Gentile physician, has now done an investigative piece, and written an "orderly account".
The most excellent Theophilus was probably a Roman official; "most excellent" was a typical greeting for a Roman with a title, and it appears that he commissioned Luke to this task. The writing style and layout of Luke (and the second half of the letter, what we call the book of Acts) is very Greek, very logical, very thorough. In Luke we get many details not found, for a variety of reasons, in the other Gospels; including the boy Jesus in the temple at 12 years of age.
Theophilus had heard and learned about Jesus, and wanted to know more, and have what he had been taught confirmed. Luke provided this affirmation: you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught.
Many of us have heard so much about Jesus, but left it at the hearing. We have such an advantage over Theophilus! We have the finished accounts, of Luke and others, wholly inspired by God Himself.
This Christmas season, won't you take a cue from Theophilus? Won't you gather up every idea you have about Jesus from stories, Sunday School lessons, sermons, magazine articles, and books, and confirm it them from Scripture? If you will pray for guidance then dive into the Gospel accounts of our Savior, something wonderful will happen.
You will come to know the certainty of the things you have been taught.
Amen.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Questions:
1. Have you ever compared the Christmas stories between the Gospels?
2. Have you ever looked directly to the Word of God to confirm (or deny) what others say about Him?
3. Will you agree to a reading of the Gospels this Christmas season? If you would like to compare the Gospel readings, I've posted a link below, and a sample comparison readings. I welcome any questions that arise from your study.
INTERESTING THOUGHTS:
Parallel reading of the Gospels
from http://www.are-you-for-real.com/easy-to-print/nt01of02-jesus-the-christ.pdf
Jesus The Christ
Introductions by the Gospel Writers
· Mark 1:1
· John 1:1-18
· Luke 1:1-4
The Genealogies of Jesus
· Matthew 1:1-17
· Luke 3:23b-38
The Births of Jesus and John the Baptist
· Luke 1:5-80
· Matthew 1:18-25a
· Luke 2:1-20
· Parallel verses Matthew 1:25b and Luke 2:21
· Luke 2:22-38
Visit of the Magi and Flight into Egypt
·
From Infancy to Manhood
· Parallel verses Matthew 2:19-23 and Luke 2:39-40
· Luke 2:41-52
The Ministry of John the Baptist
· Parallel verses Matthew 3:1-3, Mark 1:2-4, and Luke 3:1-6
· Parallel verses Matthew 3:4-6 and Mark 1:5-6
· Parallel verses Matthew 3:7-10 and Luke 3:7-14
· Parallel verses Matthew 3:11-12, Mark 1:7-8, and Luke 3:15-18
· Parallel verses Matthew 3:13-17, Mark 1:9-11, and Luke 3:21-23a
--
Pastor Jim Dorton
http://pastorjimdorton.blogspot.com/
Wyoming UMC
112 Broad Street
Wyoming, De 19934
(302) 697-6651
jdorton@yahoo.com
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
ListenDaily - 02 December 2008; Christmas Surprises - No Christmas Story!?
The beginning of the gospel about Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
It is written in Isaiah the prophet: "I will send my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way" — "a voice of one calling in the desert, 'Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.' " And so John came, baptizing in the desert region and preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. The whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem went out to him. Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River. John wore clothing made of camel's hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. And this was his message: "After me will come one more powerful than I, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit." At that time Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. As Jesus was coming up out of the water, he saw heaven being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: "You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased." Mark 1:1-11
(find this or any other passage at www.Biblegateway.org)
This bears repeating: One Bible, the Word of God, 66 books, four Gospels. The Gospels do not contradict each other. They do tell different pieces of a story, from different perspectives, because they, initially, had four different audiences.
Mark 1:1 starts with The beginning of the gospel about Jesus Christ, the Son of God. This book's 'beginning', goes straight to an adult John and Jesus. No Christmas story? How can there be a Gospel with no shepherds, angels, no Mary or Joseph, no Babe in a manger?
The traditional consensus is that Mark was written to a largely Roman audience. This was the Rome of gladiators and games, a city and people enthralled by action. Also a people mostly of non-Jewish heritage. Old Testament prophecies, Jewish genealogies and traditions meant nothing to them.
Mark is the shortest of the Gospels with the most action; Jesus said, Jesus went, Jesus healed, Jesus performed, Jesus called... It was written to an audience with a built-in short attention span and a desire for action. Through time, this audience would have been introduced, through Paul and others, to a more complete story of Christ.
In a way, this makes Mark a great Christmas story! Jesus came as a Baby, so that we could understand Him. He came to us as we were. He did not need to be a Baby, to be a Man, as much as we needed a Messiah we could understand; one that addressed us in our environment, meeting our needs. This is what the Gospel of Mark did. It brought the Messiah to a people that would not have understood Him in another way.
Maybe the Gospel of Mark is a good lesson for those of us who share our faith, or want to. There is no one way, one program, or one script. Jesus is willing to meet people where they are, how they are, and who they are. Should not we, who are merely doing the introductions, be willing to be, do, and say the Truth in whatever manner would allow someone to hear?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Questions:
1. Have you ever compared the Christmas stories between the Gospels?
2. Why do you think God left it out of Mark?
3. Does this help you in the sharing of your faith?
INTERESTING THOUGHTS:
"God often gives in one brief moment that which He has for a long time denied."
"Be not angry that you cannot make others as you wish them to be,
since you cannot make yourself as you wish to be."
"In Jesus and for Him, enemies and friends alike are to be loved."
"For a small reward, a man will hurry away on a long journey;
while for eternal life, many will hardly take a single step."
"All is vanity but to love and serve Him."
"If thou bear the cross cheerfully, it will bear thee."
"Sweet shall be your rest if your heart does not reproach you."
"Learn to break your own will. Be zealous against yourself."
Thomas A` Kempis
It is written in Isaiah the prophet: "I will send my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way" — "a voice of one calling in the desert, 'Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.' " And so John came, baptizing in the desert region and preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. The whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem went out to him. Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River. John wore clothing made of camel's hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. And this was his message: "After me will come one more powerful than I, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit." At that time Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. As Jesus was coming up out of the water, he saw heaven being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: "You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased." Mark 1:1-11
(find this or any other passage at www.Biblegateway.org)
This bears repeating: One Bible, the Word of God, 66 books, four Gospels. The Gospels do not contradict each other. They do tell different pieces of a story, from different perspectives, because they, initially, had four different audiences.
Mark 1:1 starts with The beginning of the gospel about Jesus Christ, the Son of God. This book's 'beginning', goes straight to an adult John and Jesus. No Christmas story? How can there be a Gospel with no shepherds, angels, no Mary or Joseph, no Babe in a manger?
The traditional consensus is that Mark was written to a largely Roman audience. This was the Rome of gladiators and games, a city and people enthralled by action. Also a people mostly of non-Jewish heritage. Old Testament prophecies, Jewish genealogies and traditions meant nothing to them.
Mark is the shortest of the Gospels with the most action; Jesus said, Jesus went, Jesus healed, Jesus performed, Jesus called... It was written to an audience with a built-in short attention span and a desire for action. Through time, this audience would have been introduced, through Paul and others, to a more complete story of Christ.
In a way, this makes Mark a great Christmas story! Jesus came as a Baby, so that we could understand Him. He came to us as we were. He did not need to be a Baby, to be a Man, as much as we needed a Messiah we could understand; one that addressed us in our environment, meeting our needs. This is what the Gospel of Mark did. It brought the Messiah to a people that would not have understood Him in another way.
Maybe the Gospel of Mark is a good lesson for those of us who share our faith, or want to. There is no one way, one program, or one script. Jesus is willing to meet people where they are, how they are, and who they are. Should not we, who are merely doing the introductions, be willing to be, do, and say the Truth in whatever manner would allow someone to hear?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Questions:
1. Have you ever compared the Christmas stories between the Gospels?
2. Why do you think God left it out of Mark?
3. Does this help you in the sharing of your faith?
INTERESTING THOUGHTS:
"God often gives in one brief moment that which He has for a long time denied."
"Be not angry that you cannot make others as you wish them to be,
since you cannot make yourself as you wish to be."
"In Jesus and for Him, enemies and friends alike are to be loved."
"For a small reward, a man will hurry away on a long journey;
while for eternal life, many will hardly take a single step."
"All is vanity but to love and serve Him."
"If thou bear the cross cheerfully, it will bear thee."
"Sweet shall be your rest if your heart does not reproach you."
"Learn to break your own will. Be zealous against yourself."
Thomas A` Kempis
Sunday, November 30, 2008
ListenDaily - 01 December 2008; Christmas Surprises - The Four Women
The Genealogy of Jesus
A record of the genealogy of Jesus Christ the son of David, the son of Abraham: Abraham was the father of Isaac, Isaac the father of Jacob, Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers, Judah the father of Perez and Zerah,
whose mother was Tamar,
Perez the father of Hezron, Hezron the father of Ram, Ram the father of Amminadab, Amminadab the father of Nahshon, Nahshon the father of Salmon, Salmon the father of Boaz,
whose mother was Rahab,
Boaz the father of Obed,
whose mother was Ruth,
Obed the father of Jesse, and Jesse the father of King David. David was the father of Solomon,
whose mother had been Uriah's wife,
Solomon the father of Rehoboam, Rehoboam the father of Abijah, Abijah the father of Asa, Asa the father of Jehoshaphat, Jehoshaphat the father of Jehoram, Jehoram the father of Uzziah, Uzziah the father of Jotham, Jotham the father of Ahaz, Ahaz the father of Hezekiah, Hezekiah the father of Manasseh, Manasseh the father of Amon, Amon the father of Josiah, and Josiah the father of Jeconiah and his brothers at the time of the exile to Babylon.
After the exile to Babylon: Jeconiah was the father of Shealtiel, Shealtiel the father of Zerubbabel, Zerubbabel the father of Abiud, Abiud the father of Eliakim, Eliakim the father of Azor,
Azor the father of Zadok, Zadok the father of Akim, Akim the father of Eliud, Eliud the father of Eleazar, Eleazar the father of Matthan, Matthan the father of Jacob, and Jacob the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ. Matthew 1:1-16
(find this or any other passage at www.Biblegateway.org)
One Bible, the Word of God, 66 books, four Gospels. The Gospels do not contradict each other. They do tell different pieces of a story, from different perspectives, because they, initially, had four different audiences.
Matthew was written primarily to a Jewish audience, and so, begins with a genealogy starting with "father" Abraham, going through David, and ending with Jesus. This showed, in a very Jewish fashion, that Jesus did, in fact, fulfill the Messianic prophecies. But there was also something very unique about this genealogy...genealogies were nearly always purely male, and yet this list contains five women: Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, Uriah's wife (who was Bathsheeba), and Mary.
It is surprising enough that women were listed at all, let alone these women! Tamar sold herself as a prostitute, Rahab was a Gentile prostitute, Ruth was a Gentile, and Bathsheba was an adulteress, infamous for her sin with David. Mary, a 'nobody', Jewish teenager.
Tamar, Rahab, and Ruth all have great stories of God's grace and provision, Bathsheeba possibly a reminder that even the great King needed redemption, Mary was proof that God can and does use anyone...anyone with a willing heart.
While much more can be read into and drawn from the place of these women in this genealogy, I would say this: Jesus, King of the Jews, is King for all. His heritage proves it. He did not come from a purely royal or purely Jewish line.
Jesus may have come to the Jews first...but He was always to come for everyone.
That's my King!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Questions:
1. Have you ever noticed these women in this story?
2. Why do you think God placed them in this passage?
3. Does the mention of Gentiles, and women help you in any way?
INTERESTING THOUGHT:
"We have a God who delights in impossibilities."
Billy Sunday
A record of the genealogy of Jesus Christ the son of David, the son of Abraham: Abraham was the father of Isaac, Isaac the father of Jacob, Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers, Judah the father of Perez and Zerah,
whose mother was Tamar,
Perez the father of Hezron, Hezron the father of Ram, Ram the father of Amminadab, Amminadab the father of Nahshon, Nahshon the father of Salmon, Salmon the father of Boaz,
whose mother was Rahab,
Boaz the father of Obed,
whose mother was Ruth,
Obed the father of Jesse, and Jesse the father of King David. David was the father of Solomon,
whose mother had been Uriah's wife,
Solomon the father of Rehoboam, Rehoboam the father of Abijah, Abijah the father of Asa, Asa the father of Jehoshaphat, Jehoshaphat the father of Jehoram, Jehoram the father of Uzziah, Uzziah the father of Jotham, Jotham the father of Ahaz, Ahaz the father of Hezekiah, Hezekiah the father of Manasseh, Manasseh the father of Amon, Amon the father of Josiah, and Josiah the father of Jeconiah and his brothers at the time of the exile to Babylon.
After the exile to Babylon: Jeconiah was the father of Shealtiel, Shealtiel the father of Zerubbabel, Zerubbabel the father of Abiud, Abiud the father of Eliakim, Eliakim the father of Azor,
Azor the father of Zadok, Zadok the father of Akim, Akim the father of Eliud, Eliud the father of Eleazar, Eleazar the father of Matthan, Matthan the father of Jacob, and Jacob the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ. Matthew 1:1-16
(find this or any other passage at www.Biblegateway.org)
One Bible, the Word of God, 66 books, four Gospels. The Gospels do not contradict each other. They do tell different pieces of a story, from different perspectives, because they, initially, had four different audiences.
Matthew was written primarily to a Jewish audience, and so, begins with a genealogy starting with "father" Abraham, going through David, and ending with Jesus. This showed, in a very Jewish fashion, that Jesus did, in fact, fulfill the Messianic prophecies. But there was also something very unique about this genealogy...genealogies were nearly always purely male, and yet this list contains five women: Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, Uriah's wife (who was Bathsheeba), and Mary.
It is surprising enough that women were listed at all, let alone these women! Tamar sold herself as a prostitute, Rahab was a Gentile prostitute, Ruth was a Gentile, and Bathsheba was an adulteress, infamous for her sin with David. Mary, a 'nobody', Jewish teenager.
Tamar, Rahab, and Ruth all have great stories of God's grace and provision, Bathsheeba possibly a reminder that even the great King needed redemption, Mary was proof that God can and does use anyone...anyone with a willing heart.
While much more can be read into and drawn from the place of these women in this genealogy, I would say this: Jesus, King of the Jews, is King for all. His heritage proves it. He did not come from a purely royal or purely Jewish line.
Jesus may have come to the Jews first...but He was always to come for everyone.
That's my King!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Questions:
1. Have you ever noticed these women in this story?
2. Why do you think God placed them in this passage?
3. Does the mention of Gentiles, and women help you in any way?
INTERESTING THOUGHT:
"We have a God who delights in impossibilities."
Billy Sunday
Friday, November 28, 2008
ListenDaily - 28 November 2008; To everyone who has, more will be given...
Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:4-7
Jesus said: I tell you that to everyone who has, more will be given... Luke 19:26
Are you a thankful person? Do you have gratitude toward your God? If you do, if you van present everything to God with thanksgiving, look what is made possible: And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. God's peace..so amazing we cannot comprehend it... will be yours...it will guard your heart and your mind...everything you love, everything you think about...in Christ Jesus. The Savior, the very Son of God, He who holds the keys to Hell and Death, is enabled to step in front of you, to guard and protect you, if you only will give everything to God...
...with thanksgiving.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Questions:
1. How do you show thanks to God?
2. What spiritual things are you thankful for?
3. What do you hold back from Him?
INTERESTING THOUGHTS ON THANKS:
"Gratitude is the mother of all the virtues."G.K. Chesterton
Jesus said: I tell you that to everyone who has, more will be given... Luke 19:26
Are you a thankful person? Do you have gratitude toward your God? If you do, if you van present everything to God with thanksgiving, look what is made possible: And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. God's peace..so amazing we cannot comprehend it... will be yours...it will guard your heart and your mind...everything you love, everything you think about...in Christ Jesus. The Savior, the very Son of God, He who holds the keys to Hell and Death, is enabled to step in front of you, to guard and protect you, if you only will give everything to God...
...with thanksgiving.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Questions:
1. How do you show thanks to God?
2. What spiritual things are you thankful for?
3. What do you hold back from Him?
INTERESTING THOUGHTS ON THANKS:
"Gratitude is the mother of all the virtues."G.K. Chesterton
"It is the duty of all Nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey His will, to be grateful for His benefits, and humbly to implore His protection and favor."George Washington
"The worst moment for an atheist is when he feels grateful and has no one to thank."Samuel Cavert
Thursday, November 27, 2008
ListenDaily - 27 November 2008; My letter to you.
Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus, to all the saints in Christ Jesus at Philippi, together with the overseers and deacons: Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. Philippians 1:1-4
I am no Timothy, and I certainly am no Paul, however, I write to you today with the spirit of thanksgiving that Paul wrote to the church at Philippi.
I thank my God every time I remember you...As I sit down to write, and consider brothers and sisters who take time to read this, and who participate in the battle to advance the Kingdom of God, I give Him thanks.
In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now...some of us have been coworkers, some attended or still attend church together, some have never met, and yet we are all partners in Christ, all part of the same body, and I give thanks for you.
Being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. There are many who still do not know Christ, and yet, if we seek to do God's will for us, many can be saved...God will provide...He will bring to completion the good works begun in us!
All glory, praise, honor, and thanks be to God!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Questions:
1. How do you show thanks to God?
2. What are you thankful?
3. What spiritual things are you thankful for?
INTERESTING THOUGHTS ON THANKS:
"Gratitude is the mother of all the virtues."G.K. Chesterton
"It is the duty of all Nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey His will, to be grateful for His benefits, and humbly to implore His protection and favor."George Washington
"The worst moment for an atheist is when he feels grateful and has no one to thank."Samuel Cavert
I am no Timothy, and I certainly am no Paul, however, I write to you today with the spirit of thanksgiving that Paul wrote to the church at Philippi.
I thank my God every time I remember you...As I sit down to write, and consider brothers and sisters who take time to read this, and who participate in the battle to advance the Kingdom of God, I give Him thanks.
In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now...some of us have been coworkers, some attended or still attend church together, some have never met, and yet we are all partners in Christ, all part of the same body, and I give thanks for you.
Being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. There are many who still do not know Christ, and yet, if we seek to do God's will for us, many can be saved...God will provide...He will bring to completion the good works begun in us!
All glory, praise, honor, and thanks be to God!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Questions:
1. How do you show thanks to God?
2. What are you thankful?
3. What spiritual things are you thankful for?
INTERESTING THOUGHTS ON THANKS:
"Gratitude is the mother of all the virtues."G.K. Chesterton
"It is the duty of all Nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey His will, to be grateful for His benefits, and humbly to implore His protection and favor."George Washington
"The worst moment for an atheist is when he feels grateful and has no one to thank."Samuel Cavert
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
ListenDaily - 26 November 2008; WDJD?
Then Jesus directed them to have all the people sit down in groups on the green grass. So they sat down in groups of hundreds and fifties. Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to his disciples to set before the people. He also divided the two fish among them all. They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces of bread and fish. The number of the men who had eaten was five thousand. Mark 6:39-44
While they were eating, Jesus took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying, "Take and eat; this is my body." Then he took the cup, gave thanks and offered it to them, saying, "Drink from it, all of you." Matthew 26:26-27
While they were eating, Jesus took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying, "Take and eat; this is my body." Then he took the cup, gave thanks and offered it to them, saying, "Drink from it, all of you." Matthew 26:26-27
The Lord of the universe, He who had all creative power available to Him, "gave thanks" for a few fish, a little bread, and a cup of wine. And He wasn't just 'saying grace' to get it over with...everything Jesus ever did was genuine.
Should not we, who, at best make good use of the provisions God makes available to us, do any less? If Jesus Christ was genuinely thankful for even a small meal, how can we live as a saved people, people who have received eternal salvation, and not give thanks to God for every moment of every day?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Questions:
1. How do you show thanks to God?
2. How often?
3. How about right now?
INTERESTING THOUGHTS ON THANKS:
"Gratitude is the mother of all the virtues."
G.K. Chesterton
"It is the duty of all Nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God,
to obey His will, to be grateful for His benefits, and humbly to implore His protection and favor."
George Washington
"The worst moment for an atheist is when he feels grateful and has no one to thank."
Samuel Cavert
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
ListenDaily - 25 November 2008; An Old Thanksgiving Tradition
With praise and thanksgiving they sang to the LORD:
He is good; His love to Israel endures forever." Ezra 3:11
Depending upon which set of historians you might choose to debate, the Thanksgiving holiday is between 387 and 443 years old, and took place either at the Plymouth Plantation or in St. Augustine.
To borrow a well-worn phrase from my kids..."whatever".
We may have named a day for it, but we did not invent the giving of thanks. God commanded thanks in the Law; not because He needs our gratitude, but because we need to be grateful. Our whole lives can be changed if our hearts become grateful, first through practice, possibly, but then through actual change.
And so the tradition of a nation giving thanks goes back, past 1621, past 1565. Let us look at today's verse, which predates Christ by some four centuries. With praise and thanksgiving they sang to the LORD: He is good; His love to Israel endures forever. So, you might ask, what does Israel and God's love for it, have to do with us? We are the Nation of Israel! I do not want to get bogged down in semantics (or Semitics) here, but one needs just Read Romans 11 to understand that we Gentiles, through Christ, are grafted into His chosen people.
And so, His love to us endures forever.
Therefore, we should sing to the Lord, with praise and thanksgiving.
What a tradition!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Questions:
1. How do you show thanks to God?
2. How often?
3. How about right now?
INTERESTING THOUGHTS:
"Instead of complaining that God had hidden himself,
you will give Him thanks for having revealed so much of Himself."
you will give Him thanks for having revealed so much of Himself."
Blaise Pascal
Pastor Jim Dorton
Wyoming UMC112 Broad StreetWyoming, De 19934(302) 697-6651jdorton@yahoo.com
Monday, November 24, 2008
ListenDaily - 24 November 2008; "How to"
To see this, or any other passage here: http://www.biblegateway.com/
That day David first committed to Asaph and his associates this psalm of thanks to the LORD; Give thanks to the LORD, call on his name;
Make known among the nations what he has done. Sing to him, sing praise to him; Tell of all his wonderful acts. Glory in his holy name; Let the hearts of those who seek the LORD rejoice. Look to the LORD and his strength; Seek his face always. Remember the wonders he has done, His miracles, and the judgments He pronounced. 1 Chronicles 16:7-12
In this week that we focus on giving thanks, I think this passage is a good "how to" on giving thanks to God. We thank Him by: Making Him known; singing to Him; seeing glory in Him; rejoicing; looking to His strength, seeking His face; and remembering Him. Do you want to show thanks to God? Pick one of those items and do it, do it now as you are reading this.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Questions:
1. How do you show thanks to God
2. How often?
3. Are any of David's list helpful?
INTERESTING THOUGHTS: "How little chance the Holy Ghost has nowadays. The churches and missionary societies have so bound Him in red tape that they practically ask Him to sit in a corner while they do the work themselves." C.T. Studd
That day David first committed to Asaph and his associates this psalm of thanks to the LORD; Give thanks to the LORD, call on his name;
Make known among the nations what he has done. Sing to him, sing praise to him; Tell of all his wonderful acts. Glory in his holy name; Let the hearts of those who seek the LORD rejoice. Look to the LORD and his strength; Seek his face always. Remember the wonders he has done, His miracles, and the judgments He pronounced. 1 Chronicles 16:7-12
In this week that we focus on giving thanks, I think this passage is a good "how to" on giving thanks to God. We thank Him by: Making Him known; singing to Him; seeing glory in Him; rejoicing; looking to His strength, seeking His face; and remembering Him. Do you want to show thanks to God? Pick one of those items and do it, do it now as you are reading this.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Questions:
1. How do you show thanks to God
2. How often?
3. Are any of David's list helpful?
INTERESTING THOUGHTS: "How little chance the Holy Ghost has nowadays. The churches and missionary societies have so bound Him in red tape that they practically ask Him to sit in a corner while they do the work themselves." C.T. Studd
Friday, November 21, 2008
ListenDaily - 21 November 2008; Decisions
To see this, or any other passage here: http://www.biblegateway.com/
Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. Romans 12:2
...be transformed by the renewing of your mind...
Change your shape - by restoring your mind to a prior state. The ending to this portion of study is to emphasize the importance of our decision to renew. God is there to help you, and wants so much for your mind to be renewed! He sent His Son to break the world's pattern and sent His Holy Spirit to comfort, encourage, and strengthen you to be able.
But you must make the choice.
At this point, I am going to turn this over to my good friend Randy, who has stated this as well as I ever could, in an email earlier this week.
"Jim, I cannot read Romans 12:1-2 without hearing Romans 7:25 and 8:5-17. It is tempting to take the passive voice ("be transformed by the renewing of your mind") as something that God alone does in us. Of course, every good thing that occurs in us is the work of God's hand, lest we boast in any way. Yet the reality is that we must be 100% engaged in the mind-renewal business!
Romans 8:5 says: "Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is live and peace; the sinful mind is hostile to God. It does not submit to God's law, nor can it do so. Those controlled by the sinful nature cannot please God."
The key to enabling God's mind-renewal is for use to set our minds on the things of the Spirit. This is subtle, and it is tempting to confuse the work of God with the decision of a man. It is always and only the work of God in us that changes us; but the trigger for God's power is our alignment with the Spirit. And even the power to pull the trigger is not something we can brag about.
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith - and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God. (Eph 2:8)
It is an incredible mystery, indeed a paradox, that our transcendent, holy, omnipotent God loves us so much that he grants us the capacity to choose Him. Yet that is exactly what we are called to do as Christians. Therefore, the key question is this - how can we set or minds on the things of the Spirit? The answer is obvious - through intentional engagement in prayer, Scripture reading, Scripture study, meditation, serious dialog with our fellow Christians, and service. Anyone who says they don't know God's will for them can start right there. Thank you, Jim, for being used by God to "spur us on toward love and good deeds" (Heb 10:24). Randy "
AMEN!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Questions:
1. Do you recall making an intentional decision to follow Christ?
2. Do you recall making an intentional decision to renew your mind?
3. Is it time to renew the decision to renew?
INTERESTING THOUGHTS:
"How little chance the Holy Ghost has nowadays. The churches and missionary societies have so
bound Him in red tape that they practically ask Him to sit in a corner while they do the work themselves."
C.T. Studd
Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. Romans 12:2
...be transformed by the renewing of your mind...
Change your shape - by restoring your mind to a prior state. The ending to this portion of study is to emphasize the importance of our decision to renew. God is there to help you, and wants so much for your mind to be renewed! He sent His Son to break the world's pattern and sent His Holy Spirit to comfort, encourage, and strengthen you to be able.
But you must make the choice.
At this point, I am going to turn this over to my good friend Randy, who has stated this as well as I ever could, in an email earlier this week.
"Jim, I cannot read Romans 12:1-2 without hearing Romans 7:25 and 8:5-17. It is tempting to take the passive voice ("be transformed by the renewing of your mind") as something that God alone does in us. Of course, every good thing that occurs in us is the work of God's hand, lest we boast in any way. Yet the reality is that we must be 100% engaged in the mind-renewal business!
Romans 8:5 says: "Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is live and peace; the sinful mind is hostile to God. It does not submit to God's law, nor can it do so. Those controlled by the sinful nature cannot please God."
The key to enabling God's mind-renewal is for use to set our minds on the things of the Spirit. This is subtle, and it is tempting to confuse the work of God with the decision of a man. It is always and only the work of God in us that changes us; but the trigger for God's power is our alignment with the Spirit. And even the power to pull the trigger is not something we can brag about.
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith - and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God. (Eph 2:8)
It is an incredible mystery, indeed a paradox, that our transcendent, holy, omnipotent God loves us so much that he grants us the capacity to choose Him. Yet that is exactly what we are called to do as Christians. Therefore, the key question is this - how can we set or minds on the things of the Spirit? The answer is obvious - through intentional engagement in prayer, Scripture reading, Scripture study, meditation, serious dialog with our fellow Christians, and service. Anyone who says they don't know God's will for them can start right there. Thank you, Jim, for being used by God to "spur us on toward love and good deeds" (Heb 10:24). Randy "
AMEN!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Questions:
1. Do you recall making an intentional decision to follow Christ?
2. Do you recall making an intentional decision to renew your mind?
3. Is it time to renew the decision to renew?
INTERESTING THOUGHTS:
"How little chance the Holy Ghost has nowadays. The churches and missionary societies have so
bound Him in red tape that they practically ask Him to sit in a corner while they do the work themselves."
C.T. Studd
Thursday, November 20, 2008
ListenDaily - 20 November 2008; What does it look like?
ListenDaily - 20 November 2008; What does it look like?
Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. Romans 12:2
...be transformed by the renewing of your mind... Renew has a variety of related definitions, but the one that I think applies here is "to restore to a prior state".
Change your shape - by restoring your mind to a prior state. The "prior state" would not be some time earlier in your own life but, I think, to the state in which God created man's mind to be. What might that look like?
Consider these (not an exhaustive list) examples. It would be focused on God; Jesus replied: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' Matthew 22:37 But when Jesus turned and looked at his disciples, he rebuked Peter. "Get behind me, Satan!" he said. "You do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men." Mark 8:33
It would be understanding of the Scriptures: Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. Luke 24:45
It would be understanding of the Scriptures: Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. Luke 24:45
It would not be divisive, but unifying and helpful: All the believers were one in heart and mind. Acts 4:32 Make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in your brother's way. Romans 14:13 I appeal to you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another so that there may be no divisions among you and that you may be perfectly united in mind and thought. 1 Corinthians 1:10
It would understand the relationship between God, man, and sin: So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God's law, but in the sinful nature a slave to the law of sin. Romans 7:25 Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. Romans 8:5 The sinful mind is hostile to God. It does not submit to God's law, nor can it do so. Romans 8:7 But we have the mind of Christ. 1 Corinthians 2:16It would full of life and peace: The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace. Romans 8:6 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:7
It will pray: I will pray with my spirit, but I will also pray with my mind; I will sing with my spirit, but I will also sing with my mind. 1 Corinthians 14:15
It will have God's Law: "This is the covenant I will make with them after that time, says the Lord. I will put my laws in their hearts, and I will write them on their minds." Hebrews 10:16
Change your shape - by restoring your mind to a prior state.
Tomorrow: Renewing your mind...God's help; your decision
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Questions:
1. Do any of these attributes cause a reaction in your mind?
2. How do you get your mind to be renewed?
3. Are there areas in your life not yet transformed?
INTERESTING THOUGHTS:
"Prosperity is a great teacher; adversity is a greater.
Possession pampers the mind; privation trains and strengthens it."William Hazlitt
"A state of mind that sees God in everything is
evidence of growth in grace and a thankful heart."Charles Finney
"The Gospel that represents Jesus Christ,
not as a system of truth to be received, into the mind,
as I should receive a system of philosophy, or astronomy,
but it represents Him as a real, living, mighty Savior, able to save me now."Catherine Booth
"When a man has quietly made up his mind
that there is nothing he cannot endure, his fears leave him."
Grove Patterson
"If we have not quiet in our minds,
outward comfort will do no more for us than
a glass slipper on a gouty foot."John Bunyan
"The mind of him that worketh ill is not always corrupt;
but the mind of him that defendeth evil is ever corrupt."Lancelot Andrewes
Possession pampers the mind; privation trains and strengthens it."William Hazlitt
"A state of mind that sees God in everything is
evidence of growth in grace and a thankful heart."Charles Finney
"The Gospel that represents Jesus Christ,
not as a system of truth to be received, into the mind,
as I should receive a system of philosophy, or astronomy,
but it represents Him as a real, living, mighty Savior, able to save me now."Catherine Booth
"When a man has quietly made up his mind
that there is nothing he cannot endure, his fears leave him."
Grove Patterson
"If we have not quiet in our minds,
outward comfort will do no more for us than
a glass slipper on a gouty foot."John Bunyan
"The mind of him that worketh ill is not always corrupt;
but the mind of him that defendeth evil is ever corrupt."Lancelot Andrewes
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
ListenDaily - 19 November 2008; Resisting Change
Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. Romans 12:2
...be transformed...
"Transform"..."trans" = to change, "form" = shape. "Transform" = to change shape. But how?
Before we move forward to "mind renewal", I would like to look back to the "patterns of this world". For transformation to take place, for our shape to change, for our minds to be renewed, we must understand the power of the patterns. One perspective of breaking the pattern is that of a new believer who gives up their lives of sin to accept a new life in Christ. This is certainly a valid perspective. Paul tells us in Ephesians 4: You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.
Paul speaks here in the past tense, to believers who were taught this truth. However, he goes on, to admonish them for current actions: ...put off falsehood ...in your anger do not sin...do not give the devil a foothold...steal no longer...do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths...do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God...get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. He is speaking to people who have proclaimed belief in Christ, and yet have are still conformed to the pattern.
It's tough! "Old habits die hard', 'old dogs - new tricks' all those old sayings are true. But we must look at ourselves and ask; "Am I a different person with Jesus in my life? In what way am I different? How could I be in relationship with the Most High God and not be different?"
Patterns are hard to break. But I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me! (Phil.4:13)
Tomorrow: Breaking the pattern, part III.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Questions:1. What patterns do you seem to be stuck in?
2. Are you a completely different person than you would be without Jesus?
3. Are there areas in your life not yet transformed?
INTERESTING THOUGHTS:
"Will power does not change men.
...be transformed...
"Transform"..."trans" = to change, "form" = shape. "Transform" = to change shape. But how?
Before we move forward to "mind renewal", I would like to look back to the "patterns of this world". For transformation to take place, for our shape to change, for our minds to be renewed, we must understand the power of the patterns. One perspective of breaking the pattern is that of a new believer who gives up their lives of sin to accept a new life in Christ. This is certainly a valid perspective. Paul tells us in Ephesians 4: You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.
Paul speaks here in the past tense, to believers who were taught this truth. However, he goes on, to admonish them for current actions: ...put off falsehood ...in your anger do not sin...do not give the devil a foothold...steal no longer...do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths...do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God...get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. He is speaking to people who have proclaimed belief in Christ, and yet have are still conformed to the pattern.
It's tough! "Old habits die hard', 'old dogs - new tricks' all those old sayings are true. But we must look at ourselves and ask; "Am I a different person with Jesus in my life? In what way am I different? How could I be in relationship with the Most High God and not be different?"
Patterns are hard to break. But I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me! (Phil.4:13)
Tomorrow: Breaking the pattern, part III.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Questions:1. What patterns do you seem to be stuck in?
2. Are you a completely different person than you would be without Jesus?
3. Are there areas in your life not yet transformed?
INTERESTING THOUGHTS:
"Lord, when we are wrong, make us willing to change.
And when we are right, make us easy to live with."
Peter Marshall
"Will power does not change men.
Time does not change men.
Christ does."
Henry Drummond
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
ListenDaily - 18 November 2008; Changing your shape
http://www.biblegateway.com/
not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. Romans 12:2
...be transformed... "Transform"..."trans" = to change, "form" = shape. "Transform" = to change shape.
...be transformed...
God is telling us here that we need to change our shape, change our structure, change what we look like. Man was created in God's image, but through sin in the world we stopped looking like God.
In order to come back into harmony with Him, we must regain His image.Christ is our example, born without sin; He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. (Col. 1:15) As Adam was created in the image of God, so may we, through Jesus - the firstborn of the new man, regain His image when we have taken off your old self with its practices 10and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator. (Col. 3:9-10)
Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed...
Tomorrow: Breaking the pattern, part II.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Questions:
1. What patterns do you see in your life?
2. Are you being transformed?
3. Where are you in that process?
INTERESTING THOUGHT:
"Do not grudge the Hand that is moulding the still too shapeless image within you.
It is growing more beautiful, though you see it not, and every touch of temptation may add to its perfection."
Henry Drummond
not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. Romans 12:2
...be transformed... "Transform"..."trans" = to change, "form" = shape. "Transform" = to change shape.
...be transformed...
God is telling us here that we need to change our shape, change our structure, change what we look like. Man was created in God's image, but through sin in the world we stopped looking like God.
In order to come back into harmony with Him, we must regain His image.Christ is our example, born without sin; He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. (Col. 1:15) As Adam was created in the image of God, so may we, through Jesus - the firstborn of the new man, regain His image when we have taken off your old self with its practices 10and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator. (Col. 3:9-10)
Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed...
Tomorrow: Breaking the pattern, part II.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Questions:
1. What patterns do you see in your life?
2. Are you being transformed?
3. Where are you in that process?
INTERESTING THOUGHT:
"Do not grudge the Hand that is moulding the still too shapeless image within you.
It is growing more beautiful, though you see it not, and every touch of temptation may add to its perfection."
Henry Drummond
Monday, November 17, 2008
ListenDaily - 17 November 2008; Thinking about thinking
You can look up this, or any other passage here: http://www.biblegateway.com/
Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. Romans 12:2
I was blessed and impressed by all the responses, emails, and comments last week. They got me thinking about thinking. The Scriptures tell us not to lean on our own understanding, leaning on God instead (Prov. 3:5). We are also told that wise people are confounded by simple things (1 Cor. 1:27). But these are not warnings against thinking, but instead reminders to right thought, to filter our thoughts through the true wisdom of God.
Which brings us back to today's verse. Let us look at the first phrase: do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world...
If we God tells us to stop doing something, the inference is that it is something we are doing. If we have never responded to this verse, we should consider what it might be saying to us.
Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world...
Is there a worldly pattern to which you find yourself conforming, that harms your relationship with God? Is there a worldly pattern concerning your family, work, or church life that is different than what God is calling you to? Can you assume that if it is not a Godly pattern, that it must be a worldly one?
Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world...
Tomorrow: Breaking the pattern.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Questions:
1. What patterns do you see in your life?
2. How were they created?
3. Can you assume that if it is not a Godly pattern, that it must be a worldly one?
INTERESTING THOUGHT:
Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. Romans 12:2
I was blessed and impressed by all the responses, emails, and comments last week. They got me thinking about thinking. The Scriptures tell us not to lean on our own understanding, leaning on God instead (Prov. 3:5). We are also told that wise people are confounded by simple things (1 Cor. 1:27). But these are not warnings against thinking, but instead reminders to right thought, to filter our thoughts through the true wisdom of God.
Which brings us back to today's verse. Let us look at the first phrase: do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world...
If we God tells us to stop doing something, the inference is that it is something we are doing. If we have never responded to this verse, we should consider what it might be saying to us.
Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world...
Is there a worldly pattern to which you find yourself conforming, that harms your relationship with God? Is there a worldly pattern concerning your family, work, or church life that is different than what God is calling you to? Can you assume that if it is not a Godly pattern, that it must be a worldly one?
Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world...
Tomorrow: Breaking the pattern.
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Questions:
1. What patterns do you see in your life?
2. How were they created?
3. Can you assume that if it is not a Godly pattern, that it must be a worldly one?
INTERESTING THOUGHT:
"They gave our Master a crown of thorns,
why do we hope for a crown of roses?"
why do we hope for a crown of roses?"
Martin Luther
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