.

Hey I know you!

2012-01-24T06:08:00.001-06:00

We often hear that, in heaven, we will recognize those believers we have known on earth. Well the good new is — that's true! We WILL recognize our husbands and wives, and families and friends in eternity.

In Paul's epistle to the Philippians, the apostle reveals to these dear believers, some of whom were suffering persecution, that their "citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ; who will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory (Phil 3:20-21a). Our earthly bodies will be "transformed into conformity with the body of His glory." In other words, what was true of our Lord's glorified resurrected body will be true of ours as well. We know, of course, that the disciples recognized the resurrected Christ when He appeared to them in the upper room.

Then He said to Thomas, “Reach here with your finger, and see My hands; and reach here your hand and put it into My side; and do not be unbelieving, but believing.” Thomas answered and said to Him, “My Lord and my God!” (Jn 20:27-28). There was no question whatsoever in Thomas' mind that the One standing before him was the Lord. He clearly recognized Him. In like manner, we will also be known in heaven even as we are presently known — as members of the Body of Christ.

Other passages which speak of people recognizing each other in eternity can be found in Matthew, Luke, and John:

I say to you that many will come from east and west, and recline at the table with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven (Matt 8:11).

“Now there was a rich man, and he habitually dressed in purple and fine linen, joyously living in splendor every day. And a poor man named Lazarus was laid at his gate, covered with sores, and longing to be fed with the crumbs which were falling from the rich man’s table; besides, even the dogs were coming and licking his sores. Now the poor man died and was carried away by the angels to Abraham’s bosom; and the rich man also died and was buried. In Hades he lifted up his eyes, being in torment, and saw Abraham far away and Lazarus in his bosom. And he cried out and said, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus so that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool off my tongue, for I am in agony in this flame.’ But Abraham said, ‘Child, remember that during your life you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus bad things; but now he is being comforted here, and you are in agony. And besides all this, between us and you there is a great chasm fixed, so that those who wish to come over from here to you will not be able, and that none may cross over from there to us.’ And he said, ‘Then I beg you, father, that you send him to my father’s house— for I have five brothers—in order that he may warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.’ But Abraham said, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them.’ But he said, ‘No, father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent!’ But he said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be persuaded even if someone rises from the dead.’” (Lk 16:19-31)

Martha then said to Jesus, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died. Even now I know that whatever You ask of God, God will give You.” Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” Martha said to Him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.” Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies, and everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die. Do you believe this?” (Jn 11:21-26)

Doesn't anybody care?

2012-01-22T10:14:00.001-06:00

Years ago our family had gotten together to play a game called Nerts. No one was talking, but everybody's hands were flying all over the table trying to get their cards onto the right pile before someone else beat them to it. Then, out of the quiet my mother forlornly said, "I'm stuck. Doesn't anybody care?" Well she had broken everyone's concentration. The game abruptly stopped and everybody laughed uproariously. And if I remember correctly, she had gone to win, too. (Nice ploy, Mom.) My mother has always been good at playing Nerts. (If you've never played before, it's a bit like everybody playing the game of Solitaire all at the same time.)

Whatever our mood—happy or sad—the most comforting thing is to have someone who really tries to understand and who cares. This is what Paul is talking about in Romans 12:15:

Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep.

It's a wonderful verse on Christian sympathy.

We've all been there. We feel completely down. Life just hasn't been going how we want it to go in any way whatsoever. But when a friend notices we're depressed and asks what's wrong and shows real concern, all of a sudden our load seems a little lighter. But if that friend instead comes back with that always-helpful response, "Cheer up!", it doesn't help very much at all.

Or how about when we're really excited about something—like we've just gotten a big promotion or one of our children is getting married. We're riding high and loving life. And when we spot a friend, give them the big news, and they're just as excited as we are, we feel even better yet. But if that friend says instead, "Oh, that's nice. What do you think of my new shoes?", all our excitement goes down the drain, right?

We do not comfort others by merely being up-beat, nor celebrate with someone in happy circumstances by being "a wet blanket." Sympathy is a sharing, an understanding, of another's feelings. In fact, Rom 12:15 is the outworking of what we find in I Cor 12:26 regarding the Body of Christ:

And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.

And when we go on to Rom 12:16, we see it naturally follows:

Be of the same mind toward one another...

In other words, let love and trust and sympathy and interest be mutual.

Do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others (Phil 2:4).

This is most important because we tend to be self-centered, taking little interest, if any, in the things that concern others. In one sense, it is easier to weep with those that weep than to rejoice with those that rejoice because it is natural to sympathize with pain. However, it requires much more of us to rejoice in the joy of others.

Verse 16 of Romans 12 continues on, saying:

Do not be haughty in mind, but associate with the lowly. Do not be wise in your own estimation.

"Haughty in mind" is pride and conceit. And "Do not be wise in your own estimation" is the climax to the preceding exhortations. In fact, being wise in our own estimation is one of the greatest hindrances to unity among believers.

However, even if everybody else does desert us, the Lord is always faithful. He always cares! And His comfort is always available to us through the Holy Spirit and through Scripture.

We can see from Ps 23:3a that David knew encouragement from the Lord:

He restores my soul.

And Paul certainly knew this same comfort:

And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus (Phil 4:7).

And I can tell you about this comfort and peace, too. Over the past couple of years I have struggled with family, health, and life-in-general difficulties that are common to everybody. At times I have gotten so frustrated that in desperation I have cried out, "Lord, "I'm so completely overwhelmed, I just don't know what to do or where to go from here."

It's almost as if He waits for us to come to the end of ourselves and to depend totally on Him before He makes His presence known, because it is at those times I have felt the Holy Spirit's peace within me. And it's so real that I can only describe it as a wave of comfort engulfing me. I still didn't have the answers to any of my problems, but at those moments I knew—really knew—that I wasn't facing my struggles alone. I had been restored with a peace I certainly didn't understand. Since then, some of the pieces have fallen into place, and at the same time my faith has grown stronger. In fact, these experiences have confirmed in my mind even more that His Word is true and His care, constant.

Why in the world did I think I could
Only get to know you when my life was good
When everything just falls in place
The easiest thing is to give You praise

Now it all seems upside down

‘Cause my whole world is caving in
But I feel You now more than I did then
How can I come to the end of me
And somehow still have all I need
God, I want to know You more
Maybe this is how it starts
I find You when I fall apart

Blessed are the ones who understand
We’ve got nothing to bring but empty hands
Nothing to hide and nothing to prove
Our heartbreak brings us back to You

And it all seems upside down

‘Cause my whole world is caving in
But I feel You now more than I did then
How can I come to the end of me
And somehow still have all I need
God, I want to know You more
Maybe this is how it starts
I find You when I fall apart

I don’t know how long this will last
I’m praying for the pain to pass
But maybe this is the best thing that
Has ever happened to me

My whole world is caving in
But I feel You now more than I did then
How can I come to the end of me
And somehow still have all I need
God, I want to know You more
Maybe this is how it starts
I find You when
You will find me when I fall apart

by Josh Wilson

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TKISYTwnn0A&feature=related

Interesting tidbit - 14

2012-01-18T10:40:00.007-06:00

What did Christ mean when He said, "I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel" (Matt 15:24)? How are we to reconcile John 3:16 with Matthew 15:24, that "God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life"

Some have explained this seeming contradiction by saying that the Holy Spirit led John to write John 3:16 years after Paul had said, in Romans 10:12, there is no difference between Israel and the rest of the nations concerning God’s offer of salvation: "for whoever will call upon the Name of the Lord will be saved" (Rom 10:13).

This is true, but to me the following explains it even more fully:

The OT abounds with prophecies that salvation would go to the ends of the earth through Israel. This is why our Lord confined His earthly ministry exclusively to the house of Israel. This is why Peter said to the people of Israel, "Unto you first..."

And yet it was no secret that salvation would go to all the world, but, it was to go through the covenant people. In fact, John 3:16 was spoken to "A RULER OF THE JEWS." This makes the words of our Lord doubly significant. It would not be at all amiss to paraphrase them thus: "For God so loved the world, Nicodemus — not only Israel, but the world — that He gave His only begotten Son that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life."

Even several years after the death of Christ, Peter declared that it was not lawful for the Lord’s messengers to go to Gentiles (Acts 10:28). Many have thought that the great commissions of Matthew 28:19 and 20 and Mark 16:14-16 made it lawful. But the Lord gave the apostle Peter the ‘sheet’ vision and sent him to the household of Cornelius (Acts 10:9, 18). Then by a vision He sent Paul. (Acts 22:21).

Cornelius was a Gentile different from the general run of Gentiles to whom Paul was sent. Cornelius was a devout man — he feared God, prayed always, and gave alms to God’s people (Acts 10:2, 22). Cornelius feared God and did what was right (Acts 10:35). To Cornelius, Peter preached Christ, saying, “but in every nation the man who fears Him and does what is right is welcome to Him.”

Remember this was several years after Pentecost, when Peter was instructed to preach a "whoever" message to Jews gathered at Jerusalem, and to "all who are far off" (Acts 2:39). The words "far off" are found several times in the Bible, having two meanings, "far off from God" (Eph 2:13, 17) and "far off" from Jerusalem' (Dan 9:7). Paul was sent by Christ to the Gentiles "far off from God" and "far off from Jerusalem" (Acts 22:17-21; Rom 15:16-21).

Christ was born "King of the Jews" (Matt 2:2; Jn 1:49) and He died "King of the Jews" (Lk 23:3, 38). Christ was born to deliver Israel from sin, from the law, and from Caesar (Lk 1:67-77; Gal 4:4). He was raised from the dead to be Israel’s Saviour and Prince, and to give to Israel "the sure blessings of David" (Acts 5:31; 13:34). Christ was born to take David’s throne and to reign over the house of Israel for ever (Lk 1:27-33). He was raised from the dead for the same purpose (Acts 2:27-33). He will come to earth again, for the same purpose.

Christ said, when He was Jesus of Nazareth in the land of the Jews, "it is not good to take Israel’s bread and give it to Gentiles" (Mk 7:27). He specifically instructed His messengers, "go not into the way of the Gentiles" (Matt 10:5-8).

Christ was Minister of the Jews with a "confirmation" ministry; that is, fulfilling prophecy (Matt 5:17-18; Acts 13:29; Rom 15:8). He came "only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel" (Matt 15:24).

There is no record that He pursued Gentiles. A Gentile had to become a Jew (a proselyte) in order to approach God. More than 12 years after Christ died He directed the apostle Paul to say to the Jews, "It was necessary that the word of God be spoken to you first; since you repudiate it and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, behold, we are turning to the Gentiles" (Acts 13:46). The glorious message of John 3:16 would never have reached the Gentiles if God had waited for Israel to proclaim it. As a nation they had rejected God's Son. Later the truth of Romans 11:30, Romans 11:11 and Romans 11:15 was made known; that the Gentiles obtained Divine mercy, when and because of Israel’s unbelief; when and because of Israel’s FALL; when and because Israel was cast away.

After this came the mystery of Romans 11:25, that a partial hardening has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in (the period we are living in now), during which time we "have shared in their spiritual things" (Rom 15:27). So now, though Israel, through whom the nations should have been blessed, gropes in darkness and staggers in unbelief, anybody, whether Jew or Gentile, may rejoice that "God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life!"

Then what? "Israel will be saved" (Rom 11:26-29; Jer 31:33-34; Heb 8:10, 12).

After the Church is raptured, Christ will come in the clouds and to the earth as the Son of man.

2012-01-17T08:49:00.001-06:00

"A lack of interest in the Word never made for a closer walk with God."

(CRS)

Dayna and Nate

2012-01-16T12:43:00.011-06:00

Just got this from Holly, one of my good friends from church. Listen to her daughter Dayna Anderson and her boyfriend Nate Heplar play "O Come All Ye Faithful." Beautiful! :)

http://www.box.com/s/nrizr6int7dzzlmugsc6

My daughter Bethany (L) with Dayna (R) at High School Prom

Strengthened with all power

2012-01-15T05:07:00.001-06:00

For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy; giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light (Col 1:9-12)

"Commenting on the words 'according to' (kata), Expositors says; 'The equipment with power is proportioned not simply to the recipient's need, but to the divine supply.' This being strengthened by God results in 'all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness.' 'Patience' is hypomone, 'longsuffering,' makrothumia. Trench's note on these words is valuable: 'Makrothumia will be found to express patience in respect of persons, hypomone, in respect of things. The man makrothumei, who having to do with injurious persons, does not suffer himself easily to be provoked by them, or to blaze up in anger (2 Tim 4:2). The man hupomone, who under a great siege of trials, bears up, and does not lose heart or courage (Rom 5:3; 2 Cor 1:6).' In another place, commenting on the word makrothumia, the same authority defines it as 'a long holding out of the mind before it gives room to action or passion — generally to passion. 'Forbearing one another in love' (Eph 4:2) beautifully expounds the meaning which attaches to the word. Anger usually, but not universally, is the passion thus held aloof... Still, it is not necessarily anger which is excluded or set at a distance, for when the historian of the Maccabees describes how the Romans had won the world 'by their policy and their patience,' makrothumia expresses there that Roman persistency which would never make peace under defeat.' Commenting upon hypomone, Trench says; 'It does not mark merely endurance, or even patience, but the perseverance, the brave patience with which the Christian contends against the various hindrances, persecutions, and temptations that befall him in his conflict with the inward and outward world.' In brief, makrothumia is patience exhibited under ill-treatment by person, hypomone, patience shown under trials, difficulties, hardships.

This patience and longsuffering is to be accompanied with joyfulness. Expositors says; 'It (joyfulness) forms a very necessary addition, for the peculiar danger of the exercise of those qualities is that it tends to produce a certain gloominess or sourness of disposition. The remedy is that the Christian should be so filled with joy that he is able to meet all his trials with a buoyant sense of mastery.'" (K. Wuest)

Romans 8:18

2012-01-08T12:21:00.008-06:00

I am reposting this post, which I wrote a couple of months ago, in memory of a dear friend who went home to be with our Lord early this morning. He was such a caring man and always very concerned that people hear the good news that Jesus Christ died and rose again on our behalf. We will surely miss you, Dr. Hamblin!

Have you ever felt helpless or had waves of terror completely overwhelm you? I'm not sure where these feelings come from, but I started having them about 6 or 7 years ago. For me, they're usually fleeting, here one moment, gone the next. Maybe I'm experiencing them now because I'm older and know how quickly things can change for the worst. This world is often not a kind place.

Our oldest daughter had major surgery last month. I stayed in Kansas City for a week afterwards to help her out. She's doing fine; the surgery was successful, and she is recovering nicely. But it makes me very sad that some of my friends, who have also undergone surgeries and treatments, can't say the same. This world is often not a kind place.

Recently several of my close friends have lost their jobs because of this shaky economy. They're understandably worried. Will they be able to send their children to college next year? Will they lose everything they own before they find work? I feel for them. This world is often not a kind place.

Two weeks ago my MIL celebrated her 90th birthday.  It's rather hard to believe, especially when I look at pictures of her as a child and as a young adult on our hallway wall. Our lives go by so quickly. James 4:14 says we're all just vapors that appear for a little while and then vanish away.

So little time. In the big scheme of things, my life on this earth is but a speck on the timeline of eternity.  But praise God for the glorious eternity that awaits me!  No more fears, sickness or tears. And I get to be with all my brothers and sisters in Christ, and live forever with the One who loves us so much that He died in our place.

For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us (Rom 8:18).

So little time.  Just a fleeting vapor. Here one minute, gone the next ...

Where will you spend eternity?

This is real love — not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins (1 Jn 4:10 NLT).

For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that EVERYONE who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him. There is no judgment against ANYONE who believes in him. But anyone who does not believe in him has already been judged for not believing in God’s one and only Son (Jn 3:16-18 NLT).

Hold Me

2012-01-04T11:44:00.001-06:00

(I love, I love, I love, I love the way you hold me)
I've had a long day I just wanna relax
Don't have time for my friends, no time to chit-chat
Problems at my job, wonderin' what to do
I know I should be working but I'm thinking of You and
Just when I feel this crazy world is gonna bring me down
That's when Your smile comes around
Oo, I love the way You hold me, by my side You'll always be
You take each and everyday, make it special in some way
I love the way you hold me, in Your arms I'll always be
You take each and everyday, make it special in some way
I love You more than the words in my brain can express
I can't imagine even loving You less
Lord, I love the way You hold me
Whoa whoa
Oh whoa, I love the way You hold me
Whoa whoa
Well Ya, took my day and You flipped it around
Calmed the title wave and put my feet on the ground
Forever in my heart, always on my mind
It's crazy how I think about You all of the time
And just when I think I'm bout to figure You out
You make me wanna sing and shout
Oo, I love the way You hold me, by my side You'll always be
You take each and everyday, make it special in some way
I love the way You hold me, in Your arms i'll always be
You take each and everyday, make it special in some way
I love You more than the words in my brain can express
I can't imagine even loving You less
Lord, I love the way You hold me
Whoa whoa
Oh whoa, I love the way You hold me
Whoa whoa
I'm so grateful and thankful for all You've done
Wish I could tell You in a short story or poem
But, all I have is my voice and this guitar
And You have my heart
Oo, I love the way You hold me, by my side You'll always be
You take each and everyday, make it special in some way
Oh, I love the way You hold me, in Your arms i'll always be
You take each and everyday...
Oo, I love the way You hold me, by my side You'll always be
You make each and everyday, oh so special
Oh, I love the way You hold me, in Your arms I'll always be
You take each and everyday, make it special in some way
I love You more than the words in my brain can express
I can't imagine even loving You less
Lord, I love the way You hold me
Whoa whoa
Oh whoa, I love the way You hold me
Whoa whoa
Oh, I love
(I love, I love, I love, I love the way You hold me)

by Jamie Grace (with tobyMac)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ISgr8SgCYbY

2 Corinthians 4:17-18

2012-01-02T12:35:00.013-06:00

For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.

Have you ever considered the contrasts in these two verses? For example, look at this list:

1. "Affliction" versus "Glory"
2. "Light affliction" versus "Weight of glory"
3. "Momentary" versus "Eternal"
4. "But" (merely) versus "Far beyond all comparison"
5. "The things which are seen" versus "The things which are not seen"
6. "We look not" versus "We look"

Looking at the first one — affliction versus glory — no one but our Lord fully understands verse 17 because only He left the glories of heaven to experience the rebellion of this sin-cursed world. But in the ages to come we, as redeemed sinners, will share His glory as He shared our shame. That's why Paul could say, "For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us" (Rom 8:18).

On to number 2 — lightness versus weight. In Galatians 6:2 and 5 we are instructed to "bear one another’s burdens" while we "each one will bear his own load." The two Greek words for "burden," here, are slightly different in their meanings. In verse 2 the word is baros, which means "heavy pressure," while in verse 5 the word is phortion, which means "an allotted load, whether heavy or light." That's why our Lord said: "Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and YOU WILL FIND REST FOR YOUR SOULS. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light." But 2 Corinthians 4:17 has to do with a "weight" (baros) of glory" which weighs heavily against the "light affliction" we presently bear.

Regarding the third contrast — momentariness versus eternity — a "moment" is the briefest period of time. It's not a minute, or even a second, but an instant. In the Greek, parautika is an adjective, not a noun, but the phrase, "but for a moment," expresses the sense beautifully. Our afflictions, which now seem so endless, are only momentary when compared to eternity. But where our present experience is concerned, this is also true, because God has graciously provided that our afflictions come to us only one moment at a time; one moment after another. We are not asked to bear this moment's suffering for more than this one moment. The passing of time is a wonderful provision if we look to Him moment by moment. Remember the words to that old hymn? I've always liked it.

Dying with Jesus, by death reckoned mine;
Living with Jesus, a new life divine;
Looking to Jesus till glory doth shine,
Moment by moment, O Lord, I am Thine.

Moment by moment I’m kept in His love;
Moment by moment I’ve life from above;
Looking to Jesus till glory doth shine;
Moment by moment, O Lord, I am Thine.

Never a trial that He is not there,
Never a burden that He doth not bear,
Never a sorrow that He doth not share,
Moment by moment, I’m under His care.

Never a heartache, and never a groan,
Never a teardrop and never a moan;
Never a danger but there on the throne,
Moment by moment He thinks of His own.

Never a weakness that He doth not feel,
Never a sickness that He cannot heal;
Moment by moment, in woe or in weal,
Jesus my Savior, abides with me still.

When we have attained the glory to come, we will see our former afflictions in the proper perspective — as only "for a moment," or an instant. And yet these momentary afflictions produce for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison!

Now number 4 — insignificance versus that which is far beyond all comparison. The word "but" here is not a conjunction (as in, "not this but that"). Rather it means "merely," like in, "but a child," or "but one step." By using this word, Paul presents afflictions as hardly worth considering. They are "but for a moment," or "merely momentary." Yet, in an amazing contrast he says that these afflictions, which last "but for a moment," produce for us "an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison."

This brings us to number 5 — the visible versus the invisible. It seems weird to say we are not to look at the things that are seen, but rather at the things which are not seen, doesn't it? In fact, the word "seen" indicates that we do look at them, right? What Paul is saying here is that "the things which are seen are temporal." All we see and feel and touch will eventually pass away. "But the things which are not seen are eternal!" Love, sincerity, honesty, faithfulness, are all qualities which are unseen (except indirectly) that are eternal. Long after material things have passed away, they will endure. (Evil qualities are not included in Paul's discussion.) Of course other "things" (including persons) we can't yet see are our Lord, first and foremost, but also all those who have gone before us, myriads of angels, the glories of heaven — and a thousand blessings which await us in Christ. When we are finally with Him, we will be gloriously repaid for simply having been left here on earth when our Lord, Who loved us, so wanted us to be with Him. In that day we will rejoice that we were left in this sad scene for a while to witness to others about our wonderful Savior Who loved and died for them!

Lastly number 6 — not looking versus looking. Paul does not say, "We see the things which are not seen"; he says, "We look at the things which are not seen." This is important. The Greek root skopeo means "to consider or keep in view." Paul did not fix his attention upon "the things which are seen" because he knew they would soon pass away. He "looked," rather, "at the things which are not seen," and rightly so. Concerning "the things above" Paul says in Colossians 3:1-3: "Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God."

So on what are we to "set our minds?" This is what makes all the difference in the Christian life. Occupation with "the things which are seen," with "things that are on earth," is bound to result in spiritual defeat, while occupation with "the things which are not seen," with "the things above" will result in spiritual victory.

Our light affliction, which is but for a moment (but an instant when compared with eternity!) "is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond comparison." Oh that we could see that this is what the Apostle Paul — who suffered more than any of us — teaches here, for the encouragement and joy of all of us who are suffering. In sickness or trouble, we can confidently say: "It is all a valuable investment in the glory to come!"

2012-01-01T07:31:00.000-06:00

The unknown hymn

2011-12-27T06:52:00.004-06:00

And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives (Matt 26:30).

This verse intrigues me. It's often said that "music soothes the soul," and I have certainly found this to be true in my own life. When all is chaos around me, music (and singing in particular) makes me feel much better. Somehow it makes whatever trying situation I'm dealing with seem not quite so overwhelming. Interestingly, I read not too long ago that hospitals all over the US are trying out music therapy on patients suffering from such things as brain disorders, heart problems, and cancer, and are discovering it's helping speed up recovery time.

And here in Matthew we find Jesus and His eleven apostles singing a hymn before going out to the Mount of Olive.

This is especially interesting because Matthew 26 is full of crises. The chief priests and elders are plotting to kill Jesus in the first few verses. Jesus is "anointed for burial" in verses 6-13. Judas betrays Him in verses 14-16. And Jesus foretells that His time is near in verses 17-29. It is after all this that they sing a hymn.

Sometimes I wonder what the words to that hymn might have been, but God has seen fit to keep them from us for now. Scripture has many great poetic expressions — the Song of Moses, the beautiful Magnificat, all the Psalms and many other poems. Perhaps the words were from one of these? But whatever the case, the hymn they sang that night was evidently a well-known song, one in which they could all join. I can almost imagine our Lord saying, "Before we leave, let's sing...", can't you?

One thing for sure, our Lord and His apostles did not leave the Upper Room weeping and mourning. Though His soul had been deeply troubled as He approached the dreadful hour of His suffering and death, He could say: "What shall I say, 'Father, save Me from this hour'"? But for this purpose I came to this hour (Jn 12:27). And though deeply saddened by Judas' base betrayal, His words of comfort and cheer during these last hours were crowned with the singing of a hymn — a song of praise. Amazing!

So even though the words of that hymn are yet unknown to us, the lesson of its singing should not be lost. Music, in and of itself, can lessen our anxieties. But as believers we can make even greater use of its soothing effects by choosing music that praises Him for who He is and all He's done for us, and that reminds us that our "momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison" (2 Cor 4:17).

Joy To The World!

2011-12-25T00:27:00.045-06:00

http://listeninglab.stantons.com/title/joy-to-the-world/354820/

From heaven's glory Christ came down to sinful men on earth.

We've reached another Christmas day to celebrate His birth;

Eternal God in human form, the virgin's holy Child:

The One of Whom the prophets wrote, the seed of woman undefiled.

Gabriel came to Mary’ home God’s message to proclaim,

To tell her of the Saviour’s birth; to give to her His name

“Call Him Jesus,” God’s command; on David’s throne he’ll reign;

He’ll save His people from their sin and Israel’s right regain.

In Bethlehem’s manger He came forth — Israel’s glorious King.

The shepherds kept their flock by night and heard the angels sing:

“Peace on earth! Good will to men! Christ is born today.”

The wise men came to see the King; God’s star had led the way.

And there was born the Son of God Who lived in Israel’s land,

Who came to earth to do God’s will — all that God had planned.

Christ came to set the captive free, give Satan’s slaves release,

He spake the Word of God to men, brought comfort, health and peace.

By word and work Christ proved His claim; His right to David’s throne.

But Israel said, “He shall not reign” — rejected they the Stone.

In the garden Christ was found, and by Judas there betrayed.

Before the rulers He was led, in purple robe arrayed.

Crowned with thorns they hailed Him king, in derision and disgrace;

They hated Him without a cause; they spat upon His face.

Pilate found no fault in Him, desired to set Him free:

His rulers cried, “We’ll take the blame! Nail Him to the tree.”

So the Lord of glory died; but He suffered not in vain.

Not only was His death foretold; but He must rise again.

No other way could God be just and sinful men forgive;

The penalty by Christ was paid! By faith the just shall live.

Eternal life is God’s free gift through Jesus Christ our Lord.

And when we’re saved, God gives us work with promise of reward.

And as we worship, serve and wait until we hear the call

We know our labor’s not in vain; for God remembers all.

(John O'Hair)

The Christmas pageant

2011-12-23T08:11:00.009-06:00

“…work on the 1962 pageant commenced in August of that year with the formation of a Christmas committee and the scheduling of auditions for early September. Mr. Shelton wanted to provide himself with a half dozen wise men, three or four Josephs and angels, and a couple of Virgin Marys so as to protect against any unforeseen occurrences. In the latter part of October the reverend organized a building committee which saw to the construction of the stable and baby Jesus’ manger, both of which were made from shipping crates supplied by an appliance store in a shopping center near Draper. By the middle of November Miss Fay Dull had begun rehearsing the choir, and just after Thanksgiving the ladies from the Tuesday Biblettes set in to making costumes for the wise men out of old chair covers. The reverend’s schedule provided for two practice runs in December before the actual production on the evening of Sunday the twenty-third, and when Reverend Shelton addressed his congregation on the morning of the sixteenth he told them how the Christmas pageant would be an unforgettable affair. Momma said it surely was.

The animals normally used in the pageant were kept from year to year in the basement of the fellowship hall. They were made out of painted plywood and seemed very lifelike if you didn’t look at them anywhere but head-on. But the reverend didn’t think his pageant was suited for wooden animals; he thought it called for something a little more grand and spectacular. The Reverend Shelton had actual livestock in mind, livestock which he borrowed from local farmers who agreed to keep quiet about it until after the performance. He got hold of a half-dozen piglets, a pair of goats, three or four chickens, one goose, and Mr. Jip French’s old blind pony that his boys chased around the pasture and ran into fences. But when he tried the animals out at a full-dress rehearsal the reverend discovered that he couldn’t use the pony because it was given to breaking wind, not very loudly, Momma said, but in near lethal concentrations. So the reverend tried to get another pony but couldn’t and had to settle for Mr. Earl Jemison’s steely-grey hound, Mayhew, which was probably one of the biggest dogs in the county and which the reverend decided to transform into a camel by means of a couple of pillows and a brown rug.

Mayhew did not come easy, however. Mr. Jemison accounted himself a respectable actor and he bargained relentlessly for the part of the voice of God, a part Mr. Jemison said he had always wanted to play. Mr. Shelton had saved the voice of God for himself and he gave it up to Mr. Jemison with severe misgivings since he did not think God talked at all like Mr. Jemison, whose voice Daddy said could pass for an articulate doorhinge. But the reverend had somehow convinced himself he was desperate for a camel and he wasn’t about to lose the services of Mr. Jemison’s dog.

Momma said she and Miss Mattie Gunn did not know just what to think when they entered a sanctuary entirely darkened except for three railroad lanterns hung here and there on a fairly legitimate-looking stable up by the altar. And she said neither Miss Mattie nor herself noticed that the reverend had imported actual animals until the both of them caught a whiff of the chickens at about the same time. Unfortunately Miss Mattie suffered from an allergy to feathers and her eyes immediately teared up so that she couldn’t see past the pew in front of her and Momma had to tell her just how everything looked. Momma said the reverend and his committees had created a most impressive effect with just a few oven crates, some paint, a couple of bales of hay, a handful of livestock, and the accompanying barnyard aroma. Momma said the reverend had strewn hay across the altar, set the stablefront on top of it, hung a few lanterns, tethered the goats, caught up the piglets and the chickens and the goose together in a wire corral, and left the ammonia to drift where it would. Momma said she could have been out of doors for all she knew and every now and then she wished she was.

Momma did not know exactly when Miss Pettigrew made her entry into the sanctuary since the usher seated her a full two aisles over from Momma, who could hardly make out Miss Mattie as it was. But she suspected Miss Pettigrew arrived just after the reverend had presented himself from a niche beneath the choir loft and come forward onto the altar to greet the congregation. Along about then Momma heard a distinct buzzing off to her left that carried the length of the aisle and she said it was probably the sound of people asking each other if that was indeed Miss Pettigrew or telling each other it was indeed Aunt Willa, not because they could make out her features, not even because they could tell she was colored, but because even in the lanternlight they could detect the radical limp Aunt Willa got from being dropped onto a stone hearth as a baby. And Momma said the usher and Miss Pettigrew and Aunt Willa advanced to the front pew with the noise of their passing advancing just behind them. She said anybody knew whoever was with Aunt Willa had to be Miss Pettigrew.

She said the Virgin Mary, as played by Miss Alice Covens, seemed somewhat frightened of the goats and swung excessively wide of them on her way into the stable while Joseph, as played by Mr. Jeffrey Elwood Crawford Jr., lingered outside and delivered a little speech on starlight and poverty and the kindness of men. He concluded to a very short burst of applause that lasted only as long as it took for Mrs. Crawford to get hold of her husband’s hands. Then Joseph joined the Virgin Mary in the stable and the choir took over with Miss Dull’s arrangement of “O Little Town of Bethlehem.” Mr. Jemison’s big scene followed the music and began with Reverend Shelton playing a flashlight beam onto the angel of the Lord, who was perched a little recklessly on the choir-loft banister. But nothing happened right away, and Momma said the angel clung onto the railing and waited and the congregation waited and the Reverend Shelton coughed and cleared his throat until finally the voice of God exploded out of the darkness like a train whistle and nearly scared everybody to death. Momma said Mr. Jemison told his angel where to go and what to do when he got there, and then the angel sort of saluted, she said, and threw himself off the banister, which caused the entire congregation to suck air. But he was harnessed into a system of ropes and pulleys, and after he swooped back into the railing once, he descended more or less without incident to a point just over the stable roof where he could hover and wait for the wise men.

The Reverend Shelton threw a switch that activated a bulb in a Moravian star suspended somewhere above the angel of the Lord and somewhere below the choir loft, and almost simultaneously the three kings from the orient came forward out of the narthex wearing everybody’s old upholstery and beards made from cotton swabs and crowns wrapped in aluminum foil. One of them bore frankincense and another one bore both myrrh and gold since the one who was supposed to bear the gold had his hands full with the camel, who did not seem especially interested in witnessing the birth of the Christchild but showed a preference for sniffing shoetops along the aisle. Miss Fay Dull led the choir in four verses of “We Three Kings,” which served to carry the gift-bearing wise men on up to the stable but broke off a minute or two before the one with camel had a chance to make the altar. Only the angel of the Lord seemed at all perturbed by the delay, but then he had just grown somewhat harness-weary and thrashed around in an effort to relieve himself.

The baby Jesus had gotten born in the meantime and as the wise men closed in to adore him, the camel, who was supposed to be tethered up away from the goose and the piglets and the chickens and the goats, got loose into the back of the stable and sprawled on the hay where he licked himself through the better part of Miss Dull’s solo performance of “Away in a Manger.” Then came time for reverend Shelton to read a passage from the Book of Matthew, and Momma said that’s when the trouble started. When the reverend turned on his pulpit lamp so as to see the Bible, considerable light was thrown onto the front edge of the congregation, and best as Momma could figure it the Virgin Mary, who had the Christchild in her arms and was flanked all around by Joseph and the wise men, looked up long enough to get an eyeful of a colored woman in the front pew, which would have been a rarity in any pew, and then she looked again and saw it was Aunt Willa and since she knew wherever Aunt Willa went Miss Pettigrew might be, she looked off beside Aunt Willa and found Miss Pettigrew herself, who had already become a kind of local spook.

Momma said the sight of Miss Pettigrew must have simply shocked the Virgin Mary and in her agitation she lost her grip on the baby Jesus and dropped him onto the edge of the manger, where his porcelain head got jarred loose from the rest of him and fell onto the hay next to one of the goats, and Momma said the sound of the baby Jesus’ head hitting the floor startled the one goat, who bucked into the other one who lunged the length of his tether and jolted one of the lanterns off its peg, and Momma said when it hit the floor the glass chimney broke and the hay caught fire. The wise men bolted off in one direction, Joseph cleared out in the other, and the Virgin Mary crept backwards into the stable with her hands over her mouth until she stepped on the camel’s hindquarters, which caused him to jump to his feet and start barking. By this time the angel of the Lord figured things had pretty much fallen to pieces and he set up a fuss to be hauled in right away; he said the harness was making his legs blue. But Momma said he was left to dangle over the stable while two baritones came down out of the choir loft and smothered the flames with their robes before going to the assistance of the Virgin Mary, who had momentarily lost her wits. In a matter of minutes everything was back to order except for the camel who continued to bark and make threatening noises, but he cowed immediately when the voice of God shouted down from the rafters, “Mayhew, shut up!”

Momma said some one of the ushers finally showed the great good sense to turn the sanctuary lights up and everybody along the left aisle leapt bolt upright to see if that was indeed Miss Pettigrew in the company of Aunt Willa in the front row, and when they found out that yes, it was, they told the people beside them who told the people beside them who told the people beside them and the news shot through the sanctuary like electricity. Momma said nobody seemed to care that the reverend’s Christmas pageant had nearly burned the church down or that the reverend himself had fallen into a faint behind the pulpit or that the angel of the Lord had commenced to wail and sob and say how doctors would have to cut his legs off with a handsaw if somebody didn’t draw him into the choir loft straightaway. She said all people wanted to do was look at Miss Pettigrew since they’d been without the chance to in nearly a decade and didn’t know when the opportunity might present itself again. So everybody stood up, she said, and looked. Aunt Willa helped Miss Pettigrew off the pew, and Momma said she tried to lead her on out of the sanctuary but Miss Pettigrew held up and faced the congregation, not seeming at all mysterious or tainted or stern, but just a little wilted and sheepish and fairly human.

Momma said Aunt Willa’s cheeks were all puffy and swollen and her gums obviously gave her some pain when she snatched at Miss Pettigrew’s elbow and said, “Come on h’yer,” but Miss Pettigrew just stood where she was and worked her lips as if she might say something, as if she might say hello. Momma said folks looked at each other and looked at Miss Pettigrew and looked at each other again until Miss Pettigrew finally opened her mouth and said nothing whatsoever.

Then Aunt Willa took her by the elbow. “Come on h’yer Miss Pettigrew,” she said. “Come on h’yer to home.” And Momma said this time Miss Pettigrew let Aunt Willa have her way and everybody watched them down the aisle, watched them into the narthex, watched them even after the angel of the Lord unhooked himself from the rope and fell through the stable roof."

***An excerpt from an absolutely hilarious book by: Pearson, T. R. A Short History of a Small Place. New York: Ballantine Books, a division of Random House, Inc., 1985.

Chocolate Filled Snowballs

2011-12-22T08:33:00.001-06:00

Okay, one last Christmas cookie for you to try. I got this recipe from a co-worker some 30-odd years ago. When I was growing up, mom used to make the traditional snowball cookies, which I absolutely loved. In fact, while we were visiting my grandparents one Christmas back in the 60's, I ate so many of them, I got sick. For several years afterwards, I couldn't stand to even look at them. But, that was back then and this is now — and I love them again! Anyway, these cookies are just like the cookies mom used to make, except these also have a chocolate surprise in the middle, which makes them even better yet!

1 c butter, softened
1/2 c sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2 c flour
1/2 c finely chopped pecans
1 5-oz pkg chocolate Kisses candy
powered sugar

Beat butter, sugar and vanilla until light and fluffy. Add flour and nuts. Blend well. Remove foil from Kisses. Shape dough around kisses, usually 1 tbsp dough for each. Roll to make a ball. Be sure to cover Kiss completely. Place on greased cookie sheet and bake in 375 degrees oven for 12 minutes until set — not brown! Cool slightly and remove carefully to wire racks. While still warm, sprinkle tops with powered sugar. Store in tightly covered container. Roll in sugar again before serving. Makes about 40 cookies.

Hymns versus praise songs

2011-12-21T12:14:00.000-06:00

Not long ago a farmer went to the city one weekend and attended the big city church. He came home and his wife asked him how it was. "Well," said the farmer, "It was good. They did something different, however. They sang praise choruses instead of hymns."

"Praise choruses," said his wife, "What are those?"

"Oh, they're okay. They're sort of like hymns, only different," said the farmer.

""Well, what's the difference?" asked his wife.

The farmer said, "Well it's like this - If I were to say to you:

`Martha, the cows are in the corn,' well that would be a hymn. If, on the other hand, I were to say to you:

`Martha Martha, Martha, Oh, Martha, MARTHA, MARTHA,
the cows, the big cows, the brown cows, the black cows,
the white cows, the black and white cows,
the COWS, COWS, COWS are in the corn,
are in the corn, are in the corn, are in the corn,
the CORN, CORN, CORN,'

Then, if I were to repeat the whole thing two or three times, well that would be a praise chorus."

**********************************************************************************

A young, new Christian from the big city attended the small town church one weekend. He came home and his wife asked him how it was.

"Well," said the young man, "It was good. They did something different, however. They sang hymns instead of regular songs."

"Hymns," said his wife, "What are those?"

"Oh, they're okay. They're sort of like regular songs, only different," said the young man.

"Well, what's the difference?" asked his wife.

The young man said, "Well it's like this - If I were to say to you, `Martha, the cows are in the corn,' well that would be a regular song. If, on the other hand, I were to say to you:

Oh Martha, dear Martha, hear thou my cry
Inclinest thine ear to the words of my mouth.
Turn thou thy whole wondrous ear by and by
To the righteous, inimitable, glorious truth.

For the way of the animals who can explain
There in their heads is no shadow of sense,
Hearkenest they in God's sun or his rain
Unless from the mild, tempting corn they are fenced.

Yea those cows in glad bovine, rebellious delight,
Have broke free their shackles, their warm pens eschewed.
Then goaded by minions of darkness and night
They all my mild Chilliwack sweet corn have chewed.

So look to that bright shining day by and by,
Where all foul corruptions of earth are reborn.
Where no vicious animal makes my soul cry
And I no longer see those foul cows in the corn.

Then, if I were to do only verses one, three, and four and do a key change on the last verse, well that would be a hymn."

(author unknown - from an email circulated a few years ago)

A Gaelic Blessing

2011-12-19T19:04:00.013-06:00

Deep peace of the running wave to you
Deep peace of the flowing air to you
Deep peace of the quiet earth to you
Deep peace of the shining stars to you
Deep peace of the gentle night to you
Moon and stars pour their healing light on you
Deep peace of Christ, of Christ
The light of the world to you
Deep peace of Christ to you

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nqyU7SKyklY

Christmas Cornflake Cookies

2011-12-15T05:27:00.362-06:00

I was already in the car with my coat on before I noticed anything was wrong. Preparing to back out of the garage to head off to church for our Saturday afternoon Christmas concert, I turned on the radio, adjusted the rear view mirror, and then attempted to straighten my skirt so that it wouldn't wrinkle on the way in. But I couldn't find it. I only found my slip. That's when I realized I had forgotten to put on my skirt! Good grief, I can just imagine driving to church, taking off my coat, and walking up to the choir loft before one of my friends whispered to me, "Ummm Sally, did you forget something?"

That's the sort of thing this time of year does to me. It's so hectic, I'm always positive I'll forget to do something important or royally mess something up. But so far this year I'm managing to keep it all together pretty well. There was the "skirt incident" last Saturday, of course, but that's hardly worth mentioning. Besides, all our Christmas gifts are now wrapped. I've even managed to write out some of our Christmas cards. So see? I'm keeping it together just fine. :)

Pressing on to make all the traditional Christmas cookies, here's another of our favorites. These cookies are a great addition to any platterful of sweets this time of year. Not only are they tasty (I especially like the cinnamon candy bits:), they're also festive-looking!

1/3 c butter
10 oz marshmallows (about 40 regular size)
1 tsp green food coloring
6 c cornflakes
red cinnamon candies

Melt butter in a large saucepan over low heat. Add marshmallow and stir until melted. Remove from heat and stir in food coloring. Add cornflakes, stirring until well coated. Drop 3-inch spoonfuls of mixture onto wax paper. Dot each cookie with 3 red cinnamon candies.

Interesting tidbit - 13

2011-12-14T10:20:00.003-06:00

The word "virgin" in Isaiah 7:14 is the Hebrew word "almah" meaning, "a young woman" — in other words, a "young woman" who may or may not be a virgin. Does this mean that Mary may or may not have been a virgin when she gave birth to Christ Jesus?

It's true the Hebrew word almah simply means a "damsel" or a "maiden," who may or may not be a virgin. However, almah can refer to a young woman who is a virgin, like in the case of Rebekah (Gen 24:43-45). Interestingly, the Holy Spirit does not leave the matter open for debate regarding Mary. Under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, Matthew directly quotes Isaiah and, in doing so, uses the Greek word parthenos. This term is solely used of a woman who has never known a man.

“BEHOLD, THE VIRGIN [Gr. parthenos] SHALL BE WITH CHILD AND SHALL BEAR A SON, AND THEY SHALL CALL HIS NAME IMMANUEL,” which translated means, “GOD WITH US” (Matt 1:23).

The purpose of the miraculous conception and virgin birth of Christ was to show that He was not stained with Adam's sin. As Paul says, "He knew no sin" (2 Cor 5:21). Christ was an empty vessel when it came to sin. This allowed the Father to pour our sins into His dear Son at Calvary, where He was made "sin for us." It is essentially a matter of faith! If Christ wasn't born of a virgin, then we are still in our sins. (Sadler)

Pentecostalism - part 2

2011-12-13T05:34:00.007-06:00

One of the biggest errors Pentecostals make is the way they view the Book of Acts. Traditionally, they see it as the record of the birth and growth of the Church, the body of Christ, that in it is found the doctrine and practice of the Church in its earliest and purest form, and that it is a spiritual storybook containing inspiring examples of what the Church might do if it but possessed the faith of the first century believers. For example, here's what one author says:

"The book of Acts is the story of early-day Christianity ... God has given us in the book of Acts a pattern of Christian testimony, missionary effort, world evangelism and building of Christian churches — a pattern which we would do well to follow. Certainly we can be assured of this: the closer we come to ordering all things according to this holy pattern, the greater blessing will attend our efforts."

There is a big problem with this, though. The Book of Acts presents a changing program, so how can the Church follow a pattern that keeps changing? Clearly progressive revelation must be taken into account!

Acts has appropriately been called "the book between", and regarding the structure of Scripture itself, fits perfectly between the four records of our Lord's earthly ministry and Paul's epistles. Far from being "the story of early-day Christianity," it is from beginning to end the account of the fall of the nation Israel. Acts explains, step by step, how and why the chosen nation had to be set aside and salvation sent to the Gentiles apart from them. For this reason, it is a record of successive crises: Pentecost, the stoning of Stephen, the conversion of Paul, the council at Jerusalem, etc...

I think Dean Howson explains this rather well:

"Perhaps the best way to see at a glance the value and significance of this book of the New Testament, would be to imagine the New Testament without the Acts of the Apostles. What a gulf would then be opened between the Gospels and the Epistles! ... What discrepancies, what oppositions would be found between the earlier books and the later!"

Or, to quote Sir Robert Anderson:

"Suppose again the Epistles were there, but the Acts of the Apostles left out, how startling would appear the heading 'To the Romans,' which would confront us on turning from the study of the Evangelists! How could we account for the transition involved? How could we explain the great thesis of the Epistles, that there is no difference between Jew and Gentile ...? The earlier Scriptures will be searched in vain for teaching such as this. Not the Old Testament merely but even the Gospels themselves are seemingly separated from the Epistles by a gulf. To bridge over the that gulf is the Divine purpose for which the Acts of the Apostles has been given to the Church. The earlier portion of the book is the completion of and sequel to the Gospels; its concluding narrative is introductory to the great revelation of Christianity."

The first large portion of Acts doesn't present Christianity at all. It presents Judaism. Too often it is forgotten that only Jews are dealt with in the first nine chapters of the book. The only difference between the apostles' position in the four Gospels and in early Acts was that that which was prophesied had been brought about. In fact, the kingdom which these apostles had proclaimed "at hand" during our Lord's earthly ministry, was then offered (Acts 3:19-21).

I believe Sir Robert Anderson was correct when he called the Book of Acts "a book which is primarily the record, not as commonly supposed, of the founding of the Christian Church, but of the apostasy of the favored nation" and that "the popular belief that the Jerusalem Church was Christian" is "fallacious," adding: "In fact it was thoroughly and altogether Jewish." Summing it all up, he says:

"In a word, if "To the Jew first" is characteristic of the Acts of the Apostles as a whole, "To the Jew only" is plainly stamped upon every part of these early chapters, described by theologians as the 'Hebraic section' of the book. The fact is clear as light. And if any are prepared to account for it by Jewish prejudice and ignorance, they may at once throw down this volume, for it is here assumed that the apostles of the Lord, speaking and acting in the memorable days of Pentecostal power, were Divinely guided in their work and testimony."

Therefore, if there is anything the Book of Acts makes perfectly clear, it's the fact that a big change has taken place since Pentecost. And rather than presenting a pattern for us to follow, explains why the program at that time has passed away and confirms what Paul says in his epistles — that the fulfillment of prophecy has, for the time being anyway, given way to the unfolding of the mystery of "His own purpose and grace" (Acts 28:17-31; Rom 11:1-36; 2 Tim 1:8-11).

Peanut Butter Bon Bons

2011-12-12T06:00:00.011-06:00

Now that our Christmas concerts are over, I need to catch up on my other Christmas preparations. I've bought most of my presents already (thankfully!), but I still need to wrap them. I also need to start writing out our Christmas cards ... and making our favorite Christmas cookies. At the top of our favorite's list is Raspberry Shortbread cookies. You can find that recipe here. Another is Peanut Butter Bon Bons. I've had this recipe for so long I can't quite remember where I got it. I think it may have been from a co-worker shortly after I was married.

1 1/2 c creamy peanut butter
1/2 c butter, room temperature
1 tsp vanilla
16 oz powered sugar
12 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips, melted

Mix first 4 ingredients together well. Roll into 1 inch balls and put in refrigerator for a couple of hours. Then melt chocolate chips over low heat. Using a toothpick, dip balls into melted chocolate. Place on waxpaper and refrigerate 30 minutes or until set.

Good Christians, Now Rejoice

2011-12-10T06:00:00.001-06:00

We perform this song toward the end our concerts. It's a variation of the old 14th century German melody, In Dulci Jubilo. Nobody knows who composed this melody, but we do know that the lyrics to Good Christian Men Rejoice were written by Heinrich Suso (ca. 1295-1366), and that John Mason Neale freely translated them from Latin to English in Carols for Christmastide (London, 1853). The piece we sing/play was arranged by Joseph M. Martin in 2004.

http://listeninglab.stantons.com/title/good-christians-now-rejoice/366741/

Good Christians, now rejoice
With heart and soul and voice.
Give ye heed to what we say:
Jesus Christ is born today.
Ox and ass before Him bow,
And He is in the manger now.
Christ is born today!
Christ is born today!

Good Christians, now rejoice
With heart and soul and voice.
Now we hear of endless bliss;
Jesus Christ was born for this!
He hath opened heaven's door,
And we shall live forevermore.
Christ was born for this!
Christ was born for this!

Good Christians, now rejoice
With heart and soul and voice.
Now ye need not fear the grave
For Jesus Christ was born to save!
Calls you one and calls you all
To gain His everlasting hall.
Christ was born to save!
Christ was born to save!

Christ was born to save!
Alleluia!

Outdoor illuminations

2011-12-09T05:24:00.000-06:00

Some 15 or more years ago my husband decided (for the first time ever!) to decorate the outside of our home for Christmas.....right before we hosted our Sunday School Christmas party. But that was a long time ago. He regrets it now, right Hon? What? No, not that we hosted the Christmas party, your lights display!

(Actually, everybody loved it.:)

TC

2011-12-08T06:29:00.000-06:00

“PC, or political correctness, is now being escorted by TC, or theological correctness. Just as one can be politically incorrect, so too now one can be theologically incorrect.

In evangelical Christian circles, a new form of censorship is breaking out. Now we have theological correctness. There are now certain theological subjects which we are just expected not to discuss.

Our churches are awash in theological correctness. Of course not too long ago we identified this rot by other names, such as theological liberalism or false teaching or heterodoxy or even heresy. But in today’s wishy washy theological climate, Christians can say and believe almost anything and not fear being corrected or challenged.

Thus we have best-selling authors going on about how hell is not a biblical doctrine, or how in the end everyone will be saved anyway. We have all kinds of basic biblical doctrines now openly being challenged and millions of Christians are soaking it up.

They either lack all biblical discernment, or they just no longer care about the very things the Bible says we should care about. Indeed, we are warned repeatedly in Scripture that what we believe and what we do matters a great deal. If we believe false things or do wrong things, that is a mega-no-no in the minds of the biblical writers. But we simply think it is being intolerant, unloving and narrow-minded.

The hundreds of passages which speak to the need of believing right doctrine and living holy lives seem to be completely ignored by so many believers today.” (B. Muehlenberg)

I rather agree. Certainly it can't be right to remain silent about everything except the very basics just so we can avoid offending people, can it (Heb 5:13)?

He Is Born!

2011-12-07T11:17:00.001-06:00

Here's another of our concert pieces: http://listeninglab.stantons.com/title/he-is-born/455083/

(Though most people know what bagpipes are, many probably don't know what a musette is. It's most likely one of two things; either a woodwind instrument similar to but smaller than a shawm, or a French bagpipe of the 17th and early 18th centuries.)

He is born, the divine Christ Child;
Play the musette and the bagpipe merrily!
He is born, the divine Christ Child;
Sing we all of the Savior mild.

Through long ages of the past,
Prophets long have foretold His coming;
Through long ages of the past,
Now the time has come at last!

He is born, the divine Christ Child;
Play the musette and the bagpipe merrily!
He is born, the divine Christ Child;
Sing we all of the Savior mild.

O, how lovely, O how pure
Is this perfect Child of heaven;
Oh how lovely, O how pure,
Gracious gift to humankind!

He is born, the divine Christ Child,
Play the musette and the bagpipe merrily!
He is born, the divine Christ Child;
Sing we all of the Savior mild.

Jesus, Lord of all the world,
Coming as a Child among us,
Jesus, Lord of all the world,
Grant to us Thy heav'nly peace.

He is born, He is born, sing merrily!
He is born, He is born, the Savior mild.

Sing we now, the divine Christ Child!

Et In Terra Pax (And on Earth, Peace)

2011-12-06T05:42:00.008-06:00

Last Sunday evening we had a second combined rehearsal of our church choir and orchestra; the first was only a week ago. We had been practicing separately since October, but now that our Christmas concerts are this weekend, we're putting it all together. It's a lot of fun practicing with the orchestra. For one thing, we're finally getting to hear the end product. But I also love just listening to the orchestra tuning up. The sound is so full of excitement and anticipation, don't you think?

But these concerts aren't merely performances. One of their main purposes is to present the gospel to the community. Every year our congregation is encouraged to bring their neighbors and friends because halfway through each concert our pastor presents a clear gospel message. I hope and pray that many decide to place their faith in Him this Christmas season.

Here's one of the songs we'll be singing/playing: http://listeninglab.stantons.com/title/et-in-terra-pax-and-on-earth-peace/454326/

("Et in terra pax" means "and on earth, peace." It's a quote from the Latin version of Luke 2:13-14 in which an angel announces the birth of Jesus. After he has told some shepherds of the birth of Jesus and its meaning, a multitude of angels appear praising God saying: "gloria in altissimis deo, et in terra pax." This translates to "glory among the highest things to God and on earth peace.")

Et in terra pax, and on earth, peace.
Et in terra pax, and on earth, peace.
Gloria in excelsis!
Glory to God in the highest!
Et in terra pax, and on earth, peace.

Gloria in excelsis deo!
Gloria in excelsis deo!

And suddenly with the angel there was
A multitude of the heavenly host praising God
And saying "Glory to God in the highest,
And on earth, peace."

Et in terra pax, and on earth, peace.
Et in terra pax, and on earth peace.

Peace.

For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him (John 3:17).

2011-12-05T09:22:00.000-06:00

For my daughter and her crazy cat:

...and now for your viewing pleasure...something silly but fun...

2011-12-04T14:38:00.001-06:00

http://www.tvland.com/shows/andy-griffith-show/full-episodes/christmas-story?xrs=share_copy

2011-12-03T06:54:00.000-06:00

The Christmas season is again at hand,

With thoughts of Christ in every land;

The Christmas message again we’ll hear,

The songs of Christ Who brought good cheer;

The Lord of glory, God’s gift of love,

Who left His home in heaven above.

We’ll sing and tell the Saviour’s birth,

How He dwelt with men on earth.

Redemption’s story, God’s own plan,

The Lord Himself in form of man;

Yes, lower than the angels made,

In Bethlehem’s manger Christ was laid;

The virgin’s Son, the King Divine,

In David’s house the royal line;

Conceived as was no other child;

The Seed of woman, undefiled.

God’s ancient prophets, holy men,

Foretold Christ’s work by mouth and pen.

Christ came these Scriptures to fulfill,

He came to do His Father’s will.

He left His heavenly home on high;

He came on earth to serve and die.

His mission was to seek and save:

He suffered much; Himself He gave.

On Calvary’s cross the Saviour died,

By wicked men was crucified,

But God foreknew this awful crime:

It was His own appointed time.

The death of Christ was by God’s grace

That He might save the human race;

Save lost sinners, every one

Who will believe on Christ the Son.

The God raised Him from the dead

To make His Son the living Head;

The living Christ on heaven’s throne

Is interceding for His own.

Because Christ lives and intercedes

God supplies the Christian’s needs.

Because Christ’s there within the vail,

The Christian’s anchor cannot fail.

When you know what God has done

Why do you reject His Son,

Despise His grace and spurn His love,

And miss a home in heaven above?

Believe God’s Word, accept God’s way;

‘Tis worse than folly to delay.

Christ will save you from your sin

And give you joy and peace within.

And then from condemnation free

A Merry Christmas yours will be.

When you yourself have thus been freed

You will believe man’s greatest need,

In this world so filled with strife,

Is God’s free gift-eternal life.

And all who take what God will give

Shall with Christ forever live.

(John O'Hair)

Pentecostalism

2011-11-29T06:25:00.008-06:00

Several years ago a friend of mine decided to move to Argentina. She had grown up in Mar del Plata, but she and her husband had settled in the United States.  When her husband died unexpectedly, she decided to move back home and raise her daughter there. She used to write to me quite often when she first moved back, frequently bemoaning the lack of evangelical churches.  "The only churches near me," she would say, "are Pentecostal." Things had changed quite a bit since she'd left.

Another friend of mine grew up in Russia. She and her husband, an OT professor at Moody Bible Institute, and their two children live here in the Chicagoland area. Because of her background, she has managed to pick up free-lance Russian/English translation and interpretation work to help support their family. She too laments that so many of the Russian churches and organizations she deals with are Pentecostal.

But Pentecostalism is alive and well in the States, too. Several years ago I wrote a post and quoted Harriet A. Harris in Fundamentalism and Evangelicals to point out the influence Pentecostalism is increasingly having on Evangelicalism here:

“Charismatics challenge traditional fundamentalist thinking about God’s supernatural activity. Traditionally fundamentalists confine miracles to the Bible and regard them as violent divine interventions (Barr 1984: 86). In John Wimber’s words: ‘Christians unconsciously consign the supernatural to an impenetrable upper tier (except for the resurrection, early church miracles, and transcendent moral standards), excluding God’s power from their theology and practice’ (1985: 88). However, increasingly in fundamentalist circles God is regarded as ever-present and active, providing such mundane services as finding parking spaces in the centre of town on a Saturday morning. As Nancy Ammerman (1987: 48-9) found, having spent a year studying a fundamentalist church in New England,

‘Almost anything good or bad can be explained as God’s doing. God keeps the dishes from breaking, locates things that are lost. He supplies friends and offspring. He makes sure cars get fixed at affordable prices. He arranges convenient overtime work schedules and makes hiring and firing more pleasant. He provides clothes and food when they are needed, as well as less essential items like tickets for a rodeo or a pet dog for the children.’”

I bring up these three examples to show that "the winds they are a changin." In fact, according to World Christian Encyclopedia there are now an estimated 500 million followers of Pentecostalism. As recently as 1970, Pentecostals and Charismatics represented only 6% of the world’s so-called Christian population. By 1997 the figure jumped to 27%, or 497 million people, which is more than Protestants and Anglicans combined. Because Pentecostalism has only been around since the early 1900's, this runaway growth is especially phenomenal. Some even wonder if Pentecostalism is Christianity's next reformation.

The Pentecostal movement is not simply a new denomination, though. According to Margaret M. Poloma of the department of sociology of the University of Akron, “The rise of Pentecostalism is more analogous to the rise of Protestantism in Christianity than the birth of a new denomination. It’s an example of the restructuring of Christianity.” Luis Lugo, director of the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life concurs: “Pentecostal beliefs and practices are literally reshaping the face of Christianity throughout the developing world.”

A good example of this growth is the Assemblies of God (AG), the largest Pentecostal denomination, which has 2.5 million adherents in the U.S. and 35 million worldwide. From 1987 to 1999, the number of AG churches in the United States increased about 16%; however, much of that growth came from immigrants, particularly Hispanics. Worldwide, the number of AG churches almost doubled within the same time period to more than 212,000.

Indeed, most of Pentecostalism’s growth is occurring in developing countries. One reason for this is its extensive missionary efforts. Because Pentecostals link the outpouring of gifts of the Holy Spirit to the “end times,” there is a real sense of urgency to their missionary activity. One might question why the people in these "foreign lands" are so receptive to the Pentecostal message. One reason may be that since mysticism has long been a way of life in third world countries, Pentecostalism isn't a big leap to them.  Add to this what The Pew Forum found in 2006 when they conducted a survey of Pentecostals in 10 countries in Asia, Africa and the Americas. Not only did majorities of Pentecostals in nine of the countries agree that God would grant material prosperity to all believers who have enough faith, but most Pentecostals in all 10 countries said that God would grant good health and relief from sickness to believers who have enough faith. Who wouldn't want that?

So what's the big deal?! There isn't that much difference between what the average Evangelical and Pentecostal believes, is there?

Well, yes and no.   Evangelicals believe the essential beliefs of the Christian faith. That would be things like the inerrancy and authority of the Bible, the deity and virgin birth of Jesus Christ along with His death, burial and resurrection, ascension to heaven, and His return. They believe in salvation by faith, eternal security, the resurrection of the body, and the reality of Satan, angels, heaven and hell.

What about Pentecostals, then? They believe the same things that I mentioned above, except that most Pentecostals believe in conditional security instead of eternal security. (This is huge in my book because either Christ's death and resurrection was sufficient or it wasn't!)  Pentecostals also place a large emphasis and focus on some things that most Evangelicals would either reject, or downplay. This includes speaking in tongues, seeing visions, miracle healings, prophesying, and things like this. Sometimes pentecostal refers to a specific denomination or church with the word pentecostal in the name. Other times it is an umbrella term that refers to all that hold to the distinctives I mentioned.

There is also an umbrella term called Charismatic. These people may or may not be evangelical. The term generally refers to a movement within the more mainline churches – and even the Roman Catholic Church. They emphasize the “gifts of the Spirit” that Pentecostals do, but many may or may not believe the essential beliefs of the Christian faith. The terms Pentecostal and Charismatic are often used interchangeably.

Thanksgiving Day

2011-11-27T05:19:00.002-06:00

My NHS's husband with the Emmy he earned several years ago: http://www.listingthroughlife.carpelibra.org/?p=16067

Way to go, Dave!

Paul's ministry

2011-11-25T20:50:00.005-06:00

"But I do not consider my life of any account as dear to myself, so that I may finish my course and THE MINISTRY WHICH I RECEIVED FROM THE LORD JESUS, TO TESTIFY SOLEMNLY OF THE GOSPEL OF THE GRACE OF GOD." — The Apostle Paul in Acts 20:24.

"GRACE to you, and peace" (Rom 1:7);
"being justified as a gift by His GRACE" (Rom 3:24);
"through whom we have obtained our introduction by faith into this GRACE in which we stand" (Rom 5:2);
"the GRACE of God and the gift by the GRACE of the one Man, Jesus Christ" (Rom 5:15);
"the abundance of GRACE and of the gift of righteousness" (Rom 5:17);
"where sin increased, GRACE abounded all the more...so GRACE would reign" (Rom 5:20-21);
"for you are not under law but under GRACE" (Rom 6:14);
"Shall we sin because we are not under law but under GRACE? May it never be!" (Rom.6:15);
"But if it is by GRACE, it is no longer on the basis of works, otherwise GRACE is no longer GRACE" (Rom 11:6);
"by the GRACE of God I am what I am, and His GRACE toward me did not prove vain; but I labored even more than all of them, yet not I, but the GRACE of God with me" (1 Cor 15:10);
"For all things are for your sakes, so that the GRACE which is spreading to more and more people may cause the giving of thanks to abound to the glory of God" (2 Cor 4:15);
"we also urge you not to receive the GRACE of God in vain" (2 Cor 6:1);
"For you know the GRACE of our Lord Jesus Christ" (2 Cor 8:9);
"God is able to make all GRACE abound to you, so that always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed" (2 Cor 9:8);
"the surpassing GRACE of God " (2 Cor 9:14);
"My GRACE is sufficient for you" (2 Cor 12:9);
"I do not nullify the GRACE of God, for if righteousness comes through the Law, then Christ died needlessly" (Gal 2:21);
"to the praise of the glory of His GRACE, which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved" (Eph 1:6);

"the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His GRACE" (Eph 1:7);

"the surpassing riches of His GRACE in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus" (Eph 2:7);
"For by GRACE you have been saved through faith" (Eph 2:8);
"the stewardship of God’s GRACE which was given to me for you" (Eph 3:2);
"the GRACE of our Lord was more than abundant" (1 Tim 1:14);
"who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and GRACE which was granted us in Christ Jesus from all eternity" (2 Tim 1:9);
"therefore...be strong in the GRACE that is in Christ Jesus" (2 Tim 2:1);
"GRACE be with you all" (Titus 3:15).

French Silk Pie

2011-11-22T05:32:00.008-06:00

The day after tomorrow is Thanksgiving Day. This year we will be celebrating it at the home of my niece's husband's sister (hereafter referred to as NHS). There will be 18 of us in all: my MIL, SIL, niece and her husband and 3 kids, my NHS and her husband and 3 kids, the parents of my niece's husband and NHS, and my husband, our 2 daughters and me. It may seem a little strange that we're gathering at my NHS's house. After all, Thanksgiving is when one usually gathers with one's immediate family, and we're not even technically related to my niece's husband, let alone his sister. But then I freely admit our family is a little strange. We actually celebrate many holidays with my niece's husband's family. There's an explanation for this, though. My SIL has known my niece's husband's father for years. They met when they both worked at Moody radio (WMBI) back in the 60's.

Anyway, all that to say this: One of the things I'm contributing to the Thanksgiving meal this year is a pie (well, actually pies). And since my niece's husband's favorite pie is French silk pie, I must be sure to make that kind, right?

I got this recipe from a friend from church some 20+ years ago. It produces a very rich, but oh so delicious, pie! For those who are aware of the Baker's Square chain of restaurants, this recipe duplicates their French silk pie almost to a tee.

1 cup butter
1 1/2 cup sugar
2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled
2 tsp vanilla
4 eggs
Whipped cream or Cool Whip

First make and bake your favorite pastry pie crust. If you don't currently have a favorite, here's one you can try.

Next, beat sugar and butter until sugar is not grainy. Add chocolate and vanilla. Add eggs, two at a time, beating 5 minutes after each addition. Pour into cooled pie crust. Chill 2 hours or until firm. Before serving, top with whipped cream and a little grated chocolate.

Secure in Christ

2011-11-20T16:26:00.007-06:00

If we are indeed secure in Christ, then what is 2 Cor 6:1-3 all about? "And working together with Him, we also urge you not to receive the grace of God in vain (for He says, 'at the acceptable time I listened to you, and on the day of salvation I helped you.' Behold, now is 'the acceptable time,' behold, now is 'the day of salvation') giving no cause for offense in anything, so that the ministry will not be discredited.'"

If we remove Paul’s parenthetical thought for a moment, it becomes clear that the apostle had the ministry in mind, not salvation, when he used the phrase "urge you not to receive the grace of God in vain." As representatives of Christ in His absence, the Corinthians should have been living exemplary lives. However, their conduct was far from godly, placing their ministry which they had received by the grace of God in jeopardy of being ineffectual. With the re-insertion of Paul’s parenthetical phrase, we see that he was trying to show the Corinthians the seriousness of the situation. While they were busy fighting among themselves, people were perishing.

The Old Gospel

2011-11-09T05:18:00.000-06:00

They tell us things are moving at such a rapid pace,

That the world's outgrown the Gospel of Christ's redeeming grace;

That anyone's old fashioned who believes the Bible true,

That the world has made such progress it needs a gospel new.

If we happen to be sinners, we're really not to blame,

In fact we just think we are sinning is what some people claim.

Most folks don't understand you when you say "be born again,"

For they're working for salvation, imitating Cain.

Control our lives with noble thoughts, be gentle, sweet and pure,

And because we do the best we can, God's mercy will be sure.

Speak of God's great love for us but of His wrath say naught,

Preach heaven all you care to, but hell must not be taught.

Of Jesus some speak kindly as the Man of Galilee,

But nothing of the Lamb of God, who died on Calvary's tree.

Say naught of His pierced hands and feet, naught of His wounded side,

Out of which the Father is forming the Saviour's precious bride.

And so they twist and try to change the word which Christ did say

Shall long endure the dying world and never pass away.

O, sinner, come and see thyself a lost and ruined soul,

And hear the words of Jesus Christ, "Thy faith hath made thee whole."

Away with the world's new theories and back to the blessed Book,

Let's go to the cross of Jesus and get a saving look.

And know as we see Him hanging in agony and pain,

It was for our transgressions the Son of God was slain.

We need no other gospel for none other will avail,

But against the Church of Jesus Christ, hell's gates shall not prevail.

Be safe in the Ark like Noah, and escape the judgment flood,

Anchor your faith to Jesus, get under His precious blood.

And we'll keep our gaze on heaven and watching unto prayer,

We'll wait for the Lord of glory and meet Him in the air.

And down through the endless ages when heaven and earth are new

We'll sing of the cross of Jesus and know that His words were true.

by John O'Hair

2011-11-06T05:15:00.000-06:00

"The Christian gospel is that I am so flawed that Jesus had to die for me, yet I am so loved and valued that Jesus was glad to die for me. This leads to deep humility and deep confidence at the same time. It undermines both swaggering and sniveling. I cannot feel superior to anyone, and yet I have nothing to prove to anyone. I do not think more of myself nor less of myself. Instead, I think of myself less."

Tim Keller, The Reason For God

Martian Child

2011-11-03T20:53:00.014-05:00

Tonight I watched the movie Martian Child, starring John Cusack and Bobby Coleman. It's a sweet story, without being corny, about a lonely widower and best selling Sci-Fi author, David (John Cusack), who adopts a child who lives in a world of his own. The child, Dennis (Bobby Coleman), is rather strange — he hates the sun, doesn't smile much, and has convinced himself he's from Mars. At first the writer isn't sure he's up to the task of bringing up a child with such big issues, but little by little comes to realize he's the perfect match for the boy.

One of my favorite quotes in the movie is when David says this:

"Dennis, can I just say one last thing about Mars? - which may be strange coming from a Science-Fiction writer - But right now, you and me here, put together entirely of atoms, sitting on this round rock with a core of liquid iron, held down by this force that seems to trouble you, called gravity, all the while spinning around the sun at 67,000 miles an hour and whizzing through the milkyway at 600,000 miles an hour in a universe that very well may be chasing its own tail at the speed of light; And admist all this frantic activity, fully cognisant of our own eminent demise - which is our own pretty way of saying we all know we're gonna die - We reach out to one another. Sometimes for the sake of entity, sometimes for reasons you're not old enough to understand yet, but a lot of the time we just reach out and expect nothing in return. Isn't that strange? Isn't that weird? Isn't that weird enough? What do ya need to be from Mars for?"

Rather reminds me of the old Dr. Seuss quote:

"We are all a little weird and life's a little weird, and when we find someone whose weirdness is compatible with ours, we join up with them and fall in mutual weirdness and call it love."

I found myself smiling and laughing throughout most of this movie. Certainly a must-see on the power of unconditional love.

Third generation syndrome

2011-10-31T09:09:00.002-05:00

"The "third generation syndrome" is the tendency for third generation Christians to walk away from the faith. The first generation of people saved tend to be enthusiastic and "on fire" for the things of the Lord. The children of the first generation are in church and saved but tend to be less enthusiastic for the things of the Lord. By the third generation many children are typically nominally involved in church, or not involved in the things of God at all, or in worse case scenarios, not even saved."

Is this true? And if so, why do you think it happens?

The ministry of the Spirit

2011-10-30T18:40:00.026-05:00

What if we are meant to interpret Isaiah 54:13, Jeremiah 31:31-34, Ezekiel 36:24-26 and Joel 2:28 literally? Then from looking at the contexts of these passages, it seems to me that the full accomplishment of these prophesies is still in the future — namely the millennial kingdom.

For example, look at what is specifically prophesied in these verses:

...So I have sworn that I will not be angry with you. Nor will I rebuke you...All your sons will be taught of the LORD; and the well-being of your sons will be great. In righteousness you will be established; you will be far from oppression, for you will not fear; and from terror, for it will not come near you (Is 54:9-17).

…And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules… (Ezek 36:22-38).

…And no longer shall each one teach his neighbor and each his brother, saying, 'Know the LORD,' for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, declares the LORD... (Jer 31:31-34).

…And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions… (Joel 2:18-32).

Certainly this is all more than what He's doing today. For example, look at Ezekiel 36:26-27; "cause" seems to be saying "make," doesn’t it? In fact, the Hebrew word used here is `asah (aw-saw'); it is a primitive root, meaning to create, do, or make. In English, "cause" used in this way is a transitive verb and means "to bring about or compel by authority or force." But the Holy Spirit isn’t making or compelling us by force to follow His commandments today. He convicts and we can appropriate His power by faith, but “causing to obey” is different — something more.

And in Jeremiah 31, it will no longer be necessary to teach anyone about the Lord because they will all know Him? Certainly this isn't true today either. This comes right after it says "I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts." When we put Ezekiel 36 together with Jeremiah 31, it makes sense. But again it’s different, and more.

But another question has been niggling at me for quite some time now: Did the Holy Spirit work somewhat differently when He first came than how He works in us today? Notice the immediate change that took place in the behavior of the Pentecostal believers in Acts 2-4. Not only did they prophesy and speak with tongues (Joel 2:28), but they all began living for one another. Was the Holy Spirit causing them to do this? Was He working "differently" and "more" at that time? I rather think He was. If He wasn't, then the Pentecostals are right in trying to model the Church today after Acts 2, are they not?

Stam suggests that the Holy Spirit could not have been working the same then as now and for these reasons: At Pentecost the Lord Jesus was the Baptizer, baptizing His people with, or in, the Holy Spirit (Mk 1:7-8), but today the Holy Spirit is the Baptizer, baptizing believers into Christ and His Body (Gal 3:27-28; 1 Cor 12:13). He also makes the point that only Jews were baptized with, or in, the Spirit at Pentecost, so how could this have been the baptism by which "one Spirit" baptizes believers "into one body, whether they be Jews or Gentiles"?

The reason the Holy Spirit worked the way He did at that time is pretty easy to answer — it was prophesied — but why and when it changed to how He works today, not so much. So when did the change take place? Perhaps it began right after the stoning of Stephen.

Before Stephen was stoned, Scripture tells us that "all who believed were together and had all things in common and they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need (Acts 2:44)" and "there was not a needy person among them" (Acts 4:34). Looking back in the gospels we see that Jesus had commanded, in connection with the kingdom, to “sell all that you have and give to the poor" (Matt 19:21; Mk 10:21; Lk 12:33). And in Acts 2 — when the Holy Spirit came — we see that they all did exactly that. There was also the case of Ananias and Sapphira sinning against the Holy Spirit and being put to death for it (Acts 5). Going against the Holy Spirit would certainly be a very deliberate deliberate and more serious offense if He were compelling obedience at that time. Is this how it will be when He comes "to rule with a rod of iron"? (Rev 2:27; 12:5; 19:15).

But shortly after Stephen's stoning “there arose on that day a great persecution against the church in Jerusalem, and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria" (Acts 8:1), and later we see Paul bringing relief to them in Rom 15:25-26. Were they no longer selling all they had and sharing among themselves? There were certainly needy people among them by that time. It seems the stoning of Stephen was the last straw, so to speak, for Jews in Jerusalem, the seat of Israel’s government, to accept Jesus Christ as their Messiah. Perhaps this is the reason why it changed. It was also not long after that that the Spirit came upon the Gentiles, apart from the Jews and water baptism (Acts 10).

Looking at it from a little different perspective, in Acts 2:4 we are told that the believers at Pentecost "were all filled with the Holy Spirit," but the Apostle Paul never says anywhere that all the members of the Body of Christ are filled with the Holy Spirit. Clearly the Corinthians and the Galatians were not filled with the Spirit because Paul's letters to these churches contain a lot of rebuke and correction. It's also evident that believers today are not — even the best of us — wholly filled with the Spirit. The filling with the Spirit is now a goal that is set before us. We are not all filled with the Spirit as a matter of fact, as were the Pentecostal believers. While the Spirit does indeed dwell within us by God's grace, we must daily appropriate His help by faith. This is why Paul told believers to "be filled with the Spirit" (Eph 5:18) just as he prayed for them, that they may be "filled with the fruit of righteousness" (Phil 1:11); "filled with the knowledge of His will" (Col 1:9); "filled up to all the fullness of God" (Eph 3:19).

So why does all this matter? Well if true, it certainly removes every underpinning upon which the Pentecostal movement rests. We should not be trying to model the Church today after the Acts 2 church. With Israel's full rejection of Messiah (Acts 13:46; 14:27; Rom 11:25-31), that time has come and gone, though it will come again after the rapture of the Church.

It also gives further evidence that salvation is now by faith alone rather than faith plus works; the time for that has also come and gone, to be reinstated after the rapture of the Church — when He will rule with a rod of iron. If Ezekiel 36:27 is being fulfilled today, then belief and works would have to go hand in hand; there couldn't be one without the other. But, if we aren’t being compelled to obey His commandments today and instead must appropriate His power by faith to resist temptation and sin (put off the old man, put on the new), then we need not, and should not, be continually looking to our works for assurance of salvation. (How many works does it take to be absolutely sure we’re saved anyway? After all unbelievers do good works, too.) Rather, we should be resting in Him and His promises (Rom 3:21-22; 4:5, 23-25; 10:4).

With a conclusion like this, I always assume people will think I'm advocating license; that it doesn't really matter how we live. I'm not! As I've said in an earlier post, "Don't grieve the very Spirit who in love and mercy has sealed you forever as His own. Don't repay such love with such ingratitude."

So what do you think? Did the Holy Spirit work somewhat differently when He first came than He does today? These are my current thoughts on the matter, but I have to confess I'm still struggling with it all.

2011-10-27T05:53:00.001-05:00

Feelings come and feelings go

and feelings are deceiving.

I’ll rest upon the Word of God,

none else is worth believing.

Martin Luther

Interesting tidbit - 12

2011-10-25T08:18:00.009-05:00

What is progressive revelation? And should we go according to when the books were actually written? For example, in the New Testament 1-2 Peter, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and Acts were all written after the Pauline writings except for the Pastoral Epistles and Hebrews. John's gospel and epistles as well as the book of Revelation were written after all of these. If we were to credit someone with giving us the final Revelation, it would have to be John, right?

The term “progressive revelation” refers to the idea and teaching that God revealed various aspects of His will and overall plan for humanity over different periods of time. Most Christians recognize this. In fact, anyone today who doesn't bring an animal sacrifice with them when they wish to approach God or make a parapet around the roof of their new house or put tassels on the four corners of their cloak (Deut 22) understands that distinctions in practice and knowledge have been progressively revealed and applied throughout history.

So how are we to discern how revelation progressed so that we know how to live today? Do we go by when the books of the Bible were actually written? Well we can't go entirely by that. Some books are history books and, even if written later, may cover an earlier period, while other books speak of prophesy, things that are yet to come. But clearly Christ chose Paul to bring the Word of God to completion with the revelation of the mystery, which is for us today (Rom 16:25-26; Col 1:24-27).

Unfortunately, many people today fail to observe progressive revelation. It just isn't taught. Consequently, the fact that people were still under the Law when Christ lived on the earth is often overlooked. I think this author makes this point rather well:

"In your Bible, after the book of Malchai and before the book of Matthew, no doubt there is a title page, declaring in bold print: "New Testament." And were you asked to turn to the first page of the New Testament, most likely you would turn to Matthew's first chapter. These verses [9:15-16] in Hebrews declare that the book of Matthew has no part in Israel's New Testament prior to chapter 27:50. In Mark the Old Testament runs through chapter 15:41, in Luke it is chapter 23:49 and finally, in John, Old Testament doctrine operates through 19:37. It is at those verse locations where we find the death of the testator, the Lord Jesus Christ; and these verses in Hebrews teach that the New Testament cannot exist before those points. While it would be wrong to disregard the gospels, it is equally wrong to attempt to live according to Israel's Old Testament doctrine. What [isn't being] taught is that every verse in our Bible operates on three levels in that every verse contains historical information, spiritual information and doctrinal information. Anyone at any time may profit from the historical or the spiritual information; but to apply doctrinal information one must be operating within the economy to which the doctrine applies."

Revelation continued to progress even after the death and resurrection of Christ. I recently blogged about this here when I compared "selling everything" with "providing for one's family."

All Scripture was given on the installment plan. There is progressive revelation from Genesis 1 to Revelation 22. But then and there it ceased.

Fall Hymn Sing cont

2011-10-24T11:34:00.008-05:00

The Hymn Sing was two hours long so we sang many other songs. But I'll share just one more with you — the song with which we (now apparently referred to as "the Sunday night singers":) and the instruments closed the evening. My former voice teacher sang the solo last night, and I think he did a better job of it than the soloist in this rendition does:

http://listeninglab.stantons.com/title/we-shall-behold-him/424120/

The sky shall unfold
Preparing His entrance
The stars shall applaud Him
With thunders of praise
The sweet light in His eyes, shall enhance those awaiting
And we shall behold Him, then face to face

O we shall behold Him, we shall behold Him
Face to face in all of His glory
O we shall behold Him, yes we shall behold Him
Face to face, our Savior and Lord

The angel will sound, the shout of His coming
And the sleeping shall rise, from there slumbering place
And those remaining, shall be changed in a moment
And we shall behold him, then face to face

We shall behold Him, O yes we shall behold Him
Face to face in all of His glory
We shall behold Him, face to face
Our Savior and Lord
We shall behold Him, our Savior and Lord
Savior and Lord!

Fall Hymn Sing cont

2011-10-24T11:00:00.004-05:00

Of course we had to include several songs by Stuart Townend in our Hymn Sing. His songs are becoming as beloved as George Beverly Shea's. Such beautiful music and his lyrics are unrivalled!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P22lpnmgJbs

Oh, to see the dawn
Of the darkest day:
Christ on the road to Calvary.
Tried by sinful men,
Torn and beaten, then
Nailed to a cross of wood.

This, the pow'r of the cross:
Christ became sin for us;
Took the blame, bore the wrath—
We stand forgiven at the cross.

Oh, to see the pain
Written on Your face,
Bearing the awesome weight of sin.
Ev'ry bitter thought,
Ev'ry evil deed
Crowning Your bloodstained brow.

Now the daylight flees;
Now the ground beneath
Quakes as its Maker bows His head.
Curtain torn in two,
Dead are raised to life;
"Finished!" the vict'ry cry.

Oh, to see my name
Written in the wounds,
For through Your suffering I am free.
Death is crushed to death;
Life is mine to live,
Won through Your selfless love.

This, the pow'r of the cross:
Son of God—slain for us.
What a love! What a cost!
We stand forgiven at the cross.

Fall Hymn Sing cont

2011-10-24T10:28:00.002-05:00

Another song we sang last night. Wonderful words!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=35FILs1qiVA

O Lord my God! When I in awesome wonder
Consider all the worlds Thy hands have made.
I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder,
Thy power throughout the universe displayed.

Then sings my soul, my Saviour God, to Thee;
How great Thou art, how great Thou art!
Then sings my soul, my Saviour God, to Thee:
How great Thou art, how great Thou art!

When through the woods and forest glades I wander
And hear the birds sing sweetly in the trees;
When I look down from lofty mountain grandeur
And hear the brook and feel the gentle breeze:

And when I think that God, His Son not sparing,
Sent Him to die, I scarce can take it in;
That on the cross, my burden gladly bearing,
He bled and died to take away my sin.

When Christ shall come with shouts of acclamation
And take me home, what joy shall fill my heart!
Then I shall bow in humble adoration,
And there proclaim, my God, how great Thou art!

Fall Hymn Sing

2011-10-24T10:03:00.012-05:00

I haven't been blogging much lately because I've been attending a lot of rehearsals preparing for last night's fall Hymn Sing. Everything went very well. In fact, I think last night's Hymn Sing was the best one yet! People came from all over again, both young and old alike, and consequently the sanctuary was packed. It was a great night of singing praises to our Lord, with 800+ voices nearly lifting the roof off!

We did one thing a little differently this time — we paid tribute to George Beverly Shea. He turned 102 this year and was presented the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award this past February. I'm sure many of you know that he was the soloist for the Billy Graham crusade ministry for many, many years. According to Guinness World Records, Shea has sung before more people than anyone else — an estimated combined live audience of 220 million people. But not only did he sing during his 80 year career, he also recorded more than 70 albums and wrote several popular worship songs. Someone once asked Shea, "Why have you been doing this all these years?" He put his thumb up to the air toward heaven, and I answer, "I've been doing it for him."

Here's a song George Beverly Shea wrote that we sang last night. It's one of my favorites!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xk9f8zhTwIg&feature=related

I'd rather have Jesus than silver or gold
I'd rather be His than have riches untold
I'd rather have Jesus than houses or lands
I'd rather be led by His nail-pierced hand.

I'd rather have Jesus than worldly applause
I'd rather be faithful to His dear cause
I'd rather have Jesus than worldwide fame
I'd rather be true to His holy name.

Than to be the king of a vast domain
And be held in sin's dread sway
I'd rather have Jesus than anything
This world affords today.

Show and tell

2011-10-12T08:27:00.001-05:00

A kindergarten teacher gave her class a "show and tell" assignment of bringing something to represent their religion.

The first child got in front of the class and said, "My name is Benjamin. I'm Jewish and this is the Star of David."

The second child got in front of the class and said, "My name is Mary. I'm Catholic and this is the Crucifix."

The third child got in front of the class and said, " My name is Tommy. I'm Evangelical and this is a casserole."

Just wondering ...

2011-10-11T22:45:00.008-05:00

Why is it called lipstick if you can still move your lips?

How do you get off a nonstop flight?

If you're not supposed to drink and drive, why do bars have parking lots?

Why is it that night falls but day breaks?

When sign makers go on strike, is anything written on their picket signs?

How do you write zero in Roman numerals?

Why doesn't glue stick to the inside of the bottle?

If all those psychics know the winning lottery numbers, why are they all still working?

Why do they report power outages on TV?

Whose cruel idea was it for the word "lisp" to have an "s" in it?

Is there another word for synonym?

Why do ballet dancers always dance on their toes? Wouldn't it be easier to just hire taller dancers?

2011-10-09T13:51:00.006-05:00

It is not death to die

To leave this weary road,

And join the saints who dwell on high

Who've found their home with God.

It is not death to close

The eyes long dimmed by tears,

And wake in joy before Your throne,

Delivered from our fears.

Oh Jesus, conquering the grave;

Your precious blood

has pow'r to save;

Those who trust in You

Will in your mercy find

That it is not death to die.

It is not death to fling

Aside this earthly dust,

And rise with strong and noble wing,

To live among the just;

It is not death to hear

The key unlock the door

That sets us free from mortal years

To praise You evermore.

Oh Jesus, conquering the grave;

Your precious blood

has pow'r to save;

Those who trust in You

Will in your mercy find

That it is not death to die.

Oh Jesus, conquering the grave;

Your precious blood

has pow'r to save;

Those who trust in You

Will in your mercy find

That it is not death to die.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lsUyqXT2u8w

by Henri Abraham Cesar Malan, George Washington Bethune, and Bob Kauflin

For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain (Phil 1:21).

The good news

2011-10-07T11:34:00.073-05:00

There is only one gospel today. It was given under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit through the Apostle Paul (Rom 2:16; 16:25; 2 Tim 2:8), namely that salvation is by faith alone in the finished work of Jesus Christ on our behalf. This good news is clearly laid out for us in 1 Corinthians 15:3-4, and it includes the death, burial, and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ.

It's important to note that Peter didn't preach the same thing as Paul. It’s true that he also preached about the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ, but he preached about it in regards to Israel's earthly kingdom program. When we look at Acts 2:22-36 and 3:13-15, we see that Peter preached about the crucifixion of Christ as the cause of judgment upon the Jews. We don't find him preaching faith alone at Pentecost.

In fact, Peter told the Jews to repent of killing Jesus Christ. If they (as a nation) would repent, then the times of refreshing from God would come upon the nation Israel. While it’s true that Jesus Christ is the source of the good news for both the Jews and Gentiles under the earthly kingdom program and us today, we certainly can’t say that Peter understood the gospel of "the word of the cross" (1 Cor 1:18) at Pentecost. After all, it wasn't revealed until the Apostle Paul.

Does any of this really make a difference? Well yes, it makes a big difference. If we fail to observe progressive revelation, we may wrongly try to evangelize by preaching the gospel (the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ) according to Israel's earthly kingdom and not according to what was later revealed to us through Paul. The New Testament clearly teaches both. For example, Ephesians 2:8-9 flatly contradicts the message of faith plus works as the expression of their faith that we find in the gospel accounts (Matt 5:19-20; 12:50; 23:2-3; Mk 11:26; Lk 3:10,12,14; 6:46; 8:21; 10:25-28; 17:10; 18:18-20). If we try to combine the two, we will have a contradictory gospel. So in an attempt to harmonize the Scriptures, most theologians do one of three things:

•Read the kingdom gospel into Paul's gospel
•Read Paul's gospel back into the kingdom gospel
•Observe the progression of Scripture

The first choice is what some Bible teachers have done in an attempt to make sense of the good news of the earthly kingdom and the good news later revealed to us. An example of this is the teaching of Lordship Salvation.

The second choice is what most fundamentalists do. They understand the gospel of salvation as revealed in Paul's epistles. They teach that salvation today is apart from works and totally by faith alone in the finished work of Christ, but then explain away, rationalize, or spiritualize the teachings of the gospels that clearly teach faith plus works.

The third choice is the only choice that allows God's Word to say what it means and mean what it says. Understanding Paul's unique apostleship and message allows the Bible to teach what the literal sense of the words clearly indicate — a message of faith plus works to the Jews in keeping with their earthly prophetic program under the law, and a message of faith alone to everyone today in keeping with the heavenly program revealed to us through Paul.

2011-10-06T06:05:00.005-05:00

When the Israelite who hears that Christ's sacrifice has taken away his sin continues to go on the Day of Atonement to offer animal sacrifices, what is he saying about the blood of Christ? When the Catholic continues to rely on his priest for forgiveness, what is he saying about the Spirit of grace? When the Protestant continues to send up prayers of confession to bring about forgiveness, what is he saying about the blood of the covenant? The Christian world tells the Israelites, "You no longer have to offer animal sacrifices." The Protestants are saying to the Catholics, "You don't have to confess to a priest, you can go directly to God." And God in heaven is saying to all of us, "IT IS FINISHED."
(Bob George)

For since the law has but a shadow of the good things to come instead of the true form of these realities, it can never, by the same sacrifices that are continually offered every year, make perfect those who draw near. Otherwise, would they not have ceased to be offered, since the worshipers, having once been cleansed, would no longer have any consciousness of sins? But in these sacrifices there is a reminder of sins every year. For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. Consequently, when Christ came into the world, he said, "Sacrifices and offerings you have not desired, but a body have you prepared for me; in burnt offerings and sin offerings you have taken no pleasure. Then I said, 'Behold, I have come to do your will, O God, as it is written of me in the scroll of the book.'" When he said above, "You have neither desired nor taken pleasure in sacrifices and offerings and burnt offerings and sin offerings" (these are offered according to the law), then he added, "Behold, I have come to do your will." He does away with the first in order to establish the second. And by that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. And every priest stands daily at his service, offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God, waiting from that time until his enemies should be made a footstool for his feet. For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified (Heb 10:1-14).

For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life (Jn 3:16).

Pithy sayings - 5

2011-10-04T09:26:00.002-05:00

And now here is my secret, a very simple secret; it is only with the heart that one sees rightly, what is essential is invisible to the eye.

I am always doing that which I cannot do, in order that I may learn how to do it.

Life has taught us that love does not consist in gazing at each other but in looking outward together in the same direction.

By three methods we may learn wisdom. First, by reflection, which is noblest; second, by imitation, which is easiest; and third, by experience, which is the bitterest.

Forgiveness is not an emotion, it's a decision.

Your mind can only hold one thought at a time. Make it a positive and constructive one.

I want to know the thoughts of God. Everything else is just details.

An expert is someone who knows some of the worst mistakes that can be made in his subject and who manages to avoid them.

One makes mistakes; that is life. But it is never a mistake to love.

Give love and unconditional acceptance to those you encounter, and notice what happens.

We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars.

2011-09-29T16:36:00.001-05:00

I have seen the many faces,
Of fear in the pain.
I have watched the tears fall plenty,
From heartache and strength.
So if life's journey,
Has you weary and afraid.
There's rest in the shadow of his wings.

I have walked through the valleys,
The mountains and plains.
I have held the hand of freedom,
It washes all my stains.
If you feel the weight of many trials,
And burdens from this world.
There's freedom in the shelter of the Lord.

I have seen,
The healing hand of God,
Reaching out and mending broken hearts.

Taste and see the fullness of His peace,

And hold on to what's being held out.
The healing hand of God.

I have touched the scars upon His hands,
To see if they were real.
He has walked the road before me,
He knows just how I feel.
When you feel there is not anyone,
Who understands your pain,
Just remember all of Jesus' suffering.

Cast all your cares on Him,
For He cares for you.
He's near to the broken and confused.
By His stripes,
Our spirit is renewed.
So enter in the joy prepared for you.

The healing hand of God.
And hold on to what's being held out,
The healing hand of God.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xB1i3p-6s7U&noredirect=1

by Jeremy Camp

Casting all you anxiety on Him, because He cares for you (1 Pet 5:7).

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things (Phil 4:6-8).

Sell everything!

2011-09-25T21:50:00.023-05:00

“Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has chosen gladly to give you the kingdom. Sell your possessions and give to charity; make yourselves money belts which do not wear out, an unfailing treasure in heaven, where no thief comes near nor moth destroys" (Lk 12:32-33).

"So then, none of you can be My disciple who does not give up all his own possessions" (Lk 14:33).

What are we to make of these verses? Should we interpret them literally? I think we should, keeping in mind that although all Scripture is for us, not all is written directly to us or is directly about us.

To me, it seems clear from the context of these verses that Christ's teaching about "discipleship" in general and about "selling your possessions" in particular all have to do with "the kingdom of God". Many times the prophets of the Old Testament told of a future day when a descendant of David would set up a great kingdom of righteousness and peace on earth in which God's chosen people, Israel, would be specially blessed in their land and be a channel of blessing to all other nations (Isa 11:1-10; Jer 23:1-6; Ezek 37:1-28; Joel 2:12-27; Micah 4:1-8; Zech 8:1-23).* Centuries later John the Baptist, Christ, and the twelve apostles in their respective ministries to the Jews, all proclaimed the good news that this kingdom promised by the prophets was finally "at hand" or very close to being established (Matt 3:2; 4:17; 10:7) because Jesus, the promised King, was present on the earth to get everything prepared for it. (In fact, this is the answer to a previous post I wrote here.) Even after His resurrection Christ taught the apostles for 40 days about this kingdom, and the apostles were eagerly anticipating its "restoration" (Acts 1:1-8).

In order to be one of Christ's disciples and enter the kingdom, the Jews at that time had to turn back to God in repentance (Matt 3:2; 4:17; Mk 6:7-12) and make some challenging commitments. Jesus Christ called on them to obey the Mosaic Law, even "the least" of the commandments, so that their righteousness would "exceed" that of the hypocritical scribes and Pharisees (Matt 5:17-20; 19:16-19; Mk 12:28-34; Lk 10:25-28; 18:18-22). See especially Matthew 23:2-3 and 23-27:

"The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses’ seat, so practice and observe whatever they tell you— but not what they do. For they preach, but do not practice" ... "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cumin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness. These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others."

They were also to give up all their possessions (Lk 12:32-33; 14:33; also Matt 19:21; Lk 18:22) .

But isn't all this faith plus works? Well yes. And most Christians would probably agree that these teachings of Christ apply to us today and need to be obeyed. Yet they also see the obvious difficulty of obeying them literally. So they say that Jesus must have meant that we need to be only willing to sell our possessions and, especially, to not value them more than Him. The only problem is that this is not what Jesus said. There is no hint in these verses that mere willingness was all that was necessary.

Some find it easier to avoid and skip over such difficult words (passages, books...) altogether. I remember listening to a sermon from Acts 2 several years ago — the whole chapter, save the last few verses, that is. The preacher was stirring us up, telling us we needed to return to these early days of the church in order to bring about a revival. I thought it rather odd that he stopped short of the end of the chapter, until I read what he left out:

And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. And all who believed were together and had all things in common. And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved (Acts 2:43-47).

Either way, it seems clear to me that Christ expected His listeners to do exactly what He said. This is why the first disciples in Jerusalem really did leave everything to follow Christ (Matt 6:31-33;19:27-29; Lk 12:29-31; 19:1-10). They couldn't let anything hinder them from entering the kingdom, which, at that time, was so near. We see this in the gospels, but even more so when the Holy Spirit is given after Christ's death and resurrection:

And all those who had believed were together and had all things in common; and they began selling their property and possessions and were sharing them with all, as anyone might have need (Acts 2:44-45).

And the congregation of those who believed were of one heart and soul; and not one of them claimed that anything belonging to him was his own, but all things were common property to them. And with great power the apostles were giving testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and abundant grace was upon them all. For there was not a needy person among them, for all who were owners of land or houses would sell them and bring the proceeds of the sales and lay them at the apostles’ feet, and they would be distributed to each as any had need. Now Joseph, a Levite of Cyprian birth, who was also called Barnabas by the apostles (which translated means Son of Encouragement), and who owned a tract of land, sold it and brought the money and laid it at the apostles’ feet (Acts 4:32-37).

Jesus' death and resurrection had to take place before the kingdom could come (Lk 24:25-26; 1 Pet 1:11). It was after this that the twelve apostles were given the authority to offer the kingdom to Israel. They promised that, if the Jews would repent, Jesus would return to earth from heaven and bring in "the times of refreshing" and the "period of restoration of all things about which God spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets from ancient time" (Acts 3:17-21). In other words, if Israel as a nation would turn back to God and choose to follow their resurrected Messiah and King, they would finally receive their promised kingdom with its glorious blessings.

We know from the Book of Acts that the Jews as a whole continually rejected this message. Consequently, Christ did not return to earth, and the promised kingdom did not come. Instead of blessing His chosen nation, God chose to once again turn away from them in judgment and sent the apostle Paul to inform them that He was "turning to the Gentiles" (Acts 13:44-49; 18:5-6; 28:23-28).**

Now God is doing a new work with a new group of people—the Church, the body of Christ — in which "there is neither Jew nor Greek" (Gal 3:28). Because of this change from Israel to the "Church which is His body", some of the things Christ taught while He was on earth do not directly apply to us today. One of these has to do with the Mosaic Law. Though faith demonstrated by works used to be necessary for salvation (it was meant to show man that it is impossible to earn salvation), Paul explains that God is now offering salvation "apart from the Law" (Rom 3:19-4:5; Gal 2:21; Eph 2:8-9; Titus 3:3-7). On the basis of Christ's death for our sins and resurrection alone (Gal 3:1-3), God is now willing to accept as righteous all those who do nothing more than believe in Jesus Christ.

God's instructions regarding our possessions have also changed. Far from telling us to "sell our [your] possessions and give to charity," He exhorts us to provide for our families and widowed parents and grandparents so that the church is not "burdened" (1Tim 3:4-5; 5:3-4, 8,16). This clearly requires us not give all we have to charity.

Does this mean that today we have it easy compared to the faithful Jewish disciples in the first century? Are we now free to live however we please? No way! Of course God wants us to be wholly devoted to Him just as He wanted the Jews 2000 years ago to be wholly devoted to Him (Phil 3:17-21; 4:10-13; Col 3:1-4; 1 Tim 6:6-10). But our situation is entirely different now. God is not working to fulfill His promises regarding the earthly kingdom like He was then. It is not surprising, therefore, that God wants us to show our devotion to Him in a different way.

So I was just kidding with the title of this post. Don't really sell everything. Instead, provide for your family. For not doing so would be to "deny the faith" and be "worse than an unbeliever" (1 Tim 5:8).

*Some say that this is only what the disciples thought would happen, that these prophesies were actually fulfilled symbolically, not literally. But what does one do with the fact that every prophesy in the OT regarding Christ's first coming was fulfilled literally? I think Sir Robert Anderson said it well: "There is not a single prophecy, of which the fulfillment is recorded in Scripture, that was not realized with absolute accuracy, and in every detail; and it is wholly unjustifiable to assume that a new system of fulfilment was inaugurated after the sacred canon closed. . . . Literalness of fulfilment may therefore be accepted as an axiom to guide us in the study of prophecy."

**It is interesting to note that after the stoning of Stephen "a great persecution began against the church in Jerusalem, and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria" (Acts 8:1-3; 11:19). Later we see Paul bringing relief to this church (Rom 15:25-26). No longer could it be said that "there was not a needy person among them" (Acts 4:34). It seems the stoning of Stephen was the last straw, so to speak, for Jews in Jerusalem, the seat of Israel’s government, to accept Jesus Christ as their Messiah. It was not long after that that the Spirit came upon the Gentiles (Acts 10).

Apple Cake

2011-09-19T18:23:00.008-05:00

We went camping with 10 friends from work this weekend. You never would have heard me say that several years ago. Camping was not our thing. To us, roughing it was staying in a hotel without a pool. But between friends at work and my brother and his family, we've come over to the dark side.

My very kind brother broke us in gently by providing us with heated and air-conditioned RV's, complete with stoves, refrigerators, and microwave ovens. Not so with the people from work. They really rough it — only tent camping for them! So now we're campers, of a sort, and owners of our very own tent. Who would've ever thought?!

One thing we always do on these trips is split up the meal preparation duties. So we signed up to make dinner for everybody the first evening. We brought brats that I precooked in apple cider, and everyone roasted them on skewers over the campfire that evening. Italian potato salad, cucumber and tomato salad, chips, and apple cake completed the meal.

Here is the recipe to the apple cake I brought. It creates a dense and moist cake that is really quite wonderful. My friend Holly, who makes it every fall for our small group Bible study, gave it to me — twice. I lost the first copy. Thanks for being so patient with me, Holly. :)

4 c peeled and finely diced apples
2 c sugar
3 c flour
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1 1/4 c vegetable oil or melted butter (I use butter.)
1 c chopped walnuts, toasted (optional )

Combine apples, sugar, flour and cinnamon; toss to mix well. Add soda and salt. Beat eggs and add with vanilla extract and vegetable oil (or melted butter). Mix well. Grease a 9 x 13 pan and pour in batter. Flatten down with a spatula. Bake in 350 degree oven for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool completely. Spread with cream cheese frosting and sprinkle with walnuts, if desired. Store in refrigerator.

Frosting:

8 oz cream cheese, softened
1/2 c butter, softened
2 tsp vanilla extract
3 3/4 to 4 c powdered sugar

With a mixer, beat together the cream cheese and butter. Add the other ingredients and blend well.

Clear skies

2011-09-11T05:27:00.010-05:00

The weather forecasters kept telling us to expect rain all day yesterday, yet we didn't get a drop. Instead, the sky was partly cloudy, while a gentle, fall-like breeze cooled the air and kept the bugs at bay. Venturing out first thing in the morning to tackle some chores, we thought it wouldn't be for long before the predicted rain chased us indoors. We ended up working outside for hours. Old wood was burned, the gardens weeded, bushes trimmed, and the porch and walks were swept. It looks rather nice out there at the moment.

While resting in a chair by an upstairs window shortly after we came in, I glanced outside and spotted two White-tailed deer just beyond our back fence. They were both full-grown bucks with quite a few antler points. It was rather exciting to see them, because although our property backs up on a forest preserve, we rarely see deer there.

Watching them amble by our property reminded me of a story I heard earlier this week. Apparently some guy in Sweden came home from work on Tuesday and found a drunken elk (looks more like a moose to me) stuck in his next door neighbor's apple tree. He said it looked like the animal was severely drunk after eating too many fermenting apples, and that it most likely stumbled into the tree while trying to reach the fruit, getting itself hopelessly entangled in the branches. It seems drunken elk are fairly common in Sweden during the autumn season when a lot of apples are lying around on the ground and hanging from branches in people's yards. Now that would be exciting to see!

No partiality

2011-09-10T12:13:00.015-05:00

Is it important to take into account someones nationality, status, background, or even their hereditary behavior, when speaking to them about the glorious message of reconciliation (2 Cor 5:18-19)? We may try to understand where they're coming from, but in the final analysis, none of this makes a bit of difference. We are all the same — we are all enemies of God (Rom 5:1-10 NLT).

In Romans 2:11 we read that "there is no partiality with God," and these very words, with slight variations, are found many times in the Bible (Acts 10:34; Gal 2:6; Eph 6:9). Of course this is because justice is one of God's divine attributes, so it is unthinkable that He should show favoritism. How wonderful, right?! And this cuts both ways — not only are there no "big wheels" with Him, neither are there "innocent victims of circumstances or heredity." We all stand on the same footing before His bar of justice.

But here's a question for you: If there is no partiality with God, why did He favor one nation, Israel, above all the rest and, for many centuries, bless them above all others? The answer: God made a difference to show that "there is no distinction" (Rom 3:21-26 ESV). He made an artificial difference to show that there was no essential difference, no moral difference. He erected a "middle wall of partition" between us to show that that wall must be broken down (Eph 2:14-16).

So it is that the same God who once said to Israel:

"... you who are the sons of the prophets and of the covenant which God ... for you first, God raised up His Servant and sent Him to bless you by turning every one of you from your wicked ways" (Acts 3:25-26).

Now says:

"For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, abounding in riches for all who call on Him; for "WHOEVER WILL CALL ON THE NAME OF THE LORD WILL BE SAVED." (Rom 10:12-13).

And this same passage goes on to say:

How then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? How will they believe in Him whom they have not heard? And how will they hear without a preacher? How will they preach unless they are sent? Just as it is written, “HOW BEAUTIFUL ARE THE FEET OF THOSE WHO BRING GOOD NEWS OF GOOD THINGS!” (Rom 10:14-15).

2011-09-09T14:36:00.003-05:00

"The evolution of doctrine due to continued hybridization has produced a myriad of theological persuasions. The only way to purify ourselves from the possible defects of such “theological genetics” is, first, to recognize that we have them and then, as much as possible, to set them aside and disassociate ourselves from the systems which have come to dominate our thinking. In other words, we should simply strive for truth and an objective understanding of biblical teaching. For this reason the author declines to be called a Calvinist, a moderate Calvinist, an Arminian, an Augustinian, a Thomist, a Pelagian, or a Semi-Pelagian. Accepting such a categorization would leave in its wake a doctrine or position to be defended rather than a willingness to change if the search for truth should demand it. It seems better to seek the truth than to attempt to be the authority."

Anthony B. Badger, Associate Professor of Bible and Theology, Grace Evangelical School of Theology, Lancaster, Pennsylvania, 2003

Interesting tidbit - 11

2011-09-06T20:33:00.010-05:00

What does the Bible say about purgatory? Is there such a place?

No, there isn't; Scripture says nothing about a purgatory. This place where men must go after death to purge their sins is an invention of religion. The word purgatory comes from the word purge, and we are told that Christ "by Himself purged our sins" without any help from us (Heb 1:3 NKJV).

The Lord told the dying thief "today you will be with Me in paradise" (Lk 23:43). This is important because Scripture calls this man a thief. Even his own testimony to the other thief was that "we are receiving what we deserve for our deeds" (Lk 23:41). In other words, he admitted that he had not been framed or misjudged, but had indeed committed crimes worthy of the death penalty. If there was a purgatory, certainly this man would have gone there, but we have the Lord's word for it that he did not.

Also, if anyone needed to go to purgatory, it was the sinful Corinthians. Yet Paul told even these believers they could be "confident" that "to be absent from the body" is "to be present with the Lord" (2 Cor 5:8 NKJV).

(R. Kurth, 2011)

Pithy sayings - 4

2011-09-03T12:00:00.003-05:00

Love is not blind -- it simply enables one to see things others fail to see.

The most exciting phrase to hear in science, the one that heralds new discoveries, is not "Eureka!" (I found it!) but "That's funny..."

We demand rigidly defined areas of doubt and uncertainty.

"Worry does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow; it empties today of its strength." - Corrie Ten Boom

Neither a lofty degree of intelligence nor imagination nor both together go to the making of genius. Love, love, love, that is the soul of genius.

Research is what I'm doing when I don't know what I'm doing.

"When a train goes through a tunnel and it gets dark, you don't throw away the ticket and jump off. You sit still and trust the engineer." - Corrie Ten Boom

When dealing with the insane, the best method is to pretend to be sane.

The only reason for time is so that everything doesn't happen at once.

Love feels no burden, thinks nothing of trouble and attempts what is above its strength.

My day

2011-08-30T22:46:00.015-05:00

Fall busyness has officially begun. Our daughter started college classes last week, it's the busiest season of the year at work, and church choir practices start up again tomorrow evening.

As always, I began my day with a cup of hot tea with milk and honey. Sitting down at the computer I signed on to the forum to see if any moderating needed doing and if all my friends were okay. After concluding that all seemed well, I moved on to facebook to check on my friends there — and to play a game or two.

I know, I know, they're mindless computer games, but they're rather fun, and, I connect with friends through them, too. One of my game neighbor friends is the English Department Head at a well known Christian University. She tells me funny stories of parents and incoming students touring the school this summer, coming to her classroom and finding her at a mooing and clucking computer. Oh the state of education today. Ha! She's also in church choir with me, and after Sunday services you can often find us comparing game notes in the lobby: "Okay, I'll send you few sheep; can you send me a cow?" My husband scoffs. I can't understand why. :) Maybe he shouldn't, though, since one of my other game neighbors is the director of his division at work.

After facebook, I moved on to reading all the blogs I follow. One blogger talked about how to know if you have the Holy Spirit; he had some good points, but I believe he also interpreted one verse out of context. A couple of other bloggers filled me in on their family doings, which was great. I also read one blog that's going through the Book of Acts, another where the blogger posts interesting pictures taken around his neighborhood, three blogs about cooking, and one that talks about medicine, politics, the Lord and life.

I worked at the office from home today. So next, after making the bed and getting another cup of tea, I pulled up all my work screens, chatted on line with my boss for a few minutes, answered a dozen or so emails, and then set to work auditing the 40+ missionary expense reports that had come in. Except for a brief lunch break, that consumed the next six hours.

I then made a dinner of hamburgers with blue cheese, sliced tomatoes fresh from the garden, and milk. After we finished eating, my husband and I cleaned the kitchen, swept the floor, and took out the garbage. We planned on walking another 2 miles this evening like we did yesterday, but the incoming rain prevented us. So here I sit typing out my day instead. I think I'll try to inch forward on my blog post about the Holy Spirit next. I keep setting that one aside because I'm really struggling with it.

So was it a good day? Was it a day lived by faith? Was my focus on Him instead of myself? It wasn't perfect; for one thing, I worried that our car was in the shop yet again. But over all, yes, I think so. I hope so.

Bibles for sale

2011-08-26T15:31:00.009-05:00

A pastor concluded that his church was getting into very serious financial troubles. While checking the church storeroom, he discovered several cartons of new Bibles that had never been opened and distributed. So at the next Sunday services, he asked for three volunteers from the congregation who would be willing to sell the Bibles door-to-door for $10 each to raise the desperately needed money for the church.

Jack, Paul and Louie all raised their hands.

The minister knew that Jack and Paul earned their living as salesmen and were likely capable of selling some Bibles. But he had serious doubts about Louie, a local farmer, who always kept to himself because he was embarrassed by his speech impediment.

Poor Louie stuttered badly. But, not wanting to discourage Louie, the minister decided to let him try anyway.

He sent the three of them away with the back seat of their cars stacked with Bibles, and asked them to report the results of their door-to-door selling efforts the following Sunday.

Anxious to find out how successful they were, the minister immediately asked Jack, “Well, Jack, how did you make out selling our Bibles last week?”

Proudly handing the reverend an envelope, Jack replied, “I was able to sell 20 Bibles, and here’s the $200 I collected on behalf of the church.”

“Fine job, Jack!” The minister said, vigorously shaking his hand. “You are indeed a fine salesman and the church is indebted to you.”

Turning to Paul, “And Paul, how many Bibles did you sell for the church last week?”

Paul, smiling and sticking out his chest, replied, “I sold 28 Bibles on behalf of the church, and here’s $280 I collected.”

The minister responded, “That’s absolutely wonderful, Paul. You are truly a great salesman and the church is indebted to you.”

Apprehensively, the minister turned to Louie and said, “And Louie, did you manage to sell any Bibles last week?” Louie silently offered the minister a large envelope.

The minister opened it and counted the contents. “What is this?” the minister exclaimed. “Louie, there’s $3200 in here. You sold 320 Bibles for the church, door to door, in just one week?”

Louie just nodded.

“That’s impossible!” both Jack and Paul said in unison.

“Yes, this does seem unlikely,” the minister agreed. “I think you’d better explain how you managed this, Louie.”

Louie shrugged.. “I-I-I re-re-really do-do-don’t kn-kn-know f-f-f-for sh-sh-sh-sure,” he stammered. "A-a-a-all I-I-I s-s-said wa-wa-was, w-w-w-would y-y-y-you l-l-l-l-l-like t-t-to b-b-b-buy th-th-th-this B-B-B-B-Bible f-f-for t-t-ten b-b-b-bucks—o-o-o-or— wo-wo-would yo-you j-j-j-just l-like m-m-me t-t-to st-st-stand h-h-here and r-r-r-r-r-read it t-to y-y-you?”

2011-08-23T09:23:00.000-05:00

You are my hiding place

You always fill my heart

With songs of deliverance

Whenever I am afraid

I will trust in You

Let the weak say

I am strong

In the strength of the Lord

You are my hiding place

You always fill my heart

With songs of deliverance

Whenever I am afraid

I will trust in You

Let the weak say I am strong

In the strength of the Lord

I will trust in You.

by Selah

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=84O860b_KJ0&feature=related

But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong (2 Cor 12:9-10).

A day by the lake

2011-08-20T19:47:00.040-05:00

Grant Park Orchestra and Chorus with Carlos Kalmar conducting

Yesterday was a beautiful summer day, not too hot and with a nice breeze. So what better way to spend it than listening to the Grant Park Orchestra and Chorus's final rehearsal of the season with my good friend Holly?

Holly and I met at church years ago when our daughters, already friends, were about 10 years old. Since both had an interest in music, they hit it off quickly. They're 24 now and still good friends, even though one lives in Kansas City and the other in Philadelphia most of the year.

While our daughters were growing up, Holly and I got to know each other. We joined the church choir, attended Sunday School classes and a small group Bible study group together, and discussed our daughters' challenges and accomplishments. And now just this past week, Holly's daughter, associate concertmaster of the Grant Park Orchestra, was given tenure. What an exciting week!

The Grant Park Orchestra, formed in 1943, presents 10 weeks of free, classical music concerts in the Jay Pretzker Pavilion in Millennium Park each summer. Its musicians come from different orchestras and musical institutions throughout the United States. During the rest of the year these musicians perform with major orchestras, teach at numerous universities, and appear frequently on concert stages across the country. Holly's daughter plays for the Philadelphia Chamber Orchestra, the Philadelphia Opera, and subs and solos in numerous other orchestras.

Yesterday the orchestra and chorus were rehearsing Verdi Requiem for its closing night concerts last night and tonight. I have to admit my attention was drawn mainly to the chorus and soloists, though, since I can more readily relate to them. The soprano, Amber Wagner, was absolutely wonderful! What an amazing voice! She performed so effortlessly, too. I watched her and the mezzo soprano soloist, Michaela Martens, very closely. Michaela's voice wasn't quite as full and she didn't sing quite as effortlessly, but she did do one thing that particularly interested me — she kept moving and holding her jaw to loosen and relax it. Funny that I should have noticed that, but I did because my voice teacher had been forever on me to relax my jaw and to move and hold it just like that. I always thought I was completely awful and would never learn what he was trying to teach me. But if a professional mezzo soloist has to do that too, well then I'm encouraged — maybe I wasn't quite as awful as I thought.

Jay Pritzker Pavilion in Millennium Park, Chicago, IL (click on picture to enlarge)

Sealed with the Spirit

2011-08-17T05:59:00.002-05:00

The very first fact that every believer in Christ should learn is that instantly upon believing we are given eternal life. Ephesians 1:13-14 speaks to this point:

In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.

Notice, too, that we are sealed with the Holy Spirit. The Spirit Himself is the seal. So rejoice in your completed redemption and rest in the fact that the Holy Spirit keeps you eternally safe!

While we can't lose the Holy Spirit we can, and often do, "grieve the Holy Spirit." But the wonderful news is that absolutely "nothing will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Rom 8:38-39). This is why Paul, in the same breath, tells us not to grieve the Spirit and again reassures us that this same Spirit keeps us eternally safe:

And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption (Eph 4:30).

But doesn't this encourage sinful living? Those who think so have missed Paul's whole point. He doesn't warn us that if we grieve the Spirit we will be lost. Rather, in grace he says, "Don't grieve the very Spirit who in love and mercy has sealed you forever as His own. Don't repay such love with such ingratitude."

2011-08-15T18:42:00.000-05:00

You will keep in perfect peace

all who trust in You,

all whose thoughts are fixed on You.

Is 26:3 (NLT)

Love produces love

2011-08-13T12:13:00.003-05:00

"I love you. Through thick and thin, my love for you remains the same."

How do we usually respond to someone who's made a declaration like that? Hurl rocks at them? I guess that might depend on who said it. But under most circumstances, wouldn't our natural inclination be to love them right back? I know mine would.

This is consistent with the message specially entrusted to the Apostle Paul, "the gospel of the grace of God" (Acts 20:24). Interestingly, Paul never speaks of his love for Christ or instructs us to love Him. Instead he keeps talking about Christ's wonderful love for him and how Christ loved — and loves —us.

While the Law says, "You shall love the Lord your God" (Matt.22:37; Deut 6:5-25), law can't produce love. Despite this, many preachers today still preach law, telling us that we must love God. But the Law only convicts — it is meant to show us our need for a Savior — so rightly it only produces guilt.

But now God comes to us in total grace and says, "I love you". This is why Paul's epistles are so filled with "the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Rom 8:39).

The fact that God deals with us in grace doesn't mean that we should not, or do not, love Him. The very opposite is true. It's when we come to know the love of Christ, and His Spirit has come to indwell us (Rom 5:5; Gal 5:22), that our hearts respond to Him in love; "we love, because He first loved us" (1 John 4:19). In the same way, the more we are convinced of Christ's love for us, the more we naturally love our brothers and sisters in Christ, who then naturally respond in kind to us — because love produces love. The law could never accomplish that (Rom 13:10; Gal 5:14)!

Knowing and loving Christ brings inexpressible joy (1 Pet 1:8), but we can't love Him, or others, by trying. Instead, we must accept His love for us in faith so that our hearts may naturally respond.

Now may our Lord Jesus Christ Himself and God our Father, who has loved us and given us eternal comfort and good hope by grace, comfort and strengthen your hearts in every good work and word (2 Thes 2:16-17).

Visitation

2011-08-12T21:42:00.005-05:00

One sunny Sunday afternoon, two young church members were going door to door inviting people to visit their services. When they knocked on one door, however, it became immediately clear that the woman who answered was not happy to see them.

She told them in no uncertain terms that she did not want to hear what they had to say and slammed the door in their faces.

But to her surprise, the door did not close; in fact, it bounced back open. She tried again, really putting her back into it, and slammed it again with the same result — the door bounced back open.

Convinced these rude young people were sticking their feet in her door, she reared back to give it a slam that would teach them a lesson. Just then, one of them said quietly: "Ma'am, before you do that again, you really need to move your cat."

Interesting tidbit - 10

2011-08-10T22:37:00.001-05:00

What is the meaning of Romans 3:30 — "since indeed God who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith is one"? Does “by faith” mean something different than “through faith?”

Theologians have have long puzzled over the reason why believing Jews are said to be justified "by faith," but believing Gentiles "through faith." Some hold that there is no difference in meaning between the two. But others say that the justification of the Jews, as born heirs of the promise, are purposely said to be "of faith," while that of the Gentiles, previously "strangers to the covenants of promise" (Eph 2:12), are said to be "through faith," as thus admitted into a new family. So who's right?

It seems to me that the second explanation makes more sense, that the answer to this question lies in the original status of each. The Jews, belonging to the covenant race, were justified by (Gk., literally "out of") faith, while the "far off" Gentiles (Eph 2:13) must come through (Gk., literally "by way of" or "by means of") faith; but both Jew and Gentile are justified by God upon believing.

Not only were the Jews justified "out of" faith, it is also evident that they were justified by way of works, whereas the Gentiles were justified directly "by way of" faith. For the Jew, sacrifices, etc. were (instrumentally) the means of his justification — he came "by way of" works — but the Gentile comes directly "by way of" faith for his justification.

And according to this verse, all is based on the fact that "God...is one." I think Vine explains this rather well:

“The oneness of God was a belief basic to Judaism and proclaimed by every devout Jew each day (cf. Deuteronomy 6:4). Here Paul appeals to this doctrine, claiming that since God is one, He must have the same concern for the salvation of the Gentile as he does for the Jew. The Judaism of Paul’s day, however, did not draw the same conclusion from God’s essential unity. They taught that the only way a Gentile could be rightly related to God was to become a proselyte to Judaism, including coming under the yoke of the law. And even then, they were always Gentiles, never quite up to the level of Jews by birth. In the eyes of the Jew, they had no natural claim on God. Paul says, however, that God is interested in the Gentiles apart from the law and that contrary to certain Jewish expectations, the Gentiles are saved through the same faith that saves a Jew.”

So what were they preaching?

2011-08-07T05:42:00.007-05:00

Departing, they began going throughout the villages, preaching the gospel and healing everywhere (Lk 9:6).

This verse simply says that the twelve disciples went around "preaching the gospel." Verse 2 of this same chapter explains how the Lord had sent them "to proclaim the kingdom of God." They could not have been preaching "the word of the cross," as Paul later did (1 Cor 1:17-18), because it wasn't until at least two years later that the Lord "began" to tell them how He must suffer and die (Matt 16:21) and Peter "began to rebuke Him" (Matt 16:22) and none of the twelve even knew what He was talking about (Lk 18:31-34).

Frosted Banana Bars

2011-08-06T17:27:00.000-05:00

Even if you don't like "banana stuff" you'll like these bars. This recipe is that good! I don't generally like things made with bananas, but I do these. And many in the same boat as I have told me the same.

I got this recipe from a good friend who got it from her daughter. Thanks so much, Margaret!

1/2 c butter, softened

1 1/2 c sugar

2 eggs

8 oz sour cream

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 c flour

1 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

2 ripe bananas, mashed (about 1 cup)

In a mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugar. Add eggs, sour cream and vanilla. Combine flour, baking soda and salt and gradually add to the creamed mixture. Stir in bananas. Spread into a greased 9 x 13 baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees for about 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool.

FROSTING:

8 oz cream cheese, softened

1/2 c butter, softened

2 tsp vanilla extract

3 3/4 to 4 c powered sugar

Beat cream cheese, butter and vanilla until smooth. Gradually beat in enough powered sugar to achieve desired consistency. Frost bars and store in the refrigerator.

What is saving faith? cont.

2011-08-03T07:57:00.041-05:00

Interestingly, James also used Abraham as an example to illustrate the importance of having living faith in relation to the message he proclaimed to the circumcision — "the twelve tribes who are dispersed abroad" (James 1:1). James, however, specifically singled out the account when Abraham was called upon to offer his son, Isaac, upon the altar. This is significant because we know Abraham was already saved prior to this testing.

Approximately two years after Abraham was justified God gave him the covenant of circumcision (Acts 7:1-8) and changed his name from Abram to Abraham (Gen 17:5). This covenant of circumcision was what separated him from the ungodly heathen nations around him. Technically, this was the birth of the Hebrew nation, and it was not too long after this that Isaac was born.

The sign of circumcision was the seal of righteousness of the faith that Abraham had placed in God (Rom 4:11-12). Today, the seal is the Holy Spirit (Eph 1:13-14). But clearly, the covenant of circumcision was a covenant of works (Gen 17:10-14; 26:4-5). The most obvious example of this is, every male child was to be circumcised the eighth day in order to be made a child of the covenant. Although the rite didn't save him, in Israel a male couldn't be saved if he wasn't circumcised. Circumcision gave him an opportunity to be saved. It seems to me that it was under this program and message that James wrote:

But are you willing to recognize, you foolish fellow, that faith without works is useless? Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up Isaac his son on the altar? You see that faith was working with his works, and as a result of the works, faith was perfected; and the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “AND ABRAHAM BELIEVED GOD, AND IT WAS RECKONED TO HIM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS,” and he was called the friend of God. You see that a man is justified by works and not by faith alone (James 2:20-24).

James' question, "Was not Abraham our father justified by works?" merely indicates that Abraham's works confirmed his faith. The combination of faith and works verified that Abraham's faith was a living faith, which manifested itself by works. According to James, Abraham served as a pattern to the circumcision that faith plus works were required for salvation at that time.** And what time was that? The transitional period, which ended with the destruction of the Temple in 70 AD.

**A few years after the Book of James was written, the Jerusalem Council was held, which concluded that Gentile believers needn't be circumcised nor keep the Mosaic law in order to be saved (Acts 15:1-21). Nothing, however, was said about whether or not Jewish believers were to remain under the law. It seems they assumed they were because no revelation had yet been given to them that they were freed from it. Also, even later in Acts 21:17-26 they were still "all zealous for the Law." Apparently the middle wall of separation between Jew and Gentile was gradually broken down.

What is saving faith?

2011-08-01T06:01:00.002-05:00

What does the Scripture say? “ABRAHAM BELIEVED GOD, AND IT WAS CREDITED TO HIM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS.”

Paul used the above quotation from Genesis 15:6 to prove that "the one who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited as righteousness" (Rom 4:2-5).

It's wonderful that God doesn't require — in fact, doesn't even permit — human works for salvation. He requires only faith. But what is faith? And what kind saves?

There is no indication in Scripture that "the gospel of the grace of God" (Acts 20:24) or "the preaching of the cross" (1 Cor 1:18) was proclaimed to Abraham. We must go back to the passage which Paul quotes to see what Abraham believed. Genesis 15:5 says:

And He took him outside and said, “Now look toward the heavens, and count the stars, if you are able to count them.” And He said to him, “So shall your descendants be.”

But that wasn't the first expression of Abraham's faith because Hebrews 11:8 says:

By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed by going out to a place which he was to receive for an inheritance; and he went out, not knowing where he was going.

This took place considerably before the Genesis 15 incident, and we are specifically told that through his faith he "gained approval" (Heb11:2).

From all this it is clear that Abraham believed what God told him and was counted righteous, which we now know was through a redemption still to be worked by Christ in the future. Today we must also believe what God tells us — and this is nothing less than the account of Christ's all-sufficient finished work on the cross for us (Rom 4:25).

But now apart from the Law the righteousness of God has been manifested, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets (Rom 3:21).

But now we have been released from the Law, having died to that by which we were bound, so that we serve in newness of the Spirit and not in oldness of the letter (Rom 7:6).

Now to Him who is able to establish you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery which has been kept secret for long ages past, but now is manifested, and by the Scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the eternal God, has been made known to all the nations, leading to obedience of faith; to the only wise God, through Jesus Christ, be the glory forever. Amen (Rom 16:25-27).

(to be continued)

Say it isn't so!

2011-07-27T00:01:00.059-05:00

I'm in mourning. Apparently it's been proven once and for all that time travel isn't possible. A team of researchers from the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology claims to have measured the speed of a single photon (the smallest unit of light) and found that it can't travel faster than constant c (which represents the speed of light in a vacuum). This confirms Einstein's views that "nothing can travel faster than light" and therefore, "an effect cannot occur before its cause."

I guess I can still hope for the discovery of wormholes that might allow me to travel quickly to far parts of the universe. But that just isn't the same.L

Multi-tasking

2011-07-26T09:10:00.009-05:00

In one of the many letters he wrote to his son in the 1740s, Lord Chesterfield gave the following advice: “There is time enough for everything in the course of the day, if you do but one thing at once, but there is not time enough in the year, if you will do two things at a time.” To Chesterfield, focusing on just one thing at a time was not only practical but a mark of intelligence. “This steady and undissipated attention to one object, is a sure mark of a superior genius; as hurry, bustle, and agitation, are the never-failing symptoms of a weak and frivolous mind.”

So what are you doing right now besides reading this blog post? Watching TV? Baking something in the oven? Texting/Chatting? Working on a project at work? I hope you're not driving!

Unfortunately, thanks to the ever converging computer and human world of technology, multi-tasking has become the norm today. And don't think only younger people are doing it. Experts say that while it might be slightly more prevalent among them, it's by no means limited to them. We are all multi-tasking at rates that are significantly higher than previous generations.

Not only that, we're all bad at it. There's a tendency to believe that the younger generations can multi-task better. But according to Psychologist David Meyer of the University of Michigan, younger workers are no better at multi-tasking than older workers — both make more mistakes and take longer to complete tasks. This is because our brains can't fully focus when we try to do too much at one time. In fact, Meyer claims that because “the brain is compelled to restart and refocus” between each task, it often takes us double the time or more to get jobs done when we multi-task than if we do them sequentially.

It seems that more and more employers are finding this to be true, too. In fact, many companies have concluded that multi-taskers are the worst employees, that their constant task-switching affects their quality of output. According to Pierre Khawand, founder and CEO of a Silicon Valley-based consultancy company, "When we're working two minutes here and two minutes there, it's really hard to get deep into anything. We lose the ability to think strategically and solve deep issues." Khawand goes on to say, "These are short spurts of low production, and we're only achieving a small five to 10% of the results we could be getting if we stayed focused." Because of this, many companies are now looking for people who can mono-task and not freak out when they have to concentrate because they've gotten into the habit of not thinking hard.

I have to confess that when I've tried to do too many things at once, things haven't always turned out well.

Case in point. One typical Sunday morning about ten years ago, I was running around trying to make sure everything got done before going to church. First I let the dog out, back in, and then feed and watered her and the cat. Next I called down the hall to my daughters, "Are you up and moving? We don't want to be late." As they dragged themselves out of bed to the kitchen to eat cereal for breakfast, I put eggs on to boil for next week's breakfasts, took a quick shower, dressed, brushed and fixed our youngest daughter's hair, made sure both girls had their lessons and Bibles, and then we all rushed out the door to the car. Whew, we made it!

Several hours later we came home to a funny-smelling house, and our dog, who normally greeted us at the door, was nowhere to be found. I had forgotten the eggs! Upstairs in the the kitchen the stove was still on and the pan of eggs was black and completely empty except for a few pieces of scorched shell. The rest of the eggs were stuck to the kitchen ceiling. We found our dog cowering in the basement; she had made a large mess in the middle of the floor. Later, trying to piece together what must have happened while we were gone, we figured the pan of eggs had caught fire at one point. The fact that our dog whined at any flame for months afterwards rather confirmed this. :)

So much for multi-tasking. The house could have burned to the ground! Thankfully, nothing quite that dramatic has happened since, though I still often forget things. I would love to tell you I gave up multi-tasking after "the egg episode," but I didn't. My excuse was that there was always so much to do and only a certain amount of time to get it all done. Besides, when I looked around, others seemed to be keeping many balls in the air quite effortlessly. Now I suspect they were just keeping their "egg episodes" a secret.

All this multi-tasking has got me wondering, too — just how much is it affecting the way we approach the Bible? Are we digging deeply, taking the time to systematically think things through and applying what we learn to our lives? Or, has our culture trained us to quickly skim the surface and move on to something else, not letting it impact the way we live?

How Beautiful

2011-07-20T09:34:00.002-05:00

How beautiful the hands that served

the wine and the bread

and the sons of the earth.

How beautiful the feet that walked

the long dusty roads

and the hill to the cross.

How beautiful

how beautiful

how beautiful is the body of Christ.

How beautiful the heart that bled

that took all my sin

and bore it instead.

How beautiful the tender eyes

that chose to forgive

and never despise.

How beautiful

how beautiful

how beautiful is the body of Christ.

And as He laid down His life

we offer this sacrifice

that we will live just as he died:

willing to pay the price

willing to pay the price.

How beautiful the radiant Bride

who waits for her Groom

with His light in her eyes.

How beautiful when humble hearts give

the fruit of pure lives

so that others may live.

How beautiful the feet that bring

the sound of good news

and the love of the King.

How beautiful the hands that serve

the wine and the bread

and the sons of the earth.

How beautiful!

How beautiful

how beautiful

how beautiful is the body of Christ.

by Twila Paris

http://listeninglab.stantons.com/title/how-beautiful/175538/

Who we are - part 2

2011-07-19T08:14:00.016-05:00

Since our position before God is perfect in every detail, does this mean we are living perfect lives now? No, we know that isn't true. So we're perfect but we're not perfect? Yes, because now we have two natures instead of one — an old, totally corrupt nature and a new, perfect nature — and they are waging a war within us (Rom 7:14-25; Gal 5:17).

When we receive Christ, our old nature is not (nor will it ever be) cleaned up (Rom 6:6; 8:10; Col 3:3). Rather, God considers it dead and instantly gives us a new creation (Jn 3:6; 2 Cor 5:17; Gal 2:20; Eph 2:1-6; 4:20-24). From that moment on, our “new man” and “old man” aggressively compete for possession of our mind, emotions, and body. Spiritual growth is needed to strengthen our “new man” in this war, and there is no growth without Bible study and prayer (Rom 8:26-27; 10:17; Eph 1:16-18; Phil 4: 6-7; Col 3:16; 4:2; 2 Tim 2:15; 2 Thes 1:11-12; Heb 4:12). A relationship with a local assembly of believers is also essential to growth, so that we may “…encourage one another and build up one another...” (1 Thes 5:8-14).

It is important to understand that struggling with our old nature is a lost cause. It’s like wrestling with a chimney sweep — you just get dirty. The only way to victory in this battle is not in fighting, but in recognizing that the battle has already been won, that He died our death so that we may now bury our old self and forget him (put off the “old man”) and focus all our attention on Jesus Christ and our new life in Him (put on the “new man”).

After describing this battle within us all, Paul comes to a conclusion in Rom 8:1 and bursts out in praise, “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus.” So although our walk may be one of confusion, our position in Christ is one of peace — we are complete in Him (Col 2:10)!

I think the following poem describes this battle rather well:

Two natures beat within my breast.
One is foul, the other blest.
The one I love; the one I hate.
The one I feed will dominate.
(Author unknown)

A day is coming when we will no longer have to deal with our old, dead natures. Only our new natures — which are already perfect in every way — will go to be with the Lord. What a glorious day that will be!

The Sixteen

2011-07-15T22:48:00.014-05:00

I've been doing some rummaging around looking for information on the The Sixteen. When a friend first mentioned this world-renowned choral group, I assumed there must be 4 basses, 4 tenors, 4 altos and 4 sopranos.  But that's not true. Of course there are these four basic parts, but there is also a countertenor, a voice that is always rather surprising. (A countertenor is a male singing voice whose vocal range is equivalent to that of a contralto, mezzo-soprano, or, less often, a soprano.) Not only that, apparently there aren't even 16 members in The Sixteen, at least not consistently.  Many times exactly 16 members do sing. However, at this link I counted 18 members, and here, only 11. Because of this, some on the internet say it's a mystery why Harry Christophers — the founder and conductor — decided to name the group The Sixteen in the first place.

According to Harry Christophers himself, however, he started The Sixteen about 32 years ago. It was only a choir back then — made up of 16 singers — that sang 16-century Tudor music. (So there's the number 16 — twice!)  Since it is Harry Christophers' goal to promote music not much heard anymore, The Sixteen (comprising both a choir and a period-instrument orchestra now) still sings music from the past, as well as modern day music.

In 2000, Harry Christophers began the "Choral Pilgrimage", a tour of English cathedrals, in a sense bringing the music of the pre-Reformation era back to the places for which it was originally written. It was The Sixteen’s contribution to the millennium celebrations. Because the first Choral Pilgrimage was a success, subsequent annual pilgrimages were arranged, each with a specific theme. The 2011 Choral Pilgrimage is entitled "Hail, Mother of the Redeemer" and focuses on the music of Tomás Luis de Victoria (1548-1611).

But, The Sixteen also tours throughout Europe, Japan, Australia and the Americas. I would love to know when they're coming here!

One interesting bit of news I came across is The Sixteen Photo Contest, where the group calls out for photo submissions of anything 16. In fact, it seems there's a contest going on right now, if you care to submit a photo or two for consideration. All pictures must be received by November 7, 2011. The two photos below are examples being displayed, to prime the pump, so to speak.


It must be truly wonderful being part of such a group. (BTW, auditions are being held next in January/February 2012.) Here they are singing Verbum caro factum est. Just listen to the sopranos soar and then come back to earth. Beautiful! Hear all the parts move singly and yet together, swelling and diminishing, pressing in against each other and then backing out, but always sliding perfectly into place. I love singing in groups where all the parts are so closely intertwined, so wholly tuned in to each other, so perfectly in pitch. I think heaven must be like that, plus oh so much more.

When things get better

2011-07-08T19:40:00.010-05:00

Last November, just one week before Thanksgiving, a 36x36 inch hole was cut into our kitchen ceiling. A water stain had formed on it, prompting us to call someone in to find the cause — again. We thought we had fixed this leak several times before, and for months there had been no sign of it, but when a stain started to appear on the ceiling again, we knew it was still there.

For some reason the leak isn't constant, which makes it hard to determine where it's coming from. So far we’ve had in two plumbers, a tile guy, a carpenter and now a handyman to try to find and fix it, but nobody has yet.

The first plumber we called in several years ago told us the seal around the upstairs toilet needed replacing. Okay. That made sense. We had the toilet seal replaced. But the leak continued, albeit not right away, but months later. Thinking that maybe the water was coming through the upstairs shower walls, we called in a tile guy next. He told us the tiles and grout looked fine but that the backing behind the tiles was only drywall and that it should be some kind of water-proof board instead. Still, he didn't think the backing or the tiles or the grout were the cause of the leak. So next we called in a carpenter, who brought a plumber buddy with him. The carpenter had cut the hole in our kitchen ceiling last fall. He thought if he could see between the floors, he and the plumber might be able to figure out where the leak was coming from. After a lot of climbing up and down ladders and peering into the ceiling hole, the plumber decided the shower dials had gone bad in both showers upstairs. Okay. That made sense. Of course the dials had to be special-ordered because our dials were a little odd and the exact type was needed due to the layout of the pipes...or something like that. So both dials were replaced after waiting several weeks for them to come in. But the leak continued. We called the plumber back who said, "Well then it's got to be the spouts in both showers upstairs." Okay. That made sense. And both spouts were replaced. But the leak continued. So the carpenter recommended another friend — a handyman friend — who could fix anything! He came out, looked at the situation, and told us the tiles, grout, and backboard needed replacing. "But," he assured us, "just to be sure I'll also check all the piping behind both showers once I've gotten everything torn away." Okay. That made sense, I guess. So, starting next week, he's replacing the tiles, grout, and backboard in both showers. And so it continues…

We've been living with a hole in the kitchen ceiling for some 8 months now. During that time we've had a large party at our house for people from work — with a gaping hole in our kitchen ceiling. We've hosted Thanksgiving dinner for my husband's side of the family — with a gaping hole in our kitchen ceiling. We've had Bible studies in our home — with a gaping hole in our kitchen ceiling. Not to mention the times we've had friends over to watch movies, or have dinner, or just hang out — with a gaping hole in our kitchen ceiling. And this Sunday afternoon, we're having a 5-hour open house to celebrate our youngest daughter's graduation from high school and 18th birthday — with a gaping hole in our kitchen ceiling.

But that's not the extent of things gone bad over the past months. We've also put several thousand dollars into our cars. (The one needed a new transmission, don't you know.) The sliding glass door that opens (well, not at the moment) out onto the deck seems to be sinking into the basement. Apparently the wood underneath it has rotted and needs replacing. Thankfully, the handyman is taking care of this "little problem," too. And then there's all the smaller things gone wrong that make life exciting, like computers and satellite boxes getting fried by an electrical storm, refrigerators with broken ice shoots, and mice in the crawl space.

So last week when I read this, I laughed out loud. I could definitely relate!

Of course there's also that last bit. Even if things do get temporarily better around here, I’ll still have to contend with me. This world, including everything and everybody in it, has been corrupted by sin. But thankfully, this life is not all there is. I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that a time is coming when things will get better — permanently — when I will live in a perfect place, in a perfect body. So why would I ever want to "live" in frozen suspension here? Instead, I will strive to "consider it all joy...when I [you] encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of my [your] faith produces endurance" (James 1:2-3), and "that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed in me [us]" (Rom 8:18).

And regarding that gaping hole in the kitchen ceiling? It really hasn’t been all that bad. I’ve gotten rather used to it. Besides, it's a great conversation piece because people inevitably ask, "So, what's with the hole in the ceiling?" To which we usually reply, "Well...we wanted to put a skylight in the kitchen but forgot we had a second floor." Some of the looks we've gotten back have been priceless! :)

Contradictions?

2011-07-04T08:16:00.002-05:00

Beat your plowshares into swords and your pruning hooks into spears; let the weak say, “I am a mighty man” (Joel 3:10).

CONTRADICTION? And He will judge between many peoples and render decisions for mighty, distant nations. Then they will hammer their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks; nation will not lift up sword against nation, and never again will they train for war. Each of them will sit under his vine and under his fig tree, with no one to make them afraid, for the mouth of the LORD of hosts has spoken (Micah 4:3-4).

And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtor (Matt 6:12).

For if you forgive others for their transgressions, your heavenly Father will also forgive you (Matt 6:14).

CONTRADICTION? Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you (Eph 4:32).

“Behold, the days are coming,” declares the LORD, “when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch; and He will reign as king and act wisely and do justice and righteousness in the land. In His days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell securely; and this is His name by which He will be called, ‘The LORD our righteousness’” (Jer 23: 5-6).

“Blessed are the gentle, for they shall inherit the earth" (Matt 5:5).

CONTRADICTION? ...because of the hope laid up for you in heaven, of which you previously heard in the word of truth, the gospel (Col 1:5).

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ (Eph 1:3).

And after He had said these things, He was lifted up while they were looking on, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. And as they were gazing intently into the sky while He was going, behold, two men in white clothing stood beside them. They also said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into the sky? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in just the same way as you have watched Him go into heaven.” Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day’s journey away (Acts 1:10-12).

CONTRADICTION? Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord (1 Thes 4:17).

It will be righteousness for us if we are careful to observe all this commandment before the LORD our God, just as He commanded us (Deut 6:25).

“But if the wicked man turns from all his sins which he has committed and observes all My statutes and practices justice and righteousness, he shall surely live; he shall not die. All his transgressions which he has committed will not be remembered against him; because of his righteousness which he has practiced, he will live. Do I have any pleasure in the death of the wicked,” declares the Lord GOD, “rather than that he should turn from his ways and live? “But when a righteous man turns away from his righteousness, commits iniquity and does according to all the abominations that a wicked man does, will he live? All his righteous deeds which he has done will not be remembered for his treachery which he has committed and his sin which he has committed; for them he will die. Yet you say, ‘The way of the Lord is not right.’ Hear now, O house of Israel! Is My way not right? Is it not your ways that are not right? When a righteous man turns away from his righteousness, commits iniquity and dies because of it, for his iniquity which he has committed he will die. Again, when a wicked man turns away from his wickedness which he has committed and practices justice and righteousness, he will save his life. Because he considered and turned away from all his transgressions which he had committed, he shall surely live; he shall not die (Ezek 18:21-28).

Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up Isaac his son on the altar? You see that faith was working with his works, and as a result of the works, faith was perfected; and the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “AND ABRAHAM BELIEVED GOD, AND IT WAS RECKONED TO HIM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS,” and he was called the friend of God. You see that a man is justified by works and not by faith alone. In the same way, was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way? (James 2:21-25).

CONTRADICTION? For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. For what does the Scripture say? “ABRAHAM BELIEVED GOD, AND IT WAS CREDITED TO HIM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS.” Now to the one who works, his wage is not credited as a favor, but as what is due. But to the one who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited as righteousness (Rom 4:2-5).

Now we know that whatever the Law says, it speaks to those who are under the Law, so that every mouth may be closed and all the world may become accountable to God; because by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified in His sight; for through the Law comes the knowledge of sin. But now apart from the Law the righteousness of God has been manifested, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all those who believe; for there is no distinction; for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus; whom God displayed publicly as a propitiation in His blood through faith. This was to demonstrate His righteousness, because in the forbearance of God He passed over the sins previously committed; for the demonstration, I say, of His righteousness at the present time, so that He would be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. Where then is boasting? It is excluded. By what kind of law? Of works? No, but by a law of faith. For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from works of the Law (Rom 3:19-28).

But now we have been released from the Law, having died to that by which we were bound, so that we serve in newness of the Spirit and not in oldness of the letter (Rom 7:6).

Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus (Rom 8:1).

"Distinguish the ages and the Scriptures harmonize."

Augustine

For commentary on some of the above passages, see links below:
http://tis-justme.blogspot.com/2010/05/progressive-revelation.html
http://tis-justme.blogspot.com/2010/07/luthers-book-of-straw-part-one.html

http://tis-justme.blogspot.com/2010/07/luthers-book-of-straw-part-two.html
http://tis-justme.blogspot.com/2010/10/acts-2-church-today.html
http://tis-justme.blogspot.com/2010/11/acts-2-church-today-account.html
http://tis-justme.blogspot.com/2010/12/acts-2-church-today-message.html
http://tis-justme.blogspot.com/2009/11/once-for-all.html

Pithy sayings - 3

2011-06-24T00:36:00.000-05:00

Friends love through all kinds of weather (Prov 17:17a).

Experience is something you don't get until just after you need it.

If at first you don't succeed, then skydiving definitely isn't for you!

My grandmother started walking five miles a day when she was sixty. She's ninety-seven now, and we have no idea where she is.

I cannot speak well enough to be unintelligible. (Jane Austen)

When words leave off, music begins.

I washed a sock. Then I put it in the dryer. When I took it out, it was gone.

I love to go to Washington - if only to be near my money.

"I don't need a friend who changes when I change and who nods when I nod; my shadow does that much better." (Plutarch)

As a child my family's menu consisted of two choices: take it or leave it.

Drawing on my fine command of the English language, I said nothing.

Don't sweat petty things...or pet sweaty things.

He who hesitates is probably right.

"We read to know that we are not alone." (CS Lewis)

Neither repetition nor supplementation needed

2011-06-23T21:24:00.004-05:00

The Law is only a shadow of the good things that are coming — not the realities themselves. For this reason it can never, by the same sacrifices repeated endlessly year after year, make perfect those who draw near to worship. If it could, would they not have stopped being offered? For the worshipers would have been cleansed once for all, and would no longer have felt guilty for their sins. But those sacrifices are an annual reminder of sins, because it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. Therefore, when Christ came into the world, he said: "Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but a body you prepared for me; with burnt offerings and sin offerings you were not pleased. Then I said, 'Here I am — it is written about me in the scroll — I have come to do your will, O God.'" First he said, "Sacrifices and offerings, burnt offerings and sin offerings you did not desire, nor were you pleased with them" (although the Law required them to be made). Then he said, "Here I am, I have come to do your will." He sets aside the first to establish the second. And by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. Day after day every priest stands and performs his religious duties; again and again he offers the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. But when this priest had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God. Since that time he waits for his enemies to be made his footstool, because by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy

(Heb 10:1-14).

2011-06-22T19:29:00.000-05:00

Raspberry Chocolate Chip Muffins

2011-06-20T15:21:00.001-05:00

Last summer our youngest daughter spent two weeks in Arkansas hanging with her cousins and brought this recipe home. Her grandmother made these muffins one of the first mornings of her visit, and she loved them so much that she asked for the recipe and proceeded to make them over and over again while she was there — for her grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, anybody — just so she could eat more of them. I must say, they are very good. They're moist, and the dark chocolate chips and sweet raspberries make a great flavor combination.

1/2 c butter (not margarine)
3/4 c white sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 c chocolate chips
2 c flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 c milk
2 c unsweetened raspberries (fresh or frozen - I use the frozen and crush them)

Cream butter and sugar together, and then add the vanilla. Mix together chocolate chips, flour, and baking powder in a separate bowl. Now add these dry ingredients, a little at a time, to the creamed mixture. Slowly add in the milk. Then fold in the raspberries. Spoon into muffin tins and bake at 375 degrees for 20-30 minutes. Yields 8-10 muffins.