She's happy to make a pair of pants for you, or at least sew its seams.
Those who jump off a Paris bridge are in Seine.
The dead batteries were given out free of charge.
Did you hear about the guy whose whole left side was cut off? He's all right now.
A rubber band pistol was confiscated from algebra class because it was a weapon of math disruption.
A cardboard belt would be a waist of paper.
He said I was average - but he was just being mean.
It's a fact, taller people sleep longer in bed.
Did you hear about the fire at the circus? The heat was in tents.
You feel stuck with your debt if you can't budge it.
She was the apple of his eye and he liked to sit down be cider.
If you leave alphabet soup on the stove and go out, it could spell disaster.
In a recession, the most secure job is garbage-man. Business is always picking up.
A thief who stole a calendar got twelve months.
If a judge loves the sound of his own voice, expect a long sentence.
The primary responsibility for a child's education is apparent.
The liquor store advertised, 'We De-Liver.'
Seven days without a pun makes one weak.
Thursday, August 13, 2009
Monday, August 10, 2009
Above the law?
Some people think that living under grace means we may do as we please. But grace is not a license to sin (Rom 6:1-2). It is argued, however, that because the covenant of the law was made with Israel, we were never under the law:
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 (Rom 3:19).
Yes, the covenant of the law was made with God's chosen nation, Israel, and no such covenant was ever made with any other nation, BUT that did not exclude Gentiles from God's law because it also says that the law was given, "that every mouth may be closed and all the world may become accountable to God" (Rom 3:19).
So, Israel was to represent the righteous and holy standards of the Law of God in the world. And, "when Gentiles who do not have the Law do instinctively the things of the Law, these, not having the Law, are a law to themselves" (Rom 2:14) shows that Gentiles had "the work of the Law written in their hearts" (Rom 2:15). It's no wonder we live the lives we do when we feel we're above the law of God.
Instead, now, where there is neither Jew nor Greek (Gal 3:28), it should be true of us, that "sin shall not be master over you, for you are not under law but under grace" (Rom 6:14). "Not under law" does not mean that we are above the law. We are to produce fruit that is spiritual (Col 3:1-4), and heavenly (Eph 1:20-21; 2:6) in nature. And in doing so we will, by His grace, accomplish what the law could never do.
It is for this reason that, as members of the Body of Christ, Paul tells us to, "walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh" (Gal 5:16), and reminds us that "the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law" (Gal 5:22-23).
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 (Rom 3:19).
Yes, the covenant of the law was made with God's chosen nation, Israel, and no such covenant was ever made with any other nation, BUT that did not exclude Gentiles from God's law because it also says that the law was given, "that every mouth may be closed and all the world may become accountable to God" (Rom 3:19).
So, Israel was to represent the righteous and holy standards of the Law of God in the world. And, "when Gentiles who do not have the Law do instinctively the things of the Law, these, not having the Law, are a law to themselves" (Rom 2:14) shows that Gentiles had "the work of the Law written in their hearts" (Rom 2:15). It's no wonder we live the lives we do when we feel we're above the law of God.
Instead, now, where there is neither Jew nor Greek (Gal 3:28), it should be true of us, that "sin shall not be master over you, for you are not under law but under grace" (Rom 6:14). "Not under law" does not mean that we are above the law. We are to produce fruit that is spiritual (Col 3:1-4), and heavenly (Eph 1:20-21; 2:6) in nature. And in doing so we will, by His grace, accomplish what the law could never do.
It is for this reason that, as members of the Body of Christ, Paul tells us to, "walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh" (Gal 5:16), and reminds us that "the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law" (Gal 5:22-23).
Sunday, August 9, 2009
CATcerto
See?! I knew it! Cats are not only beautiful, they're brilliant, too!
http://www.catcerto.com/cat_video.htm
http://www.catcerto.com/cat_video.htm
Friday, August 7, 2009
Matthias, the right man for the job?
At this time Peter stood up in the midst of the brethren (a gathering of about one hundred and twenty persons was there together), and said, "Brethren, the Scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit foretold by the mouth of David concerning Judas, who became a guide to those who arrested Jesus. "For he was counted among us and received his share in this ministry." (Now this man acquired a field with the price of his wickedness, and falling headlong, he burst open in the middle and all his intestines gushed out. And it became known to all who were living in Jerusalem; so that in their own language that field was called Hakeldama, that is, Field of Blood.) "For it is written in the book of Psalms, '(LET HIS HOMESTEAD BE MADE DESOLATE, AND LET NO ONE DWELL IN IT'; and, 'LET ANOTHER MAN TAKE HIS OFFICE.' "Therefore it is necessary that of the men who have accompanied us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us--beginning with the baptism of John until the day that He was taken up from us--one of these must become a witness with us of His resurrection." So they put forward two men, Joseph called Barsabbas (who was also called Justus), and Matthias. And they prayed and said, "You, Lord, who know the hearts of all men, show which one of these two You have chosen to occupy this ministry and apostleship from which Judas turned aside to go to his own place." And they drew lots for them, and the lot fell to Matthias; and he was added to the eleven apostles. (Act 1:15-26).
Acts 1:15-26 speaks of the first official act of the eleven disciples following the ascension of Jesus Christ — that of appointing a successor to Judas to bring their number up to twelve again (Matt 19:28; Lk 22:30).
Not everybody agrees that Matthias was the right man for the job, however. In fact, some hold that the choice of Matthias as Judas' successor was a great mistake. They believe that this choice was made in the flesh; that the disciples were out of order in appointing two candidates and then asking God to choose between them; that they should have waited for God to appoint a successor, and that this was demonstrated by the fact that God later appointed Paul. In short, they believe that Paul, not Matthias, was God's man for Judas' place.
But this can't be right because the Lord had given the apostles authority to act officially in His absence (Matt 18:18-20; Jn 20:23). And it seems to me that because they had been instructed to obey the commands of Ps 41:9; 69:25; 109:8 (Lk 24:44-45), that in harmony with the Law of Moses, they would also cast lots (Num 26:55; 33:54; 34:13; 36:2).
Additionally, to say that the disciples acted first and prayed later is as untrue as it is unfair because of what we see in the verse immediately preceding this passage:
These all with one mind were continually devoting themselves to prayer, along with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers (Acts 1:14).
Furthermore, Paul could not have taken Judas' place as one of the twelve because of the following reasons:
First of all, the requirements for the new disciple were very exact:
"Therefore it is necessary that of the men who have accompanied us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us--beginning with the baptism of John until the day that He was taken up from us--one of these must become a witness with us of His resurrection." (Acts 1:21-22).
So Paul wouldn't have been eligible at any time, because he had not accompanied the Lord Jesus in His earthly ministry — in fact, he had not even seen Him.
Secondly, Paul was reserved for a special ministry entirely separate and distinct from that of the twelve (See Acts 20:24; Gal 1:11-12, 17-19; 2:2, 7-9; Rom 11:13; 15:15-16; 16:25; Eph 3:1-3).
And finally, that Matthias was indeed God's choice for Judas' place, is evident from what we read in the very next passage:
And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit was giving them utterance (Acts 2:4).
Surely this is confirmation enough!
Acts 1:15-26 speaks of the first official act of the eleven disciples following the ascension of Jesus Christ — that of appointing a successor to Judas to bring their number up to twelve again (Matt 19:28; Lk 22:30).
Not everybody agrees that Matthias was the right man for the job, however. In fact, some hold that the choice of Matthias as Judas' successor was a great mistake. They believe that this choice was made in the flesh; that the disciples were out of order in appointing two candidates and then asking God to choose between them; that they should have waited for God to appoint a successor, and that this was demonstrated by the fact that God later appointed Paul. In short, they believe that Paul, not Matthias, was God's man for Judas' place.
But this can't be right because the Lord had given the apostles authority to act officially in His absence (Matt 18:18-20; Jn 20:23). And it seems to me that because they had been instructed to obey the commands of Ps 41:9; 69:25; 109:8 (Lk 24:44-45), that in harmony with the Law of Moses, they would also cast lots (Num 26:55; 33:54; 34:13; 36:2).
Additionally, to say that the disciples acted first and prayed later is as untrue as it is unfair because of what we see in the verse immediately preceding this passage:
These all with one mind were continually devoting themselves to prayer, along with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers (Acts 1:14).
Furthermore, Paul could not have taken Judas' place as one of the twelve because of the following reasons:
First of all, the requirements for the new disciple were very exact:
"Therefore it is necessary that of the men who have accompanied us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us--beginning with the baptism of John until the day that He was taken up from us--one of these must become a witness with us of His resurrection." (Acts 1:21-22).
So Paul wouldn't have been eligible at any time, because he had not accompanied the Lord Jesus in His earthly ministry — in fact, he had not even seen Him.
Secondly, Paul was reserved for a special ministry entirely separate and distinct from that of the twelve (See Acts 20:24; Gal 1:11-12, 17-19; 2:2, 7-9; Rom 11:13; 15:15-16; 16:25; Eph 3:1-3).
And finally, that Matthias was indeed God's choice for Judas' place, is evident from what we read in the very next passage:
And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit was giving them utterance (Acts 2:4).
Surely this is confirmation enough!
Monday, August 3, 2009
He's Concerned About You
God is just a prayer away
All you need to do is call
He will hear your faintest cry
He's concerned about you.
So while your tears are flowing through
Your time of mourning
He is here to lift your heavy heart
Because He's in love with you.
Chorus:
He knows
He cares
He sees
He's there
He'll carry you
He's concerned about you.
Weeping may endure for a night
But the morning will bring joy
He won't give you more than you can bear
He's concerned about you.
He loves you, oh yes
He loves you
He loves you (I know He does, He really does)
He's concerned about you.
Chorus:
He knows
He cares
He sees
He's there
He'll carry you
He's concerned about you.
He knows and
He cares
He sees
He's right there
He'll carry you.
He's concerned about you
He's concerned about you
He's concerned about you.
(by CeCe Winans)
All you need to do is call
He will hear your faintest cry
He's concerned about you.
So while your tears are flowing through
Your time of mourning
He is here to lift your heavy heart
Because He's in love with you.
Chorus:
He knows
He cares
He sees
He's there
He'll carry you
He's concerned about you.
Weeping may endure for a night
But the morning will bring joy
He won't give you more than you can bear
He's concerned about you.
He loves you, oh yes
He loves you
He loves you (I know He does, He really does)
He's concerned about you.
Chorus:
He knows
He cares
He sees
He's there
He'll carry you
He's concerned about you.
He knows and
He cares
He sees
He's right there
He'll carry you.
He's concerned about you
He's concerned about you
He's concerned about you.
(by CeCe Winans)
Ezekiel 36:26-27
Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. "I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will be careful to observe My ordinances.
Excuse me while I vent a little ...
If one were wanting to talk about regeneration, would one pick this passage to help explain it? Are these promises for us? Are all promises in the Bible ours to claim? Maybe some would say yes. But let's look at a few more verses in Ezekiel 36, verses 24-25:
For I will take you from the nations, gather you from all the lands and bring you into your own land. "Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols.
Should we claim these promises then, too? Are we going to return to the land of Israel and remove all images and idols from it (cross references - Is 2:18, 20; 43:5-6; Ezek 34:13; 37:21)?
And what about verses 28 through 30?
You will live in the land that I gave to your forefathers; so you will be My people, and I will be your God. "Moreover, I will save you from all your uncleanness; and I will call for the grain and multiply it, and I will not bring a famine on you. "I will multiply the fruit of the tree and the produce of the field, so that you will not receive again the disgrace of famine among the nations.
Has abundant grain, fruit and produce of the field been promised to us as well?
Context is king. We must always look at the context to find who is being addressed and what subject is being talked about. When we look at verse 22, we see that the house of Israel is being addressed. And the subject? The Lord is promising Israel, that though they are scattered and exiled for a time, they will not always be. God promises to gather them again and cause them to walk in His statues.
Don't get me wrong, verses 26-27 do seem to speak about our regeneration. However, it's not what is being spoken of here. So why go to Ezekiel and pull these few verses out of the middle of a passage so obviously not about us in order to talk about what happens to us at our conversion? Wouldn't it be so much better to use passages like these instead?
For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace, because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so, and those who are in the flesh cannot please God (Rom 8:6-8).
But what does it say? "THE WORD IS NEAR YOU, IN YOUR MOUTH AND IN YOUR HEART"--that is, the word of faith which we are preaching, that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation (Rom 10:8-10).
But may it never be that I would boast, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. For neither is circumcision anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation (Gal 6:14-15).
But when the kindness of God our Savior and His love for mankind appeared, He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by His grace we would be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life (Titus 3:4-7).
Excuse me while I vent a little ...
If one were wanting to talk about regeneration, would one pick this passage to help explain it? Are these promises for us? Are all promises in the Bible ours to claim? Maybe some would say yes. But let's look at a few more verses in Ezekiel 36, verses 24-25:
For I will take you from the nations, gather you from all the lands and bring you into your own land. "Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols.
Should we claim these promises then, too? Are we going to return to the land of Israel and remove all images and idols from it (cross references - Is 2:18, 20; 43:5-6; Ezek 34:13; 37:21)?
And what about verses 28 through 30?
You will live in the land that I gave to your forefathers; so you will be My people, and I will be your God. "Moreover, I will save you from all your uncleanness; and I will call for the grain and multiply it, and I will not bring a famine on you. "I will multiply the fruit of the tree and the produce of the field, so that you will not receive again the disgrace of famine among the nations.
Has abundant grain, fruit and produce of the field been promised to us as well?
Context is king. We must always look at the context to find who is being addressed and what subject is being talked about. When we look at verse 22, we see that the house of Israel is being addressed. And the subject? The Lord is promising Israel, that though they are scattered and exiled for a time, they will not always be. God promises to gather them again and cause them to walk in His statues.
Don't get me wrong, verses 26-27 do seem to speak about our regeneration. However, it's not what is being spoken of here. So why go to Ezekiel and pull these few verses out of the middle of a passage so obviously not about us in order to talk about what happens to us at our conversion? Wouldn't it be so much better to use passages like these instead?
For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace, because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so, and those who are in the flesh cannot please God (Rom 8:6-8).
But what does it say? "THE WORD IS NEAR YOU, IN YOUR MOUTH AND IN YOUR HEART"--that is, the word of faith which we are preaching, that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation (Rom 10:8-10).
But may it never be that I would boast, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. For neither is circumcision anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation (Gal 6:14-15).
But when the kindness of God our Savior and His love for mankind appeared, He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by His grace we would be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life (Titus 3:4-7).
Safe
The Book of Job is generally considered to be the oldest book in the Bible. And its main theme is the sovereignty of God. It's almost like God was saying to us right from the start, "Before we begin all this, I want you to know — I'm in charge!" The Book of Job also gives us a vivid illustration of God's protection over His own people in respect to the attacks of Satan.
In this book, Job is represented, not as one who needs to be punished for evil — as Job's three friends thought, and whose error God severely condemns at the end of Job's trial — but as one who God declares to be "blameless" and "upright" (Job 1:1, 8; 2:3). (As Christians, we are also blameless and upright in God's eyes — because we are in Christ. — Rom 8:1; 10:10; 1 Cor 1:30; 2 Cor 5:21; Phil 3:9)
However, Satan has two complaints regarding Job: (a) Job is so completely protected that Satan cannot reach him, and (b) Job does not really love God. Satan declares that God is paying Job a salary to pretend that he loves Him. So putting this challenge to an experimental test, God releases Job to the power of Satan. But until that time, as pointed out by Satan, Job is safe in God's hand. And even before God transfers Job to Satan's hand, He limits what Satan can and cannot do, which Satan can in no way over-step.
So, Job was given the privilege and honor of proving that God is worthy of all adoration, apart from His benefits, and the lie of Satan was completely exposed, to the glory of God.
Satan was not, however, given this kind of physical power over Job indefinitely, because we see at the end of the book that God restores all things and more to Job. And it cannot be assumed that because this happened to Job, God may allow it to happen to us as well. God allowed it to Job because He used Job to make a particular point at a particular time in His revelation to us.
Indeed, God's will was accomplished in every respect — He revealed that He is sovereign and that we are safe in the palm of his hand.
In this book, Job is represented, not as one who needs to be punished for evil — as Job's three friends thought, and whose error God severely condemns at the end of Job's trial — but as one who God declares to be "blameless" and "upright" (Job 1:1, 8; 2:3). (As Christians, we are also blameless and upright in God's eyes — because we are in Christ. — Rom 8:1; 10:10; 1 Cor 1:30; 2 Cor 5:21; Phil 3:9)
However, Satan has two complaints regarding Job: (a) Job is so completely protected that Satan cannot reach him, and (b) Job does not really love God. Satan declares that God is paying Job a salary to pretend that he loves Him. So putting this challenge to an experimental test, God releases Job to the power of Satan. But until that time, as pointed out by Satan, Job is safe in God's hand. And even before God transfers Job to Satan's hand, He limits what Satan can and cannot do, which Satan can in no way over-step.
So, Job was given the privilege and honor of proving that God is worthy of all adoration, apart from His benefits, and the lie of Satan was completely exposed, to the glory of God.
Satan was not, however, given this kind of physical power over Job indefinitely, because we see at the end of the book that God restores all things and more to Job. And it cannot be assumed that because this happened to Job, God may allow it to happen to us as well. God allowed it to Job because He used Job to make a particular point at a particular time in His revelation to us.
Indeed, God's will was accomplished in every respect — He revealed that He is sovereign and that we are safe in the palm of his hand.
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