tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-240590572024-03-12T16:38:49.269-07:00defenseless against suffering"If anyone chooses to do God's will, he will find out if my teaching comes from God or whether I speak on my own." -John 7:17Dennis D.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09850248620844503413noreply@blogger.comBlogger265125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24059057.post-8290368613101711682017-08-16T08:50:00.003-07:002017-08-16T08:56:37.663-07:00Reaching OutThis is a blog post I've been literally carrying around on a couple of scraps of paper in my wallet for several months. This seems a good time to finally get it out there. Also....I always feel the need on some of my posts like this one to communicate to you clearly. Although I believe strongly in these principles and the profound potential that can be realized if we DO them, this does not mean that I have "arrived" at a place in which I practice them as consistently as I should. This is an encouragement to us ALL to recognize the constant opportunities we are given and an encouragement to seize these opportunities more and more regularly. Otay, here we go.<br />
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Do you have a relationship that almost makes you wince with pain when you remember that you must interact with this person yet again? Perhaps, it is a co-worker that has become the bane of your existence or a classmate that will be in the same class as you for what seems an eternity. Or maybe it is a family member that will be a part of your life going forward whether you like it or not. <br />
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Another possibility is that the tension or anxiety or negative whatever that you have is not necessarily localized in a single person. Perhaps it is a group of people. Maybe at your high school or college, there is a group of atheists that are particularly outspoken and have become aware of your faith. Maybe you have become the target that they often engage trying to provoke or embarrass. There are obviously political differences that can motivate these kinds of feelings. There are cultural differences and religious differences. And on and on and on. Rather than trying to conquer or be conquered.... Rather than trying to go the "invisibility" route of trying to go SO unnoticed that there never need be another confrontation or interaction.... I have another set of possible steps to try out.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><u>1. Pray</u></span><br />
Take some time before you begin the next several steps and seek God's help both for yourself and them.<br />
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The following are not necessarily in any order and don't have to all be done all the time but can be mixed and matched as you see fit.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><u>2. Speak first</u></span><br />
I have a close friend in Mobile, AL. We used to work together, and he told me once that he always gauged what someone was thinking or their general state of mind first thing in the morning when he passed them in the hall for the first time. He said if they spoke to him and/or greeted him in any way, this meant they were in a good frame of mind and if not, he knew to stay away from them because they either were in a bad mood in general or had a problem with him specifically. I couldn't help but laugh. When he asked me why I said, but what if the other person approaching you is thinking the exact same thing about you, and you both pass each other waiting for the other to speak first? Anyhoo, such a small simple gesture as saying hello, how are you, what's up, etc. can really mean a lot when we initiate the contact sometimes.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><u>3. Extend your hand for a handshake</u></span><br />
This is the physical equivalent of the above principle. It shows you are not only initiating interaction but are willing to physically make contact. Sounds so small, but people sometimes get ideas in their head that people don't want to touch them. You never know who this is and sometimes the simple act of a smile, head nod, and a brief handshake can break that perception.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><u>4. Do something kind for them</u></span><br />
Even simply offering to do something can sometimes be all it takes to communicate that you want this person to know you want to be a friend to them.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><u>5. Share a funny story or personal experience with them</u></span><br />
Obviously, this is only if and when an opportunity arises and probably good to choose a "safe" funny story or personal experience until you get to know them a bit better or have a consistently good enough relationship with them. This provides a shared experience with them.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><u>6. Offer to share food or get them something to eat or drink</u></span><br />
This is sort of a subset of number 4 but food has a special place in this process. This is especially true if you both eat or drink together. It tends to create a more relaxed environment for you both to perhaps talk or not even to talk but to simply be in each other's presence and begin to see each other in a new light.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><u>7. DON'T expect results</u></span><br />
Wait....what? Perhaps this post has had a Zig Ziglar win friends and "influence" people feel to it. I am not a fan. Stay with me. What I mean by don't expect results is not about being hopeful, but I want you to understand that this is not about doing this a few times in an attempt to manipulate a very basic short term outcome. This is AT LEAST as much about allowing God to change us as it is about our actions being used to hopefully change others. In other words, I believe the above actions/principles can become a way of life, and if we never or extremely rarely see fruits of it, we will still greatly benefit from it. Let God have a greater control over who and when any actual noticed changes play out. <br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><u>8. Pray</u></span><br />
Think of it like bookends. We need to surround ourselves and these endeavors in prayer. It is ultimately the power of the Holy Spirit at work in our lives that will bring about meaningful change in AND through us.<br />
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In 2 Kings 5, we find the story of Naaman the leper being healed. He is an important figure in Syria, and when he encounters Elisha seeking instructions for healing, it is not what he is expecting.<br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">"</span><span class="text 2Kgs-5-9" id="en-ESV-9657" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">9 </span>So Naaman came with his horses and chariots and stood at the door of Elisha's house.</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"> </span><span class="text 2Kgs-5-10" id="en-ESV-9658" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">10 </span>And Elisha sent a messenger to him, saying, <span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-9658J" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-9658J" title="See cross-reference J">J</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 0.625em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></span>“Go and wash in the Jordan seven times, and your flesh shall be restored, and you shall be clean.”</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"> </span><span class="text 2Kgs-5-11" id="en-ESV-9659" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">11 </span>But Naaman was angry and went away, saying, “Behold, I thought that he would surely come out to me and stand and call upon the name of the <span class="small-caps" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-caps: small-caps; font-variant-numeric: normal;">Lord</span> his God, and wave his hand over the place and cure the leper.</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"> </span><span class="text 2Kgs-5-12" id="en-ESV-9660" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">12 </span>Are not Abana<span class="footnote" data-fn="#fen-ESV-9660c" data-link="[<a href="#fen-ESV-9660c" title="See footnote c">c</a>]" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 0.625em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">[<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2%20Kings%205#fen-ESV-9660c" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: #b34b2c; cursor: pointer; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: top;" title="See footnote c">c</a>]</span> and Pharpar, the rivers of <span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-9660K" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-9660K" title="See cross-reference K">K</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 0.625em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></span>Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Could I not wash in them and be clean?” So he turned and went away in a rage.</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"> </span><span class="text 2Kgs-5-13" id="en-ESV-9661" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">13 </span>But his servants came near and said to him, <span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-9661L" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-9661L" title="See cross-reference L">L</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 0.625em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></span>“My father, it is a great word the prophet has spoken to you; will you not do it? Has he actually said to you, ‘Wash, and be clean’?”</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"> </span><span class="text 2Kgs-5-14" id="en-ESV-9662" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">14 </span>So he went down and dipped himself seven times in the Jordan, according to the word of the man of God, <span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-9662M" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-9662M" title="See cross-reference M">M</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 0.625em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></span>and his flesh was restored like the flesh of a little child, <span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-9662N" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-9662N" title="See cross-reference N">N</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 0.625em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></span>and he was clean."</span><br />
<span class="text 2Kgs-5-14" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><span style="color: blue;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">I can't help but wonder sometimes if I have the same attitude towards so many of these simple little things I believe God shows me to do. I pray that I will be willing to be obedient to Him whether it seems profound or simple to me. I pray the same for you.</span></span><br />
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Dennis D.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09850248620844503413noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24059057.post-59676981420516989282017-07-16T22:53:00.000-07:002017-07-16T23:14:39.510-07:00I'm the babyThere are many lessons I didn't really even begin to understand about my walk with God until after I was married. Many of these began specifically after Myndall and I had kids. I want to share some of these.<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">Answers to prayer versus growth</span></b><br />
One powerful moment was when my oldest, Ella, was just a few months old and she was just at the phase where she was learning to roll over and lift herself up by the strength of her own arms. I distinctly remember lying next to her on the bed. She was getting so frustrated. I knew exactly what she was trying to do, and I had the ability to make that happen for her by simply reaching down and rolling her over. That would have been an "answer" to her request of me. She would have gotten what she wanted so, so badly. Here's one strange observation. It was not a matter of me NOT wanting her to roll over. I also wanted her to do that. I was basically cheering her on. So, if that was the case why did I not simply roll her over and give her rest from her straining? It was because I knew that she needed to develop her own strength to be able to do this. Not only was this important for her in regards to being able to roll over, but with each new time that she rolled over on her own strength, it would inevitably put a crazy notion that perhaps she could even sit up on her own. This would lead to the nutty thought that she might even be able to move from place to place on her own by crawling, etc., etc. You get the idea.<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">God's Provision and Protection</span></b><br />
Another aspect to the situation with Ella on the bed trying desperately to roll over as I simply watched is that even though it looks at a glance like I am callously allowing my daughter to strive and couldn't care less. Let's look at it a bit more carefully. First, as I have stated, she was struggling on a bed not a concrete floor. The bed had clean sheets on it. She was wearing clean clothes as she struggled. We were in a home that allowed her to struggle in a safety that she was not even old enough to understand the need for. This house had central heating and air conditioning which provided the optimal temperature to engage in rolling over exercises. She was wearing a clean diaper recently changed by either myself or more likely her mother. She was clean because she'd recently been given a bath. Downstairs there was a kitchen with food in it that she had been and would be fed when hungry. Etc. Etc. Again....you get the idea. In other words, the struggle she was undergoing while FROM HER POINT OF VIEW seemed overwhelming and frustrating was actually taking place within a very carefully controlled and protective environment designed to give her maximum opportunity to gain newfound rollover skills. <br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>Hearing from God</b></span><br />
Another angle to my walk with God has to do with hearing from God and how to think of that concept. Just remember these are simply the ramblings of a trucker theologian. Lord knows many think there should not even be such a thing allowed to exist, but, well, here we are. We tend to think that we are simply not hearing from God because for whatever reason he is not speaking to us. I want to be clear that God is in no way limited by OUR limitations; however, keeping with the spirit of the above rollover dilemma and God's apparent emphasis on growing OUR capacity, I submit the following thought. <br />
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What if the issue is something more like this? When you speak to a baby, the baby knows that something meaningful is taking place even if and when it cannot truly "understand" you in the way we think of language and paragraphs and dictionaries. Communication is SO much deeper than that, and upon reflection, this is self evident to us if we consider the last time we spoke to a baby.<br />
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I believe many would acknowledge that they have a sense of very basic moral struggles in various circumstances. You have something/someone seeking to teach you the morally right decisions to make if you are born again. There are probably also often times that you have a sense that you should be careful. Perhaps there is a relationship that is not inherently wrong, but it seems like very possibly, it poses a danger to your walk with God. Also, there are times if you are a child of God that you probably sense that you have not been spending quality time with God in prayer, Bible, and Christian friends hanging out and being encouraged or challenged. Perhaps these three examples, the sensitivity of conscience, an alertness to danger, and a call to be in the presence of God and other believers is like the baby hearing its parent communicate. Just because we don't hear words doesn't mean He isn't communicating with us. Basically, what if the issue with how clearly and regularly we are or are not hearing from God is simply about how much we have embraced the notion that God wants us to grow. Are we willing to let go of misguided notions of the Santa God? Are we willing to truly pursue growth rather than flirt with bitterness when God doesn't give us what we ask for? I'm embarrassed to say too often I'm the baby, and God is trying to get me to grow NOT because He is so harsh but BECAUSE he wants to have much more meaningful and clear interaction with me, but I need to get off my butt and trust Him as He pushes me to grow. Strangely, the road to better communication with God the Father is the same as the baby's road to better communication with the father. Keep talking and keep listening. We will eventually understand more and will be able to talk with words that speak to the Father. AND we will hear the words of the Father and more clearly understand them. The bottom line is that the less we depend on our misguided notion of what should happen next in our growth, the better off we are. Our Father who is in heaven, Hallowed be thy name!Dennis D.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09850248620844503413noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24059057.post-28868267194983593852017-02-16T09:37:00.002-08:002017-07-16T22:53:54.971-07:00The Other LGBT CommunityThis will be a brief post about something that has been on my mind for a bit. <br />
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First, let us define our terms. I am referring to LGBT, gay, or lesbian as anyone who has same sex attraction as a prominent feature of their daily life.<br />
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There is a march that has long since been underway in our world and especially within our country to not only guard against mistreatment of gay and lesbian folk, but quite honestly, to shame any who would not whole heartedly embrace homosexual sex as being seen as simply an alternative to heterosexual sex. This movement largely has taken place in secular environments of pop culture, legal settings, and studies within various scientific disciplines(genetics, brain function, etc.).<br />
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However, it has also been and is being fought within the church. It is not as though I argue for a strict separation between these two worlds. They obviously overlap in all sorts of ways within our daily lives, but there are some extremely important distinctions that need to be made. <br />
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We, in the church, as I understand,are charged with, among other things, faithfully communicating to our generation the gospel and all that it entails. The scriptures are generally viewed as being a primary,and for Protestants, THE primary source of authoritative information for us to acquire and faithfully communicate in regards to the gospel. My "thing" that has been nagging at me is simply this. Many within the church have taken it upon themselves to decide that homosexuality is not inherently sinful before God. It is my belief that the vast majority do so in an effort to show that God is loving and is not seeking to condemn people who are struggling so intensely with deeply real and personal feelings and attractions that are many times unrelenting. Let me quote Rosaria Butterfield Champagne here who says, "People of God, please know that you are not more merciful than God."<br />
Who is she, and why should you care what she says about this? She is currently a believer who is married to a Presbyterian minister. She is also an author who has written among other things, <u>Secret Thoughts of an Unlikely Convert.</u> She WAS an English professor at Syracuse who was a radical feminist who had lived in committed lesbian relationships for many years prior to her rather unorthodox conversion story(shared in the book above). I invoke her story not because she is the ONLY person allowed to speak about this issue. I know that she is not. However, her voice and those like hers are, I would argue, the MOST under represented voices within the current discussion about LGBT issues. In other words, have you, Christian, ever considered that there are people within your own church or social group who are currently living with same sex attraction but have chosen not to make that known? Have you considered that the reason they have not made it known is not because they are secretly engaging in homosexual sex and in homosexual relationships but BECAUSE they have those attractions and have determined that to remain faithful means to deny the fulfillment of these desires?? Have you considered that when you choose, in your mercy, to seek to affirm homosexuality as mentioned above, you are also impacting these fellow believers who have chosen to live their life based on <i><b>their genuinely held convictions</b></i> about truth rather than allowing their desires to be the ultimate deciding factor? God is the most merciful being in the universe. Perhaps we should spend more time squaring our understanding of that with his prohibition regarding homosexual sex. Or perhaps you don't really believe that. Perhaps you believe you are more merciful than God. This is directed to those WITHIN the community professing belief in Christ. I am also posting a link a video below that will make this point far better than I am able to make it. Thank you.<br />
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<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mCLms7J84JY">Please watch</a><br />
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<br />Dennis D.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09850248620844503413noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24059057.post-43434525503415428622016-07-30T07:36:00.001-07:002016-07-30T07:36:05.513-07:00Talk amongst yourselves.....If God knew, then why?<span style="font-size: large;">In the last couple of months, both of my kids have asked me variations on this question at completely different times and completely independent of the other knowing about it. Basically, the question goes something like this. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">"Dad, if God knew that Adam and Eve/humans were going to choose sin and all this evil was going to happen in the world, why did he still choose to make them?" or "Why didn't he stop it from happening the way it did in the garden?" </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">I gave responses and part of my responses included that we have to acknowledge that some of these questions are not things that we have answers to right now. However, I did try to give some thoughts to them. I am curious what your thoughts are....I will probably throw my answers in toward the end, but you know the drill. Please participate on facebook in the comments section of the link and I will transfer all answers back to the blog when we are done talking about it. Hoping for some good interaction. </span>Dennis D.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09850248620844503413noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24059057.post-86751782479013887772016-07-23T06:28:00.001-07:002016-07-23T06:28:45.126-07:00Romans 1-4 Intro to God and Salvation Stuff<span style="font-size: large;">First, some external things to consider about Romans. It is the one place that we know for certain, Paul had not visited yet at the time he wrote the letter(Colossians <em>may</em> also be an example. We are not sure.). This may be one of the reason for one of the defining characteristics of Romans. Unlike the other letters, it does not really spend much time on specific issues going on within the church, but it is known instead to be a very thorough explanation of many of the foundational truths regarding our Christian faith. Because of this, it also serves as a great introduction to the later material in the New Testament.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Paul seems to lay out well what he perceives to be his mission in verses 4,5, and 6 of chapter 1.</span><br />
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<span class="text Rom-1-4" id="en-ESV-27919"><sup class="versenum">4 </sup>and <sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-27919H" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-27919H" title="See cross-reference H">H</a>)"></sup>was declared to be the Son of God <sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-27919I" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-27919I" title="See cross-reference I">I</a>)"></sup>in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord,</span> <span class="text Rom-1-5" id="en-ESV-27920"><sup class="versenum">5<span style="color: blue;"> </span></sup><span style="color: blue;">through whom <sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-27920J" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-27920J" title="See cross-reference J">J</a>)"></sup>we have received grace and <sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-27920K" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-27920K" title="See cross-reference K">K</a>)"></sup>apostleship <sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-27920L" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-27920L" title="See cross-reference L">L</a>)"></sup>to bring about the obedience of faith </span>for the sake of his name <sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-27920M" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-27920M" title="See cross-reference M">M</a>)"></sup>among all the nations,</span> <span class="text Rom-1-6" id="en-ESV-27921"><sup class="versenum">6 </sup>including you who are <sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-27921N" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-27921N" title="See cross-reference N">N</a>)"></sup>called to belong to Jesus Christ</span><br />
<span class="text Rom-1-6"></span><br />
<span class="text Rom-1-6"><span style="font-size: large;">We will return to that at the end of these posts. Romans 1 proceeds to point out the sad story of humanity and how it refuses to acknowledge God as the one true God. There is, of course, the well known statements regarding homosexuality in chapter 1. I'm not going to camp out here except to point out an interesting thing that I noticed. In verse 24, notice the word <strong><em>therefore</em></strong>, and in verse 26 the phrase <strong><em>for this reason</em></strong>, and in verse 28 <strong><em>and since they did not.</em></strong> These words and phrases tell us that it was because they refused to acknowledge God as God that these things came upon them.</span></span><br />
<span class="text Rom-1-6"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></span><br />
<span class="text Rom-1-6"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: lime;"><span class="text Rom-1-24" id="en-ESV-27939"><sup class="versenum"><span style="font-size: x-small;">24 </span></sup><strong><em>Therefore</em></strong> <sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-27939AR" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-27939AR" title="See cross-reference AR">AR</a>)"></sup>God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to <sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-27939AS" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-27939AS" title="See cross-reference AS">AS</a>)"></sup>the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves,</span> <span class="text Rom-1-25" id="en-ESV-27940"><sup class="versenum"><span style="font-size: x-small;">25 </span></sup>because they exchanged the truth about God for <sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-27940AT" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-27940AT" title="See cross-reference AT">AT</a>)"></sup>a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, <sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-27940AU" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-27940AU" title="See cross-reference AU">AU</a>)"></sup>who is blessed forever! Amen.</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: lime;"><span class="text Rom-1-26" id="en-ESV-27941"><sup class="versenum"><span style="font-size: x-small;">26 </span></sup><strong><em>For this reason</em></strong> <sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-27941AV" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-27941AV" title="See cross-reference AV">AV</a>)"></sup>God gave them up to <sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-27941AW" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-27941AW" title="See cross-reference AW">AW</a>)"></sup>dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature;</span> <span class="text Rom-1-27" id="en-ESV-27942"><sup class="versenum"><span style="font-size: x-small;">27 </span></sup>and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, <sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-27942AX" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-27942AX" title="See cross-reference AX">AX</a>)"></sup>men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error.</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: lime;"><span class="text Rom-1-28" id="en-ESV-27943"><sup class="versenum"><span style="font-size: x-small;">28 </span></sup><strong><em>And since they did not</em></strong> see fit to acknowledge God, <sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-27943AY" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-27943AY" title="See cross-reference AY">AY</a>)"></sup>God gave them up to <sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-27943AZ" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-27943AZ" title="See cross-reference AZ">AZ</a>)"></sup>a debased mind to do <sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-27943BA" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-27943BA" title="See cross-reference BA">BA</a>)"></sup>what ought not to be done.</span> <span class="text Rom-1-29" id="en-ESV-27944"><sup class="versenum"><span style="font-size: x-small;">29 </span></sup>They were filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness. They are gossips,</span> <span class="text Rom-1-30" id="en-ESV-27945"><sup class="versenum"><span style="font-size: x-small;">30 </span></sup>slanderers, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents,</span> <span class="text Rom-1-31" id="en-ESV-27946"><sup class="versenum"><span style="font-size: x-small;">31 </span></sup>foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless.</span> <span class="text Rom-1-32" id="en-ESV-27947"><sup class="versenum"><span style="font-size: x-small;">32 </span></sup>Though they know <sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-27947BB" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-27947BB" title="See cross-reference BB">BB</a>)"></sup>God's righteous decree that those who practice such things <sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-27947BC" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-27947BC" title="See cross-reference BC">BC</a>)"></sup>deserve to die, they not only do them but <sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-27947BD" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-27947BD" title="See cross-reference BD">BD</a>)"></sup>give approval to those who practice them.</span></span><br />
<span class="text Rom-1-32"></span><br />
<span class="text Rom-1-32">My point in pointing this out is not to single out these individual people, but it is rather to point out that it seems to me that when we uncouple from the most basic linchpin of reality, other extremely fundamental linchpins will inevitably follow such as who we are designed by God to be attracted to and, as is increasingly seen in our culture, the very idea of there being self evident identity attached to gender. It is as though a tether has snapped and we are adrift. Certainly, the ongoing reality that we are all too familiar with deserves a post of its own, but today is not that day.</span><br />
<span class="text Rom-1-32"></span><br />
<span class="text Rom-1-32">In chapter 2, Paul goes on to zig when you thought he might zag. Just as he points out the tragedy of unrepentant, fallen humanity, he points to self-righteous judges. The key I believe in understanding this and many of Paul's switches back and forth is to anticipate what people are thinking as they read his letter. For instance, you can hear religious leaders cheering him on as his reaches his crescendo in chapter 1 and then he silences them (and everyone) in chapter 2. The crucial point here to me is that it is incredibly easy to be deluded into thinking that just because you have some profound insights into morality, spirituality, and God that you are officially in some "other" category from the masses. Knowing and living it out are two very different things. Paul makes it clear that we are ALL in the category of chapter 1. This is the first distinction Paul makes. Those who know compared with those who do, even in some cases when they have limited knowledge. So what good is it to "know"? Oh, says Paul, it makes a big difference, BUT, at the end of the day...</span><br />
<br />
<span class="text Rom-1-32"><span class="text Rom-3-10" id="en-ESV-27986"><sup class="versenum"><span style="font-size: x-small;">10 </span></sup>as it is written:</span><br />
</span></span></span><div class="poetry top-1">
<div class="line">
<span class="text Rom-1-6"><span style="font-size: large;"><span class="text Rom-1-32"><span class="text Rom-3-10"><sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-27986Q" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-27986Q" title="See cross-reference Q">Q</a>)"></sup>“None is righteous, no, not one;</span></span></span></span><br />
<span class="text Rom-1-6"><span style="font-size: large;"><span class="text Rom-1-32"><span class="indent-1"><span class="text Rom-3-11" id="en-ESV-27987"><sup class="versenum"><span style="font-size: x-small;">11 </span></sup><span class="indent-1-breaks"> </span>no one understands;</span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span class="text Rom-1-6"><span style="font-size: large;"><span class="text Rom-1-32"><span class="indent-1"><span class="indent-1-breaks"> </span><span class="text Rom-3-11">no one seeks for God.</span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span class="text Rom-1-6"><span style="font-size: large;"><span class="text Rom-1-32"><span class="text Rom-3-12" id="en-ESV-27988"><sup class="versenum"><span style="font-size: x-small;">12 </span></sup>All have turned aside; together they have become worthless;</span></span></span></span><br />
<span class="text Rom-1-6"><span style="font-size: large;"><span class="text Rom-1-32"><span class="indent-1"><span class="indent-1-breaks"> </span><span class="text Rom-3-12">no one does good,</span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span class="text Rom-1-6"><span style="font-size: large;"><span class="text Rom-1-32"><span class="indent-1"><span class="indent-1-breaks"> </span><span class="text Rom-3-12">not even one.”</span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span class="text Rom-1-6"><span style="font-size: large;"><span class="text Rom-1-32"><span class="text Rom-3-13" id="en-ESV-27989"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><sup class="versenum">13 </sup><sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-27989R" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-27989R" title="See cross-reference R">R</a>)"></sup></span>“Their throat is <sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-27989S" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-27989S" title="See cross-reference S">S</a>)"></sup>an open grave;</span></span></span></span><br />
<span class="text Rom-1-6"><span style="font-size: large;"><span class="text Rom-1-32"><span class="indent-1"><span class="indent-1-breaks"> </span><span class="text Rom-3-13">they use their tongues to deceive.”</span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span class="text Rom-1-6"><span style="font-size: large;"><span class="text Rom-1-32"><span class="text Rom-3-13"><sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-27989T" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-27989T" title="See cross-reference T">T</a>)"></sup>“The venom of asps is under their lips.”</span></span></span></span><br />
<span class="text Rom-1-6"><span style="font-size: large;"><span class="text Rom-1-32"><span class="indent-1"><span class="text Rom-3-14" id="en-ESV-27990"><sup class="versenum"><span style="font-size: x-small;">14 </span></sup><span class="indent-1-breaks"> </span><sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-27990U" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-27990U" title="See cross-reference U">U</a>)"></sup>“Their mouth is full of curses and bitterness.”</span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span class="text Rom-1-6"><span style="font-size: large;"><span class="text Rom-1-32"><span class="text Rom-3-15" id="en-ESV-27991"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><sup class="versenum">15 </sup><sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-27991V" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-27991V" title="See cross-reference V">V</a>)"></sup></span>“Their feet are swift to shed blood;</span></span></span></span><br />
<span class="text Rom-1-6"><span style="font-size: large;"><span class="text Rom-1-32"><span class="indent-1"><span class="text Rom-3-16" id="en-ESV-27992"><sup class="versenum"><span style="font-size: x-small;">16 </span></sup><span class="indent-1-breaks"> </span>in their paths are ruin and misery,</span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span class="text Rom-1-6"><span style="font-size: large;"><span class="text Rom-1-32"><span class="text Rom-3-17" id="en-ESV-27993"><sup class="versenum"><span style="font-size: x-small;">17 </span></sup>and <sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-27993W" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-27993W" title="See cross-reference W">W</a>)"></sup>the way of peace they have not known.”</span></span></span></span><br />
<span class="text Rom-1-6"><span style="font-size: large;"><span class="text Rom-1-32"><span class="indent-1"><span class="text Rom-3-18" id="en-ESV-27994"><sup class="versenum"><span style="font-size: x-small;">18 </span></sup><span class="indent-1-breaks"> </span><sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-27994X" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-27994X" title="See cross-reference X">X</a>)"></sup>“There is no fear of God before their eyes.”</span></span></span></span></span></div>
</div>
<span class="text Rom-1-6"><span style="font-size: large;"><span class="text Rom-1-32">
</span><span class="text Rom-1-32"> 3:10-18</span><br />
<span class="text Rom-1-32"></span><br />
<span class="text Rom-1-32"> As Paul progresses in chapter 3, he makes it clear that even people who are genuinely trying to do good and right will never be good enough or right enough in and of themselves because we are all at our core fallen, corrupted, and rebels. However, there is a way to be made right with God.........Paul just needs to take some time here, and it WILL get revisited again later, that the way is NOT BY WORKS OF THE LAW (works of the law simply refers to earning salvation by being a good enough follower of the law).</span><br />
<span class="text Rom-1-32"></span><br />
<span class="text Rom-1-32">Once again in chapter 4, Paul anticipates an objection of someone asking, "Well what about all that stuff with God interacting with Abraham and setting the stage for the whole covenant thing?? Are you just blowing that off?"</span><br />
<span class="text Rom-1-32"></span><br />
<span class="text Rom-1-32">It is at this point that Paul masterfully USES the very accounts in scripture to point out that the Old Testament or Hebrew scriptures actually is the very thing that points to the righteousness that God provides. He and other New Testament writers use this technique many times to make it clear that, not only are we not to "blow off" the Old Testament, but it is the very place we can often find the greatest clarity and be awe struck by the genius nature of the God of the universe's plan to save whosoever will.</span><br />
<span class="text Rom-1-32"></span><br />
<span class="text Rom-1-32">More to come...</span></span> </span><br />
<span class="text Rom-1-6"></span><br />Dennis D.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09850248620844503413noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24059057.post-56467791705490509762016-07-16T07:29:00.000-07:002016-07-16T07:41:26.518-07:00Revisiting the WhyI feel the need to express what the main reasons are that I write this blog.<br />
<br />
First, allow me to voice what I believe can be some understandably wrong ideas about what I am trying to do or why I am writing it. <br />
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I do not want to give people the impression that I am not struggling with my own issues. There are many things that I discuss on this blog specifically because writing about them helps me to think more carefully and clearly about stuff that I am struggling with. When I state what I am in the process of learning from Scriptures or life in general, it is not intended to give an impression of great scholarly study (have you read my blog), but it is to show that even a truck driver can access deep and powerful truths within the Bible and by the help of the Holy Spirit throughout every day life. Therefore, if I, the truck driver, can access these insights, anyone can. Or...more specifically, you can. <br />
<br />
Also, understand this, I struggle with sin. I have shared some personal info about this, and I have been working through how to share a bit more of my personal story, but I just want to make it clear that another conclusion that should not be reached because of my uber willingness to focus almost exclusively on spiritual and Scriptural topics is that I am therefore implying that I do not struggle with sin. This entire post makes me uncomfortable because of the degree to which the word "I" has been used. It is not my intention to craft this blog as a voice for only my insights but I also want to spotlight others including the thoughts of any who frequent the blog. I have, however, felt a push to give my thoughts some context. That context will be a few posts that are forthcoming regarding the good, bad, ugly, and beautiful about my life up until this point. In these posts, I will spend some time exploring my past, important people in my life, and my present. I bring this up now to say that if you are under the impression that I am seeking to point to myself as someone who is "holier than thou" and a faker, you are free to hold to that opinion but please know that I know who I am, and a crucial part of who I am is who I was. God is unbelievably gracious in dealing with my failings now, but what really blows me away is how gracious He is at not bringing up my past nose dives. That being said, one of the biggest things that sobers me up when I am feeling a bit "holier than whomever" is a short remembrance of who I am when I am not even trying to follow Christ. I promise you it ain't pretty. Just know that I know how profoundly screwed up I was, and I also know that I am still struggling with sin. Just because I don't make this blog into a full on national enquirer expose on "Dennis--What Crap did he do and What Crap is he doing even now!", doesn't mean I am not aware of that. This is not Jerry Springer; I ain't Catholic, and you are not my priest. <br />
<br />
OK, enough of that. <br />
<br />
Why am I writing this?<br />
<br />
1. It helps me to sort through my thoughts more carefully and clearly when I sit down and actually write about it. Writing about it officially puts it "out there" for all to see and therefore, writing about it is a way to push my self to think more carefully and express my thoughts more concisely. This helps me when I am later talking about some things because I already have my mental ducks in a row....at least, on a few things. :)<br />
<br />
2. I want to give some of these posts as a gift to my kids. It will be sort of like a snap shot of how I saw the world at the time when I was writing the given post, and by the time they are old enough to care, it will be a snap shot from quite some time ago. (I did my first blog post two months before Ella was born.) I am hoping it will give them something concrete to consider as they themselves are sorting through some of these same issues.<br />
<br />
3. I want those closest to me to have a way to know my thoughts. Myndall is the primary person in this category, but I/we have also been blessed with an incredibly large number of family that we are close to and an amazing array of friends who I cannot and would not want to imagine living life without. However, life is insanity and slow, meaningful chats over a cup of coffee happens far too infrequently for any of us(including Myndall and I). Therefore, this is a way to have a more continuous meaningful conversation in spite of the insanity. I will still probably be drinking coffee. You may imbibe the beverage of your choice. :)<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
That's pretty much it. <br />
<br />
Smooches and sunshineDennis D.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09850248620844503413noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24059057.post-83215666708337481522016-06-19T14:26:00.001-07:002016-06-19T14:27:10.762-07:00Caring More, Carrying MoreBeen thinking lately about love, caring, and what it truly is. We all know some of the distinctions. I love hot dogs, my dogs, my kids, and my wife. Yet each "love" mentioned is a very different concept than the other "love" mentioned in that sentence. Thankfully. :)<br />
<br />
However, I am going to go ahead and assume that these differences are already grasped by the vast majority of my audience and will thus move on to some other thoughts. <br />
<br />
Would you say that true love is sacrifice? Would you say that true love gives? Me too....but....,<br />
I have recently come across some scripture that has challenged me even in this. Sort of.<br />
<br />
First Corinthians 13 is often referred to as the love chapter in the Bible. Paul transitions into this chapter at the end of chapter 12 by saying, "...And I will show you a still more excellent way." Jesus uses the concepts of "loving God with all our heart, mind, soul, and strength," and "loving your neighbour as yourself" as ways to encapsulate "all the law and the prophets" or that there thing we call the entire Old Testament basically! We had better be sure we seek to clearly understand what was being spoken of if this idea can carry that kind of all encompassing expression.<br />
<br />
What got the most recent bout of deeper thinking about this is found in verse 3 of I Corinthians 13.<br />
<br />
<span style="color: blue;">"If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing."</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;"></span><br />
<span style="color: black;">Wait...what!? </span><br />
<br />
The love in the Bible is not a love that is ever accurately represented by a single act. This may indeed be a final act that expresses with amazing force the love that captured the heart of the one who gave it all away, but love is about living "a more excellent way." I have struggled with trying to teach my kids what a short definition of the word repentance is, but I finally settled on "turning from living a self-centered life to a life that is Jesus centered." This is connected to this strange verse within first Corinthians also. We are being called to LIVE more excellently. <br />
<br />
I think that what Paul is referring to in verse 3 is that even something like giving away all your possessions or your life can represent an act that is at its core devoid of love because it can represent an act that was sort of a method to "buy your way into heaven." If this sound improbable or extreme, that is only because you have been hanging out with us Western softies for far too long. If you will look carefully around the world, you will see within Islam, Hinduism, and other various religious cultures, people engaging in horrific acts either toward themselves or those around them for the very reason of attaining entrance into heaven/paradise/moksha or whatever. In other words, it is still at its core still very much works based salvation which is not salvation at all. <br />
<br />
OK, so what is love according to the Bible...the kind that Paul speaks of and that Jesus points to as representation of the entire law and prophets?<br />
<br />
Here are some thoughts, but I confess they are almost certainly not exhaustive about the topic.<br />
<br />
Love is a transforming power within us that is transforming us from the inside out.<br />
Love has at its core an awareness of being loved in a way that breaks us and sets us free to cry out in joy and thankfulness.<br />
Love pushes us to care about others. (this is a major point I will come back to)<br />
Love is pretty much the kryptonite to self-centered living. The two will not live indefinitely within the same heart. Eventually, one will win out over the other.<br />
Love is patient, kind, not arrogant, rude, does not envy, is not resentful. <br />
Love is a way of recognizing both where your walk with God is, and where it needs to go.<br />
<br />
Now to come full circle back to the title of this here rambling little post, I will toss out a couple of thoughts. Love is never, ever, ever to be a means by which we seek to GAIN the love and salvation from our Father. However, if we truly place our faith in the salvation accomplished by Jesus for us on the cross, love(as described above) should be an expected outflow of that faith. I got four simple steps to finish out. <br />
<br />
1. If you have not already repented(see above definition) and trusted in Jesus to save you, pray now and do so.<br />
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2. Read and study the Bible prayerfully for yourself to see if I am representing this correctly. <br />
<br />
3. If you find yourself either now or in the future not possessing the fruit of love I have described within this post, simply admit that to God and cry out to Him to change your heart and your life. DO NOT seek to pretend to be something that you are not.....but also....DO NOT think that just because you have fallen short of the goal, you are somehow alone. I can assure you, if no one else will acknowledge such failings, I most certainly will.<br />
<br />
4. As you continue to learn and be taught. LIVE AND BE TRAINED. The difference between teaching and training is simple. Teaching is head knowledge. Training is hands on learning. One simple example of taking the head knowledge and allowing God to morph it into a part of who you are is caring more.<br />
<br />
Self-centered Dennis-- cannot take even one more burden onto himself. He's got his hands full. You got your problems. I got mine, and good luck with that.<br />
<br />
Jesus-centered Dennis--still doesn't always get the warm fuzzies about caring about you and your troubles but I start taking your burdens onto myself by trying to pray for you. I feel the emotional weight of your problems and I cry out to God for you. Perhaps I am even able to give you some material support or help in some other way. Caring more = carrying more! <br />
<br />
Was I wrong to think that I cannot take even one more burden onto myself? Nope. But when I choose to do it anyway, God gives me the capacity to carry it. Think of what this accomplishes! <br />
<br />
It pushes me away from self-centeredness, it forces me to be dependant on God, it improves my relationships with people whom I pray for because they become much more three dimensional to me, it helps the person I prayed for and possibly helped in some other way and points them to Christ. This is just one example of how we can be transformed as we allow ourselves to be TRAINED and not just TAUGHT by the scriptures and the Holy Spirit. <br />
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And always feel free to revisit #3, I know I do. :)<br />
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Dennis D.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09850248620844503413noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24059057.post-13734664541542318512016-04-13T05:10:00.002-07:002016-04-13T05:10:41.871-07:00Acts Part 5 (Chapters 21-28)The final years of the thirty year narrative of Acts finds its focus on what I refer to as Paul's fourth and final missionary journey. In Acts 20:16, we see that Paul is seeking to put the pedal to the metal because he desires to arrive in Jerusalem by the day of Pentecost. A side note to consider is how the earliest and final chapters of Acts both begin on the day of Pentecost in Jerusalem roughly 25 years apart. I think it is worthwhile to notice and perhaps contrast the differences. Leaders were the primary persecutors in the early years when Peter first proclaims the gospel, but it is much more of a rejection by the masses by the time Paul proclaims it.<br />
<br />
Paul knew what was coming his way. From an uninformed view, these final chapters seem to detail a sad and tragic ending for Paul. He is first nearly killed by an angry mob who reject his proclamation. He is questioned before a corrupt leadership within Jerusalem. Next, he appears before two corrupt Roman officials and a local king. Finally, he barely survives a shipwreck to arrive in Rome imprisoned and awaiting his day before Caesar to state his case. Not spoken of within Acts, but widely accepted as history, is the fact that at some point within the next few years, Paul is executed in Rome. <br />
<br />
The difference between the above version which sounds like the ending to a Greek tragedy, and the insights we are given as we read through chapters 21-28 allow us to see things quite differently. Paul, as stated earlier, knew something like this would happen. He even learns in Acts 23:11, years before he leaves, that God intends for him to proclaim his message in Rome. We see God protecting him and those around him every step of the way. We see God providing for his needs again and again, sometimes miraculously. In Acts 20:18-24, Paul states the single greatest thing that transforms the final years of his life. From the outside Greco-Roman (worldly/unbelieving) world, his ending affirms a sort of sad inevitable tragedy that seems in their minds to undermine the hope he claimed to have. However, in verse 24, Paul opens up to the leaders of Ephesus and us the key to seeing his final days with clarity.<br />
<br />
<span style="background-color: blue;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: blue;"></span><br />
<span style="color: blue;">"But I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God."</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;"></span><br />
<span style="color: black;">Also, in the letter(written while he was imprisoned in Rome) to the church of Philippi, Paul writes,</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: blue;">"I want you to know brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel, so that it has become known throughout the whole imperial guard and to all the rest that my imprisonment is for Christ. And most of the brothers, having become confident in the Lord by my imprisonment, are much more bold to speak the word without fear." Philippians 1:12-14</span><br />
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<span style="color: blue;">"For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain." Philippians 1:21</span><br />
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<br />Dennis D.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09850248620844503413noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24059057.post-53003438116123892142016-03-27T10:15:00.002-07:002016-04-12T18:26:20.391-07:00Acts Part 4 (Chapters 15-20)<span style="font-size: large;">The shift of proclaiming the gospel to the gentiles has its first major push back over the issue of circumcision. A group commonly referred to as the circumcision party, also referred to as Pharisees in chapter 15 verse 5, begins teaching to the gentiles that have embraced Christ through faith that they must be circumcised. Paul and Barnabas initially argue with them, but it is wisely decided to resolve the dispute by travelling to Jerusalem and holding what becomes known as the Jerusalem Council. The decision in Jerusalem by a meeting of the elder leaders of authority, including James the brother of Jesus and Peter, is found in verse 9, "...having cleansed their hearts by faith," and verse 11, "...we believe that <em><u>we will be saved</u></em> through the grace of the Lord Jesus,<em> <u>just as they will</u></em>."</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">The leaders from Jerusalem send out a list of four things to abstain from, and there is a reference to synagogues located in many different ancient cities. This seems to point to some practical considerations. We are not bound by the Mosaic covenant, but there are still many things we can and should learn from the old testament to more fully grasp our new covenant. Paul and Barnabas return with the leaders judgment regarding circumcision. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">There is an intense argument that takes place upon their return between Paul and Barnabas about whether to take John Mark with them on a second missionary journey which causes them to part ways with Barnabas and John Mark going to Cyprus, and Paul and Silas going north through Syria and the eastern shore of the Mediterranean into modern day Turkey. This break causes me mixed feelings because it seems so tragic for such great friends and men of God to be divided by passionate disagreement, but in a strange way, it comforts me to know that they are just humans like us and that God can obviously use flawed humans in such a powerful way.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Anyhoo, Paul sets off with Silas and soon meets a young man named Timothy who becomes like a son to Paul (we see this in the letters to Timothy from Paul, first and second Timothy, found later in the Bible). They go off on more missionary journeys revisiting some cities and spreading the gospel to some new locations. Paul visits and stays in many of the cities he later writes to. These letters become preserved for our benefit. We see him in Philippi in Acts 16:12, in Thessalonica in 17:1, and in Galatia, which is an entire region rather than a city, in 16:6. We see Paul stay in Corinth for over a year and a half in chapter 18. He visits Ephesus more than once in chapters 18 and 19, and in Acts 20:31, he mentions having spent three years there. A more exhaustive look at all three of Paul's missionary journeys would no doubt be fruitful, but I am primarily going to simply point out that by the end of the 50's A.D., Paul and others have truly spread the gospel throughout the Roman empire and beyond. This can be seen not only through the narrative of Acts itself, but by how, in the later chapters, people react in ways that show they are aware of the disciples and Christ and Christians. Compare the Jewish leaders response to invite Paul to speak in the synagogue in Acts 13:15 to the response Paul gets from Jewish leaders in the Temple in Acts 21:28, "....Men of Israel, help! This is the man who is teaching everyone everywhere against the people(Jews) and the law and this place(Temple)..."</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">The final push of the gospel's reach "to the ends of the earth" begins with Paul and Barnabas in chapter 13 and is still going on today. Paul's "final missionary journey" will be with an armed guard and increasingly, his audience will be those with greater and greater authority.</span>Dennis D.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09850248620844503413noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24059057.post-8479040795810276872016-03-19T16:18:00.000-07:002016-03-27T10:15:48.343-07:00Acts Part 3 (Chapters 10-14)<span style="font-size: large;">As mentioned in my previous Acts post, the stage is set by the end of chapter nine for the disciples to move into a full awareness of the scope of God's intentions for the world and how the gospel <strong><em>truly </em></strong>flips everything on its head and begins a new day for humanity.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">It starts with God's man praying on a rooftop. He gets confused and even initially resists God's message to him. Even as the vision concludes, he is left pondering its meaning. God then uses external forces to finish making the point He began making on the rooftop. Visitors arrive and take him away to receive full clarity of what God was intending for him to grasp. The gospel is to be proclaimed to the gentiles!</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">As we will see in future chapters, this new development is one of THE primary tensions within the church and becomes a chief tool to bring persecution against the church. You see the many questions and tensions addressed in many of the New Testament letters. The door opening to the gentiles for redemption underlies the circumcision controversy which shows up in the Jerusalem Council in chapter 15. It also seems, when read closely, to be the primary thing that incited the masses at Paul's arrest in chapter 22. The development ushers in a whole new wave of issues that had to be sorted through. The relationship that the Old Covenant under Mosaic law has with the New Covenant under Jesus. This new development seems to also have drawn a sharper line between those Jews who submit to the New Covenant and those who would not. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">A new center of gentile Christianity emerges in Antioch(present day Syria). Paul and Barnabas seem tasked with being among its leadership. A prophet named Agabus announces that there will soon be a famine, and a collection is taken up by the gentile church and taken by Paul and Barnabas to Jerusalem for the relief from the coming famine. Around this same time, there is a new wave of persecution that is launched by Herod that takes the life of James the brother of John and leads to the imprisonment of Peter. Peter is miraculously rescued from execution by an angel and briefly visits the mother of John Mark to make it known to the Jerusalem church before fleeing from Herod. Paul and Barnabas then return to Antioch after fulfilling their delivery. They take the young John Mark with them back to Antioch. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Chapters 13 and 14 tell of the first missionary journey of Paul around the Mediterranean world to both Jews and gentiles. Barnabas is Paul's companion for this first trek, and John Mark accompanies them for the initial leg of their trip. An interesting thing to contrast is how they are welcomed and even given a place to speak in many synagogues. You will notice this becoming an increasingly rare thing as more and more Jews harden their conviction either for or against the gospel throughout the Roman empire. </span>Dennis D.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09850248620844503413noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24059057.post-18042910372865148082016-02-27T08:42:00.000-08:002016-03-19T16:19:38.352-07:00Acts Part 2 (Chapters 5-9)<span style="font-size: large;">At first glance, the jaw dropping evidence of the profound mercy of God that I spoke of in the last post seems to be undermined with the story of Ananias and Saphira, they are clearly struck down by the power of God. Just stick with me through this post, I will show how it not only does not undercut my claim but establishes it.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">We also see Stephen introduced, hear his passionate narrative of Israel's history as he defends his belief that Jesus is the Christ, and witness his execution and amazing final moments and words. We will start with this and come back to chapter five in a few paragraphs.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">A man named Chuck Missler help me to see the pattern within Stephen's speech that I had never noticed before. It is more than a recounting of Israel's history. It is a specific focus on a pattern that reemerges. God promises. God prophecies. God's prophecies are fulfilled and their deliverer emerges specifically because the people initially reject this deliverer sent by God. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">1. God prophecies that Abraham's people will sojourn within a foreign land for 400 years. Joseph's brothers betray him and sell him into slavery. This choice on their part ends up being the very thing that places Joseph in the position to have power and deliver his people. Joseph's betrayal by his brothers was known ahead of time by God and is the very thing that fulfils the prophecy. This does not relieve them of responsibility, but it shows the power of God. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">2. God prophecies that he will deliver Israel from Egypt. Israel not only initially rejects Moses as their deliverer but continue to reject God and Moses within the wilderness, but of course, the people now know that Moses was God's deliverer. Once again, the very rejection of Moses in the beginning was what God used to send Moses into the wilderness to prepare him to lead the people through the wilderness.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Point 1--This pattern which is shown here and which Stephen alludes to as reappearing in the lives of the prophets is the pattern of God's ultimate deliverer, Jesus. Jesus's life falls precisely within the pattern of all or most of Israel's great deliverers. Coicindence???</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Another truth that Stephen brings out of their scriptures (Old Testament) is about the tabernacle and the temple. God initially gives the pattern for the tabernacle, and it is built and brought in by the people of God into the promised land. As foundational as this tent is, it is eventually replaced by the temple which is basically a much more permanent and grand version of the tabernacle. The point that Stephen focuses in on is a quote by Solomon that God is too big to actually dwell within a temple made by man's hands. The idea is that the temple itself is by Solomon's own admission a very limited thing in accomplishing the service and worship of God. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Point 2--Jesus not only fulfils the pattern of Israel's deliverer, but He fulfils the purposes of the temple better than the temple itself does in regards to redemption and intercession before God.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">As I stated earlier, Stephen is violently rejected and killed, but he provides in his death two great examples to pray for ourselves. He clearly sees that Jesus is intently aware of his plight, and he mirrors the words of Jesus on the cross in his request for his persecutors to be forgiven of their actions. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">The killing of Stephen launches a new, more intense wave of persecution that scatters many within the church. As we read of Philip in Samaria throughout chapter 8, it is a good idea to revisit the specific names mentioned in Acts 1 of the ever expanding circle of influence that the disciples were called to move. There are quite honestly some strange aspects to Philip's interactions that I am fascinated by. Apparently, the people of Samaria were not given the gift of the Holy Spirit until Peter and others came to town in spite of Phillip having proclaimed the gospel to them. Also, Phillip seems to be led about by God with amazing supernatural power and specificity. He is led to the Ethiopian eunuch and is providentially placed in his path at the precise moment that he is reading a specific passage in Isaiah prophetic of Jesus. God led this gentile believer to Christ even before the official breakthrough about the Gentiles that was to come in Acts 10. Since we know what is coming in the later chapters, it is easy to see also in chapters 8 and 9 that God is setting the stage for mo gentiles, mo gentiles. In the conversion of Saul(Paul) and the positioning of Peter, everything is in place for God to drag the first generation church kicking and screaming into genuinely grasping what Jesus meant in chapter 1 by "....the ends of the earth." Everything is about to be flipped on its head.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Now, as promised to revisit chapter 5, I would like to point out why I don't believe that the judgment imposed on Ananias and Saphira undermines the notion of God's unfathomable mercy as the foundation for EVERYTHING that takes place in Jesus's life, the book of Acts, and onto today. Chapters 5-9 begins with the death of these two, proceeds with a faithful man of God killed precisely as he faithfully proclaims the gospel and seeks to persuade and open the eyes of his listeners, continues on with a renewed persecution of the church, sees one of the chief persecutors captured by God's mercy for his causes. What is the common denominator that winds its way through these events? Why did God judge Ananias and Saphira? It was not because they did not give enough. Read it carefully. It was because they lied to God. Even this seems strange, but think it through. Why did they lie? They lied to get the benefit of being seen as someone who gives something they did not. By doing this, they were attaching themselves to the ongoing miracles and transformation being accomplished by God through his disciples. How much harm has been done by people who gain a position of leadership and honor within the church only to eventually show, their hearts were in NO WAY intent on making Jesus their Lord? Pedophile priests, sleezy con man televangelists, unfaithful pastors, greedy and unethical leaders....this couple was a forerunner of all of this. See the way Peter deals with Simeon of Samaria in chapter 8. OK....now look at the rest of the violence that God allows to happen not only in chapters 5-9 but throughout the book of Acts. Why?? There is a common theme. It is that ANY thing that stands in the way of God's proclamation of mercy is in grave danger. The internal influence of Ananias and Saphira would have corrupted the church from the inside out. Historically, this is always the greatest real threat for the church. The martyr of Stephen and subsequent persecution of the church served to push their influence outward, and the mercy shown to Paul ends up establishing a servant who is used to thrust the gospel out effectively to the larger gentile world. You will see later that Herod gets a taste of this reality as he seeks to obstruct God. God's mercy came at and comes at a horrific price. He intends for us to extend this to our generation. This is priority number 1. Don't get in the way of it. I believe the more we are gripped by this not only in our heads but in our hearts, we will grasp the will of God more clearly and walk with Him more closely. I pray he will patiently work with my hardened heart to do just this.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />Dennis D.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09850248620844503413noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24059057.post-89975236957022990922016-01-24T06:34:00.003-08:002016-01-24T06:35:24.456-08:00Talk amongst yourselves....Luke 22:35-38<span style="font-size: large;">First, I want to point you to the scripture that Jesus is referring to that happened earlier in Luke. This is found in Luke 10:1-20. Below I have made both texts available in ESV.</span><br />
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<span class="text Luke-10-1"><span class="chapternum">10 </span>After this the Lord appointed <sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-25356A" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-25356A" title="See cross-reference A">A</a>)"></sup>seventy-two<sup class="footnote" data-fn="#fen-ESV-25356a" data-link="[<a href="#fen-ESV-25356a" title="See footnote a">a</a>]">[<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke%2010&version=ESV#fen-ESV-25356a" title="See footnote a">a</a>]</sup> others and <sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-25356B" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-25356B" title="See cross-reference B">B</a>)"></sup>sent them on ahead of him, two by two, into every town and place where he himself was about to go.</span> <span class="text Luke-10-2" id="en-ESV-25357"><sup class="versenum">2 </sup><sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-25357C" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-25357C" title="See cross-reference C">C</a>)"></sup>And he said to them, <span class="woj">“The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. <sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-25357D" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-25357D" title="See cross-reference D">D</a>)"></sup>Therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.</span></span> <span class="text Luke-10-3" id="en-ESV-25358"><span class="woj"><sup class="versenum">3 </sup>Go your way; <sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-25358E" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-25358E" title="See cross-reference E">E</a>)"></sup>behold, I am sending you out as lambs in the midst of wolves.</span></span> <span class="text Luke-10-4" id="en-ESV-25359"><span class="woj"><sup class="versenum">4 </sup><sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-25359F" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-25359F" title="See cross-reference F">F</a>)"></sup>Carry no moneybag, no knapsack, no sandals, and <sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-25359G" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-25359G" title="See cross-reference G">G</a>)"></sup>greet no one on the road.</span></span> <span class="text Luke-10-5" id="en-ESV-25360"><span class="woj"><sup class="versenum">5 </sup>Whatever house you enter, first say, <sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-25360H" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-25360H" title="See cross-reference H">H</a>)"></sup>‘Peace be to this house!’</span></span> <span class="text Luke-10-6" id="en-ESV-25361"><span class="woj"><sup class="versenum">6 </sup>And if a son of peace is there, your peace will rest upon him. But if not, <sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-25361I" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-25361I" title="See cross-reference I">I</a>)"></sup>it will return to you.</span></span> <span class="text Luke-10-7" id="en-ESV-25362"><span class="woj"><sup class="versenum">7 </sup>And remain in the same house, eating and drinking what they provide, for <sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-25362J" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-25362J" title="See cross-reference J">J</a>)"></sup>the laborer deserves his wages. Do not go from house to house.</span></span> <span class="text Luke-10-8" id="en-ESV-25363"><span class="woj"><sup class="versenum">8 </sup>Whenever you enter a town and they receive you, eat what is set before you.</span></span> <span class="text Luke-10-9" id="en-ESV-25364"><span class="woj"><sup class="versenum">9 </sup>Heal the sick in it and say to them, <sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-25364K" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-25364K" title="See cross-reference K">K</a>)"></sup>‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’</span></span> <span class="text Luke-10-10" id="en-ESV-25365"><span class="woj"><sup class="versenum">10 </sup>But whenever you enter a town and they do not receive you, go into its streets and say,</span></span> <span class="text Luke-10-11" id="en-ESV-25366"><span class="woj"><sup class="versenum">11 </sup><sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-25366L" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-25366L" title="See cross-reference L">L</a>)"></sup>‘Even the dust of your town that clings to our feet we wipe off against you. Nevertheless know this, that <sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-25366M" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-25366M" title="See cross-reference M">M</a>)"></sup>the kingdom of God has come near.’</span></span> <span class="text Luke-10-12" id="en-ESV-25367"><span class="woj"><sup class="versenum">12 </sup>I tell you, <sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-25367N" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-25367N" title="See cross-reference N">N</a>)"></sup>it will be more bearable on <sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-25367O" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-25367O" title="See cross-reference O">O</a>)"></sup>that day for Sodom than for that town.</span></span></div>
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<span class="text Luke-10-13" id="en-ESV-25368"></span> </h3>
<span class="text Luke-10-13"><span class="woj"><sup class="versenum">13 </sup><sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-25368P" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-25368P" title="See cross-reference P">P</a>)"></sup>“Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works done in you had been done in <sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-25368Q" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-25368Q" title="See cross-reference Q">Q</a>)"></sup>Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes.</span></span> <span class="text Luke-10-14" id="en-ESV-25369"><span class="woj"><sup class="versenum">14 </sup><sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-25369R" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-25369R" title="See cross-reference R">R</a>)"></sup>But it will be more bearable in the judgment for <sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-25369S" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-25369S" title="See cross-reference S">S</a>)"></sup>Tyre and Sidon than for you.</span></span> <span class="text Luke-10-15" id="en-ESV-25370"><span class="woj"><sup class="versenum">15 </sup>And you, Capernaum, <sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-25370T" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-25370T" title="See cross-reference T">T</a>)"></sup>will you be exalted to heaven? You shall be brought down to <sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-25370U" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-25370U" title="See cross-reference U">U</a>)"></sup>Hades.</span></span><br />
<span class="text Luke-10-16" id="en-ESV-25371"><span class="woj"><sup class="versenum">16 </sup><sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-25371V" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-25371V" title="See cross-reference V">V</a>)"></sup>“The one who hears you hears me, and <sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-25371W" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-25371W" title="See cross-reference W">W</a>)"></sup>the one who rejects you rejects me, and <sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-25371X" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-25371X" title="See cross-reference X">X</a>)"></sup>the one who rejects me rejects him who sent me.”</span></span><br />
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<span class="text Luke-10-17" id="en-ESV-25372"></span> </h3>
<span class="text Luke-10-17"><sup class="versenum">17 </sup><sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-25372Y" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-25372Y" title="See cross-reference Y">Y</a>)"></sup>The seventy-two returned with joy, saying, “Lord, <sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-25372Z" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-25372Z" title="See cross-reference Z">Z</a>)"></sup>even the demons are subject to us in your name!”</span> <span class="text Luke-10-18" id="en-ESV-25373"><sup class="versenum">18 </sup>And he said to them, <span class="woj"><sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-25373AA" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-25373AA" title="See cross-reference AA">AA</a>)"></sup>“I saw Satan <sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-25373AB" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-25373AB" title="See cross-reference AB">AB</a>)"></sup>fall like lightning from heaven.</span></span> <span class="text Luke-10-19" id="en-ESV-25374"><span class="woj"><sup class="versenum">19 </sup>Behold, I have given you authority <sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-25374AC" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-25374AC" title="See cross-reference AC">AC</a>)"></sup>to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of <sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-25374AD" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-25374AD" title="See cross-reference AD">AD</a>)"></sup>the enemy, and <sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-25374AE" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-25374AE" title="See cross-reference AE">AE</a>)"></sup>nothing shall hurt you.</span></span> <span class="text Luke-10-20" id="en-ESV-25375"><span class="woj"><sup class="versenum">20 </sup><sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-25375AF" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-25375AF" title="See cross-reference AF">AF</a>)"></sup>Nevertheless, do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that <sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-25375AG" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-25375AG" title="See cross-reference AG">AG</a>)"></sup>your names are written in heaven.” Luke 10:1-20</span></span><br />
<span class="text Luke-10-20"><span class="woj"></span></span><br />
<span class="text Luke-10-20"><span class="woj">AND....</span></span><br />
<span class="text Luke-10-20"><span class="woj"></span></span><br />
<span class="text Luke-10-20"><span class="woj"><span class="text Luke-22-35"><sup class="versenum">35 </sup>And he said to them, <span class="woj"><sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-25890AV" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-25890AV" title="See cross-reference AV">AV</a>)"></sup>“When I sent you out with no moneybag or knapsack or sandals, did you lack anything?”</span> They said, “Nothing.”</span> <span class="text Luke-22-36" id="en-ESV-25891"><sup class="versenum">36 </sup>He said to them, <span class="woj">“But now let the one who has a moneybag take it, and likewise a knapsack. And let the one who has no sword sell his cloak and buy one.</span></span> <span class="text Luke-22-37" id="en-ESV-25892"><span class="woj"><sup class="versenum">37 </sup>For I tell you that <sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-25892AW" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-25892AW" title="See cross-reference AW">AW</a>)"></sup>this Scripture must be fulfilled in me: <sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-25892AX" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-25892AX" title="See cross-reference AX">AX</a>)"></sup>‘And he was numbered with the transgressors.’ For <sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-25892AY" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-25892AY" title="See cross-reference AY">AY</a>)"></sup>what is written about me has its fulfillment.”</span></span> <span class="text Luke-22-38" id="en-ESV-25893"><sup class="versenum">38 </sup>And they said, “Look, Lord, here are two <sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-25893AZ" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-25893AZ" title="See cross-reference AZ">AZ</a>)"></sup>swords.” And he said to them, <span class="woj"><sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-25893BA" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-25893BA" title="See cross-reference BA">BA</a>)"></sup>“It is enough.” Luke 22:35-38</span></span></span></span><br />
<span class="text Luke-10-20"><span class="woj"><span class="text Luke-22-38"><span class="woj"></span></span></span></span><br />
<span class="text Luke-10-20"><span class="woj"><span class="text Luke-22-38"><span class="woj"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span class="text Luke-10-20"><span class="woj"><span class="text Luke-22-38"><span class="woj"><span style="font-size: large;">I know that regarding the very last verse, the disciples almost certainly believed Jesus was pointing them to a shift that involved the "long awaited" violent warfare that would be involved in bringing a physical kingdom. They clearly understood later that this was not the case, but, in fact, it was much bigger than anything they had imagined. I believe Luke and God left this in there to highlight the shift in understanding when it came later. Obviously, Jesus already understood this. The bigger issue for me comes within the first two verses. What is this referring to? I have some thoughts. Some times I choose to share my thoughts in these "amongst yourselves" things, and sometimes, I do not. I will share my thoughts on this one, but as always, the desire is to lead off with thoughts, observations, questions, and convictions held by those other than myself....so......let's get cracking.</span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span class="text Luke-10-20"><span class="woj"><span class="text Luke-22-38"><span class="woj"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span class="text Luke-10-20"><span class="woj"><span class="text Luke-22-38"><span class="woj"><span style="font-size: large;">As last time, I will try to carry on the primary conversation on facebook since it lends itself to a more interactive back and forth. When the conversation ends, I will transfer all comments from facebook to this blog in the comments section for future perusal.</span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span class="text Luke-10-20"><span class="woj"><span class="text Luke-22-38"><span class="woj"></span></span></span></span><br />
<span class="text Luke-10-20"><span class="woj"></span></span><br />
<span class="text Luke-10-20"><span class="woj"></span></span>Dennis D.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09850248620844503413noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24059057.post-26487755860471820312016-01-06T04:34:00.001-08:002016-03-19T16:19:38.355-07:00Acts Part 1 (Chapters 1-4)These represent a few thoughts I have had recently as I have listened to (audio Bible) the book of Acts repeatedly in the past few weeks. <br />
<br />
Chapter 1<br />
If you are unaware, the book of Acts is basically the gospel of Luke part deux. Luke picks up basically right where he left off. This is at the end of Jesus' time on Earth post-resurrection. This post-resurrection time period lasted for 40 days. The first thing to jump out to me is that the disciples are still somewhat clueless even now regarding the scope of how Jesus has redefined all of life as they know it and are still thinking that maybe now Jesus will re-establish the kingdom in the way they have always dreamed he would. This ushers in what strikes me as an incredibly crucial point made by Jesus.<br />
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<span style="color: orange;"> <span class="text Acts-1-7" id="en-ESV-26919"><sup class="versenum">7 </sup>He said to them, <span class="woj"><sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-26919M" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-26919M" title="See cross-reference M">M</a>)"></sup>“It is not for you to know <sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-26919N" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-26919N" title="See cross-reference N">N</a>)"></sup>times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority.</span></span> <span class="text Acts-1-8" id="en-ESV-26920"><span class="woj"><sup class="versenum">8 </sup>But you will receive <sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-26920O" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-26920O" title="See cross-reference O">O</a>)"></sup>power <sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-26920P" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-26920P" title="See cross-reference P">P</a>)"></sup>when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and <sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-26920Q" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-26920Q" title="See cross-reference Q">Q</a>)"></sup>you will be <sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-26920R" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-26920R" title="See cross-reference R">R</a>)"></sup>my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and <sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-26920S" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-26920S" title="See cross-reference S">S</a>)"></sup>Samaria, and <sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-26920T" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-26920T" title="See cross-reference T">T</a>)"></sup>to the end of the earth.” </span></span></span><br />
<span class="text Acts-1-8"><span class="woj"></span></span><br />
<span class="text Acts-1-8"><span class="woj">He says NOT this BUT that. Even though, I actually believe that we may very well live in a generation that will see and has seen some fulfilment of signs that point to living in the "end times", this redirection would serve us all well. I strongly believe that not only the disciples but all who follow Him in this age are called to expect to "receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses...." Note the primary purpose of receiving the power. Can you honestly say you are walking in power? I, for one, cannot. He is transforming me, but I don't see the kind of power at work within and through me that is alluded to here. This admission humbles me, but only the power of God genuinely at work in our lives as Christians has the chance at transforming not only us but our generation before they are called to judgment.</span></span><br />
<span class="text Acts-1-8"><span class="woj"></span></span><br />
<span class="text Acts-1-8"><span class="woj">The next thing that jumps out at me is their appointing of a replacement for Judas. Peter points to a scriptural mandate and limits the options to one who has been with them from the beginning.</span></span><br />
<span class="text Acts-1-8"><span class="woj"></span></span><br />
<span class="text Acts-1-8"><span class="woj"></span></span><br />
<span class="text Acts-1-8"><span class="woj"><span style="color: orange;"><span class="text Acts-1-21" id="en-ESV-26933"><sup class="versenum">21 </sup>So one of the men who have accompanied us during <sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-26933AU" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-26933AU" title="See cross-reference AU">AU</a>)"></sup>all the time that the Lord Jesus <sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-26933AV" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-26933AV" title="See cross-reference AV">AV</a>)"></sup>went in and out among us,</span> <span class="text Acts-1-22" id="en-ESV-26934"><sup class="versenum">22 </sup><sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-26934AW" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-26934AW" title="See cross-reference AW">AW</a>)"></sup>beginning from the baptism of John until the day when <sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-26934AX" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-26934AX" title="See cross-reference AX">AX</a>)"></sup>he was taken up from us—one of these men must become with us <sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-26934AY" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-26934AY" title="See cross-reference AY">AY</a>)"></sup>a witness to his resurrection.”</span> <span class="text Acts-1-23" id="en-ESV-26935"><sup class="versenum">23 </sup>And they put forward two, Joseph called <sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-26935AZ" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-26935AZ" title="See cross-reference AZ">AZ</a>)"></sup>Barsabbas, who was also called <sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-26935BA" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-26935BA" title="See cross-reference BA">BA</a>)"></sup>Justus, and <sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-26935BB" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-26935BB" title="See cross-reference BB">BB</a>)"></sup>Matthias.</span> <span class="text Acts-1-24" id="en-ESV-26936"><sup class="versenum">24 </sup>And <sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-26936BC" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-26936BC" title="See cross-reference BC">BC</a>)"></sup>they prayed and said, “You, Lord, <sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-26936BD" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-26936BD" title="See cross-reference BD">BD</a>)"></sup>who know the hearts of all, show which one of these two you have chosen</span> <span class="text Acts-1-25" id="en-ESV-26937"><sup class="versenum">25 </sup>to take the place in <sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-26937BE" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-26937BE" title="See cross-reference BE">BE</a>)"></sup>this ministry and <sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-26937BF" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-26937BF" title="See cross-reference BF">BF</a>)"></sup>apostleship from which Judas turned aside to go to his own place.”</span> <span class="text Acts-1-26" id="en-ESV-26938"><sup class="versenum">26 </sup>And they cast lots for them, and the lot fell on Matthias, and he was numbered with the eleven apostles.</span></span></span></span><br />
<span class="text Acts-1-8"><span class="woj"><span class="text Acts-1-26"></span></span></span><br />
<span class="text Acts-1-8"><span class="woj"><span class="text Acts-1-26">The only quick point I want to make here is that even at this early stage, the disciples seemed to grasp the importance of guarding the integrity and accuracy of representing who Jesus was, what he had taught, what his work on the cross had accomplished, and, of course, the FACT that they had all seen Him resurrected. </span></span></span><br />
<span class="text Acts-1-8"><span class="woj"><span class="text Acts-1-26"></span></span></span><br />
<span class="text Acts-1-8"><span class="woj"><span class="text Acts-1-26">Chapter 2</span></span></span><br />
<span class="text Acts-1-8"><span class="woj"><span class="text Acts-1-26">Consider the genius providential hand at work to cause the day the Holy Spirit came down to coincide with one of the three original feast days within the Jewish calendar year. Many, many devout Jews did not live in or even near Jerusalem at this time in history. They had been scattered all around the Roman empire and beyond by the many conquests that had happened over the last several hundred years. However, this was one of three weeks of the year that many of those Jews would take it upon themselves to travel into Jerusalem to observe the feast. Also consider, as we will see later within Acts, that because this phenomenon of scattering the Jews had occurred, there were now synagogues or places of the teaching of the old testament in many of these areas because of this Jewish presence. This perfectly placed and perfectly timed event is further made amazing because perhaps the key characteristic of the coming of the Holy Spirit was not only power, but specifically, the news of Jesus, the kingdom of God, and Jesus's resurrection was announced in the native tongues of these visiting Jews! They were brought to the exact right place at the exact right time and told the news in the exact right language even though those who spoke it would not normally have been able to in their own understanding. The number grew from 120 to 3000 the first day!....They immediately began being consumed with Jesus and their new found family and making sure everyone was taken care of. Many more were added daily.......anyhoo, that's chapter 2. :)</span></span></span><br />
<span class="text Acts-1-8"><span class="woj"><span class="text Acts-1-26"></span></span></span><br />
<span class="text Acts-1-8"><span class="woj"><span class="text Acts-1-26"></span></span></span><br />
<span class="text Acts-1-8"><span class="woj"><span class="text Acts-1-26">3 and 4</span></span></span><br />
<span class="text Acts-1-8"><span class="woj"><span class="text Acts-1-26">I obviously was trying to point out the supernatural intelligence and power of God in bringing about the events of chapter 2. However, chapters 3 and 4 highlight what may very well be an even more amazing act by God. Imagine if you would that your child was sent BY YOU to people to warn them and try to save them from a horrible event that was quickly coming their way. Now imagine that after your child spent years in a far away country living in conditions that were hard and scary, these same people, including the very ones who were your child's closest friends, wrongfully convicted, tortured and killed your child. This is what happened to God. He was not caught off guard when it happened. It was all part of His plan. But it happened nevertheless, and no one was pulling the strings of the people who killed Jesus except the devil and their own sin. </span></span></span><br />
<span class="text Acts-1-8"><span class="woj"><span class="text Acts-1-26"></span></span></span><br />
<span class="text Acts-1-8"><span class="woj"><span class="text Acts-1-26">Now fast forward to two months later. These EXACT same people are standing before Peter and John in chapters three and four. What is God's message for these people? Wrath? Judgment? No, NO, NO! He cries out to them by way of Peter to repent. He STILL longs to save them! Here some excerpts from 3 and 4.</span></span></span><br />
<span class="text Acts-1-8"><span class="woj"><span class="text Acts-1-26"></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span class="text Acts-1-8"><br />
<span class="woj">Chapter 3<br />
<span class="text Acts-1-26"> <span style="color: orange;"><span class="text Acts-3-13" id="en-ESV-26998"><sup class="versenum">13 </sup><sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-26998M" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-26998M" title="See cross-reference M">M</a>)"></sup>The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, <sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-26998N" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-26998N" title="See cross-reference N">N</a>)"></sup>the God of our fathers, <sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-26998O" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-26998O" title="See cross-reference O">O</a>)"></sup>glorified his servant<sup> </sup>Jesus, whom <sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-26998P" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-26998P" title="See cross-reference P">P</a>)"></sup>you delivered over and <sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-26998Q" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-26998Q" title="See cross-reference Q">Q</a>)"></sup>denied in the presence of Pilate, <sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-26998R" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-26998R" title="See cross-reference R">R</a>)"></sup>when he had decided to release him.</span> <span class="text Acts-3-14" id="en-ESV-26999"><sup class="versenum">14 </sup>But you denied <sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-26999S" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-26999S" title="See cross-reference S">S</a>)"></sup>the Holy and <sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-26999T" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-26999T" title="See cross-reference T">T</a>)"></sup>Righteous One, and <sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-26999U" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-26999U" title="See cross-reference U">U</a>)"></sup>asked for a murderer to be granted to you,</span> <span class="text Acts-3-15" id="en-ESV-27000"><sup class="versenum">15 </sup>and you killed <sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-27000V" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-27000V" title="See cross-reference V">V</a>)"></sup>the Author of life, <sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-27000W" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-27000W" title="See cross-reference W">W</a>)"></sup>whom God raised from the dead. To this we are witnesses.</span> <span class="text Acts-3-16" id="en-ESV-27001"><sup class="versenum">16 </sup>And <sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-27001X" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-27001X" title="See cross-reference X">X</a>)"></sup>his name—by <sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-27001Y" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-27001Y" title="See cross-reference Y">Y</a>)"></sup>faith in his name—has made this man strong whom you see and know, and the faith that is <sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-27001Z" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-27001Z" title="See cross-reference Z">Z</a>)"></sup>through Jesus<sup> </sup> has given the man this perfect health in the presence of you all.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: orange;"><span class="text Acts-3-17" id="en-ESV-27002"><sup class="versenum">17 </sup>“And now, brothers, I know that <sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-27002AA" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-27002AA" title="See cross-reference AA">AA</a>)"></sup>you acted in ignorance, as did also your rulers.</span> <span class="text Acts-3-18" id="en-ESV-27003"><sup class="versenum">18 </sup>But what God <sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-27003AB" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-27003AB" title="See cross-reference AB">AB</a>)"></sup>foretold <sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-27003AC" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-27003AC" title="See cross-reference AC">AC</a>)"></sup>by the mouth of all the prophets, that <sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-27003AD" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-27003AD" title="See cross-reference AD">AD</a>)"></sup>his Christ would <sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-27003AE" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-27003AE" title="See cross-reference AE">AE</a>)"></sup>suffer, he thus fulfilled.</span> <span class="text Acts-3-19" id="en-ESV-27004"><sup class="versenum">19 </sup><sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-27004AF" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-27004AF" title="See cross-reference AF">AF</a>)"></sup>Repent therefore, and <sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-27004AG" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-27004AG" title="See cross-reference AG">AG</a>)"></sup>turn back, that <sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-27004AH" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-27004AH" title="See cross-reference AH">AH</a>)"></sup>your sins may be blotted out,</span> <span class="text Acts-3-20" id="en-ESV-27005"><sup class="versenum">20 </sup>that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that he may send the Christ <sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-27005AI" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-27005AI" title="See cross-reference AI">AI</a>)"></sup>appointed for you, Jesus,</span> <span class="text Acts-3-21" id="en-ESV-27006"><sup class="versenum">21 </sup><sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-27006AJ" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-27006AJ" title="See cross-reference AJ">AJ</a>)"></sup>whom heaven must receive until the time for <sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-27006AK" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-27006AK" title="See cross-reference AK">AK</a>)"></sup>restoring all the things about which <sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-27006AL" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-27006AL" title="See cross-reference AL">AL</a>)"></sup>God spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets long ago.</span></span><br />
<span class="text Acts-3-21"><span style="color: orange;"></span></span><br />
<span class="text Acts-3-21"><span style="color: orange;"></span></span> </span></span></span><span class="text Acts-1-8"><span class="woj"><span class="text Acts-1-26"><span class="text Acts-3-26" id="en-ESV-27011"><span style="color: orange;"><sup class="versenum">26 </sup><sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-27011AT" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-27011AT" title="See cross-reference AT">AT</a>)"></sup>God, <sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-27011AU" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-27011AU" title="See cross-reference AU">AU</a>)"></sup>having raised up his servant, sent him to you first, <sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-27011AV" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-27011AV" title="See cross-reference AV">AV</a>)"></sup>to bless you <sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-27011AW" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-27011AW" title="See cross-reference AW">AW</a>)"></sup>by turning every one of you from your wickedness.”</span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span class="text Acts-1-8"><span class="woj"><span class="text Acts-1-26"><span class="text Acts-3-26"></span></span></span></span><br />
<span class="text Acts-1-8"><span class="woj"><span class="text Acts-1-26"><span class="text Acts-3-26">Chapter 4</span></span></span></span><br />
<span class="text Acts-1-8"><span class="woj"><span class="text Acts-1-26"><span class="text Acts-3-26"> <span style="color: orange;">And as they were speaking to the people, the priests and <sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-27012A" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-27012A" title="See cross-reference A">A</a>)"></sup>the captain of the temple and <sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-27012B" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-27012B" title="See cross-reference B">B</a>)"></sup>the Sadducees came upon them, <span class="text Acts-4-2" id="en-ESV-27013"><sup class="versenum">2 </sup>greatly annoyed because they were teaching the people and proclaiming <sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-27013C" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-27013C" title="See cross-reference C">C</a>)"></sup>in Jesus the resurrection from the dead.</span> <span class="text Acts-4-3" id="en-ESV-27014"><sup class="versenum">3 </sup>And they arrested them and <sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-27014D" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-27014D" title="See cross-reference D">D</a>)"></sup>put them in custody until the next day, for it was already evening.</span> <span class="text Acts-4-4" id="en-ESV-27015"><sup class="versenum">4 </sup>But many of those who had heard the word believed, and <sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-27015E" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-27015E" title="See cross-reference E">E</a>)"></sup>the number of the men came to about five thousand.</span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span class="text Acts-1-8"><span class="woj"><span class="text Acts-1-26"><span class="text Acts-3-26"><span class="text Acts-4-4"><span style="color: orange;"></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span class="text Acts-1-8"><span class="woj"><span class="text Acts-1-26"><span class="text Acts-3-26"><span class="text Acts-4-4"><span style="color: orange;"><span class="text Acts-4-29" id="en-ESV-27040"><sup class="versenum">29 </sup>And now, Lord, <sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-27040AR" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-27040AR" title="See cross-reference AR">AR</a>)"></sup>look upon their threats and grant to your servants<sup> </sup> to continue to speak your word with all <sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-27040AS" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-27040AS" title="See cross-reference AS">AS</a>)"></sup>boldness,</span> <span class="text Acts-4-30" id="en-ESV-27041"><sup class="versenum">30 </sup>while <sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-27041AT" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-27041AT" title="See cross-reference AT">AT</a>)"></sup>you stretch out your hand to heal, and signs and wonders are performed <sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-27041AU" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-27041AU" title="See cross-reference AU">AU</a>)"></sup>through the name of your <sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-27041AV" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-27041AV" title="See cross-reference AV">AV</a>)"></sup>holy servant Jesus.”</span> <span class="text Acts-4-31" id="en-ESV-27042"><sup class="versenum">31 </sup>And when they had prayed, <sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-27042AW" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-27042AW" title="See cross-reference AW">AW</a>)"></sup>the place in which they were gathered together was shaken, and <sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-27042AX" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-27042AX" title="See cross-reference AX">AX</a>)"></sup>they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and <sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-27042AY" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-27042AY" title="See cross-reference AY">AY</a>)"></sup>continued to speak the word of God with boldness.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span class="text Acts-1-8"><span class="woj"><span class="text Acts-1-26"><span class="text Acts-3-26"><span class="text Acts-4-4"><span class="text Acts-4-31"></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span class="text Acts-1-8"><span class="woj"><span class="text Acts-1-26"><span class="text Acts-3-26"><span class="text Acts-4-4"><span class="text Acts-4-31">As you consider the book of Acts going forward in this and future posts, please, Please, PLEASE keep this one thing in mind. God continues to pour out opportunities to any and all who will hear and respond again and again and again. He does this IN SPITE of what they did to Jesus. He does this in spite of how they beat, imprison, torture, and kill his disciples. Right to the end, the book of Acts is first and foremost a jaw dropping example of God's mercy. I am constantly challenged as I compare His ability to pour this out and my desire to constantly mete out "justice". Again, I am being transformed by His Spirit, but I honestly am humbled and broken as I see the chasm between who He is and who I am. What is genuinely amazing is that He calls us to become like Him in this respect also. This I know. That will only happen, even partially, by His power not mine.</span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span class="text Acts-1-8"><span class="woj"><span class="text Acts-1-26"><span class="text Acts-3-26"><span class="text Acts-4-4"><span class="text Acts-4-31"></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span class="text Acts-1-8"><span class="woj"><span class="text Acts-1-26"><span class="text Acts-3-26"><span class="text Acts-4-4"><span class="text Acts-4-31"></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span class="text Acts-1-8"><span class="woj"><span class="text Acts-1-26"></span></span></span><br />
<span class="text Acts-1-8"><span class="woj"></span></span>Dennis D.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09850248620844503413noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24059057.post-64785817567408210462015-11-21T08:40:00.000-08:002015-11-21T08:41:54.659-08:00Selah--Worship--Psalm 42, 43To be clear, the way I will be using the word Selah within this and coming posts is "to pause and consider". <br />
<br />
The regular usage of this word within the Psalms is what led to my curiosity about Selah, and you can google and Wikipedia it to delve into the many thoughts about its original meaning, but I believe the different things I see and the context in which it is used can be simplified into the above concept. It is especially interesting that it is used specifically within the context of songs of praise. As my insightful wife noticed within my last Selah post, it seems geared to push us to pause and consider within the flow of a song.<br />
<br />
This brings me to the simple point of my Selah posts both past, present, and future. In some ways, it seems to me that much like prophecy has two commonly wrong extreme reactions(either to get too caught up in it or to not be willing to engage thinking about it at all because of fears of obsession or divisiveness). Worship also seems to gravitate towards one of two wrong extremes. <br />
<br />
Either we focus on making it about meaningful content and shun a willingness to tie in the ebb and flow of emotion that comes with music, or we long so much for the powerful emotional swells that we lose sight of the lyrical content that is meant to also play a crucial role. People point to ridiculous extremes on the other side of these two swings of the pendulum to justify their own overreaction. They either point to "dead and lifeless" worship and how there seems to be no passion in the people, or they point to the "mindless happy people" smiling but seemingly empty of any real connection with being built up with Biblical concepts beyond a few words repeated again and again. <br />
<br />
Once again, I believe Psalms comes to the rescue to help us with this conundrum with a truly foundational principle for worship and for us in life on the whole. Did you know that the book of Psalms is actually a collection of five books? Book one begins with Psalm 1 and ends with Psalm 41. Book two begins with Psalm 42 and goes through Psalm 72. I believe that much like Psalms 1 and 2 form a foundation for all following Psalms, Psalms 42 and 43 form a new opening thought that serves as foundational. <br />
Below is a copy of these Psalms. Simply scroll past if you want to continue to read, but they are below for reference purposes.<br />
<br />
<h3>
<span class="text Ps-42-1">Psalm 42</span></h3>
<h4>
<span class="text Ps-42-1">For the director of music. A <i>maskil</i><sup class="footnote" data-fn="#fen-NIV-14557c" data-link="[<a href="#fen-NIV-14557c" title="See footnote c">c</a>]">[<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+42-43#fen-NIV-14557c" title="See footnote c">c</a>]</sup> of the Sons of Korah.</span></h4>
<div class="poetry">
<div class="line">
<span class="text Ps-42-1"><sup class="versenum">1 </sup>As the deer<sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-14557A" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-14557A" title="See cross-reference A">A</a>)"></sup> pants for streams of water,<sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-14557B" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-14557B" title="See cross-reference B">B</a>)"></sup></span><br /><span class="indent-1"><span class="indent-1-breaks"> </span><span class="text Ps-42-1">so my soul pants<sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-14557C" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-14557C" title="See cross-reference C">C</a>)"></sup> for you, my God.</span></span><br /><span class="text Ps-42-2" id="en-NIV-14558"><sup class="versenum">2 </sup>My soul thirsts<sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-14558D" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-14558D" title="See cross-reference D">D</a>)"></sup> for God, for the living God.<sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-14558E" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-14558E" title="See cross-reference E">E</a>)"></sup></span><br /><span class="indent-1"><span class="indent-1-breaks"> </span><span class="text Ps-42-2">When can I go<sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-14558F" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-14558F" title="See cross-reference F">F</a>)"></sup> and meet with God?</span></span><br /><span class="text Ps-42-3" id="en-NIV-14559"><sup class="versenum">3 </sup>My tears<sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-14559G" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-14559G" title="See cross-reference G">G</a>)"></sup> have been my food</span><br /><span class="indent-1"><span class="indent-1-breaks"> </span><span class="text Ps-42-3">day and night,</span></span><br /><span class="text Ps-42-3">while people say to me all day long,</span><br /><span class="indent-1"><span class="indent-1-breaks"> </span><span class="text Ps-42-3">“Where is your God?”<sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-14559H" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-14559H" title="See cross-reference H">H</a>)"></sup></span></span><br /><span class="text Ps-42-4" id="en-NIV-14560"><sup class="versenum">4 </sup>These things I remember</span><br /><span class="indent-1"><span class="indent-1-breaks"> </span><span class="text Ps-42-4">as I pour out my soul:<sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-14560I" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-14560I" title="See cross-reference I">I</a>)"></sup></span></span><br /><span class="text Ps-42-4">how I used to go to the house of God<sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-14560J" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-14560J" title="See cross-reference J">J</a>)"></sup></span><br /><span class="indent-1"><span class="indent-1-breaks"> </span><span class="text Ps-42-4">under the protection of the Mighty One</span></span><br /><span class="text Ps-42-4">with shouts of joy<sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-14560K" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-14560K" title="See cross-reference K">K</a>)"></sup> and praise<sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-14560L" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-14560L" title="See cross-reference L">L</a>)"></sup></span><br /><span class="indent-1"><span class="indent-1-breaks"> </span><span class="text Ps-42-4">among the festive throng.<sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-14560M" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-14560M" title="See cross-reference M">M</a>)"></sup></span></span></div>
</div>
<div class="poetry top-05">
<div class="line">
<span class="text Ps-42-5" id="en-NIV-14561"><sup class="versenum">5 </sup>Why, my soul, are you downcast?<sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-14561N" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-14561N" title="See cross-reference N">N</a>)"></sup></span><br /><span class="indent-1"><span class="indent-1-breaks"> </span><span class="text Ps-42-5">Why so disturbed<sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-14561O" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-14561O" title="See cross-reference O">O</a>)"></sup> within me?</span></span><br /><span class="text Ps-42-5">Put your hope in God,<sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-14561P" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-14561P" title="See cross-reference P">P</a>)"></sup></span><br /><span class="indent-1"><span class="indent-1-breaks"> </span><span class="text Ps-42-5">for I will yet praise<sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-14561Q" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-14561Q" title="See cross-reference Q">Q</a>)"></sup> him,</span></span><br /><span class="indent-1"><span class="indent-1-breaks"> </span><span class="text Ps-42-5">my Savior<sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-14561R" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-14561R" title="See cross-reference R">R</a>)"></sup> and my God.<sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-14561S" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-14561S" title="See cross-reference S">S</a>)"></sup></span></span></div>
</div>
<div class="poetry top-05">
<div class="line">
<span class="text Ps-42-6" id="en-NIV-14562"><sup class="versenum">6 </sup>My soul is downcast within me;</span><br /><span class="indent-1"><span class="indent-1-breaks"> </span><span class="text Ps-42-6">therefore I will remember<sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-14562T" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-14562T" title="See cross-reference T">T</a>)"></sup> you</span></span><br /><span class="text Ps-42-6">from the land of the Jordan,<sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-14562U" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-14562U" title="See cross-reference U">U</a>)"></sup></span><br /><span class="indent-1"><span class="indent-1-breaks"> </span><span class="text Ps-42-6">the heights of Hermon<sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-14562V" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-14562V" title="See cross-reference V">V</a>)"></sup>—from Mount Mizar.</span></span><br /><span class="text Ps-42-7" id="en-NIV-14563"><sup class="versenum">7 </sup>Deep calls to deep<sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-14563W" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-14563W" title="See cross-reference W">W</a>)"></sup></span><br /><span class="indent-1"><span class="indent-1-breaks"> </span><span class="text Ps-42-7">in the roar of your waterfalls;</span></span><br /><span class="text Ps-42-7">all your waves and breakers</span><br /><span class="indent-1"><span class="indent-1-breaks"> </span><span class="text Ps-42-7">have swept over me.<sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-14563X" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-14563X" title="See cross-reference X">X</a>)"></sup></span></span></div>
</div>
<div class="poetry top-05">
<div class="line">
<span class="text Ps-42-8" id="en-NIV-14564"><sup class="versenum">8 </sup>By day the <span class="small-caps" style="font-variant: small-caps;">Lord</span> directs his love,<sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-14564Y" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-14564Y" title="See cross-reference Y">Y</a>)"></sup></span><br /><span class="indent-1"><span class="indent-1-breaks"> </span><span class="text Ps-42-8">at night<sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-14564Z" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-14564Z" title="See cross-reference Z">Z</a>)"></sup> his song<sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-14564AA" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-14564AA" title="See cross-reference AA">AA</a>)"></sup> is with me—</span></span><br /><span class="indent-1"><span class="indent-1-breaks"> </span><span class="text Ps-42-8">a prayer to the God of my life.<sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-14564AB" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-14564AB" title="See cross-reference AB">AB</a>)"></sup></span></span></div>
</div>
<div class="poetry top-05">
<div class="line">
<span class="text Ps-42-9" id="en-NIV-14565"><sup class="versenum">9 </sup>I say to God my Rock,<sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-14565AC" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-14565AC" title="See cross-reference AC">AC</a>)"></sup></span><br /><span class="indent-1"><span class="indent-1-breaks"> </span><span class="text Ps-42-9">“Why have you forgotten<sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-14565AD" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-14565AD" title="See cross-reference AD">AD</a>)"></sup> me?</span></span><br /><span class="text Ps-42-9">Why must I go about mourning,<sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-14565AE" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-14565AE" title="See cross-reference AE">AE</a>)"></sup></span><br /><span class="indent-1"><span class="indent-1-breaks"> </span><span class="text Ps-42-9">oppressed<sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-14565AF" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-14565AF" title="See cross-reference AF">AF</a>)"></sup> by the enemy?”<sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-14565AG" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-14565AG" title="See cross-reference AG">AG</a>)"></sup></span></span><br /><span class="text Ps-42-10" id="en-NIV-14566"><sup class="versenum">10 </sup>My bones suffer mortal agony<sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-14566AH" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-14566AH" title="See cross-reference AH">AH</a>)"></sup></span><br /><span class="indent-1"><span class="indent-1-breaks"> </span><span class="text Ps-42-10">as my foes taunt<sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-14566AI" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-14566AI" title="See cross-reference AI">AI</a>)"></sup> me,</span></span><br /><span class="text Ps-42-10">saying to me all day long,</span><br /><span class="indent-1"><span class="indent-1-breaks"> </span><span class="text Ps-42-10">“Where is your God?”<sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-14566AJ" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-14566AJ" title="See cross-reference AJ">AJ</a>)"></sup></span></span></div>
</div>
<div class="poetry top-05">
<div class="line">
<span class="text Ps-42-11" id="en-NIV-14567"><sup class="versenum">11 </sup>Why, my soul, are you downcast?</span><br /><span class="indent-1"><span class="indent-1-breaks"> </span><span class="text Ps-42-11">Why so disturbed within me?</span></span><br /><span class="text Ps-42-11">Put your hope in God,</span><br /><span class="indent-1"><span class="indent-1-breaks"> </span><span class="text Ps-42-11">for I will yet praise him,</span></span><br /><span class="indent-1"><span class="indent-1-breaks"> </span><span class="text Ps-42-11">my Savior and my God.<sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-14567AK" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-14567AK" title="See cross-reference AK">AK</a>)"></sup></span></span></div>
</div>
<h3>
<span class="text Ps-43-1" id="en-NIV-14568">Psalm 43</span></h3>
<div class="poetry">
<div class="line">
<span class="text Ps-43-1"><sup class="versenum">1 </sup>Vindicate me, my God,</span><br /><span class="indent-1"><span class="indent-1-breaks"> </span><span class="text Ps-43-1">and plead my cause<sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-14568AL" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-14568AL" title="See cross-reference AL">AL</a>)"></sup></span></span><br /><span class="indent-1"><span class="indent-1-breaks"> </span><span class="text Ps-43-1">against an unfaithful nation.</span></span><br /><span class="text Ps-43-1">Rescue me<sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-14568AM" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-14568AM" title="See cross-reference AM">AM</a>)"></sup> from those who are</span><br /><span class="indent-1"><span class="indent-1-breaks"> </span><span class="text Ps-43-1">deceitful and wicked.<sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-14568AN" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-14568AN" title="See cross-reference AN">AN</a>)"></sup></span></span><br /><span class="text Ps-43-2" id="en-NIV-14569"><sup class="versenum">2 </sup>You are God my stronghold.</span><br /><span class="indent-1"><span class="indent-1-breaks"> </span><span class="text Ps-43-2">Why have you rejected<sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-14569AO" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-14569AO" title="See cross-reference AO">AO</a>)"></sup> me?</span></span><br /><span class="text Ps-43-2">Why must I go about mourning,<sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-14569AP" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-14569AP" title="See cross-reference AP">AP</a>)"></sup></span><br /><span class="indent-1"><span class="indent-1-breaks"> </span><span class="text Ps-43-2">oppressed by the enemy?<sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-14569AQ" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-14569AQ" title="See cross-reference AQ">AQ</a>)"></sup></span></span><br /><span class="text Ps-43-3" id="en-NIV-14570"><sup class="versenum">3 </sup>Send me your light<sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-14570AR" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-14570AR" title="See cross-reference AR">AR</a>)"></sup> and your faithful care,<sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-14570AS" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-14570AS" title="See cross-reference AS">AS</a>)"></sup></span><br /><span class="indent-1"><span class="indent-1-breaks"> </span><span class="text Ps-43-3">let them lead me;<sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-14570AT" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-14570AT" title="See cross-reference AT">AT</a>)"></sup></span></span><br /><span class="text Ps-43-3">let them bring me to your holy mountain,<sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-14570AU" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-14570AU" title="See cross-reference AU">AU</a>)"></sup></span><br /><span class="indent-1"><span class="indent-1-breaks"> </span><span class="text Ps-43-3">to the place where you dwell.<sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-14570AV" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-14570AV" title="See cross-reference AV">AV</a>)"></sup></span></span><br /><span class="text Ps-43-4" id="en-NIV-14571"><sup class="versenum">4 </sup>Then I will go<sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-14571AW" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-14571AW" title="See cross-reference AW">AW</a>)"></sup> to the altar<sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-14571AX" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-14571AX" title="See cross-reference AX">AX</a>)"></sup> of God,</span><br /><span class="indent-1"><span class="indent-1-breaks"> </span><span class="text Ps-43-4">to God, my joy<sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-14571AY" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-14571AY" title="See cross-reference AY">AY</a>)"></sup> and my delight.<sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-14571AZ" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-14571AZ" title="See cross-reference AZ">AZ</a>)"></sup></span></span><br /><span class="text Ps-43-4">I will praise you with the lyre,<sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-14571BA" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-14571BA" title="See cross-reference BA">BA</a>)"></sup></span><br /><span class="indent-1"><span class="indent-1-breaks"> </span><span class="text Ps-43-4">O God, my God.</span></span></div>
</div>
<div class="poetry top-05">
<div class="line">
<span class="text Ps-43-5" id="en-NIV-14572"><sup class="versenum">5 </sup>Why, my soul, are you downcast?</span><br /><span class="indent-1"><span class="indent-1-breaks"> </span><span class="text Ps-43-5">Why so disturbed within me?</span></span><br /><span class="text Ps-43-5">Put your hope in God,</span><br /><span class="indent-1"><span class="indent-1-breaks"> </span><span class="text Ps-43-5">for I will yet praise him,</span></span><br /><span class="indent-1"><span class="indent-1-breaks"> </span><span class="text Ps-43-5">my Savior and my God.<sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-14572BB" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-14572BB" title="See cross-reference BB">BB</a>)"></sup></span></span></div>
</div>
<div class="footnotes">
<h4>
The author speaks to his soul. He instructs his soul, the part of himself that is so tied to, and I suppose is made up of his passions and emotions. He, on the one hand, acknowledges the thoughts that his soul makes him aware of in both psalms. In 42, he acknowledges that he longs for God to reveal himself. He quotes those who would cause him to doubt, BUT then he says ..."I will remember you from the land of Jordan...." This eventually leads him to chastise his soul...."why so downcast, O my soul?!...."</h4>
There is a similar track in 43. He begins by acknowledging a very real and felt pain, but transitions wilfully to think of and point himself toward the God he has and must again trust in. It ends the same way, and it serves to emphasize the exact same instruction...."Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God."<br />
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Please, please note that this is not as simple a process as to skip ahead. There is a very powerful and natural flow here that is being observed and acknowledged. David <strong><em>allows</em></strong> his emotions to find a very real and honest expression. There is no encouragement to be fake. We are to start with where we are genuinely at with honesty, but neither the soul, the mind, or the will acts alone within these psalms. They are interwoven and they interact with each other because that is who we are. That is how God made us. The soul pushes us to cry out, the will responds with the mind to remind us of TRUTHS. To bring truthful accounts of things we know about God and times God has delivered us and others in times past. We are to spend time allowing these truths to seep into our souls and then we challenge our souls to acknowledge not JUST the current state of affairs, but the God in which we trust and the countless times we know He has shown Himself to be the God of love and power who delivers.<br />
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In short, passion and truth are not to be enemies, but they can work together when we follow examples like the ones above.<br />
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Dennis D.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09850248620844503413noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24059057.post-9307326801993445422015-11-14T19:31:00.000-08:002015-11-14T19:31:34.414-08:00Reasons to Believe--Constantine's Convictions<span lang="">I know it has been awhile since we all heard the back and forth generated by the success of the Dan Brown novels, but <u>The DaVinci Code</u> sold roughly 80 million copies which makes it one of the MOST widely read books EVER written. A book that successful by publishing standards will continue to have a life of its own influencing people's perceptions about the Bible and Christianity for decades to come. The question Brown amazingly seems to have inserted into many people's subconscious is, "Did our sacred scriptures or any foundational truth about Christianity get created by some ancient Roman emperor named Constantine??"<br />
<br />
I stumbled across some interesting information recently that I cannot help but share in regards to this discussion.<br />
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At the time of the rather large brouhaha, one of the primary points being made or insinuated by Brown and others, who wanted to claim other gospels as legitimate, was that the books of the New Testament as we know them today were simply picked out by those in power during the Council of Nicea in 325 during Constantine’s reign. Christian scholars who were aware of the process by which the New Testament had been reached quickly pointed out that this was filled with factual inaccuracies and half truths so as to lead astray large numbers of people who were generally not educated about the subject. Back and forth this went. <br />
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"Constantine picked out the stuff in your Bible!" said Brown.<br />
<br />
"Nuh, uh!" said the scholars.<br />
<br />
"Yuh, huh!" said Brown……and so on and so forth. (The aforementioned conversation never happened as such but is an attempt at humor.)<br />
<br />
Anyhoo. The serious point that scholars often made was that the point of contention at the Council had nothing to do with what would be included within AS scripture since this was almost universally agreed upon. The hot button issue at the Council of Nicea was the trinity and how to deal with the deity of Jesus. Why am I bringing this "hot button issue" up?<br />
<br />
What is often referred to as the orthodox view about this question has long been to affirm the members of the trinity, especially regarding the deity of Christ, and the departure from this orthodox view is called Arianism. AGAIN, the Council of Nicea AFFIRMED the Trinity and denounced Arianism. This, however, did NOT resolve internal disagreements by many in power, including many bishops in power, and this is where I came across the new information I had previously been unaware of until recently.<br />
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Athanasius has long been considered one of the great church fathers (a term reserved for those who are seen as having helped to shepherd the early church by their servant leadership and insights). He played a crucial role in the ongoing debates about Trinity and the deity of Christ. In spite of obviously ending up venerated on the "winning side", initially, Athanasius was run out of the city of Alexandria by none other than Constantine himself because of this Arianism vs. Nicean issue. As a matter of fact, Athanasius, the champion of what became the church doctrine was exiled by no less than four different emperors. Constantine, Constantius II, Julian, AND Valens are the four emperors that exiled Athanasius for various lengths of time.<br />
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I think some of you are Bible geeks like me and are genuinely interested, BUT for rest of you who are not so nerdily inclined toward Bible trivia, listen UP! The point that is relevant to my initial connection to the Dan Brown controversy is simple. You can compare the current orthodox view regarding Trinity and the Deity of Christ and understand that the convictions of Constantine had NOTHING to do with ANY thing decided in the momentous Council of Nicea. Constantine’s convictions and the convictions of three other emperors as well as highly influential and politically connected bishops ran completely counter to what became the long standing doctrine of the church. The truth and truths found within the Bible actually are often fought for BY God AGAINST the powers that exist in any given generation. They are eternal. This is just one tiny example of the evidence of HIS ability to guard the integrity of His Word and His words. I hope you will dig into the many, MANY reasons we should have such incredible confidence in the integrity of the Bible and how supernaturally it was established and has been preserved.</span>Dennis D.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09850248620844503413noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24059057.post-47022105021810202522015-10-17T20:31:00.000-07:002015-10-17T20:31:33.545-07:00Talk Amongst Yourselves--What is the Gospel?Just a quick recap on the idea behind my "Talk Amongst Yourselves" posts. These are posts that are intended to stir conversation and interaction within and among those within my sphere of interaction WITH EACH OTHER primarily. I will jump into the fray as well, but my hope is that I will only come into the discussion once it has gotten well under way. I am deliberately seeking to slowly cultivate a community of people who build each other up not just with encouraging words but also by graciously speaking their minds with integrity and clarity and in love. This may cause us to disagree to some degree, but the church was NOT meant to exist as an echo chamber without any REAL and SUBSTANTIVE discussion in which we challenge and are challenged by each other. <br />
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There is one difference this time in how I am going about trying to accomplish this. I will post this question on my facebook page also where comments added to the discussion automatically makes those tagged and commenting aware of others new comments. I will eventually copy and paste these comments made by various people on the comments section of this blog for longer term reference. I am hoping this will encourage greater interaction. I encourage you to make your comments on the facebook post if possible. <br />
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Again....Rule #1 Please speak your mind without the use of profanity or vulgarity, and do so with respect. <br />
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Rule #2 I am the one who determines whether rule #1 has been followed.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">What is the gospel?</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span><br />
I am looking for a two to three sentence response for how you would summarize the gospel. <br />
We'll go from there...<br />
<br />
Thanks again! <br />
:)Dennis D.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09850248620844503413noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24059057.post-69252749355945686452015-10-11T18:45:00.001-07:002015-10-12T04:25:54.035-07:00Unique Voices--Eric MetaxasEric Metaxas is an author and radio show host. He also established a series of events called "Socrates in the City" that he began 15 years ago. He has been the key note speaker at the Presidential Prayer breakfast in 2012. He is a gifted writer of biographies. The two perhaps most well known are <u>Amazing Grace</u> about William Wilberforce and <u>Bonhoeffer</u> about Dietrich Bonhoeffer. Early in his career, he had a strong connection to Chuck Colson and his ministry called Break Point. <br />
<br />
He is an insightful and intelligent voice about our faith. I think if I had to try to pinpoint the reason that I have chosen to provide Eric Metaxas to you as the next in line of "Unique Voices", it would be that, although he has great passion for Christ, his greater contribution to us lies in providing a platform for the many, many voices out there that he is increasingly becoming aware of long before they make it to the attention of the majority of the masses such as myself. He serves as a bridge bringing people to the forefront that can speak concisely and insightfully to <u><em><strong>specific</strong></em></u> angles and issues such as religious persecution, Christians in the scientific community, homosexuality, archaeology, public policy and its relation to Christians and their relation to it, and on and on. I have chosen him as my next unique voice because he is a window into learning about many of the people I will be referring to in the future as "unique". I highly recommend the two biographies I mentioned above. I also recommend you check out the other ways to gain access to this amazing gateway that I will give links to below.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.socratesinthecity.com/">http://www.socratesinthecity.com/</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.metaxastalk.com/podcasts/">http://www.metaxastalk.com/podcasts/</a><br />
<br />
Future voices will include such names as Rosaria Butterfield, Os Guiness, Ard Louis, Stephen Meyer, Jennifer Roback Morse, Mosab Hassan Yousef, and others.....interestingly you will most likely see their names also listed on one or both of the two web sites above. Feel free to familiarize yourself with them ahead of time. Dennis D.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09850248620844503413noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24059057.post-64751900449176164752015-09-07T08:25:00.001-07:002015-09-07T08:26:19.485-07:00Extremely Prominent? (Repent 3)<span style="font-size: large;">It is represented many, many times in God's cry to his people, but it specifically shows up regarding the coming new covenant in Isaiah.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">"The voice of one crying in the wilderness, 'Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight, every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be made low, and the crooked shall become straight, and the rough places shall become level ways, and all flesh shall see the salvation of God' ". Isaiah 40:3-5</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">It shows up immediately in the New Testament as God introduces his new covenant. Zechariah, the father of John the Baptist, pronounces these words over his infant son as he was "....filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied, saying..."</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">"...And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High; for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways, to give knowledge of salvation to his people in the forgiveness of their sins, because of the tender mercy of our God, whereby the sunrise shall visit us from on high to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace." </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Luke 1:76-79</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">When this child became a man and made his public appearance to Israel, this was his message, </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">"And he went into all the region around Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of <strong><em><span style="color: blue;">repentance</span></em></strong> for the forgiveness of sins." Luke 3:3</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">When large crowds appeared, he did not exactly seek to make them feel warm and cozy. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">"He said therefore to the crowds that came out to be baptized by him, 'You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bear fruits <em><strong><span style="color: blue;">in keeping with repentance</span></strong></em>. And do not begin to say to yourselves, We have Abraham as our father. For I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children for Abraham. Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. Every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire." Luke 3:7-9</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">But...he did not leave them with a curse, but WHEN THE PEOPLE ASKED, he gave them hope and instruction...</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">"And the crowds asked him, 'What then shall we do?' And he answered them, 'Whoever has two tunics is to share with him who has none, and whoever has food is to do likewise.' Tax collectors also came to be baptized and said to him, 'Teacher, what shall we do?' And he said to them, 'Collect no more than you are authorized to do.' Soldiers also asked him, 'And we, what shall we do?' And he said to them, 'Do not extort money from anyone by threats or by false accusation, and be content with your wages.' " Luke 3:10-14</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">People were thinking this dude might be THE dude, so to speak.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">John made it clear that he was not and pointed them, instead, to Jesus. What was Jesus's message? Upon emerging from his time of testing in the wilderness after being baptized by John, Matthew 4:17 says, "From that time Jesus began to preach saying, <strong><em><span style="color: blue;">Repent</span></em></strong>, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">After Jesus's ascension into heaven in the clouds, he told his disciples to wait for the power that was to come from on high.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">When that power came in the person of the Holy Spirit, there was a very first sermon preached by Peter. What did he say? "...'Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you have crucified.' Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, 'Brothers, what shall we do?' And Peter said to them, '<span style="color: blue;"><strong><em>Repent</em></strong></span> and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.' " Acts 2:36-39</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Finally, Paul makes it clear in a couple of places in Acts. "The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to <strong><em><span style="color: blue;">repent</span></em></strong>, because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead." Acts 17:30-31 </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">He also gave what he viewed was a summary of the various times and places he had presented the gospel in his farewell to the Ephesian elders. "You yourselves know how I lived among you the whole time from the first day that I set foot in Asia, serving the Lord with all humility and with tears and with trials that happened to me through the plots of the Jews; how I did not shrink from declaring to you anything that was profitable, and teaching you in public and from house to house, testifying both to Jews and to Greeks of <strong><em><span style="color: blue;">repentance toward God</span></em></strong> and of faith in our Lord Jesus Christ." Acts 20:18-21</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">If repentance plays such a crucial, central, and foundational role in every phase of the gospel's presentation in scripture by John the Baptist, Jesus, Peter, and Paul, how can we feel ANY sense of peace if it is not an extremely prominent role in our thoughts and presentations of the gospel? Is it extremely prominent in your mind? Do you understand that turning from a self centered existence to a Christ centered existence is THE chief fruit that we should all expect to see in our lives if we claim to be born again? I am not telling you this to condemn. This is a sobering reality for me as well. All I ask is that if you cannot honestly say yes to sensing and pursuing a life that is Christ centered, ASK HIM to make that a reality for you. It flows mostly from a genuine appreciation and awareness of his gift of forgiveness and how that genuinely redefines our lives. Again, if you struggle to appreciate that fully (as I do many times), JUST ASK and cry out to Him for the kind of awareness of this that He truly longs for you to have.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />Dennis D.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09850248620844503413noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24059057.post-23427850236020688032015-08-29T06:41:00.000-07:002015-11-21T08:41:54.656-08:00Selah--Psalm 32<span style="font-size: large;">The following insights about Psalm 32 were largely due to a Bible study I heard by Paul Mowery for whom I will eventually devote an entire blog post. I just wanted to give a nod.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">The word <em>Selah</em> is actually in some dispute. The three meanings I have found seem to point: "to value", "to praise", or "to pause."</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Most of my life I have heard it referred to as an instruction to pause and consider so I will be using it in this sense in this and future posts. This actually seems to loosely tie in with the other two possible meanings also as you will see.</span> <span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Three times within Psalm 32, we are instructed to selah. It appears after verse 4, verse 5, and verse 7. I will include the text of Psalm 32 for reference below and then continue my points. It is only 11 verses long. (NIV)</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">1 </span></sup>Blessed is the one<br />
<span class="indent-1"><span class="indent-1-breaks"> </span><span class="text Ps-32-1">whose transgressions are forgiven,</span></span><br />
<span class="indent-1"><span class="indent-1-breaks"> </span><span class="text Ps-32-1">whose sins are covered.<sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-14357A" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-14357A" title="See cross-reference A">A</a>)"></sup></span></span><br />
<span class="text Ps-32-2" id="en-NIV-14358"><sup class="versenum">2 </sup>Blessed is the one</span><br />
<span class="indent-1"><span class="indent-1-breaks"> </span><span class="text Ps-32-2">whose sin the <span class="small-caps" style="font-variant: small-caps;">Lord</span> does not count against them<sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-14358B" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-14358B" title="See cross-reference B">B</a>)"></sup></span></span><br />
<span class="indent-1"><span class="indent-1-breaks"> </span><span class="text Ps-32-2">and in whose spirit is no deceit.<sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-14358C" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-14358C" title="See cross-reference C">C</a>)"></sup></span></span><br />
<div class="poetry top-05">
<div class="line">
<span class="text Ps-32-3" id="en-NIV-14359"><sup class="versenum">3 </sup>When I kept silent,<sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-14359D" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-14359D" title="See cross-reference D">D</a>)"></sup></span><br />
<span class="indent-1"><span class="indent-1-breaks"> </span><span class="text Ps-32-3">my bones wasted away<sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-14359E" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-14359E" title="See cross-reference E">E</a>)"></sup></span></span><br />
<span class="indent-1"><span class="indent-1-breaks"> </span><span class="text Ps-32-3">through my groaning<sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-14359F" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-14359F" title="See cross-reference F">F</a>)"></sup> all day long.</span></span><br />
<span class="text Ps-32-4" id="en-NIV-14360"><sup class="versenum">4 </sup>For day and night</span><br />
<span class="indent-1"><span class="indent-1-breaks"> </span><span class="text Ps-32-4">your hand was heavy<sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-14360G" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-14360G" title="See cross-reference G">G</a>)"></sup> on me;</span></span><br />
<span class="text Ps-32-4">my strength was sapped<sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-14360H" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-14360H" title="See cross-reference H">H</a>)"></sup></span><br />
<span class="indent-1"><span class="indent-1-breaks"> </span><span class="text Ps-32-4">as in the heat of summer. selah <sup class="footnote" data-fn="#fen-NIV-14360b" data-link="[<a href="#fen-NIV-14360b" title="See footnote b">b</a>]"> </sup></span></span></div>
</div>
<div class="poetry top-05">
<div class="line">
<span class="text Ps-32-5" id="en-NIV-14361"><sup class="versenum">5 </sup>Then I acknowledged my sin to you</span><br />
<span class="indent-1"><span class="indent-1-breaks"> </span><span class="text Ps-32-5">and did not cover up my iniquity.<sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-14361I" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-14361I" title="See cross-reference I">I</a>)"></sup></span></span><br />
<span class="text Ps-32-5">I said, “I will confess<sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-14361J" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-14361J" title="See cross-reference J">J</a>)"></sup></span><br />
<span class="indent-1"><span class="indent-1-breaks"> </span><span class="text Ps-32-5">my transgressions<sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-14361K" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-14361K" title="See cross-reference K">K</a>)"></sup> to the <span class="small-caps" style="font-variant: small-caps;">Lord</span>.”</span></span><br />
<span class="text Ps-32-5">And you forgave</span><br />
<span class="indent-1"><span class="indent-1-breaks"> </span><span class="text Ps-32-5">the guilt of my sin. selah<sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-14361L" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-14361L" title="See cross-reference L">L</a>)"></sup></span></span></div>
</div>
<div class="poetry top-05">
<div class="line">
<span class="text Ps-32-6" id="en-NIV-14362"><sup class="versenum">6 </sup>Therefore let all the faithful pray to you</span><br />
<span class="indent-1"><span class="indent-1-breaks"> </span><span class="text Ps-32-6">while you may be found;<sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-14362M" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-14362M" title="See cross-reference M">M</a>)"></sup></span></span><br />
<span class="text Ps-32-6">surely the rising<sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-14362N" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-14362N" title="See cross-reference N">N</a>)"></sup> of the mighty waters<sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-14362O" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-14362O" title="See cross-reference O">O</a>)"></sup></span><br />
<span class="indent-1"><span class="indent-1-breaks"> </span><span class="text Ps-32-6">will not reach them.<sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-14362P" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-14362P" title="See cross-reference P">P</a>)"></sup></span></span><br />
<span class="text Ps-32-7" id="en-NIV-14363"><sup class="versenum">7 </sup>You are my hiding place;<sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-14363Q" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-14363Q" title="See cross-reference Q">Q</a>)"></sup></span><br />
<span class="indent-1"><span class="indent-1-breaks"> </span><span class="text Ps-32-7">you will protect me from trouble<sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-14363R" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-14363R" title="See cross-reference R">R</a>)"></sup></span></span><br />
<span class="indent-1"><span class="indent-1-breaks"> </span><span class="text Ps-32-7">and surround me with songs of deliverance. selah<sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-14363S" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-14363S" title="See cross-reference S">S</a>)"></sup></span></span></div>
</div>
<div class="poetry top-05">
<div class="line">
<span class="text Ps-32-8" id="en-NIV-14364"><sup class="versenum">8 </sup>I will instruct<sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-14364T" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-14364T" title="See cross-reference T">T</a>)"></sup> you and teach you<sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-14364U" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-14364U" title="See cross-reference U">U</a>)"></sup> in the way you should go;</span><br />
<span class="indent-1"><span class="indent-1-breaks"> </span><span class="text Ps-32-8">I will counsel you with my loving eye on<sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-14364V" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-14364V" title="See cross-reference V">V</a>)"></sup> you.</span></span><br />
<span class="text Ps-32-9" id="en-NIV-14365"><sup class="versenum">9 </sup>Do not be like the horse or the mule,</span><br />
<span class="indent-1"><span class="indent-1-breaks"> </span><span class="text Ps-32-9">which have no understanding</span></span><br />
<span class="text Ps-32-9">but must be controlled by bit and bridle<sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-14365W" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-14365W" title="See cross-reference W">W</a>)"></sup></span><br />
<span class="indent-1"><span class="indent-1-breaks"> </span><span class="text Ps-32-9">or they will not come to you.</span></span><br />
<span class="text Ps-32-10" id="en-NIV-14366"><sup class="versenum">10 </sup>Many are the woes of the wicked,<sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-14366X" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-14366X" title="See cross-reference X">X</a>)"></sup></span><br />
<span class="indent-1"><span class="indent-1-breaks"> </span><span class="text Ps-32-10">but the <span class="small-caps" style="font-variant: small-caps;">Lord</span>’s unfailing love</span></span><br />
<span class="indent-1"><span class="indent-1-breaks"> </span><span class="text Ps-32-10">surrounds the one who trusts<sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-14366Y" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-14366Y" title="See cross-reference Y">Y</a>)"></sup> in him.</span></span></div>
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<span class="text Ps-32-11" id="en-NIV-14367"><sup class="versenum">11 </sup>Rejoice in the <span class="small-caps" style="font-variant: small-caps;">Lord</span><sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-14367Z" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-14367Z" title="See cross-reference Z">Z</a>)"></sup> and be glad, you righteous;</span><br />
<span class="indent-1"><span class="indent-1-breaks"> </span><span class="text Ps-32-11">sing, all you who are upright in heart!</span></span></div>
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<span class="indent-1"><span class="text Ps-32-11"></span></span> </div>
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<span class="indent-1"><span class="text Ps-32-11"><span style="font-size: large;">David seems to start the psalm by exclaiming the truth that will be illustrated within the psalm (verses 1&2).</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="indent-1"><span class="text Ps-32-11"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></span></span> </div>
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<span class="indent-1"><span class="text Ps-32-11"><span style="font-size: large;">Next, he points to a period of time (verses 3&4) when he has sinned, but he has not acknowledged it (see verse 5 if you are unclear on this). The key to these verses is that although the psalm begins by singing of how blessed a man is when his "transgressions are forgiven and his sins are covered....and the Lord does not count against him." It also speaks of ..."whose spirit is no deceit." God does not begin by covering sins and transgressions. He takes away joy and saps strength. He allows misery and groaning. This is the initial blessing brought by God because God's forgiveness is not the forgiveness of a parent who simply does not teach their child awareness of wrong behaviour and does not deal with the reality of their sin. This would corrupt the child and not build them up. This is not a redeeming kind of forgiveness. The first selah appears after verse 4. We ARE to stop and consider the truths implied in verses 3 and 4.</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="indent-1"><span class="text Ps-32-11"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></span></span> </div>
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<span class="indent-1"><span class="text Ps-32-11"><span style="font-size: large;">In verse 5, there is a profound transition from misery to complete forgiveness. There are no works offered here by David. There is simply and....finally... a willingness to..."acknowledge my sin and did not cover up my iniquity." There is a bam quality to the latter part of verse 5. "I will confess my transgression to the Lord"--and BAM--(<strong><em>bam is not in the text</em></strong>) "you forgave the guilt of my sin." We ARE to stop and consider the truths implied in verse 5.</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="indent-1"><span class="text Ps-32-11"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></span></span> </div>
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<span class="indent-1"><span class="text Ps-32-11"><span style="font-size: large;">Finally, in verses 6 and 7, there is praise and a profound truth dawning on David that he longs to send upward to God and outward to all who will hear him. Here lies the third and final selah to stop and consider.</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="indent-1"><span class="text Ps-32-11"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></span></span> </div>
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<span class="indent-1"><span class="text Ps-32-11"><span style="font-size: large;">The psalm concludes by pointing to God's desire for us to be responsive to his lessons and truths as a child and not only directed by external guidance like an animal.</span></span></span></div>
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Dennis D.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09850248620844503413noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24059057.post-53855416309575435912015-08-22T06:00:00.001-07:002015-09-13T11:07:48.530-07:00Reasons to Believe--Time Stamps<span lang="">I am a trucker as most of you know. I was once pulled over by one of Alabama’s finest. He decided to do me the great favor of engaging in a roadside inspection on the shoulder of Interstate I-65 in Prattville. He was asking me questions from my open passenger door because it was opposite of the side of mini-vans and corvettes of death. He asked if I would mind him just climbing on into the seat to make it go faster. I, always wanting to score brownie points with state troopers, replied, "Well, sure! Hop on in, officer." I was repaid with this act of kindness with him rummaging through a wal-mart bag filled with paper trash that was dangling between my seats. Turns out inviting an officer into your vehicle is sort of like inviting a vampire into your house, it gives them some newer level of access to suck the blood from you. (metaphorically speaking, of course) <br />
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He found three time stamped receipts and proceeded to match them against the entries I had put into my logbooks. After getting over the weirdness of seeing him rummage through my trash spontaneously, I danced a jig as I realized his ruse had not paid off. All the time stamps matched up perfectly with my logbook entries where and when I had claimed to be. I said, "BAM! How bout dem apples, Mister Officerrrrr!" (Not really---only in my imagination.) I went on my merry way.<br />
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The reason I share this with you other than the obvious educational and entertainment value is to make a quick analogy.<br />
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The Bible is CHOCK FULL of time stamps. It discusses events that supposedly took place when a certain empire was ruling and certain military campaign took place. It gives the names of specific rulers in extremely high positions of power and gives details about happenings that 99.9% of people living would never have had access to until recent historical and archeological discoveries. It gives cultural information as often unnoticed back drops that can verify the likelihood of when it was first written. The linguistics (specific use of language that is unique to only certain geographic locations for a very specific time period) can point us to ways to check the veracity of the writings. There are amazingly detailed and specific prophecies that, if given when the scriptures portray them to have been made, give profound reasons to view the Bible as divine in nature. The Bible is only truly going to penetrate your heart as you are supernaturally converted by the Holy Spirit, and God uses it to speak to you as your most intimate Father/child relationship. However, Jesus invites us in John 14:11, "Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, <i>or else believe on account of the works themselves."</i>(I added the italics.)<br />
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The point is God invites us to recognize the miraculous nature of everything about what He does and how He does it. He is not offended if this is what initially kick starts, so to speak, a pursuit of Him. I believe He is challenging people to have the courage to take it upon themselves to investigate and see if the Word really is from Him by way of historical, philosophical, prophetic, scientific, etc. There is NO other Holy Book (the Vedas, the Bhagavad Gita, the Koran, the Book of Mormon, the teachings of the Buddha or Confucious) in any other religion that will blow your mind like the Bible IF, IF, IF you will give Him the opportunity. Start digging in and see what you find….and feel free to include me in on the process if you begin to have questions or just want to talk about it.</span><br />Dennis D.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09850248620844503413noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24059057.post-47390130490419166022015-07-28T04:41:00.000-07:002015-07-28T04:44:05.989-07:00Wretch (Repent Part 2)<span style="font-size: large;">The first instalment of these posts regarding repent...</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://defenselessagainstsuffering.blogspot.com/2015/06/repent.html">http://defenselessagainstsuffering.blogspot.com/2015/06/repent.html</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">I recommend reading the repent posts in order if you have not had a previous opportunity to do so. I mentioned Deuteronomy 9:5 in passing. I want to circle back around to this verse and the verses that come directly after this to begin this post.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">"It is not because of your righteousness or your integrity that you are going in to take possession of their land; but on account of the wickedness of these nations, the Lord your God will drive them out before you, to accomplish what he swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Understand, then, that it is not because of your righteousness that the Lord your God is giving you this good land to possess, for you are a stiff-necked people. Remember this and never forget how you provoked the Lord your God to anger in the desert. From the day you left Egypt until you arrived here, you have been rebellious against the Lord. At Horeb you aroused the Lord's wrath so that he was angry enough to destroy you." Deuteronomy 9:5-8</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">I was raised in a loving, Christian home. My parents are currently both alive and kicking and love Jesus just as much now as they ever have. I am deeply grateful for them. Growing up in this household, it was a little tricky for me to grasp what it meant that I was a sinner. On the one hand, our denomination was very strong about talking about sin and the reality of evil and sin. If anything, I would say it may have even been a bit heavy handed. However, the focus seems to me to be on sinful actions and guarding against the dangers of "slipping into dangerously sinful activities". This is NOT going to be a post that slams my previous churches, however. Their willingness to clearly acknowledge the reality of sin will reappear later in this post as a major positive. My point is that teaching people about their true nature of sinfulness outside of Christ is a tricky business to say the least. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">A helpful thing to look at are two wrong extremes to get us started. One is some version of the monks who use the whips to beat themselves into "submission to God" or to punish themselves when they sin. The other is the pastor and church who refuse to even mention the word sin within their messages. "It is too negative of a term and has been mentioned enough in the past." The fascinating thing is that BOTH of these exist. How can we look at the same scriptures and have wrong extremes that are this widely apart? One answer is that neither of these practices are based on any scriptural teaching. Instead, they are reactions against some experiences and practices they have seen. They are pendulum swings that are motivated by their OWN WISDOM to either deal with their own sinfulness and a lack of others to acknowledge it or to deal with others who have mishandled the reality of sinfulness and caused great hurt. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">This is where this gets very personal. Growing up, I reached an age where one very specific category of sin(if I should even use that term) began to make me very aware of the reality of sin within my life. It was sex. In my early teen years, I began to realize that sex had a major hold in my life. This was something I wrestled with and even reached out to important adults within my life for help. In spite of this, it derailed my attempts to live a life devoted to God again and again. As I got older, it got darker. I rode a roller coaster of sin and repentance for many, many years. At many points, I walked away from even trying to break free from this part of myself and tried to blaze some sort of a new trail that was not centered around Christ. It was misery. </span> <span style="font-size: large;">I want to camp out there for just a few minutes.....misery. Words cannot describe roughly a decade that I put God, those closest to me, and myself through. Even now as I write this, it is hard to revisit it. I don't revisit it very often. Misery is too small a word. All the words in the thesaurus that mean the same thing as misery could NOT capture the essence of the level of shame, disgust, frustration, and hurt I felt for falling from walking with Him and having good relationships with Him and my family and friends to what I had become.....MISERY. I cannot bring myself to wish this on anyone else.....BUT, consider this.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">"Now one of the Pharisees invited Jesus to have dinner with him, so he went to the Pharisee's house and reclined at the table. When a woman who had lived a sinful life in that town learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee's house, she brought an alabaster jar of perfume, and as she stood behind him at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume on them. When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, 'If this man were a prophet, he would know who is touching him and what kind of woman she is --that she is a sinner.' Jesus answered him, 'Simon, I have something to tell you.' </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">'Tell me, teacher,' he said.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">'Two men owed money to a certain moneylender. One owed him five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. Neither of them had the money to pay him back, so he canceled the debts of both. Now which of them will love him more?'</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Simon replied, 'I suppose the one who had the bigger debt canceled.'</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">'You have judged correctly,' Jesus said. Then he turned toward the woman and said to Simon, 'Do you see this woman? I came into your house. You did not give me any water for my feet, but she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You did not give me a kiss, but this woman, from the time I entered has not stopped kissing my feet. You did not put oil on my head, but she has poured perfume on my feet. Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven--for she loved much. But he who has been forgiven little loves little." Luke 7:36-47</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">This period of my life and the years immediately after it where I began again to seek to break free from the power of sin and give my whole heart to Christ was used by Him to push me towards becoming a little more like this woman. This is THE KEY! It is strange to say, but God WANTS us to understand our sinfulness. I do not believe He intends for us to become aware of it the way that I did. I believe only He is able to simultaneously open our eyes to the true nature of our own bottomless pit of self centeredness in what ever form it takes WHILE simultaneously using that to drive us to worshipping him for freeing us from the crushing burden of sin. We CANNOT go the route of denying sin, and I would even pray the strange prayer that we genuinely become more aware of our real nature in and of ourselves and how miserable it is. I don't want this to crush us, but I do believe we must be broken by it. You do not wash Jesus's feet with your tears if you do not truly recognize from what it is that you have been freed from. I pray that we would all find ourselves weeping at His feet. Thank you, Jesus!</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"></span>Dennis D.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09850248620844503413noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24059057.post-47959926262299996442015-07-18T15:12:00.000-07:002015-07-18T15:15:19.489-07:00Jerry<span style="font-size: large;">The first time I spoke with him was to inform him that I had asked his daughter to be my wife. He was kind and gracious to me then. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">The first time I met him was as we left to attend his younger daughter's high school graduation. I had come directly from work and had tried to speedily clean up and change clothes from work clothes into "church" clothes. Unfortunately, it came to my attention on the way to the ceremony that there was a large streak of axle grease I had missed in my rush to get clean on the underside of my forearm. I was very embarrassed, but he was a mechanic and had gojo to get me clean. He was kind and gracious to me then.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Each time we visited for special occasions and holidays, I was greeted with a hug and never left without a hug. He always said, "We love you, son." as I left. He told me stories about his life, Myndall's life, his family, work. We played games and joked. He was a wonderful father-in-law, and beyond being thankful for bringing my wife into this world, I will miss him and am thankful for his family. They continue to grow closer and closer to the center of my heart. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I want to share a quick thing that my friend Jason and I recently discovered. We were both wondering why God chose to give specific instructions to John the Baptist's father to be sure to name his son John. I then noticed that John the Baptist was the one sent to herald the coming of Jesus at the beginning of the New Testament, and the disciple John is given the honor of announcing the final revelation in the New Testament. Jason discovered that the name John means "God is gracious." God chose to announce the coming of his son the first and second time and to make it clear that the ENTIRE message proclaimed in between was surrounded by and built upon this one singular truth....God IS GRACIOUS!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I cannot wait to hear the story of how God welcomed you into your new heavenly home. Much like you, I know He will be kind and gracious. </span></div>
Dennis D.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09850248620844503413noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24059057.post-29024960988838317182015-07-03T21:09:00.000-07:002015-09-13T11:07:48.520-07:00The Purpose of Prophecy<span lang="">I know that many dismiss the idea of prophecy altogether, and some others are altogether too consumed with it. However, neither of these wrong responses to prophecy determine whether or how we, as believers, should handle prophecy. Unfortunately, I think we get caught up in the back and forth between these two wrong extremes and either pick a side to fight for and defend or simply stay away from prophecy completely because it is seen as either too mystical or too divisive.<br />
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I will confess to you that I have occasionally been interested in it in the past, but I have largely stayed away from it because it seemed to cause more grief and rarely seemed to be a source of help in actually living the life of a follower of Christ. Well…… I was wrong. <br />
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That is what this post is about. The purpose of prophecy.<br />
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I’m going to start this discussion in a strange place. There is an undeniable cultural swerve in the last thirty years that has sent mainstream movies and books to regularly explore the idea of an "end of the world", "apocalyptic", or "post-apocalyptic" theme. Mad Max movies, the Hunger Games movies, the Terminator movies, and all those wonderful zombie movies and tv shows are just a handful of examples of the relative fascination of the world at large with THE END!<br />
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I will come back to THE END! in a moment or two, but the main reason I bring it up now is to point out the primary focus of these movies, books, and tv shows. They are cautionary about our current character flaws as a society and, most of all, they are almost exclusively <b><i>man centered</i></b>. <br />
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Prophecy in the Bible has one central purpose…. TO TURN US BACK TO REVOLVING OUR LIVES AROUND GOD. I don’t just mean it cries out, "straighten up and fly right!" I mean it reminds us, OR is supposed to remind us, that He knew the hugely important plot twist in this movie we call life was going to happen before it happened. He is in control. Always. We can choose to rest in Him. God chose to mention King Josiah by name and specifics he would carry out in a prophecy to King Jeroboam ….300 years before he was even born. God mentions the ruler Cyrus of Persia by name (Isaiah 44 & 45) and the fact that he would free the people of Judah from captivity 200 years before he did it. Jewish tradition holds that Daniel greeted Cyrus with a scroll that contained these words in Isaiah. Daniel is given specific info regarding Alexander the Great that is incredibly detailed 200 years before Alexander lived. Are we seeing a pattern here? Did God give this info to these people so that people living in the times of these prophesied rulers could figure out some cosmic jigsaw puzzle and get a gold star from God when they reached heaven? NO, no, no! One more example, and then I’ll wrap this puppy up.<br />
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Jesus tells his disciples again(Matthew 16:21), and again(Matthew 17:22), and again(Matthew 20:17-19), and AGAIN(Matthew 26:1) that he would be crucified. My favorite retelling of one of these times Jesus tried so hard to get them to hear him comes just after the transfiguration and the casting out of a demon. In Luke 9:44, Jesus actually uses these words, "Let these words sink into your ears: The Son of Man is about to be delivered into the hands of men." WHY? Why would he tell them of such a horrible thing that was coming? It wasn’t to scare them. He was trying to help them so that WHEN it did come they could see that He KNEW this was going to happen, and He was not caught off guard by it. This could have also allowed them to have confidence that the other stuff He said would also come true… like that little thing we call the resurrection, but because they didn’t take the first one to heart, they were unable to be comforted and look forward to the miraculous plot twist God had engineered for the whole world.<br />
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Finally, back to THE END!<br />
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We are often freaked out by the thought of all these horrific things that are promised to be coming our way, especially when we see developments that seem to point to a possible fulfillment of "end times" in our lifetime. These prophecies are primarily there to help us to see past THE END! Because…….<br />
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IF………….<br />
IF.......<br />
IF...<br />
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we are born again, the other stuff is true too, and THE END! Is not the end. To be precise, there is no end!</span><br />
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<span lang="">Are you born again?</span>Dennis D.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09850248620844503413noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24059057.post-37801915004380640372015-06-27T04:12:00.002-07:002015-10-12T04:26:11.620-07:00Unique Voices--Abby JohnsonAbby Johnson was a Planned Parenthood director who is now pro-life. For obvious reasons, she is a unique voice in this ongoing battle regarding abortion. She worked with Planned Parenthood for eight years and became a clinic director. She became increasingly disturbed by what she witnessed. Increasingly, she saw abortion was a product that Planned Parenthood was selling. As unrest grew within her, she continued in the employ of Planned Parenthood.<br />
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On September 26, 2009, Abby was asked to assist with an ultrasound- guided abortion. She watched in horror as a 13 week baby fought and lost its life at the hand of an abortionist. It was at that moment the full realization of WHAT abortion was and what she had dedicated her life to washed over Abby and a dramatic transformation began.<br />
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Abby contacted a local pro-life group. She swore that she would begin to advocate for life in the womb and expose abortion for what it truly is. However…Planned Parenthood didn’t take her exodus sitting down. They are fully aware that workers who leave are their greatest threat. They immediately took action to silence her with a gag order and took Abby to court. Thankfully, it was quickly thrown out of court, and the media was, and continues to be, intensely interested in Abby’s story as well as her continued efforts to advocate for the unborn and to help clinic workers escape the abortion industry. She has written a book titled <u>Unplanned</u>. She travels around the world sharing her story and educating the public on pro-life issues. She has also founded an organization that is aimed at reaching out to abortion clinic staff who still work in the industry called And Then There Were None. It seeks to help them leave the industry and find healing.<br />
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The above is a paraphrase of her bio on her facebook account. I have been following her for quite some time. Although there are a few things I disagree with her about (pretty much like every other human being on the planet), I have great appreciation for how I believe God is using her. I hope you will seek out her voice and give it a listen. <br />
More voices to come……. <br />
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Dennis D.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09850248620844503413noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24059057.post-32304788843188711212015-06-19T22:18:00.003-07:002015-10-17T20:31:52.093-07:00Talk Amongst Ya Selves--Matthew 10:1-23This is where we get interactive with this here blog thang. Comments are always welcome on any of my posts as long as they are vulgarity free and respectful to other commenters. However this is one of a handful of categories of posts that not only allow for comment but I AM BEGGING for your INPUT peoples. Let's talk about the Bible. We need to develop this habit more. Why not start here? You will find I have thoughts of my own but will purposefully keep them to myself until AFTER others have shared their thoughts first.
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These are the ground rules. <br />
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I am the moderator. I know this sounds a bit power trippy, but I am pointing out something that is obvious in order to underscore that I will ultimately determine if I think the back and forth is still progressing in a way that is beneficial overall. <br />
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Prayer is strongly encouraged before offering a thought about the scripture or someone else’s thoughts about that scripture or about the many, many thoughts that these discussions sometimes lead to.<br />
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That’s all the rules about this….. for now. <br />
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Here’s the first scripture to discuss.<br />
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Matthew 10:1-23<br />
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Jesus called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out impure spirits and to heal every disease and sickness.<br />
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2 These are the names of the twelve apostles: first, Simon (who is called Peter) and his brother Andrew; James son of Zebedee, and his brother John; 3 Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; 4 Simon the Zealot and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.<br />
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5 These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: “Do not go among the Gentiles or enter any town of the Samaritans. 6 Go rather to the lost sheep of Israel. 7 As you go, proclaim this message: ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’ 8 Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give.<br />
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9 “Do not get any gold or silver or copper to take with you in your belts— 10 no bag for the journey or extra shirt or sandals or a staff, for the worker is worth his keep. 11 Whatever town or village you enter, search there for some worthy person and stay at their house until you leave. 12 As you enter the home, give it your greeting. 13 If the home is deserving, let your peace rest on it; if it is not, let your peace return to you. 14 If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, leave that home or town and shake the dust off your feet. 15 Truly I tell you, it will be more bearable for Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgment than for that town.<br />
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16 “I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves. 17 Be on your guard; you will be handed over to the local councils and be flogged in the synagogues. 18 On my account you will be brought before governors and kings as witnesses to them and to the Gentiles. 19 But when they arrest you, do not worry about what to say or how to say it. At that time you will be given what to say, 20 for it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.<br />
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21 “Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; children will rebel against their parents and have them put to death. 22 You will be hated by everyone because of me, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved. 23 When you are persecuted in one place, flee to another. Truly I tell you, you will not finish going through the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes.<br />
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Dennis D.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09850248620844503413noreply@blogger.com8