#Old Testament Reflection

[nathan-r-dooley]

Psalm 31 | A Prayer of Trust in Times of Trouble

Seeking Refuge in God “In You, Lord, I have taken refuge;Let me never be put to shame;In Your righteousness rescue me.Incline Your ear to me, rescue me quickly;Be a rock of strength for me,A stronghold to save me.For You are my rock and my fortress;For the sake of Your name You will lead me and guide me.” A Declaration of Trust “You will pull me out of the net which they have secretly laid for…

[artandthebible]

Old Testament Story of Rachel, Jacob and Leah

Artist: Amy Ann Tillinghast, Attributed to the Mary Balch School, Providence, Rhode Island

Date: ca. 1810

Medium: Painted and Embroidered in Silk Threads and Chenille, Embellished with Silver and Threads

Collection: Private Collection

[thomastanker02]

Those who reject the Promised Land end up dying out in the wilderness.

Those who reject Jesus will die in the spiritual wilderness.

What we often fail to recognize is the fact the Exodus story is our story as well.

Jesus has freed us from the bondage of sin and death, and from the rule of our Pharaoh, the devil. Now, he is leading us through the wilderness and into our true home, and into oneness with him. This is our Promised Land.

But all those who reject the offer of freedom that our savior freely gives will end up dying in bondage, under the illusion that they are actually free.

These people will end up dying the second death, something that our master died in order to spare them from.

Those who reject life itself will experience death for all of eternity. They didn’t want to be freed from its clutches, so our Savior grants them their wish, and has them delivered over into its hands, forever.

But those who do not reject the freedom that the Lord offers are free from eternal condemnation, and, through their faith in the God who died to set them free, are granted entry into paradise, into life itself!

So while we occupy this world, we are faced with two choices.

We can either follow our God out of slavery and into the freedom he promises to those who love him, or, stay in bondage, enjoying our temporary pleasures, abs perishing with the rest of the world.

The choice is yours, but I suggest you make it now, for who knows then you will be able to make it again.

God bless, Jesus loves you ✝️❤️

[thyateira]

The early Christian abolitionists paved the way. Rather than emphasizing the specific Bible passages that directly approve of slavery, they looked at other biblical texts and themes that they saw as more big-picture, more transcultural and timeless: the creation of humanity in the “image of God,” the “liberation” and “redemption” themes of the Exodus, the love teachings of Jesus, and the salvation vision of Paul.

The next time we hear someone talk about the “clear teaching of Scripture” on women’s roles, or saying that “the Bible is clear” on homosexuality, or whatever the topic might be, think about this: the Bible is at least as clear on slavery, yet thank God we no longer believe that slavery is God’s will. We’ve read the Bible, and we’re following Jesus.

The Bible is clear: God endorses slavery -- Michael Pahl (2017).

[compassionmattersmost]

One Story, One Covenant of Love

A quiet invitation to rediscover the thread of God’s love that has never been broken. Many of us were taught to think of the Old Testament as a record of law and judgment, and the New Testament as a new beginning—about love and grace. But when we look more deeply, we begin to see that God’s mercy and covenant have been unfolding all along, not beginning with Jesus, but fulfilled in Him. Before…

[mybeautifulchristianjourney]

The Heart Reflects the Man

As in water the face is reflected as a face, so a person’s heart reflects the person. — Proverbs 27:19 | New English Translation (NET Bible) NET Bible® copyright ©1996-2017 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. All rights reserved Cross References: Proverbs 27:18; Proverbs 27:20

Read full chapter

Proverbs 27:19 in all English translations (for comparison)

[holystormfire]

John 5:17-30

The Son can do nothing on his own.

Holy Trinity Column, Budapest,

Sculpture by Fülöp Ungleich,

Inaugurated on 11th June 1713,

Sculpted stone and gilt-bronze mounts

© Alamy / Christian Art

Gospel Reading

But Jesus answered them, ‘My Father is still working, and I also am working.’ For this reason the Jews were seeking all the more to kill him, because he was not only breaking the sabbath, but was also calling God his own Father, thereby making himself equal to God.

Jesus said to them, ‘Very truly, I tell you, the Son can do nothing on his own, but only what he sees the Father doing; for whatever the Father does, the Son does likewise. The Father loves the Son and shows him all that he himself is doing; and he will show him greater works than these, so that you will be astonished. Indeed, just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, so also the Son gives life to whomsoever he wishes. The Father judges no one but has given all judgement to the Son, so that all may honour the Son just as they honour the Father. Anyone who does not honour the Son does not honour the Father who sent him.

Very truly, I tell you, anyone who hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life, and does not come under judgement, but has passed from death to life. ‘Very truly, I tell you, the hour is coming, and is now here, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live. For just as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself; and he has given him authority to execute judgement, because he is the Son of Man. Do not be astonished at this; for the hour is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice and will come out—those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation. ‘I can do nothing on my own. As I hear, I judge; and my judgement is just, because I seek to do not my own will but the will of him who sent me.

Reflection on the Monument Sculpture

In our Gospel reading today we hear how the love of God is manifested through Jesus Christ. Jesus tells us in clear words who he is and how he works with and for his father. One of the stand out phrases is when Jesus tells us that 'the Son can do nothing on his own’. Jesus shares that he is one of the three persons in the godhead... all three persons of the Trinity working harmoniously together...

Our artwork today depicts the Holy Trinity: the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Erected in the centre of Budapest, it was installed in gratitude to God for ending the plague epidemic in 1694, and was also meant to ensure protection from future outbreaks. Three years after its completion in 1706, however, a new plague broke out. The column was removed and replaced by an even richer and more elaborate version. The sculptor Fülöp Ungleich modelled the column which we can find today. It was inaugurated on 11th June 1713 and depicts the three persons of the Trinity.

We believe that the Trinity is One God, three persons, co-equal and co-eternal. The mystery of the Most Holy Trinity is central to the mystery of our Faith. Nr.234 of the Catechism of the Catholic Church reads: ‘The mystery of the Most Holy Trinity is the central mystery of Christian faith and life. It is the mystery of God in himself. It is therefore the source of all the other mysteries of faith, the light that enlightens them. It is the most fundamental and essential teaching in the "hierarchy of the truths of faith". The whole history of salvation is identical with the history of the way and the means by which the one true God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, reveals himself to men "and reconciles and unites with himself those who turn away from sin”.

Article by Father Patrick van der Vorst

[littlestarprincess]

Every time I see something about Supernatural, I wonder how much of the current atheist attitude towards Christianity is rooted in people mistaking Supernatural for being well researched and intelligent.

[pastorhogg]

Mixed Legacies

Thru the Bible in a Year2 Chronicles 15–18 Some stories in Scripture don’t end the way we might hope. The lives of King Asa and King Jehoshaphat, detailed in 2 Chronicles 15–18, are powerful reminders that a strong start in faith does not guarantee a faithful finish. These chapters offer us a look at two men whose reigns were marked by seasons of both zeal and compromise, of courage and failure.…

[shirahchante]

Vayikra: Exploring the Divisions of Sinners

Today, I’m sharing wisdom and insights derived from the Torah portion known as Vayikra, which means “And He called” that I shared on my Perfect Body podcast.  Let’s gain understanding of the divisions of sinners and discover the intriguing offerings in this part of Leviticus. We recently began studying Leviticus, a fascinating book in the Bible that follows the adventures of the Israelites after…

[nathan-r-dooley]

Psalm 72 | A Prayer for the King’s Righteous Rule

A Prayer for Justice and Prosperity “Give the king Your judgments, God,And Your righteousness to the king’s son.May he judge Your people with righteousness,And Your afflicted with justice.May the mountains bring peace to the people,And the hills, in righteousness.May he vindicate the afflicted of the people,Save the children of the needy,And crush the oppressor.” A Vision of Global…

[transformednotconformed]

Jeremiah, whose time speaking the warnings of God started when he was very young, spent his entire life speaking God's truth of repentance or judgement, and warning that Jersualem would fall to Babylon. He was told he was a liar by everyone including his own family. He was imprisoned, outcasted, and lied about. He was lonely, he was overwhelmed, and was constantly being threatened with death. He even tried to quit at one time, but his spirit would allow him to stop, and so he kept going. He had written scrolls of warning to a king who had burned them upon hearing the truth of what would happen, instead of repentiny, so he wrote it all again and more....He lived a life of boldness, in spite of all of the danger and sadness around him. A later king, Zedekiah, knew his words were true, and had secretly asked him before for words from God, where he was told He would be delivered into the hands of Babylon.

In chapter 38, the princes and leaders want to kill Jeremiah because he was saying that when Babylon came, that those who went with the Chaldeans would live, but those who ran or stayed would die...they were already being seiged...and the leaders did not like Jeremiah's message, fearing it would weaken the resolve of the people. Without opposition from the king who had secretly sought words from God from him before, and knew he spoke truth, they threw him in a deep pit of a dungeon to die, where there was no ground beneath him or water to drink...only mud, and he sank down in it. This was to be his fate. King Zedekiah was so fearful of what people would think that he allowed the leaders to do this to Jeremiah, and was willing to let him die. It was only the compassion of a servant of the king that led to his rescue from the pit.

Then Zedekiah again seeks the word of the Lord, which has not changed...Babylon is coming and if you go with them, you will be okay. The king was more afraid of what the other captured Jews would do to him if he also became a captive than he was about obeying the word of the Lord. He was so afraid of what other people thought that he commanded Jeremiah to never tell anybody about the conversation, but offered better provision for Jeremiah while he was imprisoned....letting him remain imprisoned until Jerusalem fell. Jeremiah would have kinder treatment from Nebuchadnezzar, than he received from his own people...because God is good!

He spent his life outwardly appealing to the people, while secretly seeking truth. He had heard the truth. He knew where his salvation was found....obey God and live. His fear of being mocked for standing in truth overrode his ability to be protected by God. This decision led to him being captured, his family being slaughtered in front of him, his eyes gouged out, and him being taken into exile.

This is such a long post, I know...but it feels important to share. You cannot appeal to the world, serve God in secret, and expect all things go well with you. Jeremiah spoke the truth and even though he experienced so much pain and sorrow, he was protected and provided for by God throughout his life. Zedekiah looked for truth, but was unwilling to accept the truth, and while he was not mocked by his people immediately, his life ended in open and public destruction. Seek God, and obey what he says. The time for hiding your faith is over. It is time to stand and trust that God will provide for you, because he will.

[thomastanker02]

The entire Biblical story tells of God’s plans to reunite his creation back to himself after man had rejected him.

It’s not a story of man’s faithfulness to God, but of God’s faithfulness to man, and of his determinations to redeem his creation from the laws of sin and death.

Man’s constant choice throughout the entire Bible, and today as a matter of fact, is whether or not to participate in God’s rescue plan.

Take the story from Joshua for instance.

Joshua asks the angelic warrior he meets that if he’s in their side, or for their enemies. The angel replies, “neither” (or “no” depending on the version you’re reading).

This is not to show that God is against Israel, but that they are looking at their situation all wrong.

The battles that Israel is about to face are not their own, but God’s. As Moses said, “The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still” (Exodus 14:14). So the real question here is whether or not Israel is on God’s side.

This is the choice that we must answer everyday of our lives.

The battles that we face day to day or not ours, but his. So we must make the choice of whether we are on God’s side, or the world’s.

Do we want to be on the winning side, of the perishing one?

Are we going to submit to God, and choose to be apart of the new creation that he is bringing about in this world, and in the next? Or are we going to choose a world that could perish any day now?

I don’t claim to be smart, but I think this choice is pretty easy.

Submit to God, and by willing to be a part of his plan to bring this world back to himself. Honor the Lord with all your heart, and he will make your paths straight.

God bless, Jesus loves you ✝️❤️

[ryanranney]

The Feast of Unleavened Bread - Even today!

Greetings to the churches of the earth, the peoples of the earth and all her inhabitants with Love and Compassion from our Father in Heaven and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Our modern world considers the ancient feasts of the tribes of Israel to be exclusive to Israel and Judah.  Paul himself wrote much concerning Israel and the Gentiles, setting a distinction between the two.  Further…