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dailyaudiobible · 3 years

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08/09/2021 DAB Transcript

Ezra 8:21-9:15, 1 Corinthians 5:1-13, Psalm 31:1-8, Proverbs 21:1-2

Today is the 9th day of August, welcome to the Daily Audio Bible, I’m Brian, it's great to be here with you today as we do what we do, take the next step forward together. And that next step will lead us into the book of Ezra today chapter 8 verse 21 through 9, verse 15.

Commentary:

Okay, it’s kinda hard not to notice the parallels that have aligned themselves in today's reading, both in Ezra and in 1 Corinthians. Even though these events happened centuries apart from each other. So, let’s just take a look at what's going on here. In Ezra, we began by, you know, hearing the journey taken to Jerusalem with these people coming back for the first time. Ezra, a leader before God comes back rests, counts out the money, make sure everything is there and then begins to observe what's going on and begins to hear the reports that some of the very things that it undermined their culture and their society, namely mixture, in this case, were occurring again. So, some of the very things that caused the temple to ultimately be destroyed and the people taken into exile, when they returned from exile, they began those practices again. So, for Ezra arriving as a leader before God to lead people in the worship of God, set up the systems that governed that and governed the culture, he's discovering this and he's, according to what we read today, devastated. Devastated, that's a big word. Like it wasn't like an annoyance or a roll of the eyes, he tore his clothes and sat down, devastated all day until the evening sacrifice. And then in his humiliation, he got up and prayed a prayer, a plea for mercy and a prayer of repentance and we’ll go back to that. It's easy for us in a very intermingled world to look at the situation and go why are you so devastated, like why can't people be together, like why can't they associate together but there was a point when…when God came to Abraham, which was back at the very first beginning weeks of our year, He said he was going to create a new set of people, essentially, and it was a people with promise and there was a son of promise, Isaac, and remember the whole journey. But the point was that God was coming to earth’s people and setting apart a certain group of people that he had chosen for a particular purpose, not because they were better human beings or somehow they were superior to other people in humanity, but because this people would be His people, and they would be ordered around knowing the one true God, and they would build a culture that would broadcast that to the world. A nation of priests, a nation who feared God, a nation who walked with God to reveal to the people of earth. First of all, there is one true most high God. There is no other and secondly to show what that looks like, how that can be lived so that the example can be set for the rest of the world. They didn't do that, like we’ve read the whole story, only in fits and starts. Kinda like us, only in fits and starts, did they do this and when they did they prospered and when they didn't, they were no longer setting an example. They were being influenced and led astray, so no longer were they this nation of priests shining the light into the world and showing and revealing the one true God and how to walk with that one true God. Instead, they were being seduced away. They were not being the influencers; they were being the influenced. In Ezra's like you've got to be kidding me, this is what destroyed us. So, he's devastated. They aren't setting a precedent or setting a standard, they’re mixing the standard with all kinds of other practices. Things that had led to their own destruction. Then we flip into 1 Corinthians in Paul's writing to the church there and he's pretty clear like not talking about judging everybody in the world, you can’t judge everybody in the world. And you can’t have an opinion about what everybody does out there, that's, God will judge that. But inside this community of faith, this is supposed to be a new species. This is supposed to be a new thing that God is doing in the world, one in which everyone is welcome, but you have to open your eyes and know that you died, to who you were and you started over. There's a new standard, a standard of love. And when you do things that really can't be done in the name of Jesus, then it's mixture that’s leading nowhere, it will ultimately, it will ultimately lead to destruction. It's the precedent of this whole story. And for Paul, he's a Jewish person who knows this story well and recognizes that God is doing something new in the world that he did this new thing by coming in the person of Jesus to accomplish it, and that has to change things. We can't just go oh, I’m free and then intermingle ourselves into bondage that destroys us and then blame God for it. And man, we can rationalize just about anything, but truly, if we are honest just with ourselves, if we can be, if we pause and contemplate a set of actions that we are going to engage our mind and heart and body to participate in. We know in the core of ourselves whether that is right or whether that is wrong for us, whether that is clean, or whether that is unclean for us, whether that is holy, or whether that is unholy mixture for us. Because, because there is a couple of really, really critical things that we must observe and pay attention to. One, when we go against the flow of our new nature in Christ, we are not headed for abundance, we are headed for destruction. We are not headed into further freedoms, we are free. All of these things that we mix and intermingle, they eventually lead us into deception, where we have to wear a mask, where we aren't true, we aren’t really who we were made to be, we’re a lot of things, we put on a lot of masks in every different circumstance, so that we are divided within ourselves. When freedom is, hey, there's a way that this works. Love the Lord your God with all your heart. Love your neighbor as yourself. If you can't participate in it in the name of Jesus, then don't do it. Why do you want to hurt yourself? Why do you want to lead yourself to destruction? And so, you can see why Ezra would be on the ground with torn robes devastated, because this stuff is going nowhere. And so, truly the Bible has led us today into a place to consider these things because we're supposed to be the light of the world. Right, we may have all kinds of freedoms and don’t have to obey the Mosaic law but we’re supposed to be the light of the world. The mission hasn't really changed. Everyone is invited but we, who have been reborn, we're the ones supposed to be showing the rest of the world that there is a better way to be here together. That there is a better way to be a human being and if we look around man, we see the mixture, that's what we’re full of is the mixture. And this doesn't mean like oh okay well then, I’m gonna stop drinking wine, it’s the stuff that is intermingled in our hearts, it is bringing us anxiety and confusion that is forcing us to have several different identities in several different circumstances; we’re invited to be the light of the world, we’re invited to be true. And when we are true, we are not only walking in the light, we are free. And so, we can easily go back to Ezra chapter 9 and see this…this prayer, this plea for mercy, this cry of repentance. And maybe it's words can actually be meaningful to us because were guilty too.

Prayer:

And so, Father we come together here before You as if we were on our knees, humbled, devastated to realize that not only have we’ve been counteracting Your work in our lives but we’ve been sabotaging Your will and sabotaging ourselves. So, we pray from the Scriptures, our Lord God, we are ashamed and embarrassed to lift our face toward You Lord, because our iniquities are higher than our heads and our guilt is as high as the heavens. Our guilt has been terrible from the days of our ancestors until the present. Because of our iniquities, we have been handed over, along with our kings and priests to the surrounding kings into the sword captivity plundering and open shame. And now, for a brief, moment grace has come from the Lord our God to preserve a remnant for us and give us a stake in His holy place, even in our slavery God has given us a little relief and light to our eyes, though we are slaves, our God has not abandoned us in our slavery. He has extended grace to us, giving us relief so that we can rebuild the house of our God and repair its ruins. Now, Lord, what can we say in light of this, we have abandoned the commands You gave through Your servants the prophets, after all that has happened to us because of our evil deeds and terrible guilt. Though You God have punished less than our iniquities deserve and have allowed us to survive. Should we break your commands again. Lord God of Israel, You are righteous, for we survive as a remnant today. Here we are before you with our guilt, though no one can stand in your presence, because of this. Father, we repent and we understand that the only reason we can stand in Your presence is that You came and rescued us and allowed it. You want us in Your presence. You want us as Your children. You want us to be the light of the world because you want all of Earth's people to be welcomed in and yet we are seduced into the mixture so that we have been influenced, we have not been the influencer. And so come, Holy Spirit in this moment of repentance and wash us clean. Help us to reset and restart by taking the next steps that are right before You. We pray for mercy, just as Ezra did, we pray in repentance for forgiveness in the name of Jesus we ask. Amen.

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religioused · 3 years

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Words Never Die

by Gary Simpson

1 Samuel 3:1-20 (King James Version) And the child Samuel ministered unto the Lord before Eli. And the word of the Lord was precious in those days; there was no open vision. And it came to pass at that time, when Eli was laid down in his place, and his eyes began to wax dim, that he could not see; and ere the lamp of God went out in the temple of the Lord, where the ark of God was, and Samuel was laid down to sleep; that the Lord called Samuel: and he answered, Here am I. 5 And he ran unto Eli, and said, Here am I; for thou calledst me. And he said, I called not; lie down again. And he went and lay down. 6 And the Lord called yet again, Samuel. And Samuel arose and went to Eli, and said, Here am I; for thou didst call me. And he answered, I called not, my son; lie down again. 7 Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord, neither was the word of the Lord yet revealed unto him. 8 And the Lord called Samuel again the third time. And he arose and went to Eli, and said, Here am I; for thou didst call me. And Eli perceived that the Lord had called the child. 9 Therefore Eli said unto Samuel, Go, lie down: and it shall be, if he call thee, that thou shalt say, Speak, Lord; for thy servant heareth. So Samuel went and lay down in his place. 10 And the Lord came, and stood, and called as at other times, Samuel, Samuel. Then Samuel answered, Speak; for thy servant heareth.

11 And the Lord said to Samuel, Behold, I will do a thing in Israel, at which both the ears of every one that heareth it shall tingle. In that day I will perform against Eli all things which I have spoken concerning his house: when I begin, I will also make an end. For I have told him that I will judge his house for ever for the iniquity which he knoweth; because his sons made themselves vile, and he restrained them not. And therefore I have sworn unto the house of Eli, that the iniquity of Eli’s house shall not be purged with sacrifice nor offering for ever.

15 And Samuel lay until the morning, and opened the doors of the house of the Lord. And Samuel feared to shew Eli the vision. Then Eli called Samuel, and said, Samuel, my son. And he answered, Here am I. And he said, What is the thing that the Lord hath said unto thee? I pray thee hide it not from me: God do so to thee, and more also, if thou hide any thing from me of all the things that he said unto thee. And Samuel told him every whit, and hid nothing from him. And he said, It is the Lord: let him do what seemeth him good.

19 And Samuel grew, and the Lord was with him, and did let none of his words fall to the ground. 20 And all Israel from Dan even to Beer-sheba knew that Samuel was established to be a prophet of the Lord.

Reflection:

There is an old public domain hymn titled “Kind Words Never Die.” Sadly, angry words take on a life of their own too. In no realm does that seem more accurate than political and religious discussions.

Three general principles you might want to look for in this sermon. (1) Ridicule and insults can cause religious and political divisions and political tension. (2) We can reflect on how our theological beliefs and political news consumption may cause us to hate others. (3) Look for ways to build people up.

There are times when a dose of Biblical trivia feels right. And this is one of those times. In the Septuagint, 1st and 2nd Samuel were called 1st and 2nd Kingdoms, and 1st and 2nd Kings were called 3rd and 4th Kingdoms.(1) A few people think 1st and 2nd Samuel would be better named Saul and David, or 1st and 2nd David.(2)

First and Second Samuel were probably written about 900 BCE(3), and the events described in 1st Samuel might date back to somewhere between 1200 and 1000 BCE.(4) The book was written after the division of the nation into two kingdoms, the northern and the southern kingdoms.(5) The events in the book of 1st Samuel take place during a time of political change. The children of Israel were transitioning into a monarchical form of government.(6) We see a shift from the leadership of priests, prophets and judges to kings.(7)

As we look to contemporary issues dividing Canada and the United States, we may find parts of 1st Samuel, a book written for a people divided into two kingdoms, valuable. A major theme in 1st Samuel is that the main characters, Samuel, Saul, and David, all “make mistakes that cost them dearly.”(8) This last point, which seems quite trivial, could be important. Religious institutions and religious leaders, combined with political institutions and political leaders, made mistakes that could be challenging for North Americans for many years. Decisions relating to the creation and operation of residential schools made by the Canadian Government and church denominations hurt generations of Indigenous people. Contributors to the NIV Foundation Study Bible observe that Samuel’s ministry is built on a foundation of an “attitude of listening.”(9) And listening could be critical to the future for people of faith.

There is some literary foreshadowing in the passage. Samuel means “requested of God.”(10) We can get the sense that there is something special about Samuel, and that sense increases as we read the narratives in 1st and 2nd Samuel.

In the ancient Near Eastern world, prophets gave messages from God. Should a god not give messages through prophets, it was considered a sign that the gods were unhappy.(11) Contributors to the Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible indicate that some people speculate that Samuel was in the temple area at night in hopes of receiving a “divine vision,” but there is nothing in the Biblical passage that supports that conclusion.(12)

Verses 15 to 17 are worth exploring for a moment. Warren Wiersbe draws attention to the fact that Samuel got up and went about his daily duties. He gives Samuel credit for being mature enough not to run around telling everyone that God gave him a special message.(13) I am not sure if it was maturity or dread of telling Eli the message God gave Samuel. Because Eli was almost like a foster father, Samuel might have loved Eli. His love for Eli might have been why Samuel was reluctant to tell Eli God’s message. Samuel did not want to hurt Eli.(14) Eli had a long vocational calling as a judge, having judged Israel for 40 years. Knowing Eli's vocation might have made it even more difficult for Samuel to deliver God’s stern message.(15)

Eli appears to threaten Samuel. He says Samuel must tell the whole truth and not to hide anything from him or God will deal severely with Samuel. Eli may have spoken strongly because he realized that God did something “rare” when God bypassed him and gave Samuel a message.(16) Eli, who recognizes physical maturity does not always go hand-in-hand with spiritual maturity, takes the rebuke God gives him through the mouth of young Samuel.(17) I think Eli shows significant maturity in his willingness to seek out and to accept the message Samuel gave.

Moses understood the children of Israel wanted to have a king.(18) There could be many reasons why the children of Israel wanted a king, a person of power, leading their country. They might have been seeking power, prestige, and a feeling of safety. Chapters 8-12 of 1 Samuel describe the establishment of a king for the children of Israel.(19) Was a desire to have a powerful leader, a person who could protect people of faith, a factor in some Christians being involved in the Capitol protest, a protest that claimed the lives of people? Did some people of faith believe they needed a strong president, a virtual king figure to protect their faith? We may never know.

When protesters took over the Capitol Building in Washington, DC., a few Americans carried crosses and Christian banners. Photos show somebody put up a noose. There was a massive juxtaposition between the images. As Canadians we cannot look down our noses at our American neighbors and congratulate ourselves that this could never happen in Canada. Increasingly strong and polarizing rhetoric is not just an American thing. We have the same problem here. Polarizing language between conservative and progressive Christians is both a Canadian and an American problem.

There are a few things that we may want to consider when reviewing how you live out your religious and political convictions.

• Is our shared theology and understanding of the Bible helping us feel more compassion for others, or are we finding ourselves progressively feeling more angry with those who do not share our values or our doctrine?

• When we hear a politician or a minister speak, do we find ourselves feeling increasingly angry because we believe that we are being cheated?

• Have we studied, to understand, and not to prove other people wrong, the beliefs of other Christian denominations and other world religions?

• Do we find ourselves engaging in calling members of other religious or political groups names? Do we find ourselves calling either progressive or conservative Christians names?

• Do we decide to vote based only on one political issue?

• Are there times when we seriously want to punch people who disagree with us on core issues?

• Do we spend hours each week listening to all news, all talk shows? Are we feeling anxious and angry after we watch hours of news and opinion shows?

If some of the things I mentioned seem to describe you, this might be a sign that you need to focus less on news and theology. You may want to limit your consumption of news to the morning news and the evening news. That might help you feel less like your core values are being assaulted.

Anglican theologian John Stott states, “No theology is genuinely Christian which does not arise from and focus on the cross.”(20) Historically Christians have seen love and grace as being symbolized in the cross. This means Christian theology is only genuine Christian theology when it shows love and grace. A prime test of love is respect. When we express theology in a loving manner, we attempt to show respect for those who disagree. The use of sarcastic language, ridicule, and insults might win the argument, but it generally loses the war, since the tactics offend and alienate.

I am going to conclude with a story.

Lawrence Welk is a big band leader who had a highly successful career. There is a website that estimates the net worth of celebrities. According to the website, when Lawrence Welk died in 1992, he might have been the richest person in show business, possibly being even more wealthy than the legendary Bob Hope.(21)

I hope that I recall the story correctly because it has been years since I read Lawrence Welk’s autobiography. As I recall the story, Lawrence Welk was reminiscing about his early days in show business. Welk and his boss, the leader of the band he was in, were eating in a café. Evidently, the food was pretty awful. Lawrence Welk complained about the food. The leader of the band complimented the waitress on the coffee. Later, Lawrence Welk asked the leader of the band why he didn’t complain about the bad food. The bandleader replied to the effect that whenever the waitress heard his name, she would think about how he complimented her for the coffee and whenever the waitress heard Lawrence Welk's name, she would remember how he criticized the food.

I encourage people to change the topic from political concerns and religion to other topics and to look for a reason to praise. Your kind words will be remembered and will build a bridge.

Kind words can never die,

Cherished and blest,

God knows how deep they lie,

Stored in the breast:

Like childhood’s simple rhymes,

Said o’er a thousand times,

Aye, in all years and climes,

Distant and near.

Kind words can never die(22)

End Notes

(1) Joel Rosenberg. “1 and 2 Samuel.” The Literary Guide to the Bible. (Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard Univ. Press, 1987), 122.

(2) Rosenberg. (1987), 122.

(3) Marshall Shelley, et al., eds. The Quest Study Bible. (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zandervan Pub., 1994), 358.

(4) John H. Walton and Craig S. Keener, eds. New King James Version Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible. (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zandervan Pub., 2017), 480.

(5) Shelley, et al. (1994), 358.

(6) Walton and Keener, eds. (2017), 480.

(7) Rosenberg. (1987), 122.

(8) NIV Foundation Study Bible. (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zandervan, 2015), 283.

(9) NIV Foundation Study Bible. (2015), 286.

(10) Merrill F. Unger. Unger's Bible Handbook: An Essential Guide to Understanding the Bible. (Chicago: Moody Press, 1967), 187.

(11) Walton and Keener. (2017), 486.

(12) Walton and Keener. (2017), 486.

(13) Warren W. Wiersbe. The Bible Exposition Commentary: History. Colorado Springs, Colorado: Victor, 2003), 216.

(14) Walter J. Harrelson, et al., eds. The New Interpreter's Study Bible. (Nashville, Tennessee: Abingdon Press, 2003), 399.

(15) Bruce Barton, et al., eds. Life Explanation Study Bible. 2nd ed. (Wheaton, Illinois: Tyndale House Pub., 2004), 413.

(16) Shelley, et al. (1994), 363.

(17) Christian Community Bible. 2nd ed. (Madrid, Spain: San Pablo, 1988), 277.

(18) Kenneth Barker, et al., eds. The NIV Study Bible. (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zandervan Pub., 1985), 372.

(19) Barker, et al. (1985), 372.

(20) John Stott. The Cross of Christ. (Doners Grove, Illinois: InterVarsity Press, 1986), 216.

(21) “Lawrence Welk Net Worth.” Celebrity Net Worth. 2020, 16 January 2021.

<https://www.celebritynetworth.com/richest-celebrities/rock-stars/lawrence-welk-net-worth/>.

(22) Abbey Hutchinson Patton. “Kind Words Can Never Die.” Public Domain Hymns. <https://www.pdhymns.com/SheetMusic/B_Normal/I-Q_Normal/K_Normal/Kind%20Words%20Can%20Never%20Die_N.pdf>.

#christian #church #sermon #progressive christian #political division #religious division

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itsyourchoicedevotionals · 2 years

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But Wait

“…Why, what evil has He done?” But they kept shouting all the more, saying, “Crucify Him!” Matthew 27:23NASB

Government is one subject most of my church acquaintances considers awful and nearing unbearable. Thieves, connivers, traffickers, satanists, drug promoters and liars; Bent on destroying our nation; Communists determined to rob those who’ve earned, to give to those who are too lazy to work; Anti-God; Elections riggers; Needing term limits Senators and Congresspersons; Cheaters with a fake President. Everyone agrees on one thing— Jesus is our only hope.

After Cyrus freed the Israelite slaves, returning them from exile in Babylon— they didn’t remain a sovereign nation very long. Israel could easily have been named: ‘the nation always conquered.’ Their enslavements came because of their constant rejection of Jehovah God.

Rome was their latest conquer. Their troops rode through the streets dominating the citizens daily. Yet, the Pharisees lived in denial— “They answered Him, “We are Abraham’s descendants and have never yet been enslaved to anyone…” John 8:33NASB. Really?

Beyond denial, they were hypocrites. Without exercising love, as the ten commandments instructed, they sought to murder the innocent man—Jesus. Their reason? Jealousy. Jesus drew the crowds. “it was early; and they themselves did not enter into the Praetorium so that they would not be defiled, but might eat the Passover. Therefore Pilate went out to them and *said, “What accusation do you bring against this Man?” John 18:28-29NASB. The government they hated, denied being enslaved to, became their tool for murder.

Instigating the crowd was easy. The week before these people had hailed Jesus as their King, crying out “Hosanna,” which literally means, ‘Lord SAVE us.’ Expectations had run high then. This Jesus would ‘save’ them from Rome’s control— that they weren’t enslaved to. Their desire didn’t happen. Now they cried out “Crucify Him!”

Expectations for Jesus to ‘save’ them were right on target. Not ‘saved’ from a government but salvation from sin, sickness, poverty, lack of peace, and unsoundness, which are all matters of the soul.

Are we that much different today than the Israelites were? We want Jesus to come rescue us from our current government, chaos, wars, trafficking and crime. Much of this, we’ve created ourselves— voted these crooks into office or worse, didn’t even vote. Nor did we stand up in a loving manner for what’s right in the face of ‘political correctness.’

Perhaps Jesus didn’t heal mother, father, wife, husband, sister, brother, son or daughter. We scream out from our growing unbelief with the crowd, “Crucify Him!” Jesus didn’t bring back that wayward spouse, child or sibling from drugs, alcohol or adultery. Unbelief wells up in our heart because He’s not ‘saved’ us, as we prescribed. Yelling with the crowd, we cry out, “Crucify Him! You may have even lost everything financially. Wrong choices, bad business deals, bum economy caused years of hard work to disappear in a heartbeat. Your voice is raised with the crowd, He didn’t ‘save’ me. “Crucify Him!”

BUT WAIT —His crucifixion was to bury sin, —its hopelessness, discouragement, and disbelief with His dead body. This is Friday and Sunday is coming. Not even a corrupt government could or can stop what’s coming. Wait until you see Him resurrected from the grave. Wait until you see, Jesus —now reigning King forever. Our sins have remained buried. Wait, Sunday’s coming. Will you believe? It’s your choice. You choose.

LET’S PRAY: Father I thank You that Your plan wasn’t just to help one generation of Your Israelite people. Your plans were for salvation to come for everyone who will believe in any generation. Help us to reach those who don’t believe. Help the unbelieving, please Sir, to change their minds, in the name of Jesus Christ I pray.

#Jesus Christ #lord of lords #Word of God #Holy Spirit #God #it's your choice #devotional #wait #hypocrite #unbelief #unbearable #resurrected #King #hope #love #faith

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updcbc · 6 years

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August 12, 2018 - “The Fulfilled Great Project” Nehemiah 6:1-7:73

Click KEEP READING to read the full sermon.

Introduction

We have one life—just one life to live, one life to give, one life to serve and one life to offer. And we are born in one country we consider our home. How then should we live our solitary life and what is our noble dream for our beloved homeland?

The late Senator Benigno Aquino, Jr. could have chosen to live in safety and comfort in the loving embrace of his family as exiles in the United States. What made him decide to return to the Philippines despite the clear warning of his bloody assassination that would pierce inconceivable grief to his loved ones? He came back because he was restless until democracy would be restored in his own country. Such solid dedication was a demonstration of the incomparable grace of our Lord Jesus Christ to whom he yielded his life while he agonized in his solitary confinement in prison and inspired by Chuck Colson’s book, Born Again. And he offered his life in reverence to God and his love for his countrymen. His dream was fulfilled at the cost of his life. May our children cherish, safeguard and nurture our freedom.

Nehemiah, as a Jewish exile, could have chosen to remain as the cupbearer of King Artaxerxes and for him to enjoy the royal prestige and comfort in the kingdom of Persia. But he, too, was restless when he heard that the wall of Jerusalem remained in ruins and that his remnant people, who had returned from Babylon to Judah, were in great trouble and disgrace. It was his dream to restore the broken wall of Jerusalem and rebuild his fallen nation—and he knew it could cost his life. He pleaded for divine favor and intervention. And God moved the heart of the king. And Nehemiah was granted imperial authority to go back to Israel and govern over his own people as he would build the broken wall of Jerusalem. The enemies of the Jews in Palestine were alarmed for he had come for the welfare of his own people. Despite the hostile opposition from his enemies, he stood on his ground and led his countrymen to restore the wall. In vigilance, the Jewish builders kept themselves on guard from the attack of their enemies who surrounded them. Halfway to the development of the great project, he soon found out the greater problem did not come from outside opposition but from within his people because of the social injustice committed by the affluent over their poor countrymen. Nehemiah instituted reforms and the people made a covenant in the name of the Lord. The Jews reinforced their solidarity as a people. And the builders were back to work with all their heart.

To derail the project, the leaders of the enemies of the Jews focused their attack on Nehemiah. But he made a decisive stand not to bend to their schemes (6:1-9, 17-19). So the great wall of Jerusalem was completed (6:15-16; 7:1-3). And the city of Jerusalem was resettled by the remnant Jews (7:4-73a). The great project was fulfilled under the sovereignty and grace of God through the righteous governance and exemplary leadership of Nehemiah and the solidarity of the Jewish people.

We look at our bare hands. What significant work can we share in our dream to build our nation? When we see how our principled walls in our society are breaking down and how our moral values are deteriorating, we first ask ourselves whether we are part of the solution or the problem. The true builders of the land are those who have a clear conscience and clean hands. Patriotism is to do what is true, right and just. When our hearts are right with God, he can mightily use us in our humble ways.

A. The Plot Against Nehemiah (6:1-9)

Patriotism is tough and hard. Nehemiah became the primary target of the concerted demolition job to get rid of him and destroy his great project. His enemies planned to kill him. When they failed, they resorted to intimidation, threat and political collaboration. Nehemiah pleaded for divine protection and intervention.

1. The Assassination Plan

First of all, his enemies made a plot to kill him. This assassination plan was in disguise of a diplomatic consultation.

a. The Scheming Invitation

Sanballat and Geshem invited Nehemiah to talk with them.

“When word came to Sanballat, Tobiah, Geshem the Arab and the rest of our enemies that I had rebuilt the wall and not a gap was left in it—though up to that time I had not set the doors in the gates—Sanballat and Geshem sent me this message: ‘Come, let us meet together in one of the villages on the plain of Ono.’ But they were scheming to harm me.” (6:1-2)

The Jerusalem wall was almost done except for the doors in the gates. The city remained vulnerable. But the enemies knew that as long as Nehemiah stood as the governor, the Jewish community and the city of Jerusalem were safe and secure. So his enemies invited him possibly for a peace treaty on the plain of Ono, a fortified city in the territory of Benjamin, 49 kilometers (30 miles) northwest of Jerusalem. In Nehemiah’s time, Benjamin was under Sanballat the governor of Samaria. The call for diplomatic talk appeared to restore peace in the region. But Nehemiah had the discernment of their assassination plot.

b. The Focused Decision

Nehemiah sent a clear and firm message to Sanballat and Geshem despite their importunate calls.

“So I sent messengers to them with this reply: ‘I am carrying on a great project and cannot go down. Why should the work stop while I leave it and go down to you?’ Four times they sent me the same message, and each time I gave them the same answer.” (6:3-4)

The decision of Nehemiah was non-negotiable. Nothing and no one could deter him from building the wall of Jerusalem. His solid determination reinforced the zeal of his people.

2. The Threat of Rebellion

Secondly, Sanballat and Geshem conspired to threaten Nehemiah of rebellion before King Artaxerxes.

a. The Unsealed Letter

The open letter was a scheme to compel Nehemiah to meet Sanballat and Geshem so they could execute their plot to kill him.

“Then, the fifth time, Sanballat sent his aide to me with the same message, and in his hand was an unsealed letter in which was written: ‘It is reported among the nations—and Geshem says it is true—that you and the Jews are plotting to revolt, and therefore you are building the wall. Moreover, according to these reports you are about to become their king and have even appointed prophets to make this proclamation about you in Jerusalem: “There is a king in Judah!”’ Now this report will get back to the king; so come, let us confer together.” (6:5-7

Under the authority of the king of Persia, Nehemiah came to Jerusalem to be the governor of Judah. For the king to receive a report that he installed himself as a king was a serious charge of rebellion.

b. The Steadfast Commitment

Nehemiah stood on his ground without fear.

“I sent him this reply: ‘Nothing like what you are saying is happening; you are just making it up out of your head.’ They were all trying to frighten us, thinking, ‘Their hands will get too weak for the work, and it will not be completed.’ But I prayed, ‘Now strengthen my hands.’ (6:8-9)

His courage was rooted in his integrity. He led his people without any hidden agenda or selfish ambition. He remained true as a governor over his own people and never entertained the thought of rebellion against the king. Under the closest scrutiny of his life and governance he could stand before anyone with clear conscience. This he did in absolute dependence upon God.

3. The Scheming Intimidation

Thirdly, Sanballat and Tobiah hired a prophet to intimidate Nehemiah. His enemies threatened him in the name of the king. This time they tried to destroy his name in the name of God.

a. The Hired Prophet

Nehemiah received a warning from Shemaiah.

“One day I went to the house of Shemaiah son of Delaiah, the son of Mehetabel, who was shut in at his home. He said, ‘Let us meet in the house of God, inside the temple, and let us close the temple doors, because men are coming to kill you—by night they are coming to kill you.’” (6:10)

Out of good will, Nehemiah visited Shemaiah because he was bedridden. The word of Shemaiah to Nehemiah could be taken as a genuine concern for the safety of the governor and it could not be easily disregarded because he was a prophet. Nehemiah discerned something wrong. Only a priest could enter the temple. And he was not a priest.

b. The Disclosure of the Plot

Nehemiah safeguarded himself from sacrilege by going inside the temple that would destroy his credibility as a governor and he could be stoned to death by his people.

“But I said, ‘Should a man like me run away? Or should one like me go into the temple to save his life? I will not go!’ I realized that God had not sent him, but that he had prophesied against me because Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him. He had been hired to intimidate me so that I would commit a sin by doing this, and then they would give me a bad name to discredit me.” (6:11-12)

The devious scheme of Sanballat and Tobiah was ingenuous by paying a great price to a prophet who was corrupted by money. We can only surmise that Nehemiah soon discovered the plot, perhaps through the confession of Shemaiah who could have been investigated by the governor. The sovereign God protected Nehemiah.

4. The Political Patronage

Finally, Tobiah capitalized on political patronage over the Jewish nobles to unsettle the governance of Nehemiah.

“Also, in those days the nobles of Judah were sending many letters to Tobiah, and replies from Tobiah kept coming to them. For many in Judah were under oath to him, since he was son-in-law to Shecaniah son of Arah, and his son Jehohanan had married the daughter of Meshullam son of Berekiah. Moreover, they kept reporting to me his good deeds and then telling him what I said. And Tobiah sent letters to intimidate me.” (6:17-19)

Political collaboration is an effective strategy to unsettle any government. Tobiah established an insidious political foothold within the Hebrew community out of the unholy intermarriages entered into by the Jewish nobles with the Gentiles. Nehemiah addressed this serious problem to safeguard the political stability of his governance.

5. The Pleading of Nehemiah

Nehemiah anchored his security and stability in the hands of God.

“Remember Tobiah and Sanballat, O my God, because of what they have done; remember also the prophetess Noadiah and the rest of the prophets who have been trying to intimidate me.” (6:14)

He never underestimated his enemies for the irreparable damage they could do to his own people. And he pleaded to God to hold them accountable for they were bent to evil to harm him.

As in the time of Nehemiah, we can observe in our homeland the same patterns done by the enemies of the state to silence anyone who is dedicated to restore our broken walls in rebuilding our nation. The builders of our homeland are maligned, intimidated and threatened. The powerful block of elite collaborates with foreigners for their selfish ends. Many of our reformers had already shed their innocent blood for our homeland. Like Nehemiah, we plead with God to hold into account those who make schemes toward the downfall of our nation.

B. The Completion of the Wall (6:15, 16—7:3)

Under the sovereignty of God, the great project of Nehemiah to rebuild the wall of Jerusalem was finally accomplished with a compelling timetable. The surrounding nations hostile to the Hebrew people were bewildered. And the Jewish community was secured.

1. The Wall Restored

Under the leadership of Nehemiah, the solidarity and dedication of the Hebrew people paid off. “So the wall was completed on the twenty-fifth of Elul, in fifty-two days” (6:15). The great wall of Jerusalem was five meters (16.4 ft.) wide, 12 meters (39.37 ft.) high, and 4,018 meters (2.5 mi.) long. Against every possible obstacle it was finished in less than two months. Imagine the work done by the builders. The remnant Jewish community in the province of Judah flocked to Jerusalem. Each section set by boundary of the gates was assigned to a particular group. Blocks of stones chiseled from the quarry were delivered to the site and piled up and cemented with pits and tars. While building they kept themselves on guard twenty-four hours a day from the imminent attack of their surrounding enemies. The greater burden came from the social injustice committed by the affluent Jews over their poor countrymen. The inner conflict and the outside threat were properly addressed and the people were back to work. Nehemiah himself was singled out by his enemies to destroy him so the project would be demolished. Despite all the overwhelming pressures, the wall was rebuilt with all the gates in place in 52 days on the month of Elul, the sixth month of the Hebrew calendar, August-September, a summer time in Israel. The wall was completed because the Jewish people worked with all their heart.

2. The Enemies Unsettled

What was the impact upon the neighboring nations?

“When all our enemies heard about this, all the surrounding nations were afraid and lost their self-confidence, because they realized that this work had been done with the help of our God.” (6:16)

Sanballat, Tobiah and Geshem and all their followers were bewildered. The dread of the Jews fell upon them because they recognized that the great wall was the mighty work of God. The wall was a monument of the solidarity of the Jewish people. Above all, the wall of Jerusalem was a testimony that the LORD of Israel is the sovereign God over all.

3. The Jews Safeguarded

Nehemiah secured the gates of the wall for the safety of his own people.

“After the wall had been rebuilt and I had set the doors in place, the gatekeepers and the singers and the Levites were appointed. I put in charge of Jerusalem my brother Hanani, along with Hananiah the commander of the citadel, because he was a man of integrity and feared God more than most men do. I said to them, ‘The gates of Jerusalem are not to be opened until the sun is hot. While the gatekeepers are still on duty, have them shut the doors and bar them. Also appoint residents of Jerusalem as guards, some at their posts and some near their own houses.’” (7:1-3)

Nehemiah delegated the security of the city of Jerusalem in the hands of two great men. First was his brother Hanani. He was the one who reported about the broken wall of Jerusalem to Nehemiah while he was the cupbearer of the king in the city of Susa in Persia. Hanani served as the right hand of Nehemiah. Second was Hananiah, the commander of the citadel. The citadel was the final defensive system of the walled city where the governor’s residence was located. Hananiah was a man of impeachable integrity and outstanding spirituality. Jerusalem was not entrusted in the hands of the nobles. Rather, it was committed into the hands of two trustworthy men. And the city was in good hands.

Anything we do for the sake of our countrymen and our nation brings inward fulfillment if we do it in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. In restoring our deteriorating moral values and breaking principled walls, may we stand firm despite the oppositions we encounter. And when we triumph in making our decisive stand for what is true, right and just—in our workplaces—may our enemies recognize that the Lord Jesus is on our side and be unsettled with the dread of God hovering over them. And may the Lord give us trustworthy men and women as fellow servants and guardians in fulfilling our dream to build our nation.

C. The Resettlement of Jerusalem (7:4-73a)

God placed in the heart of Nehemiah to resettle Jerusalem with his own people. He made a census of his remnant countrymen. And the chosen Jews dwelt inside the city of David surrounded by the great wall.

1. The Open Resettlement

Nehemiah decided to resettle Jerusalem.

“Now the city was large and spacious, but there were few people in it, and the houses had not yet been rebuilt.” (7:4)

When he arrived in Jerusalem, there were few Jewish families who dwelt in the city because it was then in ruins. When the wall was rebuilt, Nehemiah saw the need to resettle new residents to dwell inside the city. The length of the Jerusalem wall repaired by the Jewish people was 4,018 meters (4.018 kilometers). So the city proper was twice the area surrounded by the UP oval in Diliman campus which is 2.2 kilometers.

2. The Registration of the People

Nehemiah made a census of the remnant Jews who returned in Judah and registered them by their ancestral families.

“So my God put it into my heart to assemble the nobles, the officials and the common people for registration by families. I found the genealogical record of those who had been the first to return. This is what I found written there: These are the people of the province who came up from the captivity of the exiles whom Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had taken captive (they returned to Jerusalem and Judah, each to his own town.” (7:5-6)

The first batch was led by Zerubbabel. The detailed registration was recorded in Nehemiah 7:7-67. “The whole company numbered 42, 360, besides their 7,337 menservants and maidservants; and they also had 245 men and women singers” (Neh. 7:66-67). Nehemiah also made a record of the material contributions of the Jewish people for the building of the wall of Jerusalem (7:70-72). Nehemiah himself gave 1,000 drachmas (4,300 grams) of gold. Beside the first batch, we need to mention here the second batch led by Ezra. In his time, those who traveled with him back to Judah were 12,326 men who were family heads. The detail of the second registration was recorded in Ezra 8:1-14.

3. The Resettlement of the People

Nehemiah gave clear directives with regard to the resettlement.

“Now the leaders of the people settled in Jerusalem, and the rest of the people cast lots to bring one out of every ten to live in Jerusalem, the holy city, while the remaining nine were to stay in their own towns. The people commended all the men who volunteered to live in Jerusalem.” (11:1-2)

The casting of lots was a Jewish practice done in the name of the Lord in ascertaining and in submission to his will. In the case of resettlement of the Jews in Jerusalem it was done by casting lots to create an atmosphere of peace and harmony among the people. The men who volunteered to stay in the city were commended because they served primarily as gate keepers. The new residents in Jerusalem were 468 able men from the descendants of Judah (11:6), 928 men from the descendants of Benjamin (11:8), 1,192 priests (11:10-14), 284 Levites (11:18) and 172 men gatekeepers (11:19). The total was 3,044 men excluding their families.

And the greater Jewish community settled in their respective ancestral territories in the province of Judah.

“The priests, the Levites, the gatekeepers, the singers and the temple servants, along with certain of the people and the rest of the Israelites, settled in their own towns…The rest of the Israelites, with the priests and Levites, were in all the towns of Judah, each on his ancestral property.” (7:73a; 11:20)

Nehemiah was a wise governor. He pursued his vision to restore the broken wall of Jerusalem. He committed himself to his mission in rebuilding his fallen nation. To this end he was not sidetracked from any adversity and opposition. All his efforts revolved around his dream. In the process, he governed over his people as an organized administrator. He addressed issues by digging to the heart of the matter. He resolved conflicts without partiality. He made decisions that were just and fair. He delegated his responsibilities to trustworthy persons. Above all, he feared God and yielded his all to him for the welfare of his own people

Conclusion

The sovereign LORD preserved Nehemiah from the plot of Sanballat, Tobiah and Geshem. Nehemiah was not distracted in carrying out his great project for his people. Against all odds, the formidable wall of Jerusalem was rebuilt in 52 days. The enemies of Israel were distraught because they realized it was the work of God. They city of Jerusalem was resettled by the Jews. And the rest of Hebrew people settled in their ancestral territories in Judah. This motivates us to pursue our dream.

The late beloved “Manong Bel” left us with a patriotic legacy. We refresh ourselves of his noble dream.

A Vision for the Nation*

Isabelo F. Magalit

What kind of Philippines do I long to see?

A land that is peaceful. Where Muslims and Christians and animists and those with no religion at all can live together as friendly rivals but not as enemies. Where disputes are resolved by discussion and debate and not with the barrel of the gun. Where one may walk the streets at night unarmed and remain unharmed.

A people who are free. Free to think even the unthinkable, free to worship God according to one’s best light, free to elect rulers and to replace them, free to argue one’s case in the media, free to travel wherever one pleases, free to live and work anywhere in the islands.

A territory that is sovereign. Friendly with all her neighbors, and working in solidarity with them in promoting regional interests. Cordial with all nations in the East and the West, the North and the South, but sovereign in her foreign policy. Free to chart her own destiny for Filipinos have the special duty to promote the welfare of their nation.

A nation that is just. Every man and woman and child receives his/her due. The poor are not discriminated against because of ignorance or lack of access to legal services. Judges and justices cannot be bought but dispense and apply the law with impartiality. Equal pay is given for equal work. Everyone has equal opportunity for education, housing, employment, medical care, and other social services.

A community that is participatory. People taking responsibility for their lives, and increasingly empowered to do so. Making decisions that affect their families and neighborhoods, their towns and cities, and the entire country. Being responsible for one another for “each man is his brother’s keeper.” Political in the broadest and best sense. Our stewardship includes the care of planet Earth, God’s appointed habitat for mankind.

A country that is prosperous. Not prosperity at the expense of freedom, but a progressive economy that grows from wise policies, efficient government, and honest business practices. Prosperity that does not merely make the rich even richer, but one that benefits all the people, reaching to all parts of the countryside, finally breaking the back of centuries of feudalism.

A society that is righteous. Only through the Christian gospel are people “put right with God,” so we evangelize as vigorously as we can. However, there is a public righteousness that Christians can promote as salt of the earth and light of the world. As an “overwhelming minority,” we can influence the rest of society to minimize graft, tax evasion, violence, prostitution, and other expressions of a corrupt society.

“Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a disgrace to any people” (Proverbs 14:34).

Today, God enabling me, I commit myself to making this dream become reality.

Manong Bel is home in heaven. Yet his dream lives on.

This dream is much alive for every Filipino who loves his motherland.

May God help us as we pursue our dream.

__________

*First published in PATMOS, magazine of the Institute for Studies in Asian Church and Culture, May 1992, Vol. 8.

#sermon #sermons #nehemiah #updcbc #dcbc

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patriotsnet · 3 years

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What Does The Bible Say About Republicans

New Post has been published on https://www.patriotsnet.com/what-does-the-bible-say-about-republicans/

What Does The Bible Say About Republicans

What Does God Say About Democrats

What Does the Bible Say About 2016 Election – Hidden Secrets Revealed – Republican vs Democrat

Sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ and Saving America

Steven Andrew is leading the nation to reaffirm covenant that the USA follows Jesus Christ. The Bible teaches covenant is the most important action to save lives, restore safety, strengthen the church, and raise godly generations.

testimonials

Michael

I know of no one doing everything they can to help our nation to turn away from wickedness and sin, and turn back to God, like Steven Andrew.;

Craig

Giving to USA Christian Church is the most powerful way to support God’s will for the nation and defend Christianity.

The USA is in a national emergency. Our only hope is to surrender our lives and the nation to God and agree to obey the Lord. We have hope. It is not too late to find Gods mercy. Steven Andrew

People are very concerned. The news shows the USA is in a freedon verses tyranny national emergency. It could even be a life verses death crisis if the nation goes into captivity as happened to Israel and Judhae for their sins. If we want to honor God and have God bless our lives and nation, it is important we know: What does the Bible teach about Democrats?

I am Steven Andrew, the pastor who believes like the founding fathers. I am on a mission from God

Pray

Is the Bible your final authority or do you go by your feelings and own ways?This is Gods opinion, not mine.

For protection and national security, the nation needs to see Democrats hearts the way God does.my This is Gods opinion not my opinion.

Grist Is The Only Nonprofit Newsroom Focused On Exploring Solutions At The Intersection Of Climate And Justice

Our team of journalists remains dedicated to telling stories of climate, justice, and solutions. We aim to inspire more people to talk about climate change and to believe that meaningful change is not only possible but happening right now.;Our in-depth approach to solutions-based journalism takes time and proactive planning, which is why Grist depends on reader support.

This September, become a monthly donor, and your entire yearly amount will be matched. Grist hopes to welcome 200 new monthly members by September 30, and were closing in on our goal! Help us further advance our reporting by giving us the stable, reliable funding we need. Consider becoming a Grist member today to ensure this important work continues and thrives.

Bible Verses Violated By The Republican Party

Please note this article is not another case of a Democrat insulting the Republican party and their religious members.; I dont like either political party and Ive lost hope in the current political system until major changes are made.

While Ive lost most; interest in national politics,; some things still catch my eye. But what bothers me the most, and always gets my attention, is when a politician campaigns on a the premise that their allegiance to their God makes them a better person than the other candidate. Fast forward a few months after their election and there they are obstructing ethical legislation; for their constituents only to make their donors happy.

If a politicians; adherence to the Bible is what makes them a good person and good elected official, what do they become when they no longer adhere to the Bible?

You can understand why I feel my arguments made here are sound: The voting and campaign records of Congress are widely-available public records, and since 7 out of the 10 Bible verses I used are from either Matthew, Mark, Luke or John, meaning that 70% of this is literally the Gospel truth

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James : 19 Niv: Everyone Should Be Quick To Listen Slow To Speak And Slow To Become Angry

Well THAT’S a big red flag if I ever saw one. Any of the above points show that Donald Trump does not have a reasonable filter. Whatever comes to mind comes straight out of his mouth, especially when he gets angry. If our president acts out in anger, we are going to have a lot of issues on our hands. Can you imagine how he would converse with other world leaders? What would he do if they insulted our government, or heaven forbid, Trump’s hand size? How would he react to negative criticism from countries we very much need to remain on good terms with? Not only is this dangerous, it also gives more reason for people not to respect America. It would say a lot about us if our leader had the same temperament as a two-year old in a time out. A true God following leader would participate in rational discussion, in which all sides are heard and acknowledged.

I’m not trying to tell anybody that Hilary is the Christian candidate we’re looking for. In fact, I don’t even believe we need a Christian candidate at all. This is America, where anybody of any race or religion can do the job. What I am trying to say, is that if you think Donald Trump is your closest bet to having a Christian in office, you’re making the wrong choice.

Your choice matters. Choose wisely.

Abortion Is An Integral Part Of The Vaccine Industry

For you created my inmost being;;you knit me together;in my mothers womb.;Psalm 139:13

The Bible makes clear that life begins at conception. It says that every child is a gift from God . If Jesus were here today, I am not sure if He would be carrying a sign, but we can agree He would be pro-life.

Many are surprised to find that in fact, vaccines do contain;aborted fetal tissue,;including lung and kidney tissue.

This is because scientists grow live vaccines in living tissue. You can find aborted fetal tissue in 23 total vaccines, including:

MMR

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Gop Lawmaker: The Bible Says If A Man Will Not Work He Shall Not Eat

This storys headline;has been corrected. A quote from Rep. Jodey Arringtons remarks at a congressional hearing has also been added.

One lawmaker is citing a godly reference to; justify changes to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program: Rep. Jodey Arrington recently quoted the New Testament to question the strength of current work requirements.

The biblical passage, 2 Thessalonians 3-10, was a rebuttal to one of the hearings expert witnesses, a representative of the Jewish anti-hunger group MAZON. It is also a familiar refrain to anyone who has watched past debates about SNAP.

House Republicans have historically cited the verse if a man will not work, he shall not eat as justification for cutting some adults SNAP benefits. Arrington referenced the verse in a discussion;about increasing the work requirements for unemployed adults on the food stamp program. But critics say that;advances;a pernicious myth about the unemployed who receive SNAP.

The verse in question applies specifically to people who can work or otherwise contribute to society but choose not to, said theologians from several denominations who spoke to The Post. There is a perception, among some voters and lawmakers, that many adult SNAP recipients are exactly this sort of freeloader.

More from Wonkblog:

James : 26 Esv: If Anyone Thinks He Is Religious And Does Not Bridle His Tongue But Deceives His Heart This Person’s Religion Is Worthless

Wow. That was blunt. I commonly hear people say that they like Donald Trump because, “He speaks his mind.” There is a monumental difference between speaking your mind, and throwing words about without caution. The things that Donald Trump has used his platform to say should not only shock you; they should offend you. His words are rash, prejudiced, and hurtful. You don’t believe me? Here are some examples:

“You know, it really doesn’t matter what the media write as long as you’ve got a young, and beautiful, piece of a**.”

“My fingers are long and beautiful, as, it has well been documented, are various other parts of my body.”

Now I don’t know about you, but this doesn’t sound like the kind of man who has proper control over his tongue to me. Words are some of the greatest indicators of who we are. The president of our country should be able to possess certain qualities, such as engaging in foreign affairs without flying off the handle. Not only is this concerning to our national security, it is also a warning sign of poor character.

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Looking For Some More Related Articles

Take a look at these other similar type articles:

Robert

Great article Jack,Sure a lot of good points you brought up. A lot to ponder as an election grows near.

It seems like the people who get elected reflect the sentiment of the nation. If we are concerned with the economy, we vote for the people we think will fix it. If we are concerned with moral issues, we vote for those we think care about what we care about.

This may also be a way in which God judges, or blesses, a nation. As the individuals of a nation move further from God, they elect representatives that are also further from God. These representatives are then naturally going to be motivated by something other than God and His love. Therefore, the nation suffers.

On the other hand, as the individuals of a nation move closer to God and elect godly representatives, these representatives seek Gods will for themselves and the country. The nation is blessed.

Thanks again for a wonderful, thought-provoking article.

Yours in Christ,

Friendship Is The Goal Of The Gospel

What does the Bible say about voting in 2020?

Christians rightly think about salvation as forgiveness of sins and eternal life. But it is more than this. Jesus gives all who trust him the privilege of being his friends . And what is eternal life, after all? According to Jesus, this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent . He rescued us to forge an intimate relationship with the triune God . God forgives us that we might share in his triune fellowship of love forever.;

In the new creation we will enjoy true friendship with all other believers. Our future is a world of friendship.

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Matthew : 28 Esv: But I Say To You That Everyone Who Looks At A Woman With Lustful Intent Has Already Committed Adultery With Her In His Heart

Now, I’m not trying to single out Donald Trump for having completely natural biological urges. All of humankind has fallen prey to the allure of lust. However, to battle with that in one’s heart and to voice it out loud to others are two completely different things.

The LORD calls men to honor and protect women. Women are handcrafted by God, and they are to be respected. Donald Trump has been quoted saying things that go directly against this God-given duty:

“Grab them by the the p*ssy.”

If that wasn’t vulgar enough for you, here’s a list of adjectives he has publicly used to describe women: Fat. Dog. Pig. Slob. Disgusting animal.

I don’t know what it’s going to take for this country to start valuing women properly, but having this guy in charge isn’t going to do it. As a woman, you should be concerned that a candidate for president is getting away with talking about your demographic like that. As a man, you should be standing up for the women in your life by saying that this is NOT okay! Young girls in this world should not grow up thinking that those words are okay because the President of the United States says them. If we elect this man, that will be the standard our girls will have for the men in their lives.

Exercising Our Civic Responsibility: What The Bible Says About Voting

Before we look at what the Bible says about voting, let us look at how our individual votes count.

Song of Solomon 2:15 says, Take us the foxes, the little foxes, that spoil the vines: for our vines have tender grapes. Foxes sometimes, in search of food, would enter into the grape orchards and devour the grapes and spoil the crop. However, the little foxes were too small to reach the grape bunches so they would chew on the vines and it would kill the whole vine. Instead of the farmer just losing his crop, he would lose his vine which was more disastrous. Spiritually some things we do or allow that we might think are little or insignificant can also be disastrous for us.

Listed below are some of the little foxes that generally keep us from our civic responsibilities, in the area of voting. The devil uses these lies and others so that he can keep godly men and women away from the polls and get the candidates of his choice elected. If we do nothing, it makes it easy for the enemy to help those who could become the wrong leadership for our nation.

My one vote doesnt count anyway.

Im disillusioned by the whole political process.

Im already too busy to take the time to cast an informed vote, so I just dont vote at all.

Politics are corrupt anyway and as a Christian I dont want to be involved.

What the Bible Says About Voting

_______________________________________________________________

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Achieving Racial Justice And Equity

The Bible is very clear that God does not show favoritism, and neither should his followers. So, there is no place for racism in the church or in America. The Democratic Party is absolutely just in standing strong against racism in America.;

Now, personally I think that some of the Democrats policies for eliminating racism are not biblical at all. But the fact still remains: The basic policy position is biblically just.

As the election approaches, remember: As Christians we are called to lead people to Christ, not to an elephant or a donkey. Dont allow your politics to sabotage your witness to unbelievers or your fellowship with believers.;

Our loyalty must be to Christ. So, do some research, and vote in line with the heart of Christ. Lets do our best to vote for right and just leaders, and to pray for righteousness and justice in the hearts of those who are elected.

Dane Davis is the pastor of Impact Christian Church. Join Impacts live outdoor worship service at 9 a.m. Sunday at 17746 George Boulevard in Victorville, or tune in online at 10 a.m. on the Impact Christian Church YouTube channel or Facebook page.

Christianity For Votes: How Republicans Are Using A Religious Facade To Gain Political Power

On full display: Rep. Ted Yoho, in his non-apology to Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, remarkably argued, I cannot apologize for my passion or for loving my God, my family, and my country.

Talk of God has been brought into and out of national politics throughout American history, with various partisan and non-partisan causes, but rarely in our history has any political group weaponized faith for political goals as comprehensively as todays Republican Party. Although the name of God has been used as a rallying cry for Republicans for decades, the party that claims to support Christian values has developed a twisted ideology where the mere mention of God has become a license for injustice. Consequently, his name is being thrown out in vain by Republicans who seek to avoid being held responsible for their actions, even when those actions go directly against the Scripture.

The contradictory nature of devotional statements made by GOP;members;was put on full display in a recent scandal in Congress,;when Rep.;Ted;Yoho, R-Florida,;was forced to resign from a Christian organizations;board after publicly exhibiting a behavior profoundly opposite to the values he claimed to stand for.

Yohos non-apology

A powerful political tool

If we want to resemble a hope for uniting and healing;within our;nation, we must rebuke lies, hate and division. We must rejoice in the truth.

WANT TO ADD YOUR VOICE?

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Christians Cannot Serve Both God And The Gop

The Christian right is the backbone of the Republican Party. Christians of all stripes from Catholics to Protestants and evangelicals consistently vote Republican. The core tenets of the modern Republican Party, however, are at stark odds with biblical scripture.

Over the last four decades, few priorities have consumed the Republican Party more than economic policies that benefit the ultra-wealthy. The Ronald Reagan presidency, in particular, ushered in an era where corporate bottom lines took precedence over fair wages for American workers. The rise of the Reagan-Republican ethos, which preaches the elevation of over virtually all other considerations, directly influenced of American jobs to countries with vast pools of cheap labor. Ditto for union-busting and the adoption of job-killing automation in pursuit of maximum profit.

These factors, unsurprisingly, the American middle class. Moreover, Presidents Reagan, George W. Bush and Donald Trump all pursued radical tax policies that overwhelmingly; if not solely; benefitted a small group of exceptionally wealthy Americans at the expense of the working and middle classes.

Republican policies favoring the ultra-affluent, however, stand in stark contrast with biblical scripture. The Bibles condemnations of the wealthy and the accumulation of riches leave zero room for ambiguity.

In short, followers of Christ must choose between God and money.

Property was sold and the proceeds distributed to anyone who had need.

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ramon-balaguer · 3 years

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I’ve been asked by Minister Bailey to pray this lovely first Saturday in September morning that God will purge and cleanse our life, Our Leaders, and Israel, Israel with no end in sight to the turmoil in the Middle East, all signs and prophecies seem to point to an escalation in the violence and conflict. Yet no matter where you stand politically or spiritually regarding the current unrest in Israel or here, as Christians we can unite on one front: prayer because God calls us to always pray not just for ourselves and loved ones but people, even our enemies, nations, and for our leaders— that they would submit to His leadership for the sake of His will being done and for the advancement of His Eternal Kingdom. As followers of Christ, we need to pray for our leaders both in and out of the election season. But I’ll pray for Israel first and then for US. With all hearts and minds clear let us go to GOD in prayer:

Almighty God Creator and Sustainer of the Heavens and the earth and all there is… How Great thou are Everlasting, All powerful, All knowing and ever present King of Kings and Lord of lords, I adore and trust You wholeheartedly and thank you day and night for my life and salvation from the enemy, myself and Sin, for my wife, sons, family, friends, for your calling and ministries You have me serving in and your favor, provisions, healing and help. Help me to Love and forgive as you’ve forgiven and continue to love and forgive me and keep from sin and temptations…

My God, You are the Rock and Redeemer of Israel. I pray for the peace of Jerusalem. We are sad to see the violence and suffering as men, women, and children are injured and killed on both sides of the current conflict. We don't understand why it has to be this way, nor do we truly know if war is right or wrong. But i pray for justice, your sovereignty and righteousness, Lord. And at the same time, i pray for mercy. For everyone involved i pray, for governments and peoples, militants and terrorists, i ask for your kingdom to come and rule over the land. Shield the nation of Israel, Lord. Protect the soldiers and civilians from bloodshed. May your truth and light shine in the darkness. Where there is only hatred, may your love prevail. Help me as a Christian to support those who you support, Lord, and to bless those who you bless, my God. Bring your salvation to Israel, dear God. Draw every heart to you. And bring your salvation to the whole earth. Amen.

Now Lord, we know that in the midst of this time, You have kingdom purpose. You have brought our country to its knees through many crises. But Nothing that is happening is a surprise to You. You see the big picture, and You are at work in ways that we cannot see. Please guide the direction of our country to seek you, turn back to you and away from evil and wickedness. Lord, You said in Psalm 47 that the leaders Kings, Queens, Presidents, PMs of the nations in the world belong to You the King of Kings…

King of the Earth, i pray for the President. Please give him divine wisdom to lead our nation. i pray that he would serve and revere You in his words and actions. I humbly ask that You grant him grace to know how to unify our country when it feels so divided in so many ways.

We are facing immense crises regarding public health, a seemingly unending politicized pandemic with unprecedented mandates for masking and vaccines, financial hardship while Big Pharma and Big Tech reap the profits, social discords, sexual sins, gender neutrality, cancel culture, economic shutdowns, racial relations and tensions, illegal aliens, suicides, overdoses, devastation from violence and riots in the streets by BLM, Antifa, Proud Boys and other gangs to raging fires, water shortages to too much water from hurricanes, homelessness, drugs, porn, addictions, rapes, mass murders and more murders, and great political division among many other things. Our President faces fierce challenges and crises on the domestic and international fronts with the failed Afghanistan withdrawal and tensions with Iran, North Korea, China, Israel and more. Please grant our President divine wisdom to navigate our country through the uncertain path that lies ahead. His failures are a reflection or representation of US. I don’t want him to fail.

I lift up the Vice President who has also been harshly criticized, cabinet, and advisors to the President. The Bible and history texts are full of examples of counsel to the king resulting in laws and decisions leading the entire nation toward peace and prosperity or toward division, destruction, and even collapse.

I pray that You would give this President wisdom to surround himself with wise Godly counselors who have our country’s best interest at heart. Grant them all wisdom to advise the President in the course of action he should take. We pray that You would surround the President with sound, wise even Godly counsel to direct him as he tries leads our nation.

In 1 Timothy 2:1-2 You said we should pray for our leaders and others in authority that we may live peaceful lives in Godliness and Holiness…

Prince of Peace, i pray for the Senate and Houses of Representatives as they make laws to govern our land and delegate our nation’s resources. Grant them wisdom to allocate our resources wisely. Please raise up people who will make laws to protect our freedoms so that we can live peaceful, quiet lives in Godliness and dignity.

As with the general political climate throughout the nation, members of Congress are fiercely divided into tribal political parties unwilling to work together and compromise for the good of the nation. I pray against this divisiveness that plagues our land. I humbly plead that, by Your miraculous power, the members of Congress would put their agendas aside to work together in humility to serve for the good of our nation as our nation’s leaders that are suppose to be representing US as we elected and expect them to do.

Lord Jesus, You are the Righteous Judge who will judge the nations, so I lift up our Supreme Court. We pray that they would judge rightly before you and uphold what is true independent of conservative or liberal lean. We pray for balanced judgment that upholds our Constitution as they are appointed to do for the benefit of all Americans. Grant them divine wisdom to decipher what is right.

And then I pray for the judges across our land from the local level to the high courts. Help them to judge wisely and fairly. Please give them wisdom and discernment to balance justice and mercy blindly and not for political reasons. Raise up righteous judges who fear You and will judge in accordance with the laws of the land. Give them wisdom during these divisive times to do what is right no matter the social or political pressures.

Father God, I pray for our governors (especially those facing recalls or calls to resign to do the right thing and if they’re replace that their replacements do better) and our state and local officials. Grant them all grace to face their unique challenges or crisis in their states, cities or borders; and regarding secure voting measures, political unrest, COVID restrictions, financial crisis, law enforcement, racial division, schools and so on. Please give them insight into the needs of their communities and those concerned or affected. Give them discernment to make decisions to lead their states and communities well, especially when natural disasters strike and or the federal government is not doing enough or failing them.

Dear Heavenly Father, we are confident that You sovereignly place every leader and that You have marked the days for which You use them for Your purposes. By Your mighty hand i pray that You would be merciful to our nation to work in the hearts of those to whom You give authority. We pray for peace. We pray for unity. But whether in conflict or unity we are confident that You are implementing Your plan and accomplishing Your will.

Lord of lords, You appoint the nation’s leaders, in Congress and at the state and local levels. I pray for our leaders to protect our freedom so that we might live out our Faith freely without fear or persecution for Living, Preaching and standing on Your Word even in our businesses or places of employment.

I pray for the salvation of all of our nation’s leaders that they may know You. Place people in power who revere You and will serve You for the good of their communities to Your glory.

Lord Jesus, though our hearts are heavy for Israel, our nation and its leaders, may we not lose sight of the fact that our hope is in You. One day, every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that You are Lord (Romans 14:11; Philippians 2:10-11). You are our only hope.

Forgive us for placing our hope in the government, political ideologies, comfort, financial security, social groups and other circumstances. We repent that, in our prosperity, we have forgotten You and have become self-reliant (Deuteronomy 8:11-14). Our hearts are so quick to wander. We repent of idolatry. Help US Holy Ghost.

Holy Spirit, teach us to live with the realization in the forefront of our minds that our citizenship is in Heaven (Philippians 3:20) The New Jerusalen. We commit our future as a nation and as Υour people to Your Hands. Your will be done. Hallelujah and Amen. 2 Chronicles 7:14 🥰🙏🏼🇺🇸♥️🌎 #REBTD 😇 #FAITHoverFear 🙌🏼🙌🏼🙌🏼

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dfroza · 3 years

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Another ancient Letter

conserved for us to see the spiritual truth of SonLight:

“I pray that the light of God will illuminate the eyes of your imagination, flooding you with light, until you experience the full revelation of the hope of his calling—that is, the wealth of God’s glorious inheritances that he finds in us, his holy ones!”

Today’s reading of the Scriptures from the New Testament is the 1st chapter of the Letter of Ephesians:

Dear friends,

My name is Paul, and I was chosen by God to be an apostle of Jesus, the Messiah. I’m writing this letter to all the devoted believers who have been made holy by being one with Jesus, the Anointed One.

May God himself, the heavenly Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, release grace over you and impart total well-being into your lives.

Every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realm has already been lavished upon us as a love gift from our wonderful heavenly Father, the Father of our Lord Jesus—all because he sees us wrapped into Christ. This is why we celebrate him with all our hearts!

And in love he chose us before he laid the foundation of the universe! Because of his great love, he ordained us, so that we would be seen as holy in his eyes with an unstained innocence.

For it was always in his perfect plan to adopt us as his delightful children, through our union with Jesus, the Anointed One, so that his tremendous love that cascades over us would glorify his grace—for the same love he has for the Beloved, Jesus, he has for us. And this unfolding plan brings him great pleasure!

Since we are now joined to Christ, we have been given the treasures of redemption by his blood—the total cancellation of our sins—all because of the cascading riches of his grace. This superabundant grace is already powerfully working in us, releasing all forms of wisdom and practical understanding. And through the revelation of the Anointed One, he unveiled his secret desires to us—the hidden mystery of his long-range plan, which he was delighted to implement from the very beginning of time. And because of God’s unfailing purpose, this detailed plan will reign supreme through every period of time until the fulfillment of all the ages finally reaches its climax—when God makes all things new in all of heaven and earth through Jesus Christ.

Through our union with Christ we too have been claimed by God as his own inheritance. Before we were even born, he gave us our destiny; that we would fulfill the plan of God who always accomplishes every purpose and plan in his heart. God’s purpose was that we Jews, who were the first to long for the messianic hope, would be the first to believe in the Anointed One and bring great praise and glory to God!

And because of him, when you who are not Jews heard the revelation of truth, you believed in the wonderful news of salvation. Now we have been stamped with the seal of the promised Holy Spirit.

He is given to us like an engagement ring, as the first installment of what’s coming! He is our hope-promise of a future inheritance which seals us until we have all of redemption’s promises and experience complete freedom—all for the supreme glory and honor of God!

Because of this, since I first heard about your strong faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and your tender love toward all his devoted ones, my heart is always full and overflowing with thanks to God for you as I constantly remember you in my prayers. I pray that the Father of glory, the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, would impart to you the riches of the Spirit of wisdom and the Spirit of revelation to know him through your deepening intimacy with him.

I pray that the light of God will illuminate the eyes of your imagination, flooding you with light, until you experience the full revelation of the hope of his calling—that is, the wealth of God’s glorious inheritances that he finds in us, his holy ones!

I pray that you will continually experience the immeasurable greatness of God’s power made available to you through faith. Then your lives will be an advertisement of this immense power as it works through you! This is the mighty power that was released when God raised Christ from the dead and exalted him to the place of highest honor and supreme authority in the heavenly realm! And now he is exalted as first above every ruler, authority, government, and realm of power in existence! He is gloriously enthroned over every name that is ever praised, not only in this age, but in the age that is coming!

And he alone is the leader and source of everything needed in the church. God has put everything beneath the authority of Jesus Christ and has given him the highest rank above all others. And now we, his church, are his body on the earth and that which fills him who is being filled by it!

The Letter of Ephesians, Chapter 1 (The Passion Translation)

Today’s paired chapter of the Testaments is the 5th chapter of the book of Jeremiah that calls out the people for their sins:

[Sins Are Piled Sky-High]

“Patrol Jerusalem’s streets.

Look around. Take note.

Search the market squares.

See if you can find one man, one woman,

A single soul who does what is right

and tries to live a true life.

I want to forgive that person.”

God’s Decree.

“But if all they do is say, ‘As sure as God lives . . . ’

they’re nothing but a bunch of liars.”

But you, God,

you have an eye for truth, don’t you?

You hit them hard, but it didn’t faze them.

You disciplined them, but they refused correction.

Hardheaded, harder than rock,

they wouldn’t change.

Then I said to myself, “Well, these are just poor people.

They don’t know any better.

They were never taught anything about God.

They never went to prayer meetings.

I’ll find some people from the best families.

I’ll talk to them.

They’ll know what’s going on, the way God works.

They’ll know the score.”

But they were no better! Rebels all!

Off doing their own thing.

The invaders are ready to pounce and kill,

like a mountain lion, a wilderness wolf,

Panthers on the prowl.

The streets aren’t safe anymore.

And why? Because the people’s sins are piled sky-high;

their betrayals are past counting.

“Why should I even bother with you any longer?

Your children wander off, leaving me,

Taking up with gods

that aren’t even gods.

I satisfied their deepest needs, and then they went off with the ‘sacred’ whores,

left me for orgies in sex shrines!

A bunch of well-groomed, lusty stallions,

each one pawing and snorting for his neighbor’s wife.

Do you think I’m going to stand around and do nothing?”

God’s Decree.

“Don’t you think I’ll take serious measures

against a people like this?

[Eyes That Don’t Really Look, Ears That Don’t Really Listen]

“Go down the rows of vineyards and rip out the vines,

but not all of them. Leave a few.

Prune back those vines!

That growth didn’t come from God!

They’ve betrayed me over and over again,

Judah and Israel both.”

God’s Decree.

“They’ve spread lies about God.

They’ve said, ‘There’s nothing to him.

Nothing bad will happen to us,

neither famine nor war will come our way.

The prophets are all windbags.

They speak nothing but nonsense.’”

Therefore, this is what God said to me, God-of-the-Angel-Armies:

“Because they have talked this way,

they are going to eat those words.

Watch now! I’m putting my words

as fire in your mouth.

And the people are a pile of kindling

ready to go up in flames.

“Attention! I’m bringing a far-off nation

against you, O house of Israel.”

God’s Decree.

“A solid nation,

an ancient nation,

A nation that speaks another language.

You won’t understand a word they say.

When they aim their arrows, you’re as good as dead.

They’re a nation of real fighters!

They’ll clean you out of house and home,

rob you of crops and children alike.

They’ll feast on your sheep and cattle,

strip your vines and fig trees.

And the fortresses that made you feel so safe—

leveled with a stroke of the sword!

“Even then, as bad as it will be”—God’s Decree!—“it will not be the end of the world for you. And when people ask, ‘Why did our God do all this to us?’ you must say to them, ‘This is back on you. Just as you left me and served foreign gods in your own country, so now you must serve foreigners in their own country.’

“Tell the house of Jacob this,

put out this bulletin in Judah:

Listen to this,

you scatterbrains, airheads,

With eyes that see but don’t really look,

and ears that hear but don’t really listen.

Why don’t you honor me?

Why aren’t you in awe before me?

Yes, me, who made the shorelines

to contain the ocean waters.

I drew a line in the sand

that cannot be crossed.

Waves roll in but cannot get through;

breakers crash but that’s the end of them.

But this people—what a people!

Uncontrollable, untamable runaways.

It never occurs to them to say,

‘How can we honor our God with our lives,

The God who gives rain in both spring and autumn

and maintains the rhythm of the seasons,

Who sets aside time each year for harvest

and keeps everything running smoothly for us?’

Of course you don’t! Your bad behavior blinds you to all this.

Your sins keep my blessings at a distance.

[To Stand for Nothing and Stand Up for No One]

“My people are infiltrated by wicked men,

unscrupulous men on the hunt.

They set traps for the unsuspecting.

Their victims are innocent men and women.

Their houses are stuffed with ill-gotten gain,

like a hunter’s bag full of birds.

Pretentious and powerful and rich,

hugely obese, oily with rolls of fat.

Worse, they have no conscience.

Right and wrong mean nothing to them.

They stand for nothing, stand up for no one,

throw orphans to the wolves, exploit the poor.

Do you think I’ll stand by and do nothing about this?”

God’s Decree.

“Don’t you think I’ll take serious measures

against a people like this?

* * *

“Unspeakable! Sickening!

What’s happened in this country?

Prophets preach lies

and priests hire on as their assistants.

And my people love it. They eat it up!

But what will you do when it’s time to pick up the pieces?”

The Book of Jeremiah, Chapter 5 (The Message)

A link to my personal reading of the Scriptures for Wednesday, August 18 of 2021 with a paired chapter from each Testament of the Bible along with Today’s Proverbs and Psalms

A post by John Parsons about Spirit and Truth:

"Do you now believe?" (John 16:31). Some people are scandalized by what they call “easy believism,” or the idea that we only need to believe in Yeshua to be saved. Sometimes they malign this teaching as “cheap grace” or “sloppy agape,” though in fairness it must be stressed there is nothing easy about truly believing. What is easy, however, is professing that you believe without undergoing a miraculous heart transformation. Anyone can say, “I believe in Jesus,” but the test is whether he lives within you. Is he the source of your life? Do you draw life from Him? Anyone can claim they are saved, but it is a miracle greater than splitting the sea to undergo divine metamorphosis, to be given a heart that loves unconditionally, that dies to pride, and that lives as the servant of all. Yeshua asks, "Do you really believe? Many will say to me in that day, 'Lord, Lord...' but I will say to them, 'I never knew you...' (Matt. 7:22-23). It's not just hard to believe (obey), it's impossible apart from God's radical intervention. It is the Spirit that gives life; the flesh is no help at all (John 6:33).

Living by faith does not mean we profess Christianity or “talk theology” like some college professor. It’s one thing to believe that, and another to believe in... Human reason can rightly infer that a morally good, all-powerful Creator exists, for example (Rom. 1:20), but it is unable to know God’s love that way... Love requires trust, “taking to the heart.” We are to “know this day and turn to your heart (והֲשֵׁבתָ אֶל־לְבָבֶךָ) that the LORD is God in heaven above and on the earth beneath; there is no other” (Deut. 4:39). We need to know truth (cognitive) and to be moved by the heart (emotional); we need both Spirit and Truth (John 4:24). “For all things come from You (כִּי־מִמְּךָ הַכּל), and from your hand we give to you” (1 Chron. 29:14). Teshuvah centers on Yeshua our Savior: turn to believe in Him!

Regarding the question of faith, Kierkegaard once wrote, "The easiness of Christianity is distinguished by one thing only: by the difficulty. Thus the Master's yoke it easy and its burden light -- for the person who has cast off all his burdens, all of them, the burdens of hope and of fear and of despondency and of despair -- yet it is difficult." Yes, the difficult thing is to truly believe in the “for-you miracle” of God's love. Sins can be like great possessions that are difficult to give up. Among other things, we must forgive ("give away") our sins (both our own and those against us), and that means trusting God enough to bear our wounds for us. Forgiveness allows us to move on with our lives by letting go of the pain of the past (2 Cor. 5:16). The atonement cost God everything, and yet is of no spiritual value until it is accepted into the heart. It is "easy" to understand this, but it is difficult to live it. [Hebrew for Christians]

8.18.21 • Facebook

Today’s message (Days of Praise) from the Institute for Creation Research

August 18, 2021

The Spiritual Senses

“O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him.” (Psalm 34:8)

Frequently, Scripture uses our five physical senses in a figurative way to help us comprehend our interaction with the heavenly realm of God’s presence and power.

We can “see,” for example, with spiritual eyes. Paul prayed thus for the believer: “The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints” (Ephesians 1:18).

Similarly, we are privileged to hear the voice of the Lord with spiritual ears. “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me” (John 10:27). “A stranger will they not follow,...for they know not the voice of strangers” (John 10:5).

The sense of touch is the sense of feeling, and God can both touch and be touched. We read, for example, of “a band of men, whose hearts God had touched” (1 Samuel 10:26). Of Jesus Christ, it is said that He is not a remote deity “which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities” (Hebrews 4:15). Even people who never knew Him can perhaps “feel after him, and find him” (Acts 17:27) if they truly desire His great salvation.

We can even become “unto God a sweet savour of Christ” (2 Corinthians 2:15). To the world, the faithful Christian life and testimony can either be “the savour of death unto death” to those who refuse it, or “the savour of life unto life” (2 Corinthians 2:16).

Finally, we are exhorted actually to taste the Lord and see that He is good! His Word will be, according to our needs, either “sincere milk” (1 Peter 2:2), “strong meat” (Hebrews 5:14), or “sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb” (Psalm 19:10). HMM

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rejectedtreasures · 3 years

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The Nation of Hope!

Yes it’s true, even the disciples of Jesus thought that Jesus would return in their day. Moving ahead 1000 years, yes believers in Jesus thought they were the generation that would see the Lord’s return. Now here we are, 2000 years later, and now I as a believer in the Lord Jesus believes He is coming back in my generation. So, what’s going on here? To the natural mind, bible believing Christians look totally crazy!

In defense of these Christians through history, many things the Bible speaks about that would be occurring just before Jesus returns, was in fact taking place. Nero was thought to be the antichrist. Then fast forward to Adolf Hitler, was also thought to be the antichrist due to everything he did to the Jewish people. However, all of these dear brothers and sisters in Christ, overlooked ONE VERY IMPORTANT DETAIL.

ISRAEL

There are tons of Scriptures in the Bible that tell us, Israel will be a nation. Given back to the Jews. The Jews will be brought back from the four corners of the earth. Jerusalem will be back in their hands. And they will blossom like a rose before the Messiah, our Lord Jesus returns.

This is one of my most favorite Bible verses:

“But the time is coming,” says the Lord, “when people who are taking an oath will no longer say, ‘As surely as the Lord lives, who rescued the people of Israel from the land of Egypt.’ Instead, they will say, ‘As surely as the Lord lives, who brought the people of Israel back to their own land from the land of the north and from all the countries to which he had exiled them.’ For I will bring them back to this land that I gave their ancestors.”

‭‭Jeremiah‬ ‭16:14-15‬ ‭NLT‬‬

To those of you who do not know about Jewish or Israeli history, Israel ceased to exist in A.D. 70. The Roman government salted the land so nothing would grow. For almost 2000 years, Israel was a wasteland. Mark Twain’s journey to the holy land in 1867 is recorded in his book Innocents Abroad. He describes his disappointment as he saw the emptiness and ruin of this land. However, we see in 1917, God began to set in motion, events that would lead to the miraculous rebirth of the nation of Israel. From the ashes on May 14th 1948, Israel was reborn! Israel is the super sign for the return of the Lord.

So why is Israel a super sign? Because over and over Scripture tells us, God will do this! God will revive Israel and bring His people back to their land. And He did!

If this doesn’t get you excited, or send a chill down your spine, you don’t get it. The Bible has told us in advance the things that will take place. It hasn’t been wrong yet. Sometimes Christians in our folly can misrepresent our Lord. However if you want to really see what God is doing, look at His prophetic word, and look at the world. Folks, everything that is occurring in our world is happening just as the Bible told us it would. I’ve now lived long enough to see things happen that when I was a little girl, couldn’t even imagine.

As you know, my goal with Rejected Treasures is to help you understand God’s Word. If I would to list every Scripture that points to the nation of Israel, it would be too many to list. I however may do a recording to explain why we know Israel has to be in existence when the Lord returns. The one chapter I want you to look at is Isaiah 35. This chapter must have baffled the minds of those who lived through the hundreds of years from AD 70 to 1948. Think about that, WE are seeing something in our time that many people could only hope for. The nation of Israel!

There are many different belief systems out there and we all think we are right. All I can say, is read your Bible and ask God to help you see the truth. One thing most Bible believers don’t debate is the fact that Jesus is coming back. Be ready!

Repent from your sins and give your heart and life to Jesus Christ! Study His Word. Pray for His help to understand it.

Email me at [email protected] for friendly feedback or biblical questions.

Faithfully His,

Heather Hoffman

Check this out: Includes before and after pictures! From a dried up wasteland to a blossomed Rose! Isaiah 35!

#bible #biblestudy #apologetics #ilovejesus

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madewithonerib · 3 years

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Saul: A Tale of Self-Deception | BIBLE Project

By Tim Mackie & Aeron Sullivan [2018]

Talk About Breaking Bad...

King Saul was technically Israel’s 1st king.

He came to power after a bloody & tumultuous period in Israel’s history, when the people were governed by various tribal chieftains, called “Judges.”

An account of this period can be found in the Book of Judges, which tracks the progressive moral corruption of the Israelites & their leaders after the death of Joshua.

You can read more on that topic here.

With no centralized government & 200 years of poor leadership, this was a period of political & social upheaval.

The Israelite people were looking for a savior who could end the strife that had marred their nation’s landscape for generations.

They needed a king, but what kind?

This kind of leadership crisis is familiar from past & current history. Israel wanted a good leader, one who was not corrupt & had integrity.

However, there were other cultural influences at play, & the Israelites’ intentions were not completely pure as they asked for a king.

We're told that

“all the elders of Israel gathered together & they came to Samuel at Ramah.” They said to him,

“You are old & your sons do not walk in your ways. Now, install for us a king to govern us like all the other nations.”

● 1 Samuel 8:4-5 | ⁴ So all the elders of Israel gathered together & came to Samuel at Ramah. ⁵ “Look,” they said, “you are old, & your sons do not walk in your ways. Now appoint a king to judge us like all the other nations.”

● Exodus 15:3 | ³ The LORD is a warrior, the LORD is HIS name.

● Exodus 15:26 | ²⁶ saying, “If you will listen carefully to the voice of the LORD your GOD, & do what is right in HIS eyes, & pay attention to HIS commands, & keep all HIS statutes, then I will not bring on you any of the diseases I inflicted on the Egyptians.

For I am the LORD who heals you.”

This should bother us, because Israel had a king already, named YHWH [remember Exodus 15]

HE was trying to teach the Israelites how to become different from the other nations in order to become a blessing to those same nations.

But the cultural pressures to have a leader like the Canaanites proved more powerful.

Their hearts were not aligned to YHWH, so HE honored their request.

Samuel’s Warning

The LORD said to Samuel,

“Obey the voice of the people in relation to all that they say to you. For it is not you they have rejected, but ME they have rejected from reigning over them…

Now then, obey their voice.

Only you will testify against them & proclaim to them the judgment concerning the king who will reign over them.” [1 Samuel 8:7-9]

Next, Samuel delivers a famous warning to the Israelite people [1 Samuel 8:11-22], giving the Israelites what they desired.

Saul was not a great king, nor was he even a good man.

He was deeply flawed.

The entire 1st half of Samuel is dedicated to a character study about his failures.

When reading through Samuel, you might have a tendency to become critical or judgemental of Saul at times; you’ll probably feel sorry for him at times too.

But slow down & be honest with yourself.

If you’re open-minded, you’ll realize you likely have more in common with Saul than you’d care to admit.

The whole point of exploring Saul’s failures is to warn us so we don’t repeat his mistakes.

First Samuel offers up a number of vignettes, some seemingly small, some big, that examine Saul’s missteps [see 1 Samuel 13-15].

You might wonder is GOD being overly hard on Saul to intentionally create of sympathy?

Well, yes.

HE wants us to feel sorry for him, so that we begin to see ourselves in him & learn our lesson through him.

In essence, Saul’s root character flaw is self-exaltation & self-deception. He thinks he knows better than everyone else, including GOD.

The biggest tragedy is that he’s not even aware of it.

The story shows he is completely blind to his arrogance & always believes he’s in the right.

Saul can’t get it together

As Saul’s story progresses, the mistakes get bigger & the stakes get higher. Somehow, he is never able to own what wrong he has done when it’s pointed out to him.

For example, in 1 Samuel 13, he was told to wait for Samuel before offering sacrifices to GOD & initiating a battle with the Philistines.

He didn’t listen, however, & he bulldozed ahead impatiently.

Even though Saul eventually wins the battle, he did it on his own terms instead of GOD’s, a point he seems to never grasp.

His self-ignorance is even greater in 1 Samuel 15, where GOD commands Saul to go & fight against the Amalekites

[this nation tried to wipe out the Israelites long ago when they had just escaped Egypt, see Exodus 17:8-15].

He was given clear instructions to thoroughly defeat the Amalekites. However, Saul stopped short & allowed the soldiers to plunder the spoil, even though he was explicitly told to not let this happen.

When Samuel confronts him, Saul somewhat confesses, but with a spin:

“The people spared the best of the sheep & oxen to make a sacrifice to YHWH” [1 Samuel 15:15].

He justifies his stubbornness as a form of obedience, but he can’t see that’s what he’s doing. Samuel then calls Saul to account:

“Why then did you not listen to the voice of the LORD? And why did you rush upon the spoil & do evil in the sight of the LORD?” [1 Samuel 15:19]

Saul is still unable to see his mistake:

“I did listen to the voice of YHWH, & went on the mission HE sent me… but the people took the spoil.” [1 Samuel 15:21]

Now he’s blame-shifting to get Samuel off his back.

But Samuel has had enough:

“Does YHWH delight in burnt offerings as much as listening to HIS voice? To listen is better than sacrifice” [1 Samuel 15:22].

It’s only at this point that Saul can see his error, & so he owns his behavior with a confession:

“I have sinned. For I have transgressed the commandment of the LORD, & your words, because I feared the people, & listened to their voice.” [1 Samuel 15:24]

It’s really hard to tell how genuine Saul’s repentance might be. He’s slippery & has a habit of saying whatever he needs to say in order to get out of trouble.

In just a few moments, he reveals one of his motivations for the show of remorse:

Then Saul said,

"I have sinned, but please honor me before the elders of my people, & before Israel, & turn back with me, that I may worship the LORD your GOD.” [1 Samuel 15:30]

Look inside your heart

Saul’s failures hit close to home, if we’re willing to let this story shine a spotlight onto our own hearts & minds.

Saul valued the opinion of the people over GOD’s wisdom.

He feared people when he should have feared GOD.

Moreover, he continued to worry about one thing in light of correction—his own reputation & honor.

Saul is perpetually downplaying his role in the bad decisions he makes. He keeps bringing in other people as if they are responsible for his mistakes.

The remainder of 1 Samuel recounts Saul’s further slide into moral & spiritual decay. His descent provides a strong contrast with David’s rise to a role of influence.

At the end of the day, Saul placed his real trust in himself, his plan, & other’s opinions of him.

When convicted of this sin, his response is less than admirable.

He never actually changes, & he perpetuates these behaviors until the end as he continues down a self-centered & prideful path.

Contrast this with David, who is characterized in these same chapters as radically obedient & trusting of YHWH, which eventually leads to his rise as king & solidifies his lineage.

These 2 characters provide us an opportunity for self-reflection so we might find the blind-spots where our pride may be getting the best of us.

We justify our poor decisions & try to negotiate with GOD.

We let our cultural river sweep us away.

All of this forces the reader to ponder if we are more similar to Saul than different. In what ways do we elevate the opinions of other people above the wisdom & love of GOD?

In what ways do we blameshift in order to avoid truly owning our failures?

Saul’s demise is a powerful lesson, but as with all tragic stories, it serves a redemptive purpose.

It’s a warning for us, so we don’t repeat his mistakes.

Our deepest character flaws don’t have to define us or be the end of the story, not when it comes to the GOD revealed in JESUS.

Unlike Saul, JESUS was a King of Israel who never failed, but took upon HIMSELF the consequences of the failure of others.

Unlike Saul, JESUS never flinched when faced with the dark side of humanity. Rather, HE ran directly into it with HIS love & passion because HE knew that GOD’s power could overcome our evil & create something new.

What Saul needed, & what we really need, are new hearts & minds that don't need to defend themselves or justify failure & selfishness.

What we need is what David later prays for after his greatest blunder:

“Create in me a pure heart, O GOD, & renew a spirit of integrity in me.” [Psalm 51:10]

Aeron Sullivan is our Director of Web Technology & comes to us from the military & for-profit technology sector.

He holds a bachelors in political science & an MBA.

In 2016, Aeron was named one of Inc. Magazine’s 30 Entrepreneurs Under 30. He resides in San Diego, CA with his wife & 2 daughters.

https://bibleproject.com/blog/saul-tale-self-deception/

#Self-Deception #king Saul #tale of woe

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roman-catholic-mass-readings · 7 years

Photo

17th Nov >> Mass Readings (Europe, Africa, New Zealand, Australia & Canada)

for

Friday of the Thirty-Second Week in Ordinary Time

Saint Elizabeth of Hungary, Religious

Saint Hilda of Whitby, Abbess (England)

Saint Hugh of Lincoln, Bishop (England).

Friday of the Thirty-Second Week in Ordinary Time

(Liturgical Colour: White)

First Reading

Wisdom 13:1-9

Naturally stupid are all men who have not known God and who, from the good things that are seen, have not been able to discover Him-who-is, or, by studying the works, have failed to recognise the Artificer.Fire however, or wind, or the swift air,the sphere of the stars, impetuous water, heaven’s lamps,are what they have held to be the gods who govern the world.

If, charmed by their beauty, they have taken things for gods, let them know how much the Lord of these excels them, since the very Author of beauty has created them.And if they have been impressed by their power and energy, let them deduce from these how much mightier is he that has formed them, since through the grandeur and beauty of the creatures we may, by analogy, contemplate their Author.

Small blame, however, attaches to these men, for perhaps they only go astray in their search for God and their eagerness to find him; living among his works, they strive to comprehend them and fall victim to appearances, seeing so much beauty.Even so, they are not to be excused: if they are capable of acquiring enough knowledge to be able to investigate the world, how have they been so slow to find its Master?

The Word of the Lord

R/ Thanks be to God.

Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 18(19):2-5

R/ The heavens proclaim the glory of God.

The heavens proclaim the glory of God, and the firmament shows forth the work of his hands.Day unto day takes up the story and night unto night makes known the message.

R/ The heavens proclaim the glory of God.

No speech, no word, no voice is heard yet their span extends through all the earth, their words to the utmost bounds of the world.

R/ The heavens proclaim the glory of God.

Gospel Acclamation

Hebrews 4:12

Alleluia, alleluia!

The word of God is something alive and active: it can judge secret emotions and thoughts.

Alleluia!

Luke 21:28

Alleluia, alleluia!

Stand erect, hold your heads high, because your liberation is near at hand.

Alleluia!

Gospel

Luke 17:26-37

Jesus said to the disciples: ‘As it was in Noah’s day, so will it also be in the days of the Son of Man. People were eating and drinking, marrying wives and husbands, right up to the day Noah went into the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all. It will be the same as it was in Lot’s day: people were eating and drinking, buying and selling, planting and building, but the day Lot left Sodom, God rained fire and brimstone from heaven and it destroyed them all. It will be the same when the day comes for the Son of Man to be revealed.

‘When that day comes, anyone on the housetop, with his possessions in the house, must not come down to collect them, nor must anyone in the fields turn back either. Remember Lot’s wife. Anyone who tries to preserve his life will lose it; and anyone who loses it will keep it safe. I tell you, on that night two will be in one bed: one will be taken, the other left; two women will be grinding corn together: one will be taken, the other left.’ The disciples interrupted. ‘Where, Lord?’ they asked. He said, ‘Where the body is, there too will the vultures gather.’

The Gospel of the Lord

R/ Praise to you Lord Jesus Christ.

———————

Saint Elizabeth of Hungary, Religious

(Liturgical Colour: White)

First Reading

1 John 3:14-18

We have passed out of death and into life, and of this we can be sure because we love our brothers.If you refuse to love, you must remain dead; to hate your brother is to be a murderer, and murderers, as you know, do not have eternal life in them.This has taught us love –that he gave up his life for us; and we, too, ought to give up our lives for our brothers.If a man who was rich enough in this world’s goods saw that one of his brothers was in need, but closed his heart to him, how could the love of God be living in him?My children, our love is not to be just words or mere talk, but something real and active.

The Word of the Lord

R/ Thanks be to God.

Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 33(34):2-11

R/ I will bless the Lord at all times.