Papyrus 46 - 104 pages of Scriptures dating to First or Second Century
Divine glory, the covenants, the receiving of the law, the temple worship and the promises
Divine glory, the covenants, the receiving of the law, the temple worship and the promises
Romans 9
I speak the truth in Christ—I am not lying, my conscience confirms it through the Holy Spirit— 2 I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. 3 For I could wish that I myself were cursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my people, those of my own race, 4 the people of Israel. Theirs is the adoption to sonship; theirs the divine glory, the covenants, the receiving of the law, the temple worship and the promises. 5 Theirs are the patriarchs, and from them is traced the human ancestry of the Messiah, who is God over all, forever praised! Amen.
6 It is not as though God’s word had failed.
For not all who are descended from Israel are Israel. 7 Nor because they are his descendants are they all Abraham’s children. On the contrary, “It is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned.” 8 In other words, it is not the children by physical descent who are God’s children, but it is the children of the promise who are regarded as Abraham’s offspring. 9 For this was how the promise was stated: “At the appointed time I will return, and Sarah will have a son.”
10 Not only that, but Rebekah’s children were conceived at the same time by our father Isaac. 11 Yet, before the twins were born or had done anything good or bad—in order that God’s purpose in election might stand: 12 not by works but by him who calls—she was told, “The older will serve the younger.” 13 Just as it is written: “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.”
14 What then shall we say? Is God unjust? Not at all! 15 For he says to Moses,
“I will have mercy on whom I have mercy,
and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.”
16 It does not, therefore, depend on human desire or effort, but on God’s mercy.
10 Not only that, but Rebekah’s children were conceived at the same time by our father Isaac. 11 Yet, before the twins were born or had done anything good or bad—in order that God’s purpose in election might stand: 12 not by works but by him who calls—she was told, “The older will serve the younger.” 13 Just as it is written: “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.”
14 What then shall we say? Is God unjust? Not at all! 15 For he says to Moses,
“I will have mercy on whom I have mercy,
and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.”
16 It does not, therefore, depend on human desire or effort, but on God’s mercy.
17 For Scripture says to Pharaoh: “I raised you up for this very purpose, that I might display my power in you and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.” 18 Therefore God has mercy on whom he wants to have mercy, and he hardens whom he wants to harden.
19 One of you will say to me: “Then why does God still blame us? For who is able to resist his will?” 20 But who are you, a human being, to talk back to God? “Shall what is formed say to the one who formed it, ‘Why did you make me like this?’” 21 Does not the potter have the right to make out of the same lump of clay some pottery for special purposes and some for common use?
22 What if God, although choosing to show his wrath and make his power known, bore with great patience the objects of his wrath—prepared for destruction? 23 What if he did this to make the riches of his glory known to the objects of his mercy, whom he prepared in advance for glory— 24 even us, whom he also called, not only from the Jews but also from the Gentiles? 25 As he says in Hosea:
“I will call them ‘my people’ who are not my people;
and I will call her ‘my loved one’ who is not my loved one,”
26 and,
“In the very place where it was said to them,
‘You are not my people,’
there they will be called ‘children of the living God.’”
27 Isaiah cries out concerning Israel:
“Though the number of the Israelites be like the sand by the sea,
only the remnant will be saved.
28 For the Lord will carry out
his sentence on earth with speed and finality.”
29 It is just as Isaiah said previously:
“Unless the Lord Almighty
had left us descendants,
we would have become like Sodom,
we would have been like Gomorrah.”
30 What then shall we say? That the Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, have obtained it, a righteousness that is by faith; 31 but the people of Israel, who pursued the law as the way of righteousness, have not attained their goal. 32 Why not? Because they pursued it not by faith but as if it were by works. They stumbled over the stumbling stone. 33 As it is written:
“See, I lay in Zion a stone that causes people to stumble
and a rock that makes them fall,
and the one who believes in him will never be put to shame.”
God’s Sovereign Choice
God has not failed.
At the Beginning of the year 2010, we saw animal die backs. About 40 events world-wide. Birds in Texas and Arkansas. Fish off the U.K. and cattle in Vietnam. Eschatology views on Google went hog wild. And then recently, we saw the news cry out about Ebola. Six or seven cases left Africa. People really worry about this.
And the truth is - none of these illnesses are new. We don't have to have panic now. We still live in a world where child death is rare. Where worldwide poverty is on the decline according to Christian Child Relief Efforts. And yet, we have this lingering concerns.
During the Middle Ages - plagues showed God has a plan. During World War I and II, we learned that people will blindly follow a government in unrealistic expectations of world domination. I hope we learned we need some self-sufficiency more than we thought before. God created autonomous government in the Book of Judges.
The older serves the younger.
Let's talk about Christian Expectation of the World today and what we speak of. Paul was concerned about national salvation in Romans 9. We speak of the World's Salvation.
We all know our children grow up and look to their brains, souls and experiences to decide if they follow Jesus Christ, go to Church, read the Bible. What if you grew up in a house that roundly, soundly and repeatedly told you that the world is going to hell in a hand basket fast?
“I will have mercy on whom I have mercy,
and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.”
After delving into issues repeatedly thrown at us in a sensational style, we start to feel that real solutions are not
obtainable.
19 One of you will say to me: “Then why does God still blame us? For who is able to resist his will?” 20 But who are you, a human being, to talk back to God? “Shall what is formed say to the one who formed it, ‘Why did you make me like this?’” 21 Does not the potter have the right to make out of the same lump of clay some pottery for special purposes and some for common use?
22 What if God, although choosing to show his wrath and make his power known, bore with great patience the objects of his wrath—prepared for destruction? 23 What if he did this to make the riches of his glory known to the objects of his mercy, whom he prepared in advance for glory— 24 even us, whom he also called, not only from the Jews but also from the Gentiles? 25 As he says in Hosea:
“I will call them ‘my people’ who are not my people;
and I will call her ‘my loved one’ who is not my loved one,”
26 and,
“In the very place where it was said to them,
‘You are not my people,’
there they will be called ‘children of the living God.’”
27 Isaiah cries out concerning Israel:
“Though the number of the Israelites be like the sand by the sea,
only the remnant will be saved.
28 For the Lord will carry out
his sentence on earth with speed and finality.”
29 It is just as Isaiah said previously:
“Unless the Lord Almighty
had left us descendants,
we would have become like Sodom,
we would have been like Gomorrah.”
30 What then shall we say? That the Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, have obtained it, a righteousness that is by faith; 31 but the people of Israel, who pursued the law as the way of righteousness, have not attained their goal. 32 Why not? Because they pursued it not by faith but as if it were by works. They stumbled over the stumbling stone. 33 As it is written:
“See, I lay in Zion a stone that causes people to stumble
and a rock that makes them fall,
and the one who believes in him will never be put to shame.”
Papyrus 46 An ancient book, with no capitals, no spaces between words, and no punctuation
God’s Sovereign Choice
God has not failed.
At the Beginning of the year 2010, we saw animal die backs. About 40 events world-wide. Birds in Texas and Arkansas. Fish off the U.K. and cattle in Vietnam. Eschatology views on Google went hog wild. And then recently, we saw the news cry out about Ebola. Six or seven cases left Africa. People really worry about this.
And the truth is - none of these illnesses are new. We don't have to have panic now. We still live in a world where child death is rare. Where worldwide poverty is on the decline according to Christian Child Relief Efforts. And yet, we have this lingering concerns.
During the Middle Ages - plagues showed God has a plan. During World War I and II, we learned that people will blindly follow a government in unrealistic expectations of world domination. I hope we learned we need some self-sufficiency more than we thought before. God created autonomous government in the Book of Judges.
The older serves the younger.
Let's talk about Christian Expectation of the World today and what we speak of. Paul was concerned about national salvation in Romans 9. We speak of the World's Salvation.
We all know our children grow up and look to their brains, souls and experiences to decide if they follow Jesus Christ, go to Church, read the Bible. What if you grew up in a house that roundly, soundly and repeatedly told you that the world is going to hell in a hand basket fast?
“I will have mercy on whom I have mercy,
and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.”
After delving into issues repeatedly thrown at us in a sensational style, we start to feel that real solutions are not
obtainable.
We proclaim that TV, undoubtedly, and music are letting our morals go. And do we praise the movies for their new realization that Christians want to think about seeing the Bible?
Do we tell our children to expect good jobs? Do we do what we can in business to produce lasting goods and reputable work? Do we call one sector civilized and expect the others to fall over? Do we try to help one another? Is Church a building where we go once a week to get some encouragement - or do we take the given opportunity to make life meaningful?
Is God forsaking the World?
Not yet.
We say - Jesus is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. What does that mean? We are saying the Word of God goes on and does not wear out and become obsolete. In Genesis One, God said He sees His Creation as good. In the Gospels, God says He loves the World and wants to save us with Jesus.
In the middle, we have the Psalms proclaiming the Earth is the Lord's! And the Fullness of the Earth is His!
And then you get people who want to know what the devil is doing. Evil. What is evil thinking. What evil is usually thinking - how to bluff, entice, look very powerful, then to hurt and use. Jesus told us He saw Satan fall from Heaven like Lightning in the New Heaven and new earth of the New Covenant. God now said He has the right to bring all of mankind to Heaven and pull the weeds from the wheat and create His Kingdom - now - at hand. Where people will say bring us some Heaven today.
Jesus then told us what the place is of evil. Today. The Prince of this World. Prince. Not Sovereign Majesty of God seated on Justice, Mercy and Truth. The title is more or less of a pretender. Jesus was shown the world and offered that world by evil in temptation - Jesus tells us this evil is prince of - the - temporary. The transient. God knows His World is Good. And He wants to save the World. Only God can do that.
The Catholic Church has centuries of knowledge. And the Catholic Church asks, "Do you renounce the glamour of sin?" That. That tells you what this is - flash and pass-by.
There is an difference between loving life on earth - loosing our life to find life.
And the Abundant, Meaningful life of knowing Jesus, for in Him is life, and that life is the light of all mankind. The light of Jesus shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
Is God still making His power known?
Most of our generation has changed denominations - why?
People are looking for Bible Believing Churches. Belief is still there.
Why?
Ask believers if God has His Power known -
I will bet almost every single person knows of a miracle. No other explanation but God.
Proclaim the Good News - God Lives.
Jesus is Working Today and His Father With Him.
John 1:12
As many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name.
3 John 1:2
Beloved, I pray that in all respects you may prosper and be in good health, just as your soul prospers.
Proverbs 16:3
Commit your works to the LORD and your plans will be established.
Job 36:11
If they hear and serve Him, they will end their days in prosperity and their years in pleasures.
1 Thessalonians 4:10-12
We urge you, brethren, to excel still more, and to make it your ambition to lead a quiet life and attend to your own business and work with your hands, just as we commanded you, so that you will behave properly toward outsiders and not be in any need.
Matthew 5:7
Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.
Isaiah 33:15-16
He who walks righteously and speaks with sincerity; He who rejects unjust gain and shakes his hands so that they hold no bribe; He who stops his ears from hearing about bloodshed and shuts his eyes from looking upon evil; He will dwell on the heights, His refuge will be the impregnable rock; His bread will be given him, His water will be sure.
Abba, Father,
Your child speaks to Your open heart. I believe in Your Promises. We pray for the prosperity of goodness. For good hopes and faith giving us good health. Our souls' prosperity.
Dwell in us and those we Love.
Help us to seek You first
and finish well.
We commit our work, personally, to You, Father.
Establish those who love You.
We ask for the coming years to have prosperity financially and in Spirit. That our pleasure in building our nation, our families, our Churches, our businesses delights You as well.
We ask for life to be quieter from strife, from unneeded fears and concerns. That Your people will have wisdom to ask and motivate peace, kindness and love. Help us to manage our lives so wisely others are encouraged to do this as well.
In practical concerns You share like housing and affordability, beauty, safety. And in the peace, give mercy.
Our refuge is in You, Jesus, our Living Water. Amen
Jesus, God of Encouragement.
Jesus, Hope and Future.
Jesus the Lord
saves the world
Amen.
Abba, Father,
In Jesus Christ, we will never give up.
Jesus the God of ALL.
Jesus the God of Elliott, we pray Life and healing
Elliott's Joy and Love in Harby and their children.
Jesus, God of Encouragement.
Jesus, Hope and Future.
Jesus the Lord
saves the world
Amen.
♔ Lord Jesus Saves! †
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