Romans 7:1-12 ~ free from the law

Today let's pray for JI Packer. JI Packer was ordained in 1953, 55 years ago. He is one of the most important theologians of this century. As an Oxford student, JI Packer first met C. S. Lewis, Lewis’ teachings would influence his life. JI Packer was general editor for the English Standard Version of the bible, a revision of the Revised Standard Version of the Bible.

A writer and frequent lecturer, Dr. Packer is best known for the book, "Knowing God". He is a frequent contributor and executive editor of Christianity Today. Christianity Today’s founder is Billy Graham. The magazine's presence on the Internet began in October of 1994 when it became one of the top 10 content providers on all of AOL. Then, in 1996, their website was launched. It was originally named ChristianityOnline.com. Today it, and its sister publications, reach well over 2 million readers in traditional paperbound form, and more than 10 million in their internet form.

Let us pray today for JI Packer and give great thanks for his many years serving the Lord in fufilling Jesus Christ's call to spread the Good News! I was priviledged to hear JI Packer in Dallas for the 2008 Winter Conference. He is a humble and vastly knowledgable christian.

Romans 7:1-12 (English Standard Version)

7:1 Or do you not know, brothers —for I am speaking to those who know the law—that the law is binding on a person only as long as he lives? 2 For a married woman is bound by law to her husband while he lives, but if her husband dies she is released from the law of marriage. 3 Accordingly, she will be called an adulteress if she lives with another man while her husband is alive. But if her husband dies, she is free from that law, and if she marries another man she is not an adulteress.

4 Likewise, my brothers, you also have died to the law through the body of Christ, so that you may belong to another, to him who has been raised from the dead, in order that we may bear fruit for God. 5 For while we were living in the flesh, our sinful passions, aroused by the law, were at work in our members to bear fruit for death. 6 But now we are released from the law, having died to that which held us captive, so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit and not in the old way of the written code.

7 What then shall we say? That the law is sin? By no means! Yet if it had not been for the law, I would not have known sin. For I would not have known what it is to covet if the law had not said, “You shall not covet.” 8 But sin, seizing an opportunity through the commandment, produced in me all kinds of covetousness. For apart from the law, sin lies dead. 9 I was once alive apart from the law, but when the commandment came, sin came alive and I died. 10 The very commandment that promised life proved to be death to me. 11 For sin, seizing an opportunity through the commandment, deceived me and through it killed me. 12 So the law is holy, and the commandment is holy and righteous and good.

Hear the Shofar Blast. The ram's horn sounds called Tekiah, reminds on Rosh Hashanah that God is creator, Father to the entire universe.

Shevarim, three short, wail-like blasts calling deep to our hearts. A cry out to God from the depths of our soul; in this moment, when our souls stand before the Almighty without any barriers, that we can truly spiritually yearn for daily prayer to connect, to grow, to achieve.

Teruah, nine quick blasts in rapid succession, calling us to awake from spiritual slumber.

Love One Another

Love One Another, a sermon by Father Malone.

Thursday, February 28, 2008 Scripture for Today. I John 4:20-21;5:1-21 ~ Overcomes the world

When we read in the gospels that Jesus urges us to love one another as the Father has loved us, He gives us a divine example of Love.

God is not tolerant of wrong, but does forgive. The wrath of God exists, but He does not make this His choice of priority. God is very slow to anger. He says in the Scripture that he does not tolerate wrong. God is holy, and asks us to be holy. God completely understands human failure. He has given us forgiveness in Jesus Christ. In this forgiveness we have freedom, freedom from God's judgement for all time. He calls us to be holy. God did not give us a spirit of fear, but of self-control.

From God we learn unconditional love. Human beings fall short of this divine love, our human nature is basically too selfish and we are not divine enough to love perfectly. God is passionate about you as a human being, not a human doing. God is in love with you and wanted you as His creation. God does not love you because you are beautiful, accomplished, hard working, physically fit, witty, interesting, smart or you provide for Him. You cannot give God enough praise to make Him feel good about Himself. God does not love you from an attempt to keep from loneliness. He already is Father, Son and Holy Spirit. He has an entire universe as well as His eternal Kingdom. God does not love you out of a sense of duty, you are his choice.

God is in love with you. He wants your spirit to be so filled as to overflow. He does not want your works, he is more interested in your faith - love. He does not want your sense of duty, or fear. He wants love to fill you with overwhelming awe. He wants thanksgiving. He wants us to want to do right, he does not want to be an accuser or a judge. God wants Love. He wants the Light of the World to give life. We cannot give God a gift that he did not give us, but He loves thanksgiving and He loves mercy.

He is the Father that sometimes says no, with only our best in His heart. He is the Father who urges us to fight the good fight, so that we might finish very well.

Our sermon said that if we spoke Greek, we would know the Greek word Paraclete as the Holy Spirit. This translates into "Counselor", "Helper", or "Comforter". Paraklētos, "one who consoles, one who intercedes on our behalf, a comforter or an advocate. Reflects a translation of the Hebrew word מְנַחֵם‎, mənaḥḥēm "comforter". According to the Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature: "the technical meaning 'lawyer', 'attorney' is rare." Our sermon from Fr. Malone today, said it is the One who comes along beside you to say, "this is the situation, I am here to be the way, the truth, the life and your help and your comfort."

Exodus 17:1-7 ~ Is the Lord among us or not?

Jordan River. The New International Version has 620 references to water; water is used as many different symbols in the bible. Today we are looking at water as spiritual life.

Exodus 17:1-7

Listen

1 The whole Israelite community set out from the Desert of Sin, traveling from place to place as the LORD commanded. They camped at Rephidim, but there was no water for the people to drink. 2 So they quarreled with Moses and said, "Give us water to drink."

Moses replied, "Why do you quarrel with me? Why do you put the LORD to the test?"

3 But the people were thirsty for water there, and they grumbled against Moses. They said, "Why did you bring us up out of Egypt to make us and our children and livestock die of thirst?"

4 Then Moses cried out to the LORD, "What am I to do with these people? They are almost ready to stone me."

5 The LORD answered Moses, "Walk on ahead of the people. Take with you some of the elders of Israel and take in your hand the staff with which you struck the Nile, and go. 6 I will stand there before you by the rock at Horeb. Strike the rock, and water will come out of it for the people to drink." So Moses did this in the sight of the elders of Israel. 7 And he called the place Massah and Meribah because the Israelites quarreled and because they tested the LORD saying, "Is the LORD among us or not?"


Isaiah 12:2-3 (New King James Version)
2 Behold, God is my salvation, I will trust and not be afraid; ‘ For YAH, the LORD, is my strength and song; He also has become my salvation.’” 3 Therefore with joy you will draw water From the wells of salvation. Ye shall draw water out of the wells of salvation.

Jeremiah 2:13
13 “ For My people have committed two evils:
They have forsaken Me, the fountain of living waters,
And hewn themselves cisterns—broken cisterns that can hold no water.

Matthew 3:13
13Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John.

John 4:10
Jesus answered and said to her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, ‘Give Me a drink,’ you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water."

John 4: 13, 14
13 Jesus answered and said to her, “Whoever drinks of this water will thirst again, 14 but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life.”

John 7:38
38 He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.”


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Mark 15:20,22,25,33-41 ~ ministered to Him

Mark 15:20,22,25,33-41

Mark 15:20
20 And when they had mocked him, they stripped him of the purple cloak and put his own clothes on him. And they led him out to crucify him.

Mark 15:22
22 And they brought him to the place called Golgotha (which means Place of a Skull).

Mark 15:25
25 And it was the third hour when they crucified him.

Mark 15:33-41
33 And when the sixth hour had come, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour. 34 And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” which means, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” 35 And some of the bystanders hearing it said, “Behold, he is calling Elijah.” 36 And someone ran and filled a sponge with sour wine, put it on a reed and gave it to him to drink, saying, “Wait, let us see whether Elijah will come to take him down.” 37 And Jesus uttered a loud cry and breathed his last. 38 And the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. 39 And when the centurion, who stood facing him, saw that in this way he breathed his last, he said, “Truly this man was the Son of God!”

40 There were also women looking on from a distance, among whom were Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James the younger and of Joses, and Salome. 41 When he was in Galilee, they followed him and ministered to him, and there were also many other women who came up with him to Jerusalem.

Mark 15: 39 And when the centurion, who stood facing him, saw that in this way he breathed his last, he said, “Truly this man was the Son of God!”

Matthew 14:32-33
And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. 33Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, "Truly you are the Son of God."

6 Matthew 26:62-69
Then the high priest stood up and said to Jesus, "Are you not going to answer? What is this testimony that these men are bringing against you?" 63 But Jesus remained silent.
The high priest said to him, "I charge you under oath by the living God: Tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God."

64 "Yes, it is as you say," Jesus replied. "But I say to all of you: In the future you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven."

69 But from now on, the Son of Man will be seated at the right hand of the mighty God."

Luke 22:69-70
They all asked, "Are you then the Son of God?"
He replied, "You are right in saying I am."

John 1:34
I have seen and I testify that this is the Son of God.

John 1:49
Then Nathanael declared, "Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the King of Israel.

John 20:31
But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

John 1:41
The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him, "We have found the Messiah" (that is, the Christ).

Romans 15:12, Isaiah 11:10
12 And again, Isaiah says:
“ There shall be a root of Jesse;
And He who shall rise to reign over the Gentiles,
In Him the Gentiles shall hope.”

Luke 1:32-33
32 He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. 33 And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end.”

Psalm 45:6-7
6 Your throne, O God, is forever and ever; A scepter of righteousness is the scepter of Your kingdom. 7 You love righteousness and hate wickedness; Therefore God, Your God, has anointed You With the oil of gladness more than Your companions.

Malachi 4:5-6
5 Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet Before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD. 6 And he will turn The hearts of the fathers to the children, And the hearts of the children to their fathers, Lest I come and strike the earth with a curse.”

Matthew 11:3-5
3 and said to Him, “Are You the Coming One, or do we look for another?”
4 Jesus answered and said to them, “Go and tell John the things which you hear and see: 5 The blind see and the lame walk; the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear; the dead are raised up and the poor have the gospel preached to them.

Christian poll taken by Fox News says christians today in the U.S.A. are seeking a personal relationship with Jesus

4/28/08

http://www.foxnews.com/video2/player06.html?022808/022808_ff_lauren&Losing%20My%20Religion%3F&FOX_Friends&New%20poll%20suggests%20shrinking%20spiritualism%20in%20U.S.&FOX%20%26%20Friends&-1&&&&&new

80% of the U.S population is christian. The poll finds that christians go to church. The U.S. christian population has experienced change in their spiritual lives, 50% changed religious affiliation since childhood. Traditional religious christianity is out, people are looking for a personal relationship with Jesus. A relationship with Jesus is labelled in the media as orthodox or evangelical christianity.

Those seeking a relationship with Jesus believe in the divinity of Christ, human justice & personal morality.

God is love. 1 John 4:8b

I John 4:20-21;5:1-21 ~ Overcomes the world

I John 4:20-21;5:1-21

20 If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen. 21 And this commandment we have from him: whoever loves God must also love his brother.

1 John 5
Listen to 1 John 5 (click listen tag)

5:1 Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the Father loves whoever has been born of him. 2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey his commandments. 3 For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome. 4 For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. 5 Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?

6 This is he who came by water and blood—Jesus Christ; not by the water only but by the water and the blood. And the Spirit is the one who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth. 7 For there are three that testify: 8 the Spirit and the water and the blood; and these three agree. 9 If we receive the testimony of men, the testimony of God is greater, for this is the testimony of God that he has borne concerning his Son. 10 Whoever believes in the Son of God has the testimony in himself. Whoever does not believe God has made him a liar, because he has not believed in the testimony that God has borne concerning his Son. 11 And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 12 Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.

13 I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God that you may know that you have eternal life. 14 And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. 15 And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him.

16 If anyone sees his brother committing a sin not leading to death, he shall ask, and God will give him life—to those who commit sins that do not lead to death. There is sin that leads to death; I do not say that one should pray for that. 17 All wrongdoing is sin, but there is sin that does not lead to death.

18 We know that everyone who has been born of God does not keep on sinning, but he who was born of God protects him, and the evil one does not touch him.

19 We know that we are from God, and the whole world lies in the power of the evil one.

20 And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true; and we are in him who is true, in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life. 21 Little children, keep yourselves from idols.

On television, the Bible was criticized, on this topic -Paul not clearly understanding modern man. If true, after reading 1 John 4:20-21;5:1-21, we would have to say John, who stood with Jesus at the foot of the cross and comforted Mary, did not understand man. This, of course, is ignoring the Holy Spirit. The Lord is omniscient. He knows all things. “And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give an account” (Hebrews 4:13).

Was John's life, 2000 years ago, so vastly different than ours? John had a job given to him by Jesus. John was told & did care for Mary and he went out to spread the Good News, they left Israel (after Herod killed James, the brother of Jesus & began to hunt for others). John would encounter many things we see today in our lives. Some we do not have, John would have known about Nike and the symbol, the Greek goddess of victory, John would have know Greek god & goddess temples. He would have encountered many people trying to get ahead and just getting through life one day at a time. John would have seen evil in his life; Jesus was condemned unfairly and crucified in front of him. John was eyewitness the death of the Son of God and saw Jesus die. John saw danger and knew dangerous ideals; he was willing to risk his life to follow Jesus, this is a man that the Holy Spirit would use to tell us & we should hear.

John tells us in John 5: 4 For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. 5 Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?

God is love. 1 John 4:8b

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Mark 14:43-72; 15:1 ~ And Jesus said to them, “Have you come out as against a robber, with swords and clubs to capture me?

"Jesus of Nazarus"; Nicodemus, grieved over the crucifixion of Jesus. Nicodemos enters the gospels in John 3 to learn of spiritual awakening, later asks the Pharisees not to condemn Jesus without learning about Him in John 7 and cares for Jesus's body after Jesus was mocked, unfairly tried & condemned as a criminal in John 19.

Mark 14:43-72; 15:1

43 And immediately, while he was still speaking, Judas came, one of the twelve, and with him a crowd with swords and clubs, from the chief priests and the scribes and the elders. 44 Now the betrayer had given them a sign, saying, “The one I will kiss is the man. Seize him and lead him away under guard.” 45 And when he came, he went up to him at once and said, “Rabbi!” And he kissed him. 46 And they laid hands on him and seized him. 47 But one of those who stood by drew his sword and struck the servant of the high priest and cut off his ear. 48 And Jesus said to them, “Have you come out as against a robber, with swords and clubs to capture me? 49 Day after day I was with you in the temple teaching, and you did not seize me. But let the Scriptures be fulfilled.” 50 And they all left him and fled.

51 And a young man followed him, with nothing but a linen cloth about his body. And they seized him, 52 but he left the linen cloth and ran away naked.

53 And they led Jesus to the high priest. And all the chief priests and the elders and the scribes came together. 54 And Peter had followed him at a distance, right into the courtyard of the high priest. And he was sitting with the guards and warming himself at the fire. 55 Now the chief priests and the whole Council were seeking testimony against Jesus to put him to death, but they found none. 56 For many bore false witness against him, but their testimony did not agree. 57 And some stood up and bore false witness against him, saying, 58 “We heard him say, ‘I will destroy this temple that is made with hands, and in three days I will build another, not made with hands.’” 59 Yet even about this their testimony did not agree. 60 And the high priest stood up in the midst and asked Jesus, “Have you no answer to make? What is it that these men testify against you?” 61 But he remained silent and made no answer. Again the high priest asked him, “Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?” 62 And Jesus said, “I am, and you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven.” 63 And the high priest tore his garments and said, “What further witnesses do we need? 64 You have heard his blasphemy. What is your decision?” And they all condemned him as deserving death. 65 And some began to spit on him and to cover his face and to strike him, saying to him, “Prophesy!” And the guards received him with blows.

66 And as Peter was below in the courtyard, one of the servant girls of the high priest came, 67 and seeing Peter warming himself, she looked at him and said, “You also were with the Nazarene, Jesus.” 68 But he denied it, saying, “I neither know nor understand what you mean.” And he went out into the gateway and the rooster crowed. 69 And the servant girl saw him and began again to say to the bystanders, “This man is one of them.” 70 But again he denied it. And after a little while the bystanders again said to Peter, “Certainly you are one of them, for you are a Galilean.” 71 But he began to invoke a curse on himself and to swear, “I do not know this man of whom you speak.” 72 And immediately the rooster crowed a second time. And Peter remembered how Jesus had said to him, “Before the rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times.” And he broke down and wept.

Lent is the season when we remember what Jesus took upon Himself to give us Easter. The reason Jesus could endure: the loss of most of His disciples, public humiliation from the hypocrites and the crowd who had given Him hosanna as King, being unfairly condemned as a criminal, being beaten, spit upon, scourged and the terror of knowing that a terrible death and ordeal would come upon Him, was the love He knew from His Father.

When Jesus returned from the dead, one of the first conversations He had was with Mary Magdalene, He shared with her that she had been grafted into the family of God. He said;

John 20: 16 Jesus said to her, "Mary."
She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, "Rabboni!" (which means Teacher).

17 Jesus said, 'Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet returned to the Father. Go instead to my brothers and tell them, 'I am returning to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.'

18 Mary Magdalene went to the disciples with the news: "I have seen the Lord!" And she told them that he had said these things to her.

John 7:38-39
38 He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” 39 But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive; for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.

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1 John 3:9-22 ~ Dear friends, if our hearts do not condemn us

1 John 3:9-22

9 No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God's seed remains in him; he cannot go on sinning, because he has been born of God. 10 This is how we know who the children of God are and who the children of the devil are: Anyone who does not do what is right is not a child of God; nor is anyone who does not love his brother.

11 This is the message you heard from the beginning: We should love one another. 12 Do not be like Cain, who belonged to the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his own actions were evil and his brother's were righteous. 13 Do not be surprised, my brothers, if the world hates you. 14 We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love our brothers. Anyone who does not love remains in death. 15 Anyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life in him.

16 This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers. 17 If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? 18 Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth. 19 This then is how we know that we belong to the truth, and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence 20 whenever our hearts condemn us. For God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything.

21 Dear friends, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God 22 and receive from him anything we ask, because we obey his commands and do what pleases him.

Genesis 24:1-27 ~ choice gifts from his master

Today’s historical search for Isaac’s bride is symbolically the church becoming the bride of Christ. Symbolically: Abraham is God the Father. Isaac is Jesus, the Christ, Son of God. The trusted servant is the Holy Spirit. Rebekah is the willing bride of Christ, the church. We know from the Scriptures that Rebekah and Isaac will have troubles in life the Scriptures tell us are part of life. In the midst of signs, births, prosperity, betrayal, all trouble and stages of life; we learn from Isaac’s life, forgiveness allows the Holy Spirit to help Isaac to end well. We can almost hear Father God say to Isaac, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”

Is this a love story? Yes, we know it. We all root for Rebekah to complete the sign and become Isaac’s wife. We all want the signs of God’s approval in our life. We know Rebekah will place her son’s prosperity over her husband’s peaceful illness and anticipated death. We know Isaac will still have Rebekah as his wife when a life-time of years pass before the family is reunited in forgiveness. We know this miracle only can come from God.

Just as we know what Rebekah’s human nature will cause and allow, God knew what was in Rebekah’s heart and chose her to be part of His plan in fulfilling His promise to Abraham. In Jesus, we are heirs of Abraham, we are grafted into God’s tree of life. God chose Rebekah and God chooses us, asks us, wants us to be part of His plan in this life and heirs to His eternal kingdom.

Genesis 24:1-27

24:1 Now Abraham was old, well advanced in years. And the Lord had blessed Abraham in all things. 2 And Abraham said to his servant, the oldest of his household, who had charge of all that he had, “Put your hand under my thigh, 3 that I may make you swear by the Lord, the God of heaven and God of the earth, that you will not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I dwell, 4 but will go to my country and to my kindred, and take a wife for my son Isaac.” 5 The servant said to him, “Perhaps the woman may not be willing to follow me to this land. Must I then take your son back to the land from which you came?” 6 Abraham said to him, “See to it that you do not take my son back there. 7 The Lord, the God of heaven, who took me from my father's house and from the land of my kindred, and who spoke to me and swore to me, ‘To your offspring I will give this land,’ he will send his angel before you, and you shall take a wife for my son from there. 8 But if the woman is not willing to follow you, then you will be free from this oath of mine; only you must not take my son back there.” 9 So the servant put his hand under the thigh of Abraham his master and swore to him concerning this matter.

10 Then the servant took ten of his master's camels and departed, taking all sorts of choice gifts from his master; and he arose and went to Mesopotamia [1] to the city of Nahor. 11 And he made the camels kneel down outside the city by the well of water at the time of evening, the time when women go out to draw water. 12 And he said, “O Lord, God of my master Abraham, please grant me success today and show steadfast love to my master Abraham. 13 Behold, I am standing by the spring of water, and the daughters of the men of the city are coming out to draw water. 14 Let the young woman to whom I shall say, ‘Please let down your jar that I may drink,’ and who shall say, ‘Drink, and I will water your camels’—let her be the one whom you have appointed for your servant Isaac. By this [2] I shall know that you have shown steadfast love to my master.”

15 Before he had finished speaking, behold, Rebekah, who was born to Bethuel the son of Milcah, the wife of Nahor, Abraham's brother, came out with her water jar on her shoulder. 16 The young woman was very attractive in appearance, a maiden [3] whom no man had known. She went down to the spring and filled her jar and came up. 17 Then the servant ran to meet her and said, “Please give me a little water to drink from your jar.” 18 She said, “Drink, my lord.” And she quickly let down her jar upon her hand and gave him a drink. 19 When she had finished giving him a drink, she said, “I will draw water for your camels also, until they have finished drinking.” 20 So she quickly emptied her jar into the trough and ran again to the well to draw water, and she drew for all his camels. 21 The man gazed at her in silence to learn whether the Lord had prospered his journey or not.

22 When the camels had finished drinking, the man took a gold ring weighing a half shekel, [4] and two bracelets for her arms weighing ten gold shekels, 23 and said, “Please tell me whose daughter you are. Is there room in your father's house for us to spend the night?” 24 She said to him, “I am the daughter of Bethuel the son of Milcah, whom she bore to Nahor.” 25 She added, “We have plenty of both straw and fodder, and room to spend the night.” 26 The man bowed his head and worshiped the Lord 27 and said, “Blessed be the Lord, the God of my master Abraham, who has not forsaken his steadfast love and his faithfulness toward my master. As for me, the Lord has led me in the way to the house of my master's kinsmen.”

Footnotes
[1] 24:10 Hebrew Aram-naharaim
[2] 24:14 Or By her
[3] 24:16 Or a woman of marriageable age
[4] 24:22 A shekel was about 2/5 ounce or 11 grams

Luke 15:11-32 ~ he divided

Because the Word of God is living and active, we grow along with the parable of Jesus.

If you did not grow up knowing the Prodigal Son parable, read it as if you were the younger son. Or remember when you were the young child of your parents – we all had times in our youth of misspent youth and parental “involvement”. Read the story a 2nd time, as if you are the overlooked, unrewarded brother with a light coming out of the darkness.



Luke 15:11-32
Max McLean Audio Bible, English Standard Version


11 And he said, “There was a man who had two sons. 12 And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of property that is coming to me.’ And he divided his property between them. 13 Not many days later, the younger son gathered all he had and took a journey into a far country, and there he squandered his property in reckless living. 14 And when he had spent everything, a severe famine arose in that country, and he began to be in need. 15 So he went and hired himself out to [joined himself to] one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed pigs. 16 And he was longing to be fed with the pods that the pigs ate, and no one gave him anything.

17 “But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father's hired servants have more than enough bread, but I perish here with hunger! 18 I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Treat me as one of your hired servants.”’ 20 And he arose and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. 21 And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son [some manuscripts add treat me as one of your hired servants].’ 22 But the father said to his servants, [bondservants] ‘Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet. 23 And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate. 24 For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’ And they began to celebrate.

25 “Now his older son was in the field, and as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing. 26 And he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant. 27 And he said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fattened calf, because he has received him back safe and sound.’ 28 But he was angry and refused to go in. His father came out and entreated him, 29 but he answered his father, ‘Look, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed your command, yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might celebrate with my friends. 30 But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him!’ 31 And he said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. 32 It was fitting to celebrate and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found.’”


Have we all behaved well always? Have we all had children who please us or the Lord everyday? And would we want our children to accept all of the law and all of the prophets without a day they could point to - a day of spiritual rebirth - where we put away the old and we become a new creature in Jesus Christ. We all know of the very public fall of Jimmy Swaggart - who was raised in belief & said there never was a time he didn't believe - it's probably more that he was swept along than made a personal choice to answer the personal call of Jesus Christ. I say that with compassion and not from the soap box.

It's amazing to read that Eli and Samuel, who loved the LORD so dearly, accepted so easily their children didn't please God or the people of Israel. I far and away prefer the parable of God's lost child - and the message of hope -

Luke 18:1
And he told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart.

God Runs to us. We should do no less than the people who came to Jesus and asked His favor for the centurian. No less than the people who carried their paralyzed friend through the roof to get Jesus' attention and healing.

For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’ And they began to celebrate.


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Psalm 95 ~ a people

On Thursday, we read in Scripture for Today, about Exodus 17:7, Massah means testing,
Exodus 17:7, Meribah means quarreling. Perhaps when Father God remembers the Exodus, He remembers that He forgave a lot. On Wednesday, we read in Scripture for Today that Baruch was blessed by God and that is blessed indeed. The Lord promises us in the bible that Israel is blessed by God. In testing and quarrelsome times, the Lord promises that a remnant will always be kept by Him.

After almost 2000 years, on the night of May 14, 1948, when Israel was declared a state, the Jews of Rome had a triumphant parade and marched under the Arch of Titus (celebrates the destruction of Jerusalem and the Second Temple). Their message: "The Empire of Rome is gone, we're still around. Victory is ours." The promises and blessing of God continues, His steadfast love prevails. To see photos of the Arch of Titus and the explanation of the carved frescos of the temple tools removed from the Second Temple, please see Scripture for Today, February 27, 2007.

To see the blessings in Israel today, please see Cool Facts about Israel on Youtube.com :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WV6K08RFRQs&NR=1

Psalm 95 (Revised Standard Version)

[1] O come, let us sing to the LORD;
let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation!
[2] Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving;
let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise!
[3] For the LORD is a great God,
and a great King above all gods.
[4] In his hand are the depths of the earth;
the heights of the mountains are his also.
[5] The sea is his, for he made it;
for his hands formed the dry land.

[6] O come, let us worship and bow down,
let us kneel before the LORD, our Maker!
[7] For he is our God,
and we are the people of his pasture,
and the sheep of his hand.
O that today you would hearken to his voice!

[8] Harden not your hearts, as at Mer'ibah,
as on the day at Massah in the wilderness,
[9] when your fathers tested me,
and put me to the proof, though they had seen my work.
[10] For forty years I loathed that generation
and said, "They are a people who err in heart,
and they do not regard my ways."
[11] Therefore I swore in my anger
that they should not enter my rest.

The Brazen Serpent combines the Bronze Serpent held up by Moses to heal sinners and is combined with the cross of Jesus Christ held up to redeem sinners. It is located on top of Mount Nebo, Jordan where Moses saw the Holy Land.

Matthew 16:13-19 ~ He asked His disciples

Matthew 16:13-19

Matthew 16:13-19 click on the Listen to hear

13 Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” 14 And they said, “Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” 15 He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” 16 Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” 17 And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. 18 And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. 19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”

John 3:14-17 ~ For God so loved the world

Photo of Mount Hor, Jebel Nebi Harun ("Mountain of the Prophet Aaron" in Arabic), where God wanted to save Aaron, even if he was the high priest/prophet of the golden calf.

John 3:14-17

14 Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, 15 that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.

16 "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.

If the Bible were simply a book of improving stories or a moral tract, Numbers 21:4 -9, a history of God, the snakes & the children of Israel would be an embarrassing tale. In this story God is angry and disappointed, snakes are sent to make clear God’s wrath.

The Bible is answering our question and need to know the human condition and how to cure it. It points out our human foolishness, our frailties and our sin. As well as our need and God's willingness to give us a Savior.

The people had great reason to trust God and Moses. God had led them out of Egypt, showing many mighty acts and wonders. Thirsty in the desert? God provided water from a rock (Exodus 17: 1-7). Yet again, the people whined and moaned, like sulky teenagers. No wonder God was exasperated and provoked beyond endurance. Still, God, Yahweh, I am, Lord of Lords, God of Gods wants to save us. Emmanuel.

God told Moses put up a poisonous serpent of bronze. According to John’s Gospel, Jesus used this story showing God’s desire to heal and save his people (John 3:14-17). The lifting up of the bronze serpent points to his own lifting up upon the cross.

To Ponder
Jesus’ interpretation of Scripture, even difficult passages like today’s, usually emphasises God’s loving kindness for people. Is this what we seek to find and stress when we read the Bible?

What do we do with our own impatience and ingratitude?

Also written by Reverend Martin Forward, The Methodist Church of Great Britain

Jeremiah 48 ~ they acquired

Baruch son of Neriah, the son of Mahseiah is mentioned in Jeremiah in the 32, 36, 43 and 45th chapters of Jeremiah and in at least 44 of the verses. Baruch was someone Jeremiah could count in all circumstances. Baruch, his name in Hebrew: בָּרוּךְ ’s means blessed.

When one is blessed of God, one is blessed. Baruch is remembered as well as the most historical figures in history.

Line Transliteration Translation of the bulla, located in the Israel Museum:
1 lbrkyhw (belonging) to Berechiah
2 bn nryhw son of Neriah
3 hspr the scribe

This bulla, or seal, also was imprinted with a fingerprint, Hershel Shanks, among others, has speculated the fingerprint might be that of Baruch himself.

Nebo - the town was situated in the vicinity of Mount Nebo, but the precise location cannot be determined. It belonged to the rich pasture lands which the tribes of Ruben and Gad asked of Moses in the distribution of the territory (Numbers 32). The town had reverted to the Moabites (Moab - child of Lot) at the time when Isaiah prophesied against it (Isaiah 15:2; cf. Jeremiah 48:1, 22).

Jeremiah 48

1 Concerning Moab:
This is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says:
"Woe to Nebo, for it will be ruined.
Kiriathaim will be disgraced and captured;
the stronghold [a] will be disgraced and shattered.
2 Moab will be praised no more;
in Heshbon [b] men will plot her downfall:
'Come, let us put an end to that nation.'
You too, O Madmen, [c] will be silenced;
the sword will pursue you.

3 Listen to the cries from Horonaim,
cries of great havoc and destruction.

4 Moab will be broken;
her little ones will cry out. [d]

5 They go up the way to Luhith,
weeping bitterly as they go;
on the road down to Horonaim
anguished cries over the destruction are heard.

6 Flee! Run for your lives;
become like a bush [e] in the desert.

7 Since you trust in your deeds and riches,
you too will be taken captive,
and Chemosh will go into exile,
together with his priests and officials.

8 The destroyer will come against every town,
and not a town will escape.
The valley will be ruined
and the plateau destroyed,
because the LORD has spoken.

9 Put salt on Moab,
for she will be laid waste [f] ;
her towns will become desolate,
with no one to live in them.

10 "A curse on him who is lax in doing the LORD's work!
A curse on him who keeps his sword from bloodshed!

11 "Moab has been at rest from youth,
like wine left on its dregs,
not poured from one jar to another—
she has not gone into exile.
So she tastes as she did,
and her aroma is unchanged.

12 But days are coming,"
declares the LORD,
"when I will send men who pour from jars,
and they will pour her out;
they will empty her jars
and smash her jugs.

13 Then Moab will be ashamed of Chemosh,
as the house of Israel was ashamed
when they trusted in Bethel.

14 "How can you say, 'We are warriors,
men valiant in battle'?

15 Moab will be destroyed and her towns invaded;
her finest young men will go down in the slaughter,"
declares the King, whose name is the LORD Almighty.

16 "The fall of Moab is at hand;
her calamity will come quickly.

17 Mourn for her, all who live around her,
all who know her fame;
say, 'How broken is the mighty scepter,
how broken the glorious staff!'

18 "Come down from your glory
and sit on the parched ground,
O inhabitants of the Daughter of Dibon,
for he who destroys Moab
will come up against you
and ruin your fortified cities.

19 Stand by the road and watch,
you who live in Aroer.
Ask the man fleeing and the woman escaping,
ask them, 'What has happened?'

20 Moab is disgraced, for she is shattered.
Wail and cry out!
Announce by the Arnon
that Moab is destroyed.

21 Judgment has come to the plateau—
to Holon, Jahzah and Mephaath,

22 to Dibon, Nebo and Beth Diblathaim,

23 to Kiriathaim, Beth Gamul and Beth Meon,

24 to Kerioth and Bozrah—
to all the towns of Moab, far and near.

25 Moab's horn [g] is cut off;
her arm is broken,"
declares the LORD.

26 "Make her drunk,
for she has defied the LORD.
Let Moab wallow in her vomit;
let her be an object of ridicule.

27 Was not Israel the object of your ridicule?
Was she caught among thieves,
that you shake your head in scorn
whenever you speak of her?

28 Abandon your towns and dwell among the rocks,
you who live in Moab.
Be like a dove that makes its nest
at the mouth of a cave.

29 "We have heard of Moab's pride—
her overweening pride and conceit,
her pride and arrogance
and the haughtiness of her heart.

30 I know her insolence but it is futile,"
declares the LORD,
"and her boasts accomplish nothing.

31 Therefore I wail over Moab,
for all Moab I cry out,
I moan for the men of Kir Hareseth.

32 I weep for you, as Jazer weeps,
O vines of Sibmah.
Your branches spread as far as the sea;
they reached as far as the sea of Jazer.
The destroyer has fallen
on your ripened fruit and grapes.

33 Joy and gladness are gone
from the orchards and fields of Moab.
I have stopped the flow of wine from the presses;
no one treads them with shouts of joy.
Although there are shouts,
they are not shouts of joy.

34 "The sound of their cry rises
from Heshbon to Elealeh and Jahaz,
from Zoar as far as Horonaim and Eglath Shelishiyah,
for even the waters of Nimrim are dried up.

35 In Moab I will put an end
to those who make offerings on the high places
and burn incense to their gods,"
declares the LORD.

36 "So my heart laments for Moab like a flute;
it laments like a flute for the men of Kir Hareseth.
The wealth they acquired is gone.

37 Every head is shaved
and every beard cut off;
every hand is slashed
and every waist is covered with sackcloth.

38 On all the roofs in Moab
and in the public squares
there is nothing but mourning,
for I have broken Moab
like a jar that no one wants,"
declares the LORD.

39 "How shattered she is! How they wail!
How Moab turns her back in shame!
Moab has become an object of ridicule,
an object of horror to all those around her."

40 This is what the LORD says:
"Look! An eagle is swooping down,
spreading its wings over Moab.

41 Kerioth [h] will be captured
and the strongholds taken.
In that day the hearts of Moab's warriors
will be like the heart of a woman in labor.

42 Moab will be destroyed as a nation
because she defied the LORD.

43 Terror and pit and snare await you,
O people of Moab,"
declares the LORD.

44 "Whoever flees from the terror
will fall into a pit,
whoever climbs out of the pit
will be caught in a snare;
for I will bring upon Moab
the year of her punishment,"
declares the LORD.

45 "In the shadow of Heshbon
the fugitives stand helpless,
for a fire has gone out from Heshbon,
a blaze from the midst of Sihon;
it burns the foreheads of Moab,
the skulls of the noisy boasters.

46 Woe to you, O Moab!
The people of Chemosh are destroyed;
your sons are taken into exile
and your daughters into captivity.

47 "Yet I will restore the fortunes of Moab
in days to come,"
declares the LORD.
Here ends the judgment on Moab.

Footnotes:

Jeremiah 48:1 Or / Misgab
Jeremiah 48:2 The Hebrew for Heshbon sounds like the Hebrew for plot .
Jeremiah 48:2 The name of the Moabite town Madmen sounds like the Hebrew for be silenced .
Jeremiah 48:4 Hebrew; Septuagint / proclaim it to Zoar
Jeremiah 48:6 Or like Aroer
Jeremiah 48:9 Or Give wings to Moab, / for she will fly away
Jeremiah 48:25 Horn here symbolizes strength.
Jeremiah 48:41 Or The cities

Dibon, or Dhiban, is a modern town in Jordan, 70 kilometers south of Amman. The modern community settled the town in the 1950s. Today, Dhiban is approximately 15,000 people. The ancient settlement lies adjacent to the modern town, in the front of the photo. Excavations have revealed the site was occupied intermittently over 5,000 years. During the Exodus, the Bible mentions "Divon" (Hebrew: דִּיבֹן), or "Divon Gad" (דִּיבֹן גָּד) because the city was said by Gad. The name in Hebrew means wasting or pining.

Verse 18b, 19a: Dibon,
for he who destroys Moab
will come up against you
and ruin your fortified cities.

19 Stand by the road and watch,
Dibon, noted here as fortified, is noted today as being on the King's Highway in Antiquity. A city the travellers would want to preserve and would more than likely continue because trade keeps prosperity going.


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Mark 3 ~ called to Him

For milleniums, people have interest in Jesus and his disciples. There are many, many images of Jesus with his disciples. This altar is in purple to celebrate Lent, the disciples are painted behind the altar.

Mark 3

1 Another time he went into the synagogue, and a man with a shriveled hand was there. 2 Some of them were looking for a reason to accuse Jesus, so they watched him closely to see if he would heal him on the Sabbath. 3 Jesus said to the man with the shriveled hand, "Stand up in front of everyone."

4 Then Jesus asked them, "Which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill?" But they remained silent.

5 He looked around at them in anger and, deeply distressed at their stubborn hearts, said to the man, "Stretch out your hand." He stretched it out, and his hand was completely restored. 6 Then the Pharisees went out and began to plot with the Herodians how they might kill Jesus.

7 Jesus withdrew with his disciples to the lake, and a large crowd from Galilee followed. 8 When they heard all he was doing, many people came to him from Judea, Jerusalem, Idumea, and the regions across the Jordan and around Tyre and Sidon. 9 Because of the crowd he told his disciples to have a small boat ready for him, to keep the people from crowding him. 10 For he had healed many, so that those with diseases were pushing forward to touch him. 11 Whenever the evil spirits saw him, they fell down before him and cried out, "You are the Son of God." 12 But he gave them strict orders not to tell who he was.

13 Jesus went up on a mountainside and called to him those he wanted, and they came to him. 14 He appointed twelve—designating them apostles—that they might be with him and that he might send them out to preach 15 and to have authority to drive out demons. 16 These are the twelve he appointed: Simon (to whom he gave the name Peter 17 James son of Zebedee and his brother John (to them he gave the name Boanerges, which means Sons of Thunder 18 Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus, Simon the Zealot 19 and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.

20 Then Jesus entered a house, and again a crowd gathered, so that he and his disciples were not even able to eat. 21 When his family heard about this, they went to take charge of him, for they said, "He is out of his mind."
22 And the teachers of the law who came down from Jerusalem said, "He is possessed by Beelzebub! By the prince of demons he is driving out demons."

23 So Jesus called them and spoke to them in parables: "How can Satan drive out Satan? 24 If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. 25 If a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand. 26And if Satan opposes himself and is divided, he cannot stand; his end has come. 27 In fact, no one can enter a strong man's house and carry off his possessions unless he first ties up the strong man. Then he can rob his house. 28 I tell you the truth, all the sins and blasphemies of men will be forgiven them. 29 But whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven; he is guilty of an eternal sin."

30 He said this because they were saying, "He has an evil spirit."

31 Then Jesus' mother and brothers arrived. Standing outside, they sent someone in to call him. 32 A crowd was sitting around him, and they told him, "Your mother and brothers are outside looking for you."
33 "Who are my mother and my brothers?" he asked.

34 Then he looked at those seated in a circle around him and said, "Here are my mother and my brothers! 35 Whoever does God's will is my brother and sister and mother."

Numbers 21:4-9 ~ he lived

Mount Hor, Jebel Nebi Harun ("Mountain of the Prophet Aaron" in Arabic), a twin-peaked mountain 4780 feet above the sea-in the Edomite (Edom – children of Esau) Mountains on the east side of the Jordan-Arabah valley, near the city of Petra. On the summit is a shrine of Aaron. Aaron's death, situated "in the edge of the land of Edom" (Numbers 33:37, 38).

Numbers 21:4-9 (New King James Version)

4 Then they journeyed from Mount Hor by the Way of the Red Sea, to go around the land of Edom; and the soul of the people became very discouraged on the way. 5 And the people spoke against God and against Moses: “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no food and no water, and our soul loathes this worthless bread.” 6 So the LORD sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and many of the people of Israel died.

7 Therefore the people came to Moses, and said, “We have sinned, for we have spoken against the LORD and against you; pray to the LORD that He take away the serpents from us.” So Moses prayed for the people.

8 Then the LORD said to Moses, “Make a fiery serpent, and set it on a pole; and it shall be that everyone who is bitten, when he looks at it, shall live.” 9 So Moses made a bronze serpent, and put it on a pole; and so it was, if a serpent had bitten anyone, when he looked at the bronze serpent, he lived.

Psalm 119:1-8 ~ O that my ways may be steadfast in keeping thy statutes!

Psalm 119:1-8

1 Blessed are those whose way is blameless, who walk in the law of the LORD!
2 Blessed are those who keep his testimonies, who seek him with their whole heart,
3 who also do no wrong, but walk in his ways!
4 Thou hast commanded thy precepts to be kept diligently.
5 O that my ways may be steadfast in keeping thy statutes!
6 Then I shall not be put to shame, having my eyes fixed on all thy commandments.
7 I will praise thee with an upright heart, when I learn thy righteous ordinances.
8 I will observe thy statutes; O forsake me not utterly!

http://www.mcleanbible.org/uploads/12-05-04.pdf How to Finish Well

Lon Solomon is Senior Pastor for McLean Bible Church in McLean, Virginia. He wrote an interesting sermon, called How to Finish Well, comparing & contrasting the lives of different men. Some were in baseball and the other is St. Paul. He looks at maps of Paul’s travels and examines biblically what happened to Paul.

Then Lon Solomon tells about a woman asking to pray for Lon. Lon said that the most important prayer she could pray for him was to end well. Lon makes the point that either we can be like Paul “who fought the good fight. The Lord can say to him, “Well done, good and faithful servant.” Or we could hear “wow, you really made a mess of things.”

The sermon says there are 4 things we can do to help us start and end well as followers of Jesus Christ:

“ 1. Stay vitally connected to the Word of God. Psalm 119 assures us that staying connected to the Word of God keeps our lives pure and clean and to stay out of the ditch spiritually (Verses 119:9, 11)

2. Psalm 119: 24 Your statutes are my delight; they are my counselors. Staying in the Word of God provides us built in spiritual counseling.

3. Psalm 119: 105 Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path. Staying connected to the Word of God is a halogen light for the path of our life, keeping us out of the bear traps set by the evil one.

4. Psalm 119: 98, 99 Your commands make me wiser than my enemies, for they are ever with me. I have more insight than all my teachers, for I meditate on your statutes. Staying closely connected to the Word of God, memorizing the Word of God, meditating on the Word of God, protects us from the temptations of life, the bad decisions of life, the poor choices in life that cause us to self-destruct, and finish our lives poorly. God wants to give us spiritual insight and discernment in our lives that is supernatural.

Are you staying vitally connected to the Word of God each and every day, each and every week of your life?”

Mark 13:1-8 ~ what will be the sign

Mark 13:1-8

1 As he was leaving the temple, one of his disciples said to him, "Look, Teacher! What massive stones! What magnificent buildings!"

2 "Do you see all these great buildings?" replied Jesus. "Not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down."

3 As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter, James, John and Andrew asked him privately, 4 "Tell us, when will these things happen? And what will be the sign that they are all about to be fulfilled?"

5 Jesus said to them: "Watch out that no one deceives you. 6 Many will come in my name, claiming, 'I am he,' and will deceive many. 7 When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. 8 Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places, and famines. These are the beginning of birth pains.

2 Timothy 1 ~ rekindle the gift of God

Jesus ~ 4th century art, from catacombs of Commodilla

The Vatican has an amazing, earth shaking amount of early Christian art. One television documentary said the early art in Christianity (before 400 A.D.) is found largely in catacombs and saved from old churches; one of the most interesting aspects of this art is the face of Jesus is always the same. The documentary pointed out that variations on His face occur after the 4th century A.D.

People, the bible records, always have human nature and need a Savior. Unfortunately, just as the early children of Abraham were warned not to have idols, icons have attracted some to become icon cultists. But the Lord trusts us not to worship the image, but to seek His love.

The early art of Paul shows a bald or balding man with a furrowed brow. As Scripture for Today began the art, it was first St. Paul, but Paul would have wanted the art to be Jesus. The image Paul always wanted to put forth was the love God gave him in Jesus.

2 Timothy 1

[1] Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God according to the promise of the life which is in Christ Jesus,
[2]
To Timothy, my beloved child:

Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.

[3]
I thank God whom I serve with a clear conscience, as did my fathers, when I remember you constantly in my prayers.

[4] As I remember your tears, I long night and day to see you, that I may be filled with joy.
[5] I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lo'is and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, dwells in you.
[6] Hence I remind you to rekindle the gift of God that is within you through the laying on of my hands;
[7] for God did not give us a spirit of timidity but a spirit of power and love and self-control.
[8]
Do not be ashamed then of testifying to our Lord, nor of me his prisoner, but share in suffering for the gospel in the power of God,

[9] who saved us and called us with a holy calling, not in virtue of our works but in virtue of his own purpose and the grace which he gave us in Christ Jesus ages ago,
[10] and now has manifested through the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.
[11] For this gospel I was appointed a preacher and apostle and teacher,
[12] and therefore I suffer as I do. But I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed, and I am sure that he is able to guard until that Day what has been entrusted to me.
[13] Follow the pattern of the sound words which you have heard from me, in the faith and love which are in Christ Jesus;
[14] guard the truth that has been entrusted to you by the Holy Spirit who dwells within us.
[15] You are aware that all who are in Asia turned away from me, and among them Phy'gelus and Hermog'enes.

[16] May the Lord grant mercy to the household of Onesiph'orus, for he often refreshed me; he was not ashamed of my chains,
[17] but when he arrived in Rome he searched for me eagerly and found me --
[18] may the Lord grant him to find mercy from the Lord on that Day -- and you well know all the service he rendered at Ephesus.

The service Paul gave us, even today, was to make known the love that God (Abba, Jesus and the Holy Spirit) has for us:

+Paul first appears to us in Acts 7, Saul approved of the stoning of Stephen.
+Paul then meets Jesus for the first time, on the way to Damascus, after the death of Jesus Christ. Paul’s eyes were not blessed to see Jesus in life, but more blessed because he believed.
+Paul agrees with the gospel, eyewitness, historical accounts of Jesus’ life. His life is like our lives, he didn’t see Jesus, but as a believer, wants to give the world more information about the life of Jesus and how Jesus loves us today.
+Paul wants us to know that the Cross of Jesus Christ has saved us when we believe in Him and trust in Him.

+Romans 3 is an example of what Paul has found in his life and offers TODAY to us: 21 But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. 22 This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. 25 God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood. He did this to demonstrate his justice, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished— 26 he did it to demonstrate his justice at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.

+ Colossians 3: 1 Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. 3 For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.

5 Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. 6 Because of these, the wrath of God is coming. 7 You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. 8 But now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. 9 Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices 10 and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator. 11 Here there is no Greek or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all.

12 Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. 13 Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.

+Paul deals with many other questions on which he may have been asked for advice: their relationship with unbelievers; the duty of supporting other needy Christians, how to deal with church members who had fallen into temptation, the need for self-examination and humility, the conduct of family life, the importance of accepting the teaching authority of the leaders of the Church. Paul gives us advice as an anointed teacher of God, on the nature of man. The bible was written for you, because God loves you.

1 Thessalonians 1 ~ gospel came to you not only in word, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit

This is the house of Peter, the rock upon whom the church was built. It is located in Capernaum, Israel. We know Jesus was in Peter's house (in many ways) because the bible records the healing of Peter’s mother-in-law in Peter’s house in: Matthew 8:14-17, Mark 1:29-39 & Luke 4:38-44. Peter’s house still has the church people and pilgrims writing their joy to the Lord on the walls. After Peter left to fulfill Jesus’ Great Commission to share the gospel all over the world, Peter’s house grew to become the church in Capernaum.

1 Thessalonians 1

[1] Paul, Silva'nus, and Timothy, To the church of the Thessalo'nians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ:
Grace to you and peace.
[2]
We give thanks to God always for you all, constantly mentioning you in our prayers,

[3] remembering before our God and Father your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.
[4] For we know, brethren beloved by God, that he has chosen you;
[5] for our gospel came to you not only in word, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction. You know what kind of men we proved to be among you for your sake.
[6] And you became imitators of us and of the Lord, for you received the word in much affliction, with joy inspired by the Holy Spirit;
[7] so that you became an example to all the believers in Macedo'nia and in Acha'ia.
[8] For not only has the word of the Lord sounded forth from you in Macedo'nia and Acha'ia, but your faith in God has gone forth everywhere, so that we need not say anything.
[9] For they themselves report concerning us what a welcome we had among you, and how you turned to God from idols, to serve a living and true God,
[10] and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come.

This photo is of Osios David, a Greek Chuch built in 400 A. D. The front porch and yard have been continually used and enjoyed by the Church family for over 1,600 years.

Last night, our church remembered Jesus & Lent by having a time of fellowship, a meal and prayer for healing in a church member’s home. This is a beautiful, full of love tradition in the church for 2 millenniums:

Acts 20:20 You know that I have not hesitated to preach anything that would be helpful to you but have taught you publicly and from house to house.

James 5: 13 Is any one of you in trouble? He should pray. Is anyone happy? Let him sing songs of praise. 14 Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord. 15 And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven. 16 Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.

I Corinthians 16: 19 The churches in the province of Asia send you greetings. Aquila and Priscilla greet you warmly in the Lord, and so does the church that meets at their house.

Romans 16: 5 Greet also the church that meets at their house. Greet my dear friend Epenetus, who was the first convert to Christ in the province of Asia.

Colossians 4: 15 Give my greetings to the brothers at Laodicea, and to Nympha and the church in her house.

Philemon 1:1 To Philemon our dear friend and fellow worker, 2 to Apphia our sister, to Archippus our fellow soldier and to the church that meets in your home

Father God, bless our Churches to be families. Please bless our homes to be places of worship. And help us to live each day as a dwelling of the Holy Spirit. In the name of Jesus, we pray. Amen.



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