Next week the sermon will be dealing with shame -- in 15:9,10 -- I think Paul is dealing with shame from his past when he persecuted God's church -- but while regretting the past, he chooses to settle into what God has made him now. I think there is a lot of power in what we choose to dwell on.
15:23 is one more assurance that we will be raised from the dead when Christ comes back.
I'm wondering if 15:29 is the text that some churches use to be baptized for the dead? It doesn't say Paul supports that theory -- rather, if you're going to do that -- then you must have a reason.
When my mom died of cancer back in 89 -- I spent a lot of time going over 15:43 and 44. What hope is found in a better life, especially as the years keep going and I start experiencing more and more of a broken, weak body -- He has something better in mind! I don't totally understand a "spiritual body" but I totally trust that it will be so much better and more amazing than the earthly bodies we now experience -- can hardly wait!!
I read it this morning but didn't have time to post & to be honest, I didn't find too much that we hadn't already discussed before. I was interested to see what you could pull out of it. Then I reread it again. Not too much. Good call with tying in the shame Paul felt & then how he focused on what God did inspite of his past. Very humbling I'm sure for Paul.
I like how he looks out for Timothy & tells them to listen to them. Obviously, Timothy is younger than the others & Paul doesn't want them to discount the power of God in the message.
Also like the reminder in 16:14 to do this & that BUT do everything in LOVE. Did he have to remind them when he had spent a whole chapter on it just a bit ago? Obviously, it was an important message for them & oh so important for us now.
I like the distinction God makes between the Israelites & the Egyptians on the last plagues. It proves that God had chosen them & they were divinely protected.
Pharoah was considered a son of the gods so it was hard for him to admit he had met a God stronger than himself. He had fierce pride & it destroyed his country. As a ruler, he showed that he cared more about himself then his people. This always takes down a country.
This concept can also be switched to a family or church on a smaller scale. When the head of a family cares more about himself then those under his care...it's a divisive, back-biting & angry family. So with a church. Pretty scary.
I think you can draw some parallels to the plagues of Egypt and the plagues at the end of time talked about in Rev. Basically -- why they are needed: 9:15, 16
"I could have lifted my hand and struck you and your people with a plague to wipe you off the face of the earth. But I have spared you for a purpose -- to show you my power and to spread my fame throughout the earth"
The end time plagues will show God's power and spread his fame throughout the earth, and to all the other watching beings in His universe.
I wonder how many times, as in 10:7, "Pharaoh's officials now came" and BEGGED him to reconsider. I wonder how many times they sucked their breath in as they saw Pharaoh harden his heart. I wonder if they spread the word to others outside the palace, as in the case of the hail, to prepare for the worst.
The blood on the doorpost 12:13 is symbolic of God's Lamb dying for me -- God will spare me - - I am sheltered when I trust His gift for me. But - in preparation for that gift, He asks me to eliminate sin from my life (yeast) -- only possible through the strength and help of His Presence, His Spirit -- I'm unable outside of His presence.
Interesting that the haughty Pharaoh asked for a blessing before Moses left -- remember that Jacob blessed and earlier Pharaoh back in the day; I wonder if it was some kind of custom - - or symbolic - - or what exactly. You don't see blessings happening today with world leaders - - but they do shake hands!
I was thinking about 12: 24 "Remember these instructions are a permanent law that you and your descendants must observe forever". OK -- forever is forever, that's pretty clear. Why don't I observe it? Is it because it was only for the Israelites? vs 43 would indicate that, along with vs 48 -- and since circumcision is involved -- did the women participate?
I don't celebrate Passover because Jesus is my Passover Lamb. He fulfilled all the Mosaic law so I don't see any point in keeping any of the festivals as they pointed to His life & death. They were done away with at the cross as Paul points out in Colossians I think it is. And now we walk in the new covenant, under grace, not under the Mosaic law. And I am very grateful.
It says in today's reading the God caused a deep sleep to come over Saul & his men when David & Abishai came into the camp (26:12). God knows the end from the beginning & He knew He could trust David not to kill Saul. David had the chance before & didn't. Good lesson for his men to learn. Wait for God's timing. It's a constant reminder I need as well & I'm grateful for all the ways God is keeping that before me.
Last night God told me that if I stay focused on what He is doing (whether in my life or fill in the blank)& not on what I think He should be doing, then I won't become discouraged or disillusioned. I will be constantly amazed & blessed at His care. And of course, He brought back to me a song that talks about never getting used to how He works. Never outgrowing a miracle, taking a life beyond redemption & making it new, etc. So good.
I just love these gentle reminders that He is in control & time means nothing to Him. The care of His children & gathering them to Him means everything. Whatever it takes.
David was constantly harassed, hunted, lied about, etc., but he didn't jump the gun. He waited. Did you know wait is a 4 letter word? And to me, at times, being told to "wait" is as shocking as using one of those other 4 letter words!
And yet David's mistakes are recorded for us too so we can see that God works in spite of us. David wanted some peace but he went to the enemy. Got him in a tight spot. I wonder what he would have done if he had been allowed to go into battle. We'll never know. But I'm encouraged to see that God worked for him in spite of mistakes & lapses of judgment as I am guilty of both of those all the time!
26:11 "The Lord forbid that I should kill the one he has anointed!" I was thinking that maybe my enemy that he has annointed are the trials or inconveniences that I face - - to teach me. Do I wait for His timing to take them away. David was smart though -- he always took proof of his innocense (robe, speak, jug)
Amazing that Achish would use David as a personal bodyguard. I think the other officers were afraid of David, but probably also jealous - - I'm guessing it was a high honor to be a pbg for the king.
Gives me the shudders that in 28:10 Paul would take an oath in the name of the LORD to assure an instrument of satan. That's just creepy and certainly a huge sin of taking the name of the Lord in vain.
When all his men turned against him, when he'd lost everything -- 30:6 "David found strength in the Lord his God" another Jobian picture. A reminder that when everything seems hopeless; we CAN find strength in the Lord - - and making it even more personal; the Lord our God.
30:23 "Don't be selfish with what the Lord has given us ... we share and share alike. That is what all heaven has done for us, that's what all heaven wants us to "get"
By the way -- 30:29 lists Kenites as the town that David sent gifts to; interesting that in 27:10 -- he raided them. How confusing!
David just told Achish he was raiding the Kenites. He had really raided Philistine towns & allies. But he told Achish that he had raided Israelite ones.
Good encouraging thoughts about anointed trials. Reminds me of something I read once entitled "This thing is from Me". Really good.
I was thinking if he had gone into battle; how awful it would have been if he had had to protect his charge from Jonathan - - yikes; reminds me of stories I heard of the civil war.
I read Psalms, it's all good & I could make academic observations, but nothing really hit my heart. Oh wait, there was 1 thing repeated twice. 46:7,11 "The Lord of Heaven’s Armies is here among us; the God of Israel is our fortress." It's like finding out your best friend is really a King & has unlimited power at His disposal. And yet, He's still your best friend.
So I turned to DJ & found this again. "Do not fear My will, for through it I accomplish what is best for you. Take a deep breath, and dive into the depths of absolute trust in Me...Though My ways may entail sacrifice & pain, I accomplish through them not just what is good for you - but what is best."
"the depths of absolute trust" that's very very deep . . . am I willing to sink that deep and let go, let go, let go? Do I fight to get back to the surface?
Ps 45:10,11 - - about a month away from "the wedding" and these 2 verses pretty much sum up how I feel about my royal daughter . . . sigh, we had a lot of good times, lots of laughter - - but she's movin' on for good. . . and I'm trying hard to sink deep into an absolute trust.
46 8-10 He brings . . He causes . . He breaks . . He burns . . Be still.
and my DJ line for the day "If you persevere in this thankfulness, resisting the temptation to grumble, you can find Joy and Peace in the midst of your struggles".
I wonder how long my reply to your comments was up before it disappeared again. I know it was there for an hour or so yesterday. I don't understand it, but oh well.
Job. He maintains his innocence & finally his "friends" are quiet. But now we have another windbag to listen to.
As Elihu starts off, it seems as if he feels he's led by the Spirit of God. He's convicted that he is right & he's got something of value to say to Job. Seems like he has almost indignation, righteous indignation at Job saying he's innocent.
Since we know the end of the story, we know Job is right & they are all wrong. Reminds me of the saying that goes something like, "he was very sincere, but sincerely wrong".
How many times am I like Elihu? I really believe I have something of value to say. But I'm dead wrong. I really want to make sure I'm listening to God & not just myself when giving counsel.
I want to be able to differentiate between my opinion & what God wants me to say. There is a very big difference there.
Job picks apart his life -- looking for the spot of failure or mistrust of God; man, if I picked my life apart, especially in front of friends like he had, I would be in a ton of tears.
Anyway -- well said, Chris . . windbag! No humility with this young upstart. I think about my arrogant ways when I was young -- thought I had all the answers, NOW I realize I didn't even understand the questions! hee hee.
I love the beautiful pic of the tree by the riverbank in Chpt 7. Reaching down deep -- deep. Not bothered by heat or WORRIED by drought; staying green and producing. I need deeper roots!
God examines our secret motives -- there's nothing He doesn't know about us - - why would we think we could hide something from Him! Might as well admit it and let Him repair the broken-ness.
18:12 Don't waste your breath -- man alive, think of saying that to God!
21 -- the king sends Pashhur, who earlier arrested Jeremiah and had him whipped to beg Jer to ask the Lord for help. Too late -- they've already made their bed, not time to sleep in it.
God gives them a choice, stay and die or surrender and live; hmmmmmm -- sounds like a choice each one of us have to make daily. Stay in our worries, cares, distractions, worldliness and die - - or surrender to Him and live.
some great practical applications there Linda. I realized as I started reading Jeremiah, that I had "mistakenly" read that section last week. The tree by the river was a exactly what I had needed then & it was great to be reminded of it.
It must have cheered Christ's heart when the religious law teacher said that our acts weren't as important as what's in our hearts in 12:32,33. And then the widow throwing in everything she had because she wanted to give something to God.
Somebody got it! It's the little things that can make or break us & I believe it was those little moments of faith & the other's we've read about that encouraged Him & kept Him from getting totally discouraged.
God does the same things for me. The question for me is what am I noticing them? Am I following Him with that childlike delight & trust? I just read in DJ that this can only be developed out of my relationship with Him. I can discipline myself to have this childlike delight in Him. Reminds me of our conversation last night too.
Really enjoyed that fig tree parable coming off of Jeremiah 17:8 about the tree whose roots go down deep, staying leafy and green, but also constantly producing fruit.
Did you notice in 11:20 that the fig tree withered from the roots up? I'm thinking most trees start withering from the branches down. This is another upside down miracle (like the veil being torn from the top down) - - so what is clogging my roots so the sap cannot run and I can't produce fruit? I can think of several cloggers - - Lord, clean my clogs - - I don't want to be just a leafy sham
11:33 -- those big wigs didn't want the truth about Jesus' authority, they only wanted something to trip Him up on . . .
in 12:12 it said the big wigs knew He was telling the story against them. You'd think it'd make them stop in their tracks when they heard that the owner will kill those farmers and lease the vineyard to others. . . the power of greed and jealousy overpowered His warning. Another lesson I need to stay open to.
It was so cool that the teacher of "religious law" realized that love was God's goal for us -- not the burnt offerings and sacrifices "required by the law" I wonder if he changed professions after this encounter with Jesus -- or at least, changed the way he taught.
I liked your "little things" thought Chris -- we need to keep encouraging each other with the little miracles we encounter each day:):)
I'm thinking that trees wither from the leaves down because their roots aren't getting the nutrients it needs. The outside starts to fade, but the roots have stopped growing for awhile. We only can see the outside, so it's what we notice first.
Same with people. We judge what we see outside, but it's a reflection of what's been going on inside for maybe a long time before the outside started to show.
That can be negative as in withering or it can be positive. "All of sudden" they make a decision for God, but He's been working on the inside for quite a while.
Either way though, like you said, I don't want to be a leafy sham!
Next week the sermon will be dealing with shame -- in 15:9,10 -- I think Paul is dealing with shame from his past when he persecuted God's church -- but while regretting the past, he chooses to settle into what God has made him now. I think there is a lot of power in what we choose to dwell on.
ReplyDelete15:23 is one more assurance that we will be raised from the dead when Christ comes back.
I'm wondering if 15:29 is the text that some churches use to be baptized for the dead? It doesn't say Paul supports that theory -- rather, if you're going to do that -- then you must have a reason.
When my mom died of cancer back in 89 -- I spent a lot of time going over 15:43 and 44. What hope is found in a better life, especially as the years keep going and I start experiencing more and more of a broken, weak body -- He has something better in mind! I don't totally understand a "spiritual body" but I totally trust that it will be so much better and more amazing than the earthly bodies we now experience -- can hardly wait!!
I read it this morning but didn't have time to post & to be honest, I didn't find too much that we hadn't already discussed before.
ReplyDeleteI was interested to see what you could pull out of it. Then I reread it again.
Not too much. Good call with tying in the shame Paul felt & then how he focused on what God did inspite of his past. Very humbling I'm sure for Paul.
I like how he looks out for Timothy & tells them to listen to them. Obviously, Timothy is younger than the others & Paul doesn't want them to discount the power of God in the message.
Also like the reminder in 16:14 to do this & that BUT do everything in LOVE. Did he have to remind them when he had spent a whole chapter on it just a bit ago? Obviously, it was an important message for them & oh so important for us now.
I like the distinction God makes between the Israelites & the Egyptians on the last plagues. It proves that God had chosen them & they were divinely protected.
ReplyDeletePharoah was considered a son of the gods so it was hard for him to admit he had met a God stronger than himself. He had fierce pride & it destroyed his country. As a ruler, he showed that he cared more about himself then his people. This always takes down a country.
This concept can also be switched to a family or church on a smaller scale. When the head of a family cares more about himself then those under his care...it's a divisive, back-biting & angry family. So with a church. Pretty scary.
I think you can draw some parallels to the plagues of Egypt and the plagues at the end of time talked about in Rev. Basically -- why they are needed: 9:15, 16
ReplyDelete"I could have lifted my hand and struck you and your people with a plague to wipe you off the face of the earth. But I have spared you for a purpose -- to show you my power and to spread my fame throughout the earth"
The end time plagues will show God's power and spread his fame throughout the earth, and to all the other watching beings in His universe.
I wonder how many times, as in 10:7, "Pharaoh's officials now came" and BEGGED him to reconsider. I wonder how many times they sucked their breath in as they saw Pharaoh harden his heart. I wonder if they spread the word to others outside the palace, as in the case of the hail, to prepare for the worst.
The blood on the doorpost 12:13 is symbolic of God's Lamb dying for me -- God will spare me - - I am sheltered when I trust His gift for me. But - in preparation for that gift, He asks me to eliminate sin from my life (yeast) -- only possible through the strength and help of His Presence, His Spirit -- I'm unable outside of His presence.
Interesting that the haughty Pharaoh asked for a blessing before Moses left -- remember that Jacob blessed and earlier Pharaoh back in the day; I wonder if it was some kind of custom - - or symbolic - - or what exactly. You don't see blessings happening today with world leaders - - but they do shake hands!
I was thinking about 12: 24 "Remember these instructions are a permanent law that you and your descendants must observe forever". OK -- forever is forever, that's pretty clear. Why don't I observe it? Is it because it was only for the Israelites? vs 43 would indicate that, along with vs 48 -- and since circumcision is involved -- did the women participate?
I don't celebrate Passover because Jesus is my Passover Lamb. He fulfilled all the Mosaic law so I don't see any point in keeping any of the festivals as they pointed to His life & death. They were done away with at the cross as Paul points out in Colossians I think it is. And now we walk in the new covenant, under grace, not under the Mosaic law. And I am very grateful.
ReplyDeleteIt says in today's reading the God caused a deep sleep to come over Saul & his men when David & Abishai came into the camp (26:12). God knows the end from the beginning & He knew He could trust David not to kill Saul. David had the chance before & didn't. Good lesson for his men to learn. Wait for God's timing. It's a constant reminder I need as well & I'm grateful for all the ways God is keeping that before me.
Last night God told me that if I stay focused on what He is doing (whether in my life or fill in the blank)& not on what I think He should be doing, then I won't become discouraged or disillusioned. I will be constantly amazed & blessed at His care. And of course, He brought back to me a song that talks about never getting used to how He works. Never outgrowing a miracle, taking a life beyond redemption & making it new, etc. So good.
I just love these gentle reminders that He is in control & time means nothing to Him. The care of His children & gathering them to Him means everything. Whatever it takes.
David was constantly harassed, hunted, lied about, etc., but he didn't jump the gun. He waited. Did you know wait is a 4 letter word? And to me, at times, being told to "wait" is as shocking as using one of those other 4 letter words!
And yet David's mistakes are recorded for us too so we can see that God works in spite of us. David wanted some peace but he went to the enemy. Got him in a tight spot. I wonder what he would have done if he had been allowed to go into battle. We'll never know. But I'm encouraged to see that God worked for him in spite of mistakes & lapses of judgment as I am guilty of both of those all the time!
26:11 "The Lord forbid that I should kill the one he has anointed!" I was thinking that maybe my enemy that he has annointed are the trials or inconveniences that I face - - to teach me. Do I wait for His timing to take them away. David was smart though -- he always took proof of his innocense (robe, speak, jug)
ReplyDeleteAmazing that Achish would use David as a personal bodyguard. I think the other officers were afraid of David, but probably also jealous - - I'm guessing it was a high honor to be a pbg for the king.
Gives me the shudders that in 28:10 Paul would take an oath in the name of the LORD to assure an instrument of satan. That's just creepy and certainly a huge sin of taking the name of the Lord in vain.
When all his men turned against him, when he'd lost everything -- 30:6 "David found strength in the Lord his God" another Jobian picture. A reminder that when everything seems hopeless; we CAN find strength in the Lord - - and making it even more personal; the Lord our God.
30:23 "Don't be selfish with what the Lord has given us ... we share and share alike. That is what all heaven has done for us, that's what all heaven wants us to "get"
By the way -- 30:29 lists Kenites as the town that David sent gifts to; interesting that in 27:10 -- he raided them. How confusing!
David just told Achish he was raiding the Kenites. He had really raided Philistine towns & allies. But he told Achish that he had raided Israelite ones.
DeleteGood encouraging thoughts about anointed trials. Reminds me of something I read once entitled "This thing is from Me". Really good.
Hee hee! 4 letter word; you crack me up!
ReplyDeleteI was thinking if he had gone into battle; how awful it would have been if he had had to protect his charge from Jonathan - - yikes; reminds me of stories I heard of the civil war.
I read Psalms, it's all good & I could make academic observations, but nothing really hit my heart. Oh wait, there was 1 thing repeated twice.
ReplyDelete46:7,11 "The Lord of Heaven’s Armies is here among us; the God of Israel is our fortress." It's like finding out your best friend is really a King & has unlimited power at His disposal. And yet, He's still your best friend.
So I turned to DJ & found this again. "Do not fear My will, for through it I accomplish what is best for you. Take a deep breath, and dive into the depths of absolute trust in Me...Though My ways may entail sacrifice & pain, I accomplish through them not just what is good for you - but what is best."
"the depths of absolute trust" that's very very deep . . . am I willing to sink that deep and let go, let go, let go? Do I fight to get back to the surface?
ReplyDeletePs 45:10,11 - - about a month away from "the wedding" and these 2 verses pretty much sum up how I feel about my royal daughter . . . sigh, we had a lot of good times, lots of laughter - - but she's movin' on for good. . . and I'm trying hard to sink deep into an absolute trust.
46 8-10 He brings . . He causes . . He breaks . . He burns . . Be still.
and my DJ line for the day "If you persevere in this thankfulness, resisting the temptation to grumble, you can find Joy and Peace in the midst of your struggles".
I wonder how long my reply to your comments was up before it disappeared again. I know it was there for an hour or so yesterday. I don't understand it, but oh well.
ReplyDeleteJob. He maintains his innocence & finally his "friends" are quiet. But now we have another windbag to listen to.
As Elihu starts off, it seems as if he feels he's led by the Spirit of God. He's convicted that he is right & he's got something of value to say to Job. Seems like he has almost indignation, righteous indignation at Job saying he's innocent.
Since we know the end of the story, we know Job is right & they are all wrong. Reminds me of the saying that goes something like, "he was very sincere, but sincerely wrong".
How many times am I like Elihu? I really believe I have something of value to say. But I'm dead wrong. I really want to make sure I'm listening to God & not just myself when giving counsel.
I want to be able to differentiate between my opinion & what God wants me to say. There is a very big difference there.
Your comments about the Kennites are still there -- is that the comment that disappeared on your site? As you say . . . oh well!
ReplyDeleteJob picks apart his life -- looking for the spot of failure or mistrust of God; man, if I picked my life apart, especially in front of friends like he had, I would be in a ton of tears.
ReplyDeleteAnyway -- well said, Chris . . windbag! No humility with this young upstart. I think about my arrogant ways when I was young -- thought I had all the answers, NOW I realize I didn't even understand the questions! hee hee.
I love the beautiful pic of the tree by the riverbank in Chpt 7. Reaching down deep -- deep. Not bothered by heat or WORRIED by drought; staying green and producing. I need deeper roots!
ReplyDeleteGod examines our secret motives -- there's nothing He doesn't know about us - - why would we think we could hide something from Him! Might as well admit it and let Him repair the broken-ness.
18:12 Don't waste your breath -- man alive, think of saying that to God!
21 -- the king sends Pashhur, who earlier arrested Jeremiah and had him whipped to beg Jer to ask the Lord for help. Too late -- they've already made their bed, not time to sleep in it.
God gives them a choice, stay and die or surrender and live; hmmmmmm -- sounds like a choice each one of us have to make daily. Stay in our worries, cares, distractions, worldliness and die - - or surrender to Him and live.
some great practical applications there Linda. I realized as I started reading Jeremiah, that I had "mistakenly" read that section last week. The tree by the river was a exactly what I had needed then & it was great to be reminded of it.
ReplyDeleteIt must have cheered Christ's heart when the religious law teacher said that our acts weren't as important as what's in our hearts in 12:32,33. And then the widow throwing in everything she had because she wanted to give something to God.
Somebody got it! It's the little things that can make or break us & I believe it was those little moments of faith & the other's we've read about that encouraged Him & kept Him from getting totally discouraged.
God does the same things for me. The question for me is what am I noticing them? Am I following Him with that childlike delight & trust? I just read in DJ that this can only be developed out of my relationship with Him. I can discipline myself to have this childlike delight in Him. Reminds me of our conversation last night too.
Really enjoyed that fig tree parable coming off of Jeremiah 17:8 about the tree whose roots go down deep, staying leafy and green, but also constantly producing fruit.
ReplyDeleteDid you notice in 11:20 that the fig tree withered from the roots up? I'm thinking most trees start withering from the branches down. This is another upside down miracle (like the veil being torn from the top down) - - so what is clogging my roots so the sap cannot run and I can't produce fruit? I can think of several cloggers - - Lord, clean my clogs - - I don't want to be just a leafy sham
11:33 -- those big wigs didn't want the truth about Jesus' authority, they only wanted something to trip Him up on . . .
in 12:12 it said the big wigs knew He was telling the story against them. You'd think it'd make them stop in their tracks when they heard that the owner will kill those farmers and lease the vineyard to others. . . the power of greed and jealousy overpowered His warning. Another lesson I need to stay open to.
It was so cool that the teacher of "religious law" realized that love was God's goal for us -- not the burnt offerings and sacrifices "required by the law" I wonder if he changed professions after this encounter with Jesus -- or at least, changed the way he taught.
I liked your "little things" thought Chris -- we need to keep encouraging each other with the little miracles we encounter each day:):)
I'm thinking that trees wither from the leaves down because their roots aren't getting the nutrients it needs. The outside starts to fade, but the roots have stopped growing for awhile. We only can see the outside, so it's what we notice first.
ReplyDeleteSame with people. We judge what we see outside, but it's a reflection of what's been going on inside for maybe a long time before the outside started to show.
That can be negative as in withering or it can be positive. "All of sudden" they make a decision for God, but He's been working on the inside for quite a while.
Either way though, like you said, I don't want to be a leafy sham!