Minneapolis Museum of Art
Saturday, March 16, 2024
Witnessing - Telling What We Believe and Why
Minneapolis Museum of Art
Tuesday, March 12, 2024
Change is Necessary
I had no experience with live oaks. Didn’t have a clue as to its age until we lost big limbs out of the middle. The man who cleaned up the tree so the damage would not attract damaging insects or cause greater damage verified the age. It has a 65 foot long canopy and is a candidate for Live Oak Society membership. I have the form all filled out, but haven’t come up with a name. Feel free to suggest one!
These trees stay leaf-filled all winter, standing in stark contrast to the empty limbs of other trees. I did not know that they shed their leaves only as new growth came in March (here) and was totally unprepared for the leaves to die (see above.) Those that didn’t simply folded in, hanging limply. I focused on them and not the fresh green grown along the brown limbs. The yard had more leaves than it did in the fall.
Three weeks from now the full canopy will be fresh green and acorns will be forming for the deer to eat next fall. That’s a cycle, which reminded me of another:
So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption: It is sown in dishonour; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power: It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body. And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit. Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual. The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is the Lord from heaven.
(1 Corinthians 15:42-47 KJV)
That’s not the “milk” of new Christians. That is the “meat” that Paul speaks of in:
I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able. (1 Corinthians 3:2 KJV)
I do think/write more of the beginning, where we consider becoming followers of Christ and why it’s important. However, at my age I’m becoming more and more interested in what is waiting for me that makes me different from those who have not thought of Christ at all. Resurrection.
Oh, yes, I’ve mentioned His. It’s basic in Paul’s longer witness to the changes in his life. Between Acts 26:1 and 26:28 Paul says:
Having therefore obtained help of God, I continue unto this day, witnessing both to small and great, saying none other things than those which the prophets and Moses did say should come: That Christ should suffer, and that he should be the first that should rise from the dead, and should shew light unto the people, and to the Gentiles.
(Acts 26:22-23 KJV)
Paul was witnessing to everyone that Christ suffered, died, and was the first one to rise from the deal simply to show light to people. That is what Christian’s do, tell everyone who will listen how Christ affects their life. The primary goal is to speak of what happens after we die, as well as who provides the goals in our lives. Jesus’ appearance was to give Paul a specific goal:
But rise, and stand upon thy feet: for I have appeared unto thee for this purpose, to make thee a minister and a witness both of these things which thou hast seen, and of those things in the which I will appear unto thee; Delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee, To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me. (Acts 26:16-18 KJV)
Paul spent the rest of his life to that purpose, leaving a wealth of information for those following him in time. This body, containing our soul and spirit, will be gone – of none importance:
So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.
(1 Corinthians 15:54 KJV)
The Bible tells us all souls belong to God":
Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sinneth, it shall die.
(Ezekiel 18:4 KJV)
And, at sometime, God requires those souls to return:
But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided? (Luke 12:20 KJV)
I cannot give my soul to God – it belongs to Him from the beginning. I have given my body, my spirit, my life, through faith in Him, as He appears as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, now and forever more.
What’s your decision about your life and God?
Monday, March 11, 2024
A Little History and Some Genealogy
It was October 2009 I read the article on CNN that Yahoo! was shutting down GeoCities. I wrote about it 27 October 2009:
In 1997, GeoCities hosted my first website – a copy of the genealogy workbook I was creating. I found several excellent sources, filled in pedigree and family sheets in a well-designed program then posted photos from more than a century before to share with family members.
I moved then to a site called Multiply, which also shut down and I had to move to Yahoo!360, which - as you may guess – shut down. By then, I had started this Bible Study blog, so I added a tab at the top with some information and requests for more about my family’s history.
Mine isn’t newsworthy.However, this week I received an e-mail from a genealogy site with the information that I have several tenth cousins – some once removed, some more than that, others were closer, others further away.
None are really important, because by the time we get ten generations back, tens of thousands of people can track the same relationship, and hundreds of thousands couldn’t care less. I find history interesting, but I admire my listed cousin Elizabeth II much more interesting for her lifetime history than for any distant relationship.
However, in some instances, such as Matthew 1:1-16, Joseph’s genealogy is very important. Jesus is shown to descend in a manner very important to Judaism – as the Pulpit Commentary explains:
As St. Matthew was writing only for Jews, and they, by reason of their Old Testament prophecies, looked for the Messiah to be born of a certain family, he begins his Gospel with a pedigree of Jesus. In this he mentions, by way of introduction, the two points to which his countrymen would have special regard—the descent of Jesus from David, the founder of the royal line, him in whose descendants the Ruler of Israel must necessarily (2 Samuel 7:13-16) be looked for; and also from Abraham, who was the head of the covenant nation, and to whom the promise had been given that in his seed all the nations of the earth should bless themselves (Genesis 22:18; Genesis 12:3).
But the genealogy given in Luke 3:23-38 gives the genealogy from a different perspective. Mary’s genealogy is different, yet similar to Joseph’s, and again the Pulpit Commentary gives an explanation of Luke’s written genealogy:
His work was evidently most carefully and skillfully arranged upon the lines of formal history. Up to this point the story was mainly concerned with other personages—with the parents of the great forerunner John, with Mary the Virgin and Joseph, with the angels, with the shepherds, with Simeon and with Anna, and especially with the work of John the Baptist. But from henceforth all the minor persons of the Divine story pass into the background. There is now one central figure upon whom the whole interest of the Divine drama centers—Jesus. This, the moment of his real introduction on the world's stage, was, as St. Luke rightly judged it, the time to give the formal table of his earthly ancestry.
Both gospel authors saw the importance of Jesus being created by God as all men have been, descended from Abraham as a Hebrew, descended from David - perceptively through both parents, and lived among mankind as a slightly different kind of man.
The other two gospels are not interested at all in genealogy. Their fellow followers of Christ covered it well through God’s inspiration. With the question being of the lineage of David – important to prophesy – all four move on to what Jesus came to show, and tell, mankind about Himself, God’s relationship, and God’s love for His created.
There is no value for me in any relationship to any ruler of England. There is, however, an eternal relationship for me and you as the adopted children of God:
For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.
(Romans 8:14-17 KJV)
But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ. (Galatians 4:4-7 KJV)
How would you describe the spirit of adoption?
Friday, March 1, 2024
I Am An Evangelical - Are You?
The National Association of Evangelicals puts it this way: 'Evangelicals take the Bible seriously and believe in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. The term “evangelical” comes from the Greek word euangelion, meaning “the good news” or the “gospel.” Thus, the evangelical faith focuses on the “good news” of salvation brought to sinners by Jesus Christ.'
A little wordier than the SBC, but with the same meaning when it comes to characteristics, from NAE evangelicals have:
- A serious approach to the Bible
- A focus on the "good news" of salvation brought to sinners by Jesus Christ
- An emphasis on the authority of the Bible
- A relationship with Jesus Christ
- Conversion
- A belief in the necessity of being born again
- An emphasis on the importance of evangelism
- Affirmation of traditional Protestant teachings on the authority and historicity of the Bible
- The Bible is the highest authority for what I believe.
- It is very important for me personally to encourage non-Christians to trust Jesus Christ as their Savior.
- Jesus Christ's death on the cross is the only sacrifice that could remove the penalty of my sin.
- Only those who trust in Jesus Christ alone as their Savior receive God's free gift of eternal salvation.
I was baptized into a Southern Baptist associated church following my profession of faith, and remained a member through marriage and the birth of three children. Some physical moves resulted in our visiting a number of churches, some not Baptist, until we ended up closed to an evangelically active Baptist church identifying itself as Fundamental and Independent, basics of the early New Testament churches set up in specific cities. I did not, and still do not, find doctrinal issues - except in the divisiveness within the SBC.
They are no different, though, than the schisms in any other Christian denomination. Half of America's Christians are excepting into their congregations members living in situations sinful as defined in the Bible. Note that when I started my blog, I began my beliefs with:
"I believe the Bible is Holy, the divinely inspired and preserved Word of God, the final authority for all faith and life. I place this belief first, not because it is the most important, but because it explains and provides answers for so much of the following. Without the Bible, there is not a foundation for believing ...", and then I go further into specific beliefs, including explanatory scriptures. I know what I believe, why I believe it, and have expectations based on scripture.
As to having sinful people in the congregation, we all sin. Often people respond with scripture:
Judge not, that ye be not judged. (Matthew 7:1 KJV)
Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven: (Luke 6:37 KJV)
Monday, February 26, 2024
I Don't Belong to a Church
This may seem off topic as I begin with David before he became king, hiding in a cave from the anointed king, Saul. We know what was on David's mind because he wrote it down in what we call Psalm 142 - Maschil of David; A Prayer when he was in the cave.
I cried unto the LORD with my voice; with my voice unto the LORD did I make my supplication. I poured out my complaint before him; I shewed before him my trouble. (Psalms 142:1-2 KJV)
Saturday, February 24, 2024
From The Mouth of God
But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. (Matthew 4:4 KJV)
Wednesday, February 21, 2024
I've Missed and Have Been Missed
It began two weeks before Christmas. I was already behind in posting, but then we became ill on a Saturday, and missed two Sundays. The following week we both had a new cardiologist appointment, and I received a prescription for new medication. Four side effects hit me - it caused changes to my eyesight (which meant no driving while I was taking it), added to my dizziness (thankfully, not full scale vertigo, though!), it added depression to my mind, and we won't discuss the fourt h(which caused the most discomfort.)
The medication was preparation for, and lasted a month before, a scheduled transesophageal cardioversion - that made no difference to my A-Fib. Apparently, my heart has a mind of its own. All I ended up having was a very painful jaw after three shocks, at least getting rid of the medication!!
My worship attendance came down to our church's YouTube live stream (fortunately you can also stream previous services!) But other activities were not comfortable for me.
That's basically my confession. I let my physical difficulties keep me from doing what I not only enjoy, but what I wanted to do. Paul's words became so very meaningful:
For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do. (Romans 7:19 KJV)