Monday, December 19, 2022
Next Sunday is Christmas!
Monday, November 28, 2022
Obedience
What is the meaning of obedience to a Christian?
"What does OBEDIENCE mean? In simple terms it means hearing the word of God and acting on it. It implies aligning our will to God's will; doing what God has asked us to do. It is when we completely surrender to His authority and base our decisions and our actions on His Word
That paragraph comes from the Lingadzi CCAP website, a Bible Centred Congregation, and the definition of both the dictionary and the Lingadzi congregation matches how I look at obedience - specifically Christian obedience.
Our obedience is based on our faith, and our faith is explained in a couple of verses:
Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. (Hebrews 11:1 KJV)
For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: (Ephesians 2:8 KJV)
For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also. (James 2:26 KJV)
So often non-Christians think of all the Jewish rules, beginning with the Ten Commandments given at Mt. Sinai and continuing into our age when Rabbi's determine which material is correct for false teeth or that elevators cannot be used on the Sabbath because it causes a spark.
For Christians, this has been fulfilled, to the point that Jesus defined two commandments on which to base our lives:
Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, and saying, Master, which is the great commandment in the law? Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets. (Matthew 22:35-40 KJV)
Jesus spoke of other laws, and I've mentioned a good many in other blogs, but today I want to stick with obedience and faith. You'll learn much about them, but God's laws are meaningul and are not onerous, though somewhat limiting. They range from not killing to staying married, and bring great peace and comfort. Micah describes this very well:
He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God? (Micah 6:8 KJV)
It is easy to see ourselves walking humbly with a deity who simply wants our love and to be merciful to others - until we met that person. The one who not only doesn't believe in God, but laughs and mocks at our desire to do so. Sorry, we are supposed to love them, too, and pray they will come to understand. Sometimes it gets to the point that we pray clearly that God send someone else to deal with that person, but often our prayer list still contains that name and knowledge this may be difficult, but obedience tells us the job is ours.
The Bible lays out what we are supposed to do, and what we are specifically told not to do. Most of both are easily understoon to be against the two (love God, love people) written above.
I've been seriously remiss in this area - sharing God's word with others through this blog on the internet. Oh, there have been struggles with daily living, health problems, holidays, visits - and one huge issue where a fellow Christian was spiritually hurt. The answer was to pay close attention, love them, and pray. That will help with my own obedience, and sustain my faith.
How is your obedience toward what God has set out for you to do? How's your prayer time? How's your faith? Mine? Growing. It's a blessed walk with my God.
Friday, October 14, 2022
Restored Joy
That is one of my favorite verses. I know, I say that often. Out of so many, it really is in the top third. It was written by David, King of Israel. it happened within a year after his meeting Bathsheba, the married woman David took from her husband, Uriah. Go ahead and look up the story in 2 Samuel 11 and 12. Anyone wishing to defend their own adultry should read the result of David's.
Psalm 51 is his confession, his pain, his hope for the future. It is labeled: 'To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David, when Nathan the prophet came unto him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba." In the first fourteen verses of 2 Samuel 12, the prophet Nathan confronts David with an analogy of David's sin and the depth of the sin angers David. Nathan states the guilty party:
And Nathan said to David, Thou art the man. (2 Samuel 12:7a KJV)
Nathan continues, listing what God has done for David throughout his life. David acknowledges:
And David said unto Nathan, I have sinned against the LORD. (2 Samuel 12:13 KJV)
Although the "why" isn't in Psalm 51, his prayer acknowledges the sin:
Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions. Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me. Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest. (Psalms 51:1-4 KJV)
Only God had laws given through Moses that made powerful men guilty of taking what they want from others. When men forget God, they have always done what is written twice in the book of Judges:
In those days there was no king in Israel, but every man did that which was right in his own eyes. (Judges 17:6 KJV)
In those days there was no king in Israel: every man did that which was right in his own eyes. (Judges 21:25 KJV)
David had seen what powerful rulers did with women. He was in a powerful position. He ignored God's law, and took what he wanted - then attempted to cover up his sinfulness. That's what sin is - ignoring God and His laws meant to protect all men.
David wanted God's forgiveness:
Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice. Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities. (Psalms 51:7-9 KJV)
This is the desire of any sinner when becoming aware we've fallen short of being what God had in mind. When we realize there is a huge separation between mankind as a whole, we as individuals, and God. Only God can span that separation with what David describes in verse 12:
Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me. Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit. Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee. (Psalms 51:10-13 KJV)
Let me assure you, when we realize the joy of our salvation, we do want to share that knowledge with others, and sinners will be converted unto Him. We do desire strongly to praise Him:
Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, thou God of my salvation: and my tongue shall sing aloud of thy righteousness. O Lord, open thou my lips; and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise. For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise. Do good in thy good pleasure unto Zion: build thou the walls of Jerusalem. Then shalt thou be pleased with the sacrifices of righteousness, with burnt offering and whole burnt offering: then shall they offer bullocks upon thine altar. (Psalms 51:14-19 KJV)
See those bolded parts? God does not require sacrifices. David knew this, yet made such sacrifices. Eventually, God did what Abraham explained to Isaac:
And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together. (Genesis 22:8 KJV)
Somehow I've come to believe that Abraham did not say these words as a prophecy, but only as a trusting man that God would provide what was needed, which He did as Jesus, Christ. Because He did, we can understand David's joy in God's salvation, and his guilt in feeling castaway. God forgives and restores our joy.
We will have to live with the consequences of the sinfulness. David and his family certainly did. Easiest way to avoiod such consequences is to become familiar with God, His laws, and His salvation. All are part of Jesus' doctrine (see - I can carry a subject for more than a couple of days!)
Thursday, October 13, 2022
Doctrine and Context
Swedish Smörgåsbord (Commons)
I am an aged woman, thus I've compared how some approach theology as a "smorgasbord"- which literally means a table full lof open sandwiches. However, in today's society, "salad bar" is used much the same way, but "pot luck" fits just as well. What ever choosing what you like out of the Bible can be a dangerous thing, a concept recognized by others:
“The theology of most Americans is less like choosing from a salad bar and more like going into someone else's kitchen blindfolded and dumping random ‘ingredients’ into a bowl.” — @WardrobeDoor (if you are on Twitter that link is to his page)
I met Aaron Earls (Mr @WardrobeDoor) at the foot of an article "Consistent Inconsistency" and thought it added quite a bit to yesterday's post here about knowing doctrine and its source.
I'd like to introduce you to someone who knows the scriptures very well and were able to quote them as needed:
for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone. Matthew 4:6b (KJV)
Recognize the individual? How about this earlier scripture:
and he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden? Genesis 3:1b (KJV)
Now do you recognize the speaker? He's introduced in the first book of the Bible, mentioned several times by many writers inbetween, and confirmed as one and the same as the dragon in the last book:
And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years, (Revelation 20:2 KJV)
Most of the temptations thrown our way are similar to his reply to Eve:
And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: (Genesis 3:4 KJV)
He might as well be saying:
God didn't mean what He said. God really does love you and wants you to be happy, to have everything your heart desires. Why, doesn't His word even tell you:
Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. (Psalms 37:4 KJV)
All you need is to be delighted and you will receive all your desires!
The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever. (Isaiah 40:8 KJV)
The counsel of the LORD standeth for ever, the thoughts of his heart to all generations. (Psalms 33:11 KJV)
Wednesday, October 12, 2022
Your Doctrine's Source?
And it came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at his doctrine: For he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes. (Matthew 7:28-29 KJV)
How is it that ye do not understand that I spake it not to you concerning bread, that ye should beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees? Then understood they how that he bade them not beware of the leaven of bread, but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees. (Matthew 16:11-12 KJV)
Jesus answered and said unto them, Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God. For in the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are as the angels of God in heaven. But as touching the resurrection of the dead, have ye not read that which was spoken unto you by God, saying, I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? God is not the God of the dead, but of the living. And when the multitude heard this, they were astonished at his doctrine. (Matthew 22:29-33 KJV)
But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you. (Romans 6:17 KJV)
Wednesday, October 5, 2022
God's Timing Usually Isn't Ours
I doubt this artist got it right. Joseph, the baker, nor the butler would be dressed in medieval clothing. What they did wear would be sparse, perhaps raggedy, and most likely filthy. Unless Egyptian prisons were much better than current ones.
We know how Joseph ended up in prison - sold into slavery by his brothers, falsely accused of attacking his boss' wife. A foreigner imprisoned with no one to speak for him. Chances of release were so slim as to be uncountable. Joseph could not know that his story would be included by the Psalmist:
He sent a man before them, even Joseph, who was sold for a servant: Whose feet they hurt with fetters: he was laid in iron: Until the time that his word came: the word of the LORD tried him. (Psalms 105:17-19 KJV)
No doubt there would have been fetters for the prisoners. Maybe there were only the three prisoners together at that level of offense, with Joseph serving the newcomers:
And it came to pass after these things, that the butler of the king of Egypt and his baker had offended their lord the king of Egypt. And Pharaoh was wroth against two of his officers, against the chief of the butlers, and against the chief of the bakers. And he put them in ward in the house of the captain of the guard, into the prison, the place where Joseph was bound. And the captain of the guard charged Joseph with them, and he served them: and they continued a season in ward. (Genesis 40:1-4 KJV)
Tuesday, October 4, 2022
"My Dad Will Be King"
"George understands he will one day be king and as a little boy sparred with friends at school, outdoing his peers with the killer line: 'My dad will be king so you better watch out'," wrote royal author Katie Nicholl. According to a report, '...while Prince George was playing and rough-housing with fellow students on a playground when he warned one student 'My dad will be king so you better watch out'". Seems several accounts agree upon the speaker, and the wording - Prince George is aware that at some time in the future, his father will be king of the United Kingdom. Whether he realizes or not that he, himself, will one day rule a nation is another story down the line.
The Bible tells us that a descendant of King David will eventually be King. From David's death until John the Baptist preached:
And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. (Matthew 3:2 KJV)
. . . Jews were looking for that king. Jesus began preaching that same message as John was imprisoned:
From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. (Matthew 4:17 KJV)
. . . continuing as he moved about the country:
And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people. (Matthew 4:23 KJV)