Isaiah 9
Hope in the Messiah
1 Nevertheless, that time of darkness and despair will not go on forever. The land of Zebulun and Naphtali will soon be humbled, but there will be a time in the future when Galilee of the Gentiles, which lies along the road that runs between the Jordan and the sea, will be filled with glory. 2 The people who walk in darkness will see a great light--a light that will shine on all who live in the land where death casts its shadow. 3 Israel will again be great, and its people will rejoice as people rejoice at harvesttime. They will shout with joy like warriors dividing the plunder. 4 For God will break the chains that bind his people and the whip that scourges them, just as he did when he destroyed the army of Midian with Gideon's little band. 5 In that day of peace, battle gear will no longer be issued. Never again will uniforms be bloodstained by war. All such equipment will be burned.
6 For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. And the government will rest on his shoulders. These will be his royal titles: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. 7 His ever expanding, peaceful government will never end. He will rule forever with fairness and justice from the throne of his ancestor David. The passionate commitment of the LORD Almighty will guarantee this!
The LORDs Anger against Israel
8The Lord has spoken out against that braggart Israel, 9 and the people of Israel and Samaria will soon discover it. In their pride and arrogance they say, 10"Our land lies in ruins now, but we will rebuild it better than before. We will replace the broken bricks with cut stone, the fallen sycamore trees with cedars." 11 The LORD will reply to their bragging by bringing Rezin's enemies, the Assyrians, against them—12 along with Arameans from the east and Philistines from the west. With bared fangs, they will devour Israel. But even then the LORD's anger will not be satisfied. His fist is still poised to strike. 13 For after all this punishment, the people will still not repent and turn to the LORD Almighty.
14 Therefore, in a single day, the LORD will destroy both the head and the tail, the palm branch and the reed. 15 The leaders of Israel are the head, and the lying prophets are the tail. 16 For the leaders of the people have led them down the path of destruction. 17 That is why the Lord has no joy in the young men and no mercy on even the widows and orphans. For they are all hypocrites, speaking wickedness with lies. But even then the LORD's anger will not be satisfied. His fist is still poised to strike.
18 This wickedness is like a brushfire. It burns not only briers and thorns but the forests, too. Its burning sends up vast clouds of smoke. 19 The land is blackened by the fury of the LORD Almighty. The people are fuel for the fire, and no one spares anyone else. 20 They fight against their own neighbors to steal food, but they will still be hungry. In the end they will even eat their own children. 21 Manasseh will feed on Ephraim, Ephraim will feed on Manasseh, and both will devour Judah. But even then the LORD's anger will not be satisfied. His fist is still poised to strike.
New Living Translation (NLT)
~ For Olga ~
Исаия 9
1 Прежнее время умалило землю Завулонову и землю Неффалимову; но последующее возвеличит приморский путь, Заиорданскую страну, Галилею языческую.
2 Народ, ходящий во тьме, увидит свет великий; на живущих в стране тени смертной свет воссияет.
3 Ты умножишь народ, увеличишь радость его. Он будет веселиться пред Тобою, как веселятся во время жатвы, как радуются при разделе добычи.
4 Ибо ярмо, тяготившее его, и жезл, поражавший его, и трость притеснителя его Ты сокрушишь, как в день Мадиама.
5 Ибо всякая обувь воина во время брани и одежда, обагренная кровью, будут отданы на сожжение, в пищу огню.
6 Ибо младенец родился нам--Сын дан нам; владычество на раменах Его, и нарекут имя Ему: Чудный, Советник, Бог крепкий, Отец вечности, Князь мира.
7 Умножению владычества Его и мира нет предела на престоле Давида и в царстве его, чтобы Ему утвердить его и укрепить его судом и правдою отныне и до века. Ревность Господа Саваофа соделает это.
8 Слово посылает Господь на Иакова, и оно нисходит на Израиля,
9 чтобы знал весь народ, Ефрем и жители Самарии, которые с гордостью и надменным сердцем говорят:
10 кирпичи пали--построим из тесаного камня; сикоморы вырублены--заменим их кедрами.
11 И воздвигнет Господь против него врагов Рецина, и неприятелей его вооружит:
12Сириян с востока, а Филистимлян с запада; и будут они пожирать Израиля полным ртом. При всем этом не отвратится гнев Его, и рука Его еще простерта.
13 Но народ не обращается к Биющему его, и к Господу Саваофу не прибегает.
14 И отсечет Господь у Израиля голову и хвост, пальму и трость, в один день:
15 старец и знатный, --это голова; а пророк-лжеучитель есть хвост.
16 И вожди сего народа введут его в заблуждение, и водимые ими погибнут.
17 Поэтому о юношах его не порадуется Господь, и сирот его и вдов его не помилует: ибо все они--лицемеры и злодеи, и уста всех говорят нечестиво. При всем этом не отвратится гнев Его, и рука Его еще простерта.
18 Ибо беззаконие, как огонь, разгорелось, пожирает терновник и колючий кустарник и пылает в чащах леса, и поднимаются столбы дыма.
19 Ярость Господа Саваофа опалит землю, и народ сделается как бы пищею огня; не пощадит человек брата своего.
20 И будут резать по правую сторону, и останутся голодны; и будут есть по левую, и не будут сыты; каждый будет пожирать плоть мышцы своей:
21 Манассия--Ефрема, и Ефрем--Манассию, оба вместе--Иуду. При всем этом не отвратится гнев Его, и рука Его еще простерта.
Russian Synodal Version (RSV)
Public Domain
~Lena’s Comments~
Zebulun means exalted, Naphtali means wrestling. Everyday I wrestle with high thoughts that try to come against the growth of my faith. When I really make Jesus the Lord of my thoughtlife I will become filled with His glory. It’s like the thoughts that bring doubt and unbelief in God and His word fill up space, when I kick these out of my life, taking them down, there is more room for Him, for His truth, for His glory, so I am then filled with His glory. When I let those ungodly thoughts take up space they acted like blinds do to windows and the blinds were heavy and closed up. As I remove the blinds I see the light oh so clearly. It is funny how the light shined before the blinds were taken away, but I could not see it till I took the space they were using and emptied it. God wants us to win the wrestling match. It is funny, because I usually see it as a war He wants me to win, as though He is cheering me on, but in revelation I see that He’s already won this fight and does not even want me to wrestle at all. It’s like there’s no reason to. When our pastor painted a word picture recently of how small our enemy is, it made it seem almost uselsss to even engage in war with Him knowing how pitifully defeated he is already and how he is no match for God and for us who are God’s children with God’s spirit alive in us.
A "child is born", does refer to Jesus’ coming to earth, being born of a human being. But it also speaks of the child of God being raised inside of me. I was Born again of His spirit, a new creation in Christ, a baby in Christ. I’ve become a citizen of a new kingdom, learning a new language.I have a new king and I’m learning to know His names. Look at these names. It shows how much of my life he wants to govern and help keep in a godly mode. He’s Counselor for my soul, Mighty to fight and win every battle I’d ever engage in or be called to, Everlasting father shows me that I’m not alone and I’m eternally safe in Him. The peace he is is a peace that the world does not know, but that I can learn and take advantage of for every part of my being. This peace is all inclusive. It is what salvation is, health, wealth, soundness of mind, security for eternity and every other provision known and unknown to me. Peace is complete wholeness in Him, Without Him I cannot ever find this and will always in someway feel an emptiness inside of me. If I let Him rule all of this comes together for me. He is passionately committed to me, to saving me, to healing me, to knowing me, to loving me, to caring for me, to teaching me, to growing me up. He is committed to me. He is committed to you! He is committed to us. This is our guarantee.
God has a heart for His people, a passion to save us and show us righteous pathways. When we use our wills against Him we step over to the side of those who oppose Him. We make the position change by default, it just happens. Agreement lies in God disagreement lies in the enemy. It is a spiritual principle. I don’t mean, like disagreeing to do evil. I mean disagreement with God and His laws and what He says in His word. That contention cannot dwell where God is, where God dwells. He is all about love and whatever it takes to love and show love by being love, no matter what. He died, laid down His will to have the right to pay off our debts for us. Our and God’s enemy does not think or live that way. He wants His rights demanding them, trying to defend them, insisting on them, disagreeing for them and out for hisself, laying down the lives of others for more of self. He is independent, which causes him to really be alone. Aloneness is not an attribute of our Eternal Father God. When we feel alone we are in need of a crossing back over to our father’s "side". The darkness is closing in again, we must tear down the blinds and let the light shine.
Monday, May 30, 2005
Sunday, May 29, 2005
Today our Daily Bread Proverbs 3 ( English & Russian)
Proverbs 3
Trusting in the LORD
1 My child, never forget the things I have taught you. Store my commands in your heart, 2 for they will give you a long and satisfying life. 3 Never let loyalty and kindness get away from you! Wear them like a necklace; write them deep within your heart. 4 Then you will find favor with both God and people, and you will gain a good reputation.
5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. 6 Seek his will in all you do, and he will direct your paths.
7 Don't be impressed with your own wisdom. Instead, fear the LORD and turn your back on evil. 8 Then you will gain renewed health and vitality.
9 Honor the LORD with your wealth and with the best part of everything your land produces. 10 Then he will fill your barns with grain, and your vats will overflow with the finest wine.
11 My child, don't ignore it when the LORD disciplines you, and don't be discouraged when he corrects you. 12 For the LORD corrects those he loves, just as a father corrects a child in whom he delights.
13 Happy is the person who finds wisdom and gains understanding. 14 For the profit of wisdom is better than silver, and her wages are better than gold. 15 Wisdom is more precious than rubies; nothing you desire can compare with her. 16 She offers you life in her right hand, and riches and honor in her left. 17 She will guide you down delightful paths; all her ways are satisfying. 18 Wisdom is a tree of life to those who embrace her; happy are those who hold her tightly.
19 By wisdom the LORD founded the earth; by understanding he established the heavens. 20 By his knowledge the deep fountains of the earth burst forth, and the clouds poured down rain.
21 My child, don't lose sight of good planning and insight. Hang on to them, 22 for they fill you with life and bring you honor and respect. 23 They keep you safe on your way and keep your feet from stumbling. 24 You can lie down without fear and enjoy pleasant dreams. 25 You need not be afraid of disaster or the destruction that comes upon the wicked, 26 for the LORD is your security. He will keep your foot from being caught in a trap.
27 Do not withhold good from those who deserve it when it's in your power to help them. 28 If you can help your neighbor now, don't say, "Come back tomorrow, and then I'll help you."
29 Do not plot against your neighbors, for they trust you. 30 Don't make accusations against someone who hasn't wronged you.
31 Do not envy violent people; don't copy their ways. 32 Such wicked people are an abomination to the LORD, but he offers his friendship to the godly.
33 The curse of the LORD is on the house of the wicked, but his blessing is on the home of the upright.
34 The LORD mocks at mockers, but he shows favor to the humble.
35 The wise inherit honor, but fools are put to shame!
New Living Translation (NLT)
~ For Olga~
Притчи 3
1 Сын мой! наставления моего не забывай, и заповеди мои да хранит сердце твое;
2 ибо долготы дней, лет жизни и мира они приложат тебе.
3 Милость и истина да не оставляют тебя: обвяжи ими шею твою, напиши их на скрижали сердца твоего,
4 и обретешь милость и благоволение в очах Бога и людей.
5 Надейся на Господа всем сердцем твоим, и не полагайся на разум твой.
6 Во всех путях твоих познавай Его, и Он направит стези твои.
7 Не будь мудрецом в глазах твоих; бойся Господа и удаляйся от зла:
8 это будет здравием для тела твоего и питанием для костей твоих.
9 Чти Господа от имения твоего и от начатков всех прибытков твоих,
10 и наполнятся житницы твои до избытка, и точила твои будут переливаться новым вином.
11 Наказания Господня, сын мой, не отвергай, и не тяготись обличением Его;
12 ибо кого любит Господь, того наказывает и благоволит к тому, как отец к сыну своему.
13 Блажен человек, который снискал мудрость, и человек, который приобрел разум, --
14 потому что приобретение ее лучше приобретения серебра, и прибыли от нее больше, нежели от золота:
15 она дороже драгоценных камней; и ничто из желаемого тобою не сравнится с нею.
16 Долгоденствие--в правой руке ее, а в левой у нее--богатство и слава;
17 пути ее--пути приятные, и все стези ее--мирные.
18 Она--древо жизни для тех, которые приобретают ее, --и блаженны, которые сохраняют ее!
19 Господь премудростью основал землю, небеса утвердил разумом;
20 Его премудростью разверзлись бездны, и облака кропят росою.
21 Сын мой! не упускай их из глаз твоих; храни здравомыслие и рассудительность,
22 и они будут жизнью для души твоей и украшением для шеи твоей.
23 Тогда безопасно пойдешь по пути твоему, и нога твоя не споткнется.
24 Когда ляжешь спать, --не будешь бояться; и когда уснешь, --сон твой приятен будет.
25 Не убоишься внезапного страха и пагубы от нечестивых, когда она придет;
26 потому что Господь будет упованием твоим и сохранит ногу твою от уловления.
27 Не отказывай в благодеянии нуждающемуся, когда рука твоя в силе сделать его.
28 Не говори другу твоему: 'пойди и приди опять, и завтра я дам', когда ты имеешь при себе.
29 Не замышляй против ближнего твоего зла, когда он без опасения живет с тобою.
30 Не ссорься с человеком без причины, когда он не сделал зла тебе.
31 Не соревнуй человеку, поступающему насильственно, и не избирай ни одного из путей его;
32 потому что мерзость пред Господом развратный, а с праведными у Него общение.
33 Проклятие Господне на доме нечестивого, а жилище благочестивых Он благословляет.
34 Если над кощунниками Он посмевается, то смиренным дает благодать.
35 Мудрые наследуют славу, а глупые--бесславие.
Russian Synodal Version (RSV) Public Domain
~Lena’s Comments~
Obviously if one is concentrating on being loyal, that one should also concentrate on being kind. It appears that if these two characteristics are not working together their effectiveness alone is weak. It says NEVER let these characteristics get away from you! Never? Never. Why? To have favor with God, and then to also have favor with men. Why do we want favor? To be an effective worker in God’s kingdom, of course.
Do we like toiling all day long? Do we like "fishing all night?" No one does, yet we so often do when we only let one of these characteristics develop in us at once. We have got to have favor or we will have no effect for Christ in the earth. It is not only our personal reputation that is at stake here. It is the reputation of Christ.
Ever had a wrong thought about God? Where do you think it came from? A reputation someone who says they are His created for us. We also create this for others as we walk in what we have called His light.
My own wisdom will try to reason out God’s word. My own wisdom will try to figure God and His will out, if I feel it is reasonable then I will choose to follow it. What if it is unreasonable!?
Why is our relationship with God not healthy? Because we reason His word out and do not simply trust Him at His word. God’s will is rarely reasonable, It cannot be naturally figured out. Forget the figures, He’s infinite!
How do we honor the Lord with out income? I was thinking, of what we’ve recently begun to understand more – that I can work, work, work for more and more money and then end up working more and more for money, or I can work for God and make money. It is all about my thoughts on the matters. Where I work for money, do I do the work of Christ? Am I displaying God’s fruit and planting good seeds, using the opportunities given me, by simply being in a field with other people? Do I use it as a platform to launch relationships of an eternal nature? Maybe I don’t "witness" on my job, in the way of talking about God, but my life is a witness of the character of God and it invites others into a relationship with me that would give room for the truth to be built upon.
So, what if we are feeling corrected by God’s word right now in these passages? If I were a ship’s captain, I would want my course to be corrected if I were off or else I might crash. Why in America do we love to crash first, then figure it all out ourselves later on , then get ourselves back on course without anyone else’s help? That’s craziness and a waste of time.
God has set us in a family and has surrounded us with directioneers who are gracious enough to steer us towards safety and goals and to tell us if we are veering off course. It is a waste of our life’s time, which is only a brief season while we are here, and we ARE here to reach specific goals, Why would we waste time in meeting them? If we were a sea-bound freight company (is about money again or is it about working for God?) and we had a destination to make in order to get our money and satisfy our consumers, would be not do all that was in us to find out how to deliver the goods in a timely safe, expedient form? Then after we have met the "goal" we immediately go on to the next goal, studying how to get that one accomplished even more efficiently. We would not even consider being slack or doing it the way we thought it should be done, in fact we’d follow those who went before us and created a manual for us to follow. Are you catching on?
The goal is Christ. You can be anywhere on any part of the planet at any job or involved in any ministry or activity at any time and be Christ’s representative, making a reputation for Him or not. This is not about where we live or what job we have or what ministry call we are working towards fulfiling. It is about Christ in us which is the hope they have of ever entering glory in the here and now and the ever later.
A good sailor even takes orders and without question does the order, if he needs correction, he stands corrected and makes the necessary change so that the whole ship can stay on course. God does not correct us to reject us, He corrects us to head us on a straight path towards our goals. Wisdom is taking the correction as an action to be applied, apply it and go on.
The best help any of us can give another is to display Christ, set up an atmosphere for God’s spirit to move in for change. Helping others would be to obtain favor with people, because when we do we set them up to be eternally helped by God. Even giving a person a natural piece of bread will only help them right now in this temporary realm, where giving them the word of God will become both bread and water to their souls. If we demonstrate Christ to people we are doing them a great service, an eternal service. We’ve got to lay aside that which hinders Christ’s impression on them. So what if they don’t look like us, agree with us or act like us! That is not the goal, Christ is the goal. What would encourage the planting of Christ in them? Would winning that argument? Or proving your point? No, proving Him would encourage His being planted in their own lives.
Trusting in the LORD
1 My child, never forget the things I have taught you. Store my commands in your heart, 2 for they will give you a long and satisfying life. 3 Never let loyalty and kindness get away from you! Wear them like a necklace; write them deep within your heart. 4 Then you will find favor with both God and people, and you will gain a good reputation.
5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. 6 Seek his will in all you do, and he will direct your paths.
7 Don't be impressed with your own wisdom. Instead, fear the LORD and turn your back on evil. 8 Then you will gain renewed health and vitality.
9 Honor the LORD with your wealth and with the best part of everything your land produces. 10 Then he will fill your barns with grain, and your vats will overflow with the finest wine.
11 My child, don't ignore it when the LORD disciplines you, and don't be discouraged when he corrects you. 12 For the LORD corrects those he loves, just as a father corrects a child in whom he delights.
13 Happy is the person who finds wisdom and gains understanding. 14 For the profit of wisdom is better than silver, and her wages are better than gold. 15 Wisdom is more precious than rubies; nothing you desire can compare with her. 16 She offers you life in her right hand, and riches and honor in her left. 17 She will guide you down delightful paths; all her ways are satisfying. 18 Wisdom is a tree of life to those who embrace her; happy are those who hold her tightly.
19 By wisdom the LORD founded the earth; by understanding he established the heavens. 20 By his knowledge the deep fountains of the earth burst forth, and the clouds poured down rain.
21 My child, don't lose sight of good planning and insight. Hang on to them, 22 for they fill you with life and bring you honor and respect. 23 They keep you safe on your way and keep your feet from stumbling. 24 You can lie down without fear and enjoy pleasant dreams. 25 You need not be afraid of disaster or the destruction that comes upon the wicked, 26 for the LORD is your security. He will keep your foot from being caught in a trap.
27 Do not withhold good from those who deserve it when it's in your power to help them. 28 If you can help your neighbor now, don't say, "Come back tomorrow, and then I'll help you."
29 Do not plot against your neighbors, for they trust you. 30 Don't make accusations against someone who hasn't wronged you.
31 Do not envy violent people; don't copy their ways. 32 Such wicked people are an abomination to the LORD, but he offers his friendship to the godly.
33 The curse of the LORD is on the house of the wicked, but his blessing is on the home of the upright.
34 The LORD mocks at mockers, but he shows favor to the humble.
35 The wise inherit honor, but fools are put to shame!
New Living Translation (NLT)
~ For Olga~
Притчи 3
1 Сын мой! наставления моего не забывай, и заповеди мои да хранит сердце твое;
2 ибо долготы дней, лет жизни и мира они приложат тебе.
3 Милость и истина да не оставляют тебя: обвяжи ими шею твою, напиши их на скрижали сердца твоего,
4 и обретешь милость и благоволение в очах Бога и людей.
5 Надейся на Господа всем сердцем твоим, и не полагайся на разум твой.
6 Во всех путях твоих познавай Его, и Он направит стези твои.
7 Не будь мудрецом в глазах твоих; бойся Господа и удаляйся от зла:
8 это будет здравием для тела твоего и питанием для костей твоих.
9 Чти Господа от имения твоего и от начатков всех прибытков твоих,
10 и наполнятся житницы твои до избытка, и точила твои будут переливаться новым вином.
11 Наказания Господня, сын мой, не отвергай, и не тяготись обличением Его;
12 ибо кого любит Господь, того наказывает и благоволит к тому, как отец к сыну своему.
13 Блажен человек, который снискал мудрость, и человек, который приобрел разум, --
14 потому что приобретение ее лучше приобретения серебра, и прибыли от нее больше, нежели от золота:
15 она дороже драгоценных камней; и ничто из желаемого тобою не сравнится с нею.
16 Долгоденствие--в правой руке ее, а в левой у нее--богатство и слава;
17 пути ее--пути приятные, и все стези ее--мирные.
18 Она--древо жизни для тех, которые приобретают ее, --и блаженны, которые сохраняют ее!
19 Господь премудростью основал землю, небеса утвердил разумом;
20 Его премудростью разверзлись бездны, и облака кропят росою.
21 Сын мой! не упускай их из глаз твоих; храни здравомыслие и рассудительность,
22 и они будут жизнью для души твоей и украшением для шеи твоей.
23 Тогда безопасно пойдешь по пути твоему, и нога твоя не споткнется.
24 Когда ляжешь спать, --не будешь бояться; и когда уснешь, --сон твой приятен будет.
25 Не убоишься внезапного страха и пагубы от нечестивых, когда она придет;
26 потому что Господь будет упованием твоим и сохранит ногу твою от уловления.
27 Не отказывай в благодеянии нуждающемуся, когда рука твоя в силе сделать его.
28 Не говори другу твоему: 'пойди и приди опять, и завтра я дам', когда ты имеешь при себе.
29 Не замышляй против ближнего твоего зла, когда он без опасения живет с тобою.
30 Не ссорься с человеком без причины, когда он не сделал зла тебе.
31 Не соревнуй человеку, поступающему насильственно, и не избирай ни одного из путей его;
32 потому что мерзость пред Господом развратный, а с праведными у Него общение.
33 Проклятие Господне на доме нечестивого, а жилище благочестивых Он благословляет.
34 Если над кощунниками Он посмевается, то смиренным дает благодать.
35 Мудрые наследуют славу, а глупые--бесславие.
Russian Synodal Version (RSV) Public Domain
~Lena’s Comments~
Obviously if one is concentrating on being loyal, that one should also concentrate on being kind. It appears that if these two characteristics are not working together their effectiveness alone is weak. It says NEVER let these characteristics get away from you! Never? Never. Why? To have favor with God, and then to also have favor with men. Why do we want favor? To be an effective worker in God’s kingdom, of course.
Do we like toiling all day long? Do we like "fishing all night?" No one does, yet we so often do when we only let one of these characteristics develop in us at once. We have got to have favor or we will have no effect for Christ in the earth. It is not only our personal reputation that is at stake here. It is the reputation of Christ.
Ever had a wrong thought about God? Where do you think it came from? A reputation someone who says they are His created for us. We also create this for others as we walk in what we have called His light.
My own wisdom will try to reason out God’s word. My own wisdom will try to figure God and His will out, if I feel it is reasonable then I will choose to follow it. What if it is unreasonable!?
Why is our relationship with God not healthy? Because we reason His word out and do not simply trust Him at His word. God’s will is rarely reasonable, It cannot be naturally figured out. Forget the figures, He’s infinite!
How do we honor the Lord with out income? I was thinking, of what we’ve recently begun to understand more – that I can work, work, work for more and more money and then end up working more and more for money, or I can work for God and make money. It is all about my thoughts on the matters. Where I work for money, do I do the work of Christ? Am I displaying God’s fruit and planting good seeds, using the opportunities given me, by simply being in a field with other people? Do I use it as a platform to launch relationships of an eternal nature? Maybe I don’t "witness" on my job, in the way of talking about God, but my life is a witness of the character of God and it invites others into a relationship with me that would give room for the truth to be built upon.
So, what if we are feeling corrected by God’s word right now in these passages? If I were a ship’s captain, I would want my course to be corrected if I were off or else I might crash. Why in America do we love to crash first, then figure it all out ourselves later on , then get ourselves back on course without anyone else’s help? That’s craziness and a waste of time.
God has set us in a family and has surrounded us with directioneers who are gracious enough to steer us towards safety and goals and to tell us if we are veering off course. It is a waste of our life’s time, which is only a brief season while we are here, and we ARE here to reach specific goals, Why would we waste time in meeting them? If we were a sea-bound freight company (is about money again or is it about working for God?) and we had a destination to make in order to get our money and satisfy our consumers, would be not do all that was in us to find out how to deliver the goods in a timely safe, expedient form? Then after we have met the "goal" we immediately go on to the next goal, studying how to get that one accomplished even more efficiently. We would not even consider being slack or doing it the way we thought it should be done, in fact we’d follow those who went before us and created a manual for us to follow. Are you catching on?
The goal is Christ. You can be anywhere on any part of the planet at any job or involved in any ministry or activity at any time and be Christ’s representative, making a reputation for Him or not. This is not about where we live or what job we have or what ministry call we are working towards fulfiling. It is about Christ in us which is the hope they have of ever entering glory in the here and now and the ever later.
A good sailor even takes orders and without question does the order, if he needs correction, he stands corrected and makes the necessary change so that the whole ship can stay on course. God does not correct us to reject us, He corrects us to head us on a straight path towards our goals. Wisdom is taking the correction as an action to be applied, apply it and go on.
The best help any of us can give another is to display Christ, set up an atmosphere for God’s spirit to move in for change. Helping others would be to obtain favor with people, because when we do we set them up to be eternally helped by God. Even giving a person a natural piece of bread will only help them right now in this temporary realm, where giving them the word of God will become both bread and water to their souls. If we demonstrate Christ to people we are doing them a great service, an eternal service. We’ve got to lay aside that which hinders Christ’s impression on them. So what if they don’t look like us, agree with us or act like us! That is not the goal, Christ is the goal. What would encourage the planting of Christ in them? Would winning that argument? Or proving your point? No, proving Him would encourage His being planted in their own lives.
Saturday, May 28, 2005
Today Our Daily Bread Psalms 85 (English & Russian)
Psalm 85
For the choir director: A psalm of the descendants of Korah.
1 LORD, you have poured out amazing blessings on your land!You have restored the fortunes of Israel. 2 You have forgiven the guilt of your people--yes, you have covered all their sins.
Interlude
3 You have withdrawn your fury. You have ended your blazing anger.
4 Now turn to us again, O God of our salvation. Put aside your anger against us.
5 Will you be angry with us always? Will you prolong your wrath to distant generations?
6 Won't you revive us again, so your people can rejoice in you?
7 Show us your unfailing love, O LORD, and grant us your salvation.
8 I listen carefully to what God the LORD is saying, for he speaks peace to his people, his faithful ones.But let them not return to their foolish ways. 9 Surely his salvation is near to those who honor him; our land will be filled with his glory. 10 Unfailing love and truth have met together. Righteousness and peace have kissed! 11 Truth springs up from the earth, and righteousness smiles down from heaven.
12 Yes, the LORD pours down his blessings. Our land will yield its bountiful crops. 13 Righteousness goes as a herald before him, preparing the way for his steps.
New Living Translation (NLT)
~ For Olga~ Псалтирь 85
1 (84-1) ^^Начальнику хора. Кореевых сынов. Псалом.^^ (84-2) Господи! Ты умилосердился к земле Твоей, возвратил плен Иакова;
2( 84-3) простил беззаконие народа Твоего, покрыл все грехи его,
3 (84-4) отъял всю ярость Твою, отвратил лютость гнева Твоего.
4 (84-5) Восстанови нас, Боже спасения нашего, и прекрати негодование Твое на нас.
5 (84-6) Неужели вечно будешь гневаться на нас, прострешь гнев Твой от рода в род?
6 (84-7) Неужели снова не оживишь нас, чтобы народ Твой возрадовался о Тебе?
7 (84-8) Яви нам, Господи, милость Твою, и спасение Твое даруй нам.
8 (84-9) Послушаю, что скажет Господь Бог. Он скажет мир народу Своему и избранным Своим, но да не впадут они снова в безрассудство.
9 (84-10) Так, близко к боящимся Его спасение Его, чтобы обитала слава в земле нашей!
10 (84-11) Милость и истина сретятся, правда и мир облобызаются;
11 (84-12) истина возникнет из земли, и правда приникнет с небес;
12( 84-13) и Господь даст благо, и земля наша даст плод свой;
13 (84-14) правда пойдет пред Ним и поставит на путь стопы свои.
Russian Synodal Version (RSV)
Public Domain
~Lena's Comments~
Ps 24- the earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof, the world and they that dwell therein.
This is the Lord’s "land" what and who belong to Him. Blessings upon, the natural earth, which provides for the inhabitants, blessings on the inhabitants, both believers and yet to be believers. This writer has a thankful heart. Maybe his song of thanksgiving is an occasion to give thanks when every offer surrounding him is asking for complaint or restitution of its unkind actions. Obviously he is rehearsing the promises of God, which is beneficial to any who would rehearse them. Instead of looking for revenge or restitution of the works of the world and its ways, he is reminding himself of the restoration of the nation of God’s people (believers in the earth). There are really only 2 kingdoms on earth. Believers and unbelievers. All others fit in one of these. Israel represents believers. Even Israel has guilt to be pardoned, imperfections to be perfected by our Maker. Isn’t that cool how he brings this up in his prayer of praise? He is possibly angry for injustice done him by any of the world’s circumstances and is tempted to complain of it or look for restitution of the wrongs done him, then he quickly remembers that even he himself as a believer has his own set of weakness to deal with, This increases his praise and appreciation of redemption. Everyone needs redemption, the saved and the unsaved. The saved know it, the unsaved are waiting to get it and participate in it. Notice he changes the "person" to "them" and now has compassion by praying for them in their need to know of His love and redemption. This is a cycle.
*We cry out for ourselves in our pain and in what has been done to us,
*We remember the promises of God and our own weakness in comparing ourselves with His great love and power,
*We receive forgiveness for our complaints,
*We extend compassion for others in their need for the same promises,
*We enter intercession with praise and thanksgiving.
Notice how he says, he listens intently/carefully to what God is saying. That’s like the proverb that says incline your ear to My words. We have to move in closer to hear well.
What if we are angry, hurt, bitter, victimized, in doubt and unbelief etc? We probably are not in a place to hear and will be hindered from moving in closer. People who are hurt usually distance themselves from whomever they perceive has hurt them. Forgiving God is something many of us don’t think of doing, but it is very necessary, because our world has told us stories of Him that have been false. In our false perceptions we have blamed Him, been angry at Him and have distanced ourselves from Him, not hearing His words. Why listen to one whom you do not "trust". #1 we have to remove the false perceptions, recognize and identify them as lies of the enemy and then heal the breech all of this has caused in our relationship with God so we can hear His voice and trust Him, again. Notice even this writer fees God is angry at him? God is love. God loves His children. The only things he is angry about is sin and its abuse of His people and its efforts to keep His people separate from Him. THAT angers Him. That is a work of His original enemy-satan. Let’s cross over to the otherside! When we do we will find ourselves in the experience of His unfailing love. Who returns to foolishness? We do. God doesn’t put us there, we choose to go there. This writer is praying to have the strength to NOT Go THERE. Lord, I also pray for myself, that I would not choose to go there, but that I will see the opportunities before me and refuse them. It’s like that old campaign- "Just say no". You can’t say no to what you do not see. Lord, help me to see so I can say "NO"! "Just saying no" is not enough though. We have to say "yes" to God as Lord and Master of our Destiny. That takes trust, that takes faith, that takes reliance. I don’t want my destiny led and governed by God’s enemies. I want to be led by God. Lead me Lord, in Your righteous pathways.
For the choir director: A psalm of the descendants of Korah.
1 LORD, you have poured out amazing blessings on your land!You have restored the fortunes of Israel. 2 You have forgiven the guilt of your people--yes, you have covered all their sins.
Interlude
3 You have withdrawn your fury. You have ended your blazing anger.
4 Now turn to us again, O God of our salvation. Put aside your anger against us.
5 Will you be angry with us always? Will you prolong your wrath to distant generations?
6 Won't you revive us again, so your people can rejoice in you?
7 Show us your unfailing love, O LORD, and grant us your salvation.
8 I listen carefully to what God the LORD is saying, for he speaks peace to his people, his faithful ones.But let them not return to their foolish ways. 9 Surely his salvation is near to those who honor him; our land will be filled with his glory. 10 Unfailing love and truth have met together. Righteousness and peace have kissed! 11 Truth springs up from the earth, and righteousness smiles down from heaven.
12 Yes, the LORD pours down his blessings. Our land will yield its bountiful crops. 13 Righteousness goes as a herald before him, preparing the way for his steps.
New Living Translation (NLT)
~ For Olga~ Псалтирь 85
1 (84-1) ^^Начальнику хора. Кореевых сынов. Псалом.^^ (84-2) Господи! Ты умилосердился к земле Твоей, возвратил плен Иакова;
2( 84-3) простил беззаконие народа Твоего, покрыл все грехи его,
3 (84-4) отъял всю ярость Твою, отвратил лютость гнева Твоего.
4 (84-5) Восстанови нас, Боже спасения нашего, и прекрати негодование Твое на нас.
5 (84-6) Неужели вечно будешь гневаться на нас, прострешь гнев Твой от рода в род?
6 (84-7) Неужели снова не оживишь нас, чтобы народ Твой возрадовался о Тебе?
7 (84-8) Яви нам, Господи, милость Твою, и спасение Твое даруй нам.
8 (84-9) Послушаю, что скажет Господь Бог. Он скажет мир народу Своему и избранным Своим, но да не впадут они снова в безрассудство.
9 (84-10) Так, близко к боящимся Его спасение Его, чтобы обитала слава в земле нашей!
10 (84-11) Милость и истина сретятся, правда и мир облобызаются;
11 (84-12) истина возникнет из земли, и правда приникнет с небес;
12( 84-13) и Господь даст благо, и земля наша даст плод свой;
13 (84-14) правда пойдет пред Ним и поставит на путь стопы свои.
Russian Synodal Version (RSV)
Public Domain
~Lena's Comments~
Ps 24- the earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof, the world and they that dwell therein.
This is the Lord’s "land" what and who belong to Him. Blessings upon, the natural earth, which provides for the inhabitants, blessings on the inhabitants, both believers and yet to be believers. This writer has a thankful heart. Maybe his song of thanksgiving is an occasion to give thanks when every offer surrounding him is asking for complaint or restitution of its unkind actions. Obviously he is rehearsing the promises of God, which is beneficial to any who would rehearse them. Instead of looking for revenge or restitution of the works of the world and its ways, he is reminding himself of the restoration of the nation of God’s people (believers in the earth). There are really only 2 kingdoms on earth. Believers and unbelievers. All others fit in one of these. Israel represents believers. Even Israel has guilt to be pardoned, imperfections to be perfected by our Maker. Isn’t that cool how he brings this up in his prayer of praise? He is possibly angry for injustice done him by any of the world’s circumstances and is tempted to complain of it or look for restitution of the wrongs done him, then he quickly remembers that even he himself as a believer has his own set of weakness to deal with, This increases his praise and appreciation of redemption. Everyone needs redemption, the saved and the unsaved. The saved know it, the unsaved are waiting to get it and participate in it. Notice he changes the "person" to "them" and now has compassion by praying for them in their need to know of His love and redemption. This is a cycle.
*We cry out for ourselves in our pain and in what has been done to us,
*We remember the promises of God and our own weakness in comparing ourselves with His great love and power,
*We receive forgiveness for our complaints,
*We extend compassion for others in their need for the same promises,
*We enter intercession with praise and thanksgiving.
Notice how he says, he listens intently/carefully to what God is saying. That’s like the proverb that says incline your ear to My words. We have to move in closer to hear well.
What if we are angry, hurt, bitter, victimized, in doubt and unbelief etc? We probably are not in a place to hear and will be hindered from moving in closer. People who are hurt usually distance themselves from whomever they perceive has hurt them. Forgiving God is something many of us don’t think of doing, but it is very necessary, because our world has told us stories of Him that have been false. In our false perceptions we have blamed Him, been angry at Him and have distanced ourselves from Him, not hearing His words. Why listen to one whom you do not "trust". #1 we have to remove the false perceptions, recognize and identify them as lies of the enemy and then heal the breech all of this has caused in our relationship with God so we can hear His voice and trust Him, again. Notice even this writer fees God is angry at him? God is love. God loves His children. The only things he is angry about is sin and its abuse of His people and its efforts to keep His people separate from Him. THAT angers Him. That is a work of His original enemy-satan. Let’s cross over to the otherside! When we do we will find ourselves in the experience of His unfailing love. Who returns to foolishness? We do. God doesn’t put us there, we choose to go there. This writer is praying to have the strength to NOT Go THERE. Lord, I also pray for myself, that I would not choose to go there, but that I will see the opportunities before me and refuse them. It’s like that old campaign- "Just say no". You can’t say no to what you do not see. Lord, help me to see so I can say "NO"! "Just saying no" is not enough though. We have to say "yes" to God as Lord and Master of our Destiny. That takes trust, that takes faith, that takes reliance. I don’t want my destiny led and governed by God’s enemies. I want to be led by God. Lead me Lord, in Your righteous pathways.
Friday, May 27, 2005
Today Our Daily Bread Psalms 29 (English & Russian)
~ For Olga ~
Псалтирь 29
1 (28-1) ^^Псалом Давида.^^ Воздайте Господу, сыны Божии, воздайте Господу славу и честь,
2 (28-2) воздайте Господу славу имени Его; поклонитесь Господу в благолепном святилище [Его].
3 (28-3) Глас Господень над водами; Бог славы возгремел, Господь над водами многими.
4 (28-4) Глас Господа силен, глас Господа величествен.
5 (28-5) Глас Господа сокрушает кедры; Господь сокрушает кедры Ливанские
6 (28-6) и заставляет их скакать подобно тельцу, Ливан и Сирион, подобно молодому единорогу.
7 (28-7) Глас Господа высекает пламень огня.
8 (28-8) Глас Господа потрясает пустыню; потрясает Господь пустыню Кадес.
9 (28-9) Глас Господа разрешает от бремени ланей и обнажает леса; и во храме Его все возвещает о [Его] славе.
10 (28-10) Господь восседал над потопом, и будет восседать Господь царем вовек.
11 (28-11) Господь даст силу народу Своему, Господь благословит народ Свой миром.
Russian Synodal Version (RSV) Public Domain
Psalm 29 A Psalm of David.
1 ASCRIBE TO the Lord, O sons of the mighty, ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.
2 Give to the Lord the glory due to His name; worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness or in holy array.
3 The voice of the Lord is upon the waters; the God of glory thunders; the Lord is upon many (great) waters.
4 The voice of the Lord is powerful; the voice of the Lord is full of majesty.
5 The voice of the Lord breaks the cedars; yes, the Lord breaks in pieces the cedars of Lebanon.
6 He makes them also to skip like a calf; Lebanon and Sirion (Mount Hermon) like a young, wild ox.
7 The voice of the Lord splits and flashes forth forked lightning.
8 The voice of the Lord makes the wilderness tremble; the Lord shakes the Wilderness of Kadesh.
9 The voice of the Lord makes the hinds bring forth their young, and His voice strips bare the forests, while in His temple everyone is saying, Glory!
10 The Lord sat as King over the deluge; the Lord [still] sits as King [and] forever!
11 The Lord will give [unyielding and impenetrable] strength to His people; the Lord will bless His people with peace.
Amplified Bible (AMP)
~ Lena’s Comments ~
Ascribe means to give over to, to give permission for the use of, to give a permit to, to provide for. Ever thought of providing for God? We always think of Him as our provider, right? And so He is. We, His creation, also provide for Him a reflection of Himself, but only by our choosing. So if we PERMIT His works to be at work in us it strengthens God. Think about it. God wants to be demonstrated in a strong way in the earth. Say there were 5 people alive on earth who could choose God or not. If one of them chose to reflect God in the earth and because of that choice He infused them with His glory there would be a demonstration of 1/5th of His power and love demonstrated in earth, but if 2 decided to give God permission to use them as reflective lights in darkness then it would be 40% of the earth lit up with His glory. So the Lord is strengthened. When these two agree, even in the midst of the other 3, seemingly outnumbered, there is a supernatural increase of God’s power and this His glory in the earth.
In Women’s Bible Study Group this season there was a mention of holiness defined as DO-ing God’s word, Be-ing God’s word. That Holiness is not something we wear to church or put on only around those who know we go to church, but it is who we are everyday of every week. It is getting and hearing and doing the word of God in our everyday lives. This is a pleasing offering we give to God. What joy a parent has when they give wisdom to their children and their children listen and do their words, rather than try some of it, rebel against most of it, fake or lie about it, etc. Ever see your child walk right in the footsteps you painted with or for them and feel the joy of watching them succeed? Well, that’s how our Father is also strengthened when we walk in true holiness before Him.
Where do we hear the voice of God? In His word. Without knowing His word personally, we do not know Him personally. If the word has always been what we go to hear, because we should or we have to, or someone has made us to think it’s required, we do n’t know Him personally. That’s like going to a movie or a concert performance we didn’t want to see, we sit through, fulfill our obligation and leave, unchanged or uninfluenced because we were only there to fill space. I think of the places I want to be and the people I want to be with, there’s no obligation felt in that relationship, even if I’m asked by them to go here or there or do this or that. I want to because I love them and have enough of a relationship to desire to serve them. I also tune my ear towards hearing them because of my interest in hearing their particular voices. If I haven’t heard from them in awhile and they call, I quickly am pleased just to hear the sound of their voice, I welcome it. I’m in tune for it. I know how they speak to , with and at me. I believe God speaks to us first through the gain of understanding of His person through His word. I begin to trust in Him at His word, and know His ways through His word, THEN I begin to hear Him on a more personal level. Someone in our Cell mtg said the other night that if we start a new relationship, one of respect and honor, like say a job, which would be a boss- employee relationship, we start at the ground level, with minimal conversation on a personal level. As we build the respect of one another and gain trust then we can move to another level of relationship. If we breech that 1st level we may never get to the 2nd level. Relationships are built and every relationship needs a good strong foundation. If by chance yours was not built well it is never too late to go back and repair breeches or build new foundations, tear down old walls or whatever applies, even with God. I’ve found in my own walk with the Lord, that some of my relationship with Him was trying to be built upon false pretenses or misconceptions of Him, which were great hindrances to our communication. One such misconception was that He’d leave me someday, just as my own father had chosen to do. I wouldn’t pray this or say this to God, but later on He showed me through teachings that this is what motivated the kind of communication I was having at Him and also it hindered me from wanting to get close enough to Him to really hear Him personally. He was able to repair the false accusation against Him that I’d conjured up from my own past natural blood experiences and we were able to at least head towards the nest level of relational communication. My communication was very casual with Him, on purpose, subconscious purpose. Inside of me I had a lie that caused me to believe He did not really love me, why did we not call Him Father? My father, said he loved me, but was not able to demonstrate it as God would have. That was the link for me. I had a revelation that my father here was a natural man as I am also a natural woman, who makes mistakes and lives dealing with hurts from the past that shape relationships. I forgave him his weaknesses and then asked God to forgive me for my misconceptions of Him as THE Father. Offenses with God are great hindrances to hearing His voice. If through misconception we are casual with Him, or we rail at Him, question His every move, doubt His works etc, why would he speak with us?
Once we hear the sound of our Father’s voice, nothing can stand in the way – not rocks, not water, not wind, etc. His voice is the most powerful force in the universe. It/He created the world, he created us with the sound of His voice! We have to get to the place where we trust it, welcome it, believe it, desire it, and speak it in the earth. Don’t let anything hold you back.
Псалтирь 29
1 (28-1) ^^Псалом Давида.^^ Воздайте Господу, сыны Божии, воздайте Господу славу и честь,
2 (28-2) воздайте Господу славу имени Его; поклонитесь Господу в благолепном святилище [Его].
3 (28-3) Глас Господень над водами; Бог славы возгремел, Господь над водами многими.
4 (28-4) Глас Господа силен, глас Господа величествен.
5 (28-5) Глас Господа сокрушает кедры; Господь сокрушает кедры Ливанские
6 (28-6) и заставляет их скакать подобно тельцу, Ливан и Сирион, подобно молодому единорогу.
7 (28-7) Глас Господа высекает пламень огня.
8 (28-8) Глас Господа потрясает пустыню; потрясает Господь пустыню Кадес.
9 (28-9) Глас Господа разрешает от бремени ланей и обнажает леса; и во храме Его все возвещает о [Его] славе.
10 (28-10) Господь восседал над потопом, и будет восседать Господь царем вовек.
11 (28-11) Господь даст силу народу Своему, Господь благословит народ Свой миром.
Russian Synodal Version (RSV) Public Domain
Psalm 29 A Psalm of David.
1 ASCRIBE TO the Lord, O sons of the mighty, ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.
2 Give to the Lord the glory due to His name; worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness or in holy array.
3 The voice of the Lord is upon the waters; the God of glory thunders; the Lord is upon many (great) waters.
4 The voice of the Lord is powerful; the voice of the Lord is full of majesty.
5 The voice of the Lord breaks the cedars; yes, the Lord breaks in pieces the cedars of Lebanon.
6 He makes them also to skip like a calf; Lebanon and Sirion (Mount Hermon) like a young, wild ox.
7 The voice of the Lord splits and flashes forth forked lightning.
8 The voice of the Lord makes the wilderness tremble; the Lord shakes the Wilderness of Kadesh.
9 The voice of the Lord makes the hinds bring forth their young, and His voice strips bare the forests, while in His temple everyone is saying, Glory!
10 The Lord sat as King over the deluge; the Lord [still] sits as King [and] forever!
11 The Lord will give [unyielding and impenetrable] strength to His people; the Lord will bless His people with peace.
Amplified Bible (AMP)
~ Lena’s Comments ~
Ascribe means to give over to, to give permission for the use of, to give a permit to, to provide for. Ever thought of providing for God? We always think of Him as our provider, right? And so He is. We, His creation, also provide for Him a reflection of Himself, but only by our choosing. So if we PERMIT His works to be at work in us it strengthens God. Think about it. God wants to be demonstrated in a strong way in the earth. Say there were 5 people alive on earth who could choose God or not. If one of them chose to reflect God in the earth and because of that choice He infused them with His glory there would be a demonstration of 1/5th of His power and love demonstrated in earth, but if 2 decided to give God permission to use them as reflective lights in darkness then it would be 40% of the earth lit up with His glory. So the Lord is strengthened. When these two agree, even in the midst of the other 3, seemingly outnumbered, there is a supernatural increase of God’s power and this His glory in the earth.
In Women’s Bible Study Group this season there was a mention of holiness defined as DO-ing God’s word, Be-ing God’s word. That Holiness is not something we wear to church or put on only around those who know we go to church, but it is who we are everyday of every week. It is getting and hearing and doing the word of God in our everyday lives. This is a pleasing offering we give to God. What joy a parent has when they give wisdom to their children and their children listen and do their words, rather than try some of it, rebel against most of it, fake or lie about it, etc. Ever see your child walk right in the footsteps you painted with or for them and feel the joy of watching them succeed? Well, that’s how our Father is also strengthened when we walk in true holiness before Him.
Where do we hear the voice of God? In His word. Without knowing His word personally, we do not know Him personally. If the word has always been what we go to hear, because we should or we have to, or someone has made us to think it’s required, we do n’t know Him personally. That’s like going to a movie or a concert performance we didn’t want to see, we sit through, fulfill our obligation and leave, unchanged or uninfluenced because we were only there to fill space. I think of the places I want to be and the people I want to be with, there’s no obligation felt in that relationship, even if I’m asked by them to go here or there or do this or that. I want to because I love them and have enough of a relationship to desire to serve them. I also tune my ear towards hearing them because of my interest in hearing their particular voices. If I haven’t heard from them in awhile and they call, I quickly am pleased just to hear the sound of their voice, I welcome it. I’m in tune for it. I know how they speak to , with and at me. I believe God speaks to us first through the gain of understanding of His person through His word. I begin to trust in Him at His word, and know His ways through His word, THEN I begin to hear Him on a more personal level. Someone in our Cell mtg said the other night that if we start a new relationship, one of respect and honor, like say a job, which would be a boss- employee relationship, we start at the ground level, with minimal conversation on a personal level. As we build the respect of one another and gain trust then we can move to another level of relationship. If we breech that 1st level we may never get to the 2nd level. Relationships are built and every relationship needs a good strong foundation. If by chance yours was not built well it is never too late to go back and repair breeches or build new foundations, tear down old walls or whatever applies, even with God. I’ve found in my own walk with the Lord, that some of my relationship with Him was trying to be built upon false pretenses or misconceptions of Him, which were great hindrances to our communication. One such misconception was that He’d leave me someday, just as my own father had chosen to do. I wouldn’t pray this or say this to God, but later on He showed me through teachings that this is what motivated the kind of communication I was having at Him and also it hindered me from wanting to get close enough to Him to really hear Him personally. He was able to repair the false accusation against Him that I’d conjured up from my own past natural blood experiences and we were able to at least head towards the nest level of relational communication. My communication was very casual with Him, on purpose, subconscious purpose. Inside of me I had a lie that caused me to believe He did not really love me, why did we not call Him Father? My father, said he loved me, but was not able to demonstrate it as God would have. That was the link for me. I had a revelation that my father here was a natural man as I am also a natural woman, who makes mistakes and lives dealing with hurts from the past that shape relationships. I forgave him his weaknesses and then asked God to forgive me for my misconceptions of Him as THE Father. Offenses with God are great hindrances to hearing His voice. If through misconception we are casual with Him, or we rail at Him, question His every move, doubt His works etc, why would he speak with us?
Once we hear the sound of our Father’s voice, nothing can stand in the way – not rocks, not water, not wind, etc. His voice is the most powerful force in the universe. It/He created the world, he created us with the sound of His voice! We have to get to the place where we trust it, welcome it, believe it, desire it, and speak it in the earth. Don’t let anything hold you back.
Thursday, May 26, 2005
Today Our Daily Bread Ps 4 (English & Russian)
(Lena's comments in red today throughout)
Psalm 4
1 For the choir director:
A psalm of David, to be accompanied by stringed instruments.
Answer me when I call, O God who declares me innocent.
Take away my distress.
Have mercy on me and hear my prayer.
it seems like this is the prayer this person is praying to God:
2 How long will you people ruin my reputation? How long will you make these groundless accusations? How long will you pursue lies?
This sounds like the thoughts that have plagued his mind. The pain he was experiencing in life. Maybe he was even speaking to his own soul, asking himself why he would listen to any other thing than God’s word, because God’s word is the only real truth, the world offers us facts that conflict with His words and then tries to convince us that it is truth even though it may change its ideas tomorrow! God’s word does not change tomorrow, neither does his mind change because of whatever happens. It continues by saying: Stop a minute, stop the cycle of invasive thought. WAIT and take a look at the Word! (An Interlude is like a pause from one thing and the beginning of another thing inbetween).
I came across an article yesterday and have been using a suggestion they gave- when my heart or soul is becoming overwhelmed, I stop it, insisting that the thought pattern stop, like a policeman calling out "Halt". Then I take a brief moment to count to ten, in whatever creative way ya want, and then I pray in the spirit. I’m taking an interlude to clear the "air" so to speak and get my center on spiritual things of God and not natural things of this world. Notice there are 2 "Interludes" here. We need to take them as often as we need them! Even if it mean 2 a minute :-)
Interlude
3 You can be sure of this:
The LORD has set apart the godly for himself.
The LORD will answer when I call to him.
4 Don't sin by letting anger gain control over you. Think about it overnight and remain silent.
Interlude
5 Offer proper sacrifices, and trust in the LORD.
6 Many people say, "Who will show us better times?"
Let the smile of your face shine on us, LORD.
7 You have given me greater joy than those who have abundant harvests of grain and wine.
8 I will lie down in peace and sleep, for you alone, O LORD, (You) will keep me safe.
(NLT)
~ For Olga ~
Псалтирь 4
1^^Начальнику хора. На струнных [орудиях]. Псалом Давида.^^ (4-2) Когда я взываю, услышь меня, Боже правды моей! В тесноте Ты давал мне простор. Помилуй меня и услышь молитву мою.
2(4-3) Сыны мужей! доколе слава моя будет в поругании? доколе будете любить суету и искать лжи?
3(4-4) Знайте, что Господь отделил для Себя святаго Своего; Господь слышит, когда я призываю Его.
4(4-5) Гневаясь, не согрешайте: размыслите в сердцах ваших на ложах ваших, и утишитесь;
5(4-6) приносите жертвы правды и уповайте на Господа.
6(4-7) Многие говорят: 'кто покажет нам благо?' Яви нам свет лица Твоего, Господи!
7(4-8) Ты исполнил сердце мое веселием с того времени, как у них хлеб и вино умножились.
8(4-9) Спокойно ложусь я и сплю, ибо Ты, Господи, един даешь мне жить в безопасности.
Russian Synodal Version (RSV)
Public Domain
Psalm 4
1 For the choir director:
A psalm of David, to be accompanied by stringed instruments.
Answer me when I call, O God who declares me innocent.
Take away my distress.
Have mercy on me and hear my prayer.
it seems like this is the prayer this person is praying to God:
2 How long will you people ruin my reputation? How long will you make these groundless accusations? How long will you pursue lies?
This sounds like the thoughts that have plagued his mind. The pain he was experiencing in life. Maybe he was even speaking to his own soul, asking himself why he would listen to any other thing than God’s word, because God’s word is the only real truth, the world offers us facts that conflict with His words and then tries to convince us that it is truth even though it may change its ideas tomorrow! God’s word does not change tomorrow, neither does his mind change because of whatever happens. It continues by saying: Stop a minute, stop the cycle of invasive thought. WAIT and take a look at the Word! (An Interlude is like a pause from one thing and the beginning of another thing inbetween).
I came across an article yesterday and have been using a suggestion they gave- when my heart or soul is becoming overwhelmed, I stop it, insisting that the thought pattern stop, like a policeman calling out "Halt". Then I take a brief moment to count to ten, in whatever creative way ya want, and then I pray in the spirit. I’m taking an interlude to clear the "air" so to speak and get my center on spiritual things of God and not natural things of this world. Notice there are 2 "Interludes" here. We need to take them as often as we need them! Even if it mean 2 a minute :-)
Interlude
3 You can be sure of this:
The LORD has set apart the godly for himself.
The LORD will answer when I call to him.
4 Don't sin by letting anger gain control over you. Think about it overnight and remain silent.
Interlude
5 Offer proper sacrifices, and trust in the LORD.
6 Many people say, "Who will show us better times?"
Let the smile of your face shine on us, LORD.
7 You have given me greater joy than those who have abundant harvests of grain and wine.
8 I will lie down in peace and sleep, for you alone, O LORD, (You) will keep me safe.
(NLT)
~ For Olga ~
Псалтирь 4
1^^Начальнику хора. На струнных [орудиях]. Псалом Давида.^^ (4-2) Когда я взываю, услышь меня, Боже правды моей! В тесноте Ты давал мне простор. Помилуй меня и услышь молитву мою.
2(4-3) Сыны мужей! доколе слава моя будет в поругании? доколе будете любить суету и искать лжи?
3(4-4) Знайте, что Господь отделил для Себя святаго Своего; Господь слышит, когда я призываю Его.
4(4-5) Гневаясь, не согрешайте: размыслите в сердцах ваших на ложах ваших, и утишитесь;
5(4-6) приносите жертвы правды и уповайте на Господа.
6(4-7) Многие говорят: 'кто покажет нам благо?' Яви нам свет лица Твоего, Господи!
7(4-8) Ты исполнил сердце мое веселием с того времени, как у них хлеб и вино умножились.
8(4-9) Спокойно ложусь я и сплю, ибо Ты, Господи, един даешь мне жить в безопасности.
Russian Synodal Version (RSV)
Public Domain
Wednesday, May 25, 2005
Today Our Daily Bread Ephesians 2 (English & Russian)
(Scroll down for Olga’s translation & Lena’s Comments)
Ephesians 2: 1 - 22
1 It wasn't so long ago that you were mired in that old stagnant life of sin. 2 You let the world, which doesn't know the first thing about living, tell you how to live. You filled your lungs with polluted unbelief, and then exhaled disobedience. 3 We all did it, all of us doing what we felt like doing, when we felt like doing it, all of us in the same boat. It's a wonder God didn't lose his temper and do away with the whole lot of us.
4 Instead, immense in mercy and with an incredible love, 5 he embraced us. He took our sin-dead lives and made us alive in Christ. He did all this on his own, with no help from us! 6 Then he picked us up and set us down in highest heaven in company with Jesus, our Messiah. 7 Now God has us where he wants us, with all the time in this world and the next to shower grace and kindness upon us in Christ Jesus. 8 Saving is all his idea, and all his work. All we do is trust him enough to let him do it. It's God's gift from start to finish! 9 We don't play the major role. If we did, we'd probably go around bragging that we'd done the whole thing! 10 No, we neither make nor save ourselves. God does both the making and saving. He creates each of us by Christ Jesus to join him in the work he does, the good work he has gotten ready for us to do, work we had better be doing.
11 But don't take any of this for granted. It was only yesterday that you outsiders to God's ways 12 had no idea of any of this, didn't know the first thing about the way God works, hadn't the faintest idea of Christ. You knew nothing of that rich history of God's covenants and promises in Israel, hadn't a clue about what God was doing in the world at large. 13 Now because of Christ - dying that death, shedding that blood - you who were once out of it altogether are in on everything.
14 The Messiah has made things up between us so that we're now together on this, both non-Jewish outsiders and Jewish insiders. He tore down the wall we used to keep each other at a distance. 15 He repealed the law code that had become so clogged with fine print and footnotes that it hindered more than it helped. Then he started over. Instead of continuing with two groups of people separated by centuries of animosity and suspicion, he created a new kind of human being, a fresh start for everybody. 16 Christ brought us together through his death on the Cross. The Cross got us to embrace, and that was the end of the hostility. 17 Christ came and preached peace to you outsiders and peace to us insiders. 18 He treated us as equals, and so made us equals. Through him we both share the same Spirit and have equal access to the Father. 19 That's plain enough, isn't it? You're no longer wandering exiles. This kingdom of faith is now your home country. You're no longer strangers or outsiders. You belong here, with as much right to the name Christian as anyone. God is building a home. He's using us all - irrespective of how we got here - in what he is building. 20 He used the apostles and prophets for the foundation. Now he's using you, fitting you in brick by brick, stone by stone, with Christ Jesus as the cornerstone 21 that holds all the parts together. We see it taking shape day after day - a holy temple built by God, 22 all of us built into it, a temple in which God is quite at home.
~For Olga ~К Ефесянам 2
1 И вас, мертвых по преступлениям и грехам вашим, 2 в которых вы некогда жили, по обычаю мира сего, по [воле] князя, господствующего в воздухе, духа, действующего ныне в сынах противления, 3 между которыми и мы все жили некогда по нашим плотским похотям, исполняя желания плоти и помыслов, и были по природе чадами гнева, как и прочие, 4 Бог, богатый милостью, по Своей великой любви, которою возлюбил нас, 5 и нас, мертвых по преступлениям, оживотворил со Христом, --благодатью вы спасены, -- 6и воскресил с Ним, и посадил на небесах во Христе Иисусе, 7 дабы явить в грядущих веках преизобильное богатство благодати Своей в благости к нам во Христе Иисусе. 8 Ибо благодатью вы спасены через веру, и сие не от вас, Божий дар: 9не от дел, чтобы никто не хвалился. 10 Ибо мы--Его творение, созданы во Христе Иисусе на добрые дела, которые Бог предназначил нам исполнять. 11 Итак помните, что вы, некогда язычники по плоти, которых называли необрезанными так называемые обрезанные плотским [обрезанием], совершаемым руками, 12 что вы были в то время без Христа, отчуждены от общества Израильского, чужды заветов обетования, не имели надежды и были безбожники в мире.
13 А теперь во Христе Иисусе вы, бывшие некогда далеко, стали близки Кровию Христовою.
14 Ибо Он есть мир наш, соделавший из обоих одно и разрушивший стоявшую посреди преграду,
15 упразднив вражду Плотию Своею, а закон заповедей учением, дабы из двух создать в Себе Самом одного нового человека, устрояя мир, 16 и в одном теле примирить обоих с Богом посредством креста, убив вражду на нем. 17 И, придя, благовествовал мир вам, дальним и близким, 18 потому что через Него и те и другие имеем доступ к Отцу, в одном Духе.
19 Итак вы уже не чужие и не пришельцы, но сограждане святым и свои Богу, 20 быв утверждены на основании Апостолов и пророков, имея Самого Иисуса Христа краеугольным [камнем],
21 на котором все здание, слагаясь стройно, возрастает в святый храм в Господе, 22 на котором и вы устрояетесь в жилище Божие Духом.
Russian Synodal Version (RSV)
Public Domain
~ Lena’s Comments~
If we were God we would’ve been DONE w/ the whole lot of them- HUMANS!!! So a measure or gage for us as to whether we are still in more of the world than we are of God is, we allow the world to tell us how to live, and our lives are more doubt-filled than faith in God-filled. Actually doubt can be faith in that which opposes God. God’s grace is demonstrated in this very instance, where we do what we want that is not according to God’s way of doing things and He loves us anyway, and does not utterly destroy us! TRUST is a bog faith filled word. It’s like letting someone else do your laundry, or wash your car or take care of your kids, That’s how we show God we trust and rely on Him, we let Him do it instead of us doing it. We give what we think we could do just fine alone, and we let Him do it. We trust Him. We trust it may not be done our way, but He can do it however he wants even though it belongs to us rightfully. We let Him take the care of. Really this independent thinking is backwards. God is actually allowing us to use His property and take care of His kids. For the earth belongs to the Lord and all of the people that dwell in it. So this is amazing that He trusts us and lets us do stuff with His stuff, and do it our way. Amazing.
OK Maria, I did not know this was going to be our scripture today, but God knew…….So God moved us from one culture to another, one kingdom to another, one family to another and now He’d like for us to want to stay there, so He’s not only building us a house, but He’s making us into one of the buildings – permanently fixed in His City of covenant love and kingdom life citizenship! We not only have a place in God, we are a place in God!
Ephesians 2: 1 - 22
1 It wasn't so long ago that you were mired in that old stagnant life of sin. 2 You let the world, which doesn't know the first thing about living, tell you how to live. You filled your lungs with polluted unbelief, and then exhaled disobedience. 3 We all did it, all of us doing what we felt like doing, when we felt like doing it, all of us in the same boat. It's a wonder God didn't lose his temper and do away with the whole lot of us.
4 Instead, immense in mercy and with an incredible love, 5 he embraced us. He took our sin-dead lives and made us alive in Christ. He did all this on his own, with no help from us! 6 Then he picked us up and set us down in highest heaven in company with Jesus, our Messiah. 7 Now God has us where he wants us, with all the time in this world and the next to shower grace and kindness upon us in Christ Jesus. 8 Saving is all his idea, and all his work. All we do is trust him enough to let him do it. It's God's gift from start to finish! 9 We don't play the major role. If we did, we'd probably go around bragging that we'd done the whole thing! 10 No, we neither make nor save ourselves. God does both the making and saving. He creates each of us by Christ Jesus to join him in the work he does, the good work he has gotten ready for us to do, work we had better be doing.
11 But don't take any of this for granted. It was only yesterday that you outsiders to God's ways 12 had no idea of any of this, didn't know the first thing about the way God works, hadn't the faintest idea of Christ. You knew nothing of that rich history of God's covenants and promises in Israel, hadn't a clue about what God was doing in the world at large. 13 Now because of Christ - dying that death, shedding that blood - you who were once out of it altogether are in on everything.
14 The Messiah has made things up between us so that we're now together on this, both non-Jewish outsiders and Jewish insiders. He tore down the wall we used to keep each other at a distance. 15 He repealed the law code that had become so clogged with fine print and footnotes that it hindered more than it helped. Then he started over. Instead of continuing with two groups of people separated by centuries of animosity and suspicion, he created a new kind of human being, a fresh start for everybody. 16 Christ brought us together through his death on the Cross. The Cross got us to embrace, and that was the end of the hostility. 17 Christ came and preached peace to you outsiders and peace to us insiders. 18 He treated us as equals, and so made us equals. Through him we both share the same Spirit and have equal access to the Father. 19 That's plain enough, isn't it? You're no longer wandering exiles. This kingdom of faith is now your home country. You're no longer strangers or outsiders. You belong here, with as much right to the name Christian as anyone. God is building a home. He's using us all - irrespective of how we got here - in what he is building. 20 He used the apostles and prophets for the foundation. Now he's using you, fitting you in brick by brick, stone by stone, with Christ Jesus as the cornerstone 21 that holds all the parts together. We see it taking shape day after day - a holy temple built by God, 22 all of us built into it, a temple in which God is quite at home.
~For Olga ~К Ефесянам 2
1 И вас, мертвых по преступлениям и грехам вашим, 2 в которых вы некогда жили, по обычаю мира сего, по [воле] князя, господствующего в воздухе, духа, действующего ныне в сынах противления, 3 между которыми и мы все жили некогда по нашим плотским похотям, исполняя желания плоти и помыслов, и были по природе чадами гнева, как и прочие, 4 Бог, богатый милостью, по Своей великой любви, которою возлюбил нас, 5 и нас, мертвых по преступлениям, оживотворил со Христом, --благодатью вы спасены, -- 6и воскресил с Ним, и посадил на небесах во Христе Иисусе, 7 дабы явить в грядущих веках преизобильное богатство благодати Своей в благости к нам во Христе Иисусе. 8 Ибо благодатью вы спасены через веру, и сие не от вас, Божий дар: 9не от дел, чтобы никто не хвалился. 10 Ибо мы--Его творение, созданы во Христе Иисусе на добрые дела, которые Бог предназначил нам исполнять. 11 Итак помните, что вы, некогда язычники по плоти, которых называли необрезанными так называемые обрезанные плотским [обрезанием], совершаемым руками, 12 что вы были в то время без Христа, отчуждены от общества Израильского, чужды заветов обетования, не имели надежды и были безбожники в мире.
13 А теперь во Христе Иисусе вы, бывшие некогда далеко, стали близки Кровию Христовою.
14 Ибо Он есть мир наш, соделавший из обоих одно и разрушивший стоявшую посреди преграду,
15 упразднив вражду Плотию Своею, а закон заповедей учением, дабы из двух создать в Себе Самом одного нового человека, устрояя мир, 16 и в одном теле примирить обоих с Богом посредством креста, убив вражду на нем. 17 И, придя, благовествовал мир вам, дальним и близким, 18 потому что через Него и те и другие имеем доступ к Отцу, в одном Духе.
19 Итак вы уже не чужие и не пришельцы, но сограждане святым и свои Богу, 20 быв утверждены на основании Апостолов и пророков, имея Самого Иисуса Христа краеугольным [камнем],
21 на котором все здание, слагаясь стройно, возрастает в святый храм в Господе, 22 на котором и вы устрояетесь в жилище Божие Духом.
Russian Synodal Version (RSV)
Public Domain
~ Lena’s Comments~
If we were God we would’ve been DONE w/ the whole lot of them- HUMANS!!! So a measure or gage for us as to whether we are still in more of the world than we are of God is, we allow the world to tell us how to live, and our lives are more doubt-filled than faith in God-filled. Actually doubt can be faith in that which opposes God. God’s grace is demonstrated in this very instance, where we do what we want that is not according to God’s way of doing things and He loves us anyway, and does not utterly destroy us! TRUST is a bog faith filled word. It’s like letting someone else do your laundry, or wash your car or take care of your kids, That’s how we show God we trust and rely on Him, we let Him do it instead of us doing it. We give what we think we could do just fine alone, and we let Him do it. We trust Him. We trust it may not be done our way, but He can do it however he wants even though it belongs to us rightfully. We let Him take the care of. Really this independent thinking is backwards. God is actually allowing us to use His property and take care of His kids. For the earth belongs to the Lord and all of the people that dwell in it. So this is amazing that He trusts us and lets us do stuff with His stuff, and do it our way. Amazing.
OK Maria, I did not know this was going to be our scripture today, but God knew…….So God moved us from one culture to another, one kingdom to another, one family to another and now He’d like for us to want to stay there, so He’s not only building us a house, but He’s making us into one of the buildings – permanently fixed in His City of covenant love and kingdom life citizenship! We not only have a place in God, we are a place in God!
Tuesday, May 24, 2005
Today Our Daily Bread Rom 14
(scroll down to see "Olga’s Russian Translation" and "Lena’s Comments")
Romans 14
The Danger of Criticism
1 Accept Christians who are weak in faith, and don't argue with them about what they think is right or wrong. 2 For instance, one person believes it is all right to eat anything. But another believer who has a sensitive conscience will eat only vegetables. 3 Those who think it is all right to eat anything must not look down on those who won't. And those who won't eat certain foods must not condemn those who do, for God has accepted them. 4 Who are you to condemn God's servants? They are responsible to the Lord, so let him tell them whether they are right or wrong. The Lord's power will help them do as they should.
5 In the same way, some think one day is more holy than another day, while others think every day is alike. Each person should have a personal conviction about this matter. 6 Those who have a special day for worshiping the Lord are trying to honor him. Those who eat all kinds of food do so to honor the Lord, since they give thanks to God before eating. And those who won't eat everything also want to please the Lord and give thanks to God. 7 For we are not our own masters when we live or when we die. 8 While we live, we live to please the Lord. And when we die, we go to be with the Lord. So in life and in death, we belong to the Lord. 9 Christ died and rose again for this very purpose, so that he might be Lord of those who are alive and of those who have died.
10 So why do you condemn another Christian? Why do you look down on another Christian? Remember, each of us will stand personally before the judgment seat of God. 11 For the Scriptures say, " `As surely as I live,' says the Lord, `every knee will bow to me and every tongue will confess allegiance to God.' "
12 Yes, each of us will have to give a personal account to God. 13 So don't condemn each other anymore. Decide instead to live in such a way that you will not put an obstacle in another Christian's path.
14 I know and am perfectly sure on the authority of the Lord Jesus that no food, in and of itself, is wrong to eat. But if someone believes it is wrong, then for that person it is wrong. 15 And if another Christian is distressed by what you eat, you are not acting in love if you eat it. Don't let your eating ruin someone for whom Christ died. 16 Then you will not be condemned for doing something you know is all right.
17 For the Kingdom of God is not a matter of what we eat or drink, but of living a life of goodness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. 18 If you serve Christ with this attitude, you will please God. And other people will approve of you, too. 19 So then, let us aim for harmony in the church and try to build each other up. 20 Don't tear apart the work of God over what you eat. Remember, there is nothing wrong with these things in themselves. But it is wrong to eat anything if it makes another person stumble. 21 Don't eat meat or drink wine or do anything else if it might cause another Christian to stumble. 22 You may have the faith to believe that there is nothing wrong with what you are doing, but keep it between yourself and God. Blessed are those who do not condemn themselves by doing something they know is all right. 23 But if people have doubts about whether they should eat something, they shouldn't eat it. They would be condemned for not acting in faith before God. If you do anything you believe is not right, you are sinning.
New Living Translation (NLT)
~ For Olga ~
К Римлянам 14
1 Немощного в вере принимайте без споров о мнениях. 2 Ибо иной уверен, [что можно] есть все, а немощный ест овощи. 3 Кто ест, не уничижай того, кто не ест; и кто не ест, не осуждай того, кто ест, потому что Бог принял его. 4 Кто ты, осуждающий чужого раба? Перед своим Господом стоит он, или падает. И будет восставлен, ибо силен Бог восставить его. 5 Иной отличает день от дня, а другой судит о всяком дне [равно]. Всякий [поступай] по удостоверению своего ума. 6 Кто различает дни, для Господа различает; и кто не различает дней, для Господа не различает. Кто ест, для Господа ест, ибо благодарит Бога; и кто не ест, для Господа не ест, и благодарит Бога. 7 Ибо никто из нас не живет для себя, и никто не умирает для себя; 8 а живем ли--для Господа живем; умираем ли--для Господа умираем: и потому, живем ли или умираем, --[всегда] Господни. 9 Ибо Христос для того и умер, и воскрес, и ожил, чтобы владычествовать и над мертвыми и над живыми. 10 А ты что осуждаешь брата твоего? Или и ты, что унижаешь брата твоего? Все мы предстанем на суд Христов. 11 Ибо написано: живу Я, говорит Господь, предо Мною преклонится всякое колено, и всякий язык будет исповедывать Бога. 12 Итак каждый из нас за себя даст отчет Богу. 13 Не станем же более судить друг друга, а лучше судите о том, как бы не подавать брату [случая к] преткновению или соблазну. 14 Я знаю и уверен в Господе Иисусе, что нет ничего в себе самом нечистого; только почитающему что-либо нечистым, тому нечисто. 15 Если же за пищу огорчается брат твой, то ты уже не по любви поступаешь. Не губи твоею пищею того, за кого Христос умер. 16 Да не хулится ваше доброе. 17 Ибо Царствие Божие не пища и питие, но праведность и мир и радость во Святом Духе. 18 Кто сим служит Христу, тот угоден Богу и [достоин] одобрения от людей. 19 Итак будем искать того, что служит к миру и ко взаимному назиданию. 20 Ради пищи не разрушай дела Божия. Все чисто, но худо человеку, который ест на соблазн. 21 Лучше не есть мяса, не пить вина и не [делать] ничего [такого], отчего брат твой претыкается, или соблазняется, или изнемогает. 22 Ты имеешь веру? имей ее сам в себе, пред Богом. Блажен, кто не осуждает себя в том, что избирает. 23 А сомневающийся, если ест, осуждается, потому что не по вере; а все, что не по вере, грех.
Russian Synodal Version (RSV)
Public Domain
~ Lena’s Comments~
We all were given a conscience by God and we exercise that conscience before God. The biggest thing we as Christians (meaning ones who are like Christ is) must remember is that we will stand before God alone, both now and later on. We have our conscience and our convictions because of the growth of God’s spirit in us. Each of us grow at different rates. It reminds me of our family. We have a 21 year old and a 5 year old. The 21 year old may watch a type of movie that the 5 year old should not watch, or go do an activity that the 5 year old would not get to go do. This has to do with growth, perception and maturity. The 5 year old may not be real happy that sissy gets to watch something while she has to go to bed, but that is life and growth. There is no condemnation in that. There’s wisdom in it, but not judgement. In our religious upbringing we have had wrong ideas that if we are not all at the same place at the same time there is something very wrong and we actually have thought others not as "holy" or as "strong" as us. In truth they may be weaker than we are, just as Cassia who’s 5 is weaker than Jazz who’s 21. That is normal life and not something to be put down or to put others down about. A true parental heart or brotherly heart would understand the stages of growth with acceptance and patient endurance, actually experiencing the joy of watching others grow and change. We talk about this a lot in our Cell meetings and God does look at us this way. A good godly parent has joy in the stage his child is at and does not make his child grow to a place he should not be at, with anger, hatred, frustration, pressure etc. If the child is an infant, there is joy that they are alive and breathing, and using their body functions, even crying. Then is they start to crawl, the parent has joy, he doesn’t get angry "judging" the child for not walking! He will begin to encourage the walking as he sees signs that that child is ready to walk, but he does not condemn him because of the stage he is in. This is so important to consider as Christians and it is harder to think this way because we are all saved at different stages of our physical lives. There is a scripture that says don’t regard men after the natural life, but after the spiritual life they are living (Lena paraphrase :-)
Romans 14
The Danger of Criticism
1 Accept Christians who are weak in faith, and don't argue with them about what they think is right or wrong. 2 For instance, one person believes it is all right to eat anything. But another believer who has a sensitive conscience will eat only vegetables. 3 Those who think it is all right to eat anything must not look down on those who won't. And those who won't eat certain foods must not condemn those who do, for God has accepted them. 4 Who are you to condemn God's servants? They are responsible to the Lord, so let him tell them whether they are right or wrong. The Lord's power will help them do as they should.
5 In the same way, some think one day is more holy than another day, while others think every day is alike. Each person should have a personal conviction about this matter. 6 Those who have a special day for worshiping the Lord are trying to honor him. Those who eat all kinds of food do so to honor the Lord, since they give thanks to God before eating. And those who won't eat everything also want to please the Lord and give thanks to God. 7 For we are not our own masters when we live or when we die. 8 While we live, we live to please the Lord. And when we die, we go to be with the Lord. So in life and in death, we belong to the Lord. 9 Christ died and rose again for this very purpose, so that he might be Lord of those who are alive and of those who have died.
10 So why do you condemn another Christian? Why do you look down on another Christian? Remember, each of us will stand personally before the judgment seat of God. 11 For the Scriptures say, " `As surely as I live,' says the Lord, `every knee will bow to me and every tongue will confess allegiance to God.' "
12 Yes, each of us will have to give a personal account to God. 13 So don't condemn each other anymore. Decide instead to live in such a way that you will not put an obstacle in another Christian's path.
14 I know and am perfectly sure on the authority of the Lord Jesus that no food, in and of itself, is wrong to eat. But if someone believes it is wrong, then for that person it is wrong. 15 And if another Christian is distressed by what you eat, you are not acting in love if you eat it. Don't let your eating ruin someone for whom Christ died. 16 Then you will not be condemned for doing something you know is all right.
17 For the Kingdom of God is not a matter of what we eat or drink, but of living a life of goodness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. 18 If you serve Christ with this attitude, you will please God. And other people will approve of you, too. 19 So then, let us aim for harmony in the church and try to build each other up. 20 Don't tear apart the work of God over what you eat. Remember, there is nothing wrong with these things in themselves. But it is wrong to eat anything if it makes another person stumble. 21 Don't eat meat or drink wine or do anything else if it might cause another Christian to stumble. 22 You may have the faith to believe that there is nothing wrong with what you are doing, but keep it between yourself and God. Blessed are those who do not condemn themselves by doing something they know is all right. 23 But if people have doubts about whether they should eat something, they shouldn't eat it. They would be condemned for not acting in faith before God. If you do anything you believe is not right, you are sinning.
New Living Translation (NLT)
~ For Olga ~
К Римлянам 14
1 Немощного в вере принимайте без споров о мнениях. 2 Ибо иной уверен, [что можно] есть все, а немощный ест овощи. 3 Кто ест, не уничижай того, кто не ест; и кто не ест, не осуждай того, кто ест, потому что Бог принял его. 4 Кто ты, осуждающий чужого раба? Перед своим Господом стоит он, или падает. И будет восставлен, ибо силен Бог восставить его. 5 Иной отличает день от дня, а другой судит о всяком дне [равно]. Всякий [поступай] по удостоверению своего ума. 6 Кто различает дни, для Господа различает; и кто не различает дней, для Господа не различает. Кто ест, для Господа ест, ибо благодарит Бога; и кто не ест, для Господа не ест, и благодарит Бога. 7 Ибо никто из нас не живет для себя, и никто не умирает для себя; 8 а живем ли--для Господа живем; умираем ли--для Господа умираем: и потому, живем ли или умираем, --[всегда] Господни. 9 Ибо Христос для того и умер, и воскрес, и ожил, чтобы владычествовать и над мертвыми и над живыми. 10 А ты что осуждаешь брата твоего? Или и ты, что унижаешь брата твоего? Все мы предстанем на суд Христов. 11 Ибо написано: живу Я, говорит Господь, предо Мною преклонится всякое колено, и всякий язык будет исповедывать Бога. 12 Итак каждый из нас за себя даст отчет Богу. 13 Не станем же более судить друг друга, а лучше судите о том, как бы не подавать брату [случая к] преткновению или соблазну. 14 Я знаю и уверен в Господе Иисусе, что нет ничего в себе самом нечистого; только почитающему что-либо нечистым, тому нечисто. 15 Если же за пищу огорчается брат твой, то ты уже не по любви поступаешь. Не губи твоею пищею того, за кого Христос умер. 16 Да не хулится ваше доброе. 17 Ибо Царствие Божие не пища и питие, но праведность и мир и радость во Святом Духе. 18 Кто сим служит Христу, тот угоден Богу и [достоин] одобрения от людей. 19 Итак будем искать того, что служит к миру и ко взаимному назиданию. 20 Ради пищи не разрушай дела Божия. Все чисто, но худо человеку, который ест на соблазн. 21 Лучше не есть мяса, не пить вина и не [делать] ничего [такого], отчего брат твой претыкается, или соблазняется, или изнемогает. 22 Ты имеешь веру? имей ее сам в себе, пред Богом. Блажен, кто не осуждает себя в том, что избирает. 23 А сомневающийся, если ест, осуждается, потому что не по вере; а все, что не по вере, грех.
Russian Synodal Version (RSV)
Public Domain
~ Lena’s Comments~
We all were given a conscience by God and we exercise that conscience before God. The biggest thing we as Christians (meaning ones who are like Christ is) must remember is that we will stand before God alone, both now and later on. We have our conscience and our convictions because of the growth of God’s spirit in us. Each of us grow at different rates. It reminds me of our family. We have a 21 year old and a 5 year old. The 21 year old may watch a type of movie that the 5 year old should not watch, or go do an activity that the 5 year old would not get to go do. This has to do with growth, perception and maturity. The 5 year old may not be real happy that sissy gets to watch something while she has to go to bed, but that is life and growth. There is no condemnation in that. There’s wisdom in it, but not judgement. In our religious upbringing we have had wrong ideas that if we are not all at the same place at the same time there is something very wrong and we actually have thought others not as "holy" or as "strong" as us. In truth they may be weaker than we are, just as Cassia who’s 5 is weaker than Jazz who’s 21. That is normal life and not something to be put down or to put others down about. A true parental heart or brotherly heart would understand the stages of growth with acceptance and patient endurance, actually experiencing the joy of watching others grow and change. We talk about this a lot in our Cell meetings and God does look at us this way. A good godly parent has joy in the stage his child is at and does not make his child grow to a place he should not be at, with anger, hatred, frustration, pressure etc. If the child is an infant, there is joy that they are alive and breathing, and using their body functions, even crying. Then is they start to crawl, the parent has joy, he doesn’t get angry "judging" the child for not walking! He will begin to encourage the walking as he sees signs that that child is ready to walk, but he does not condemn him because of the stage he is in. This is so important to consider as Christians and it is harder to think this way because we are all saved at different stages of our physical lives. There is a scripture that says don’t regard men after the natural life, but after the spiritual life they are living (Lena paraphrase :-)
Monday, May 23, 2005
Today Our Daily Bread John 14
John 14
Jesus, the Way to the Father
1 "Don't be troubled. You trust God, now trust in me. 2 There are many rooms in my Father's home, and I am going to prepare a place for you. If this were not so, I would tell you plainly. 3 When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am. 4 And you know where I am going and how to get there."
5 "No, we don't know, Lord," Thomas said. "We haven't any idea where you are going, so how can we know the way?" 6 Jesus told him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me. 7 If you had known who I am, then you would have known who my Father is. From now on you know him and have seen him!" 8 Philip said, "Lord, show us the Father and we will be satisfied." 9 Jesus replied, "Philip, don't you even yet know who I am, even after all the time I have been with you? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father! So why are you asking to see him? 10 Don't you believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words I say are not my own, but my Father who lives in me does his work through me. 11 Just believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me. Or at least believe because of what you have seen me do. 12 "The truth is, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father. 13 You can ask for anything in my name, and I will do it, because the work of the Son brings glory to the Father. 14 Yes, ask anything in my name, and I will do it!
Jesus Promises the Holy Spirit
15 "If you love me, obey my commandments. 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor, who will never leave you. 17 He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. The world at large cannot receive him, because it isn't looking for him and doesn't recognize him. But you do, because he lives with you now and later will be in you. 18 No, I will not abandon you as orphans--I will come to you. 19 In just a little while the world will not see me again, but you will. For I will live again, and you will, too. 20 When I am raised to life again, you will know that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. 21 Those who obey my commandments are the ones who love me. And because they love me, my Father will love them, and I will love them. And I will reveal myself to each one of them."
22 Judas (not Judas Iscariot, but the other disciple with that name) said to him, "Lord, why are you going to reveal yourself only to us and not to the world at large?"
23 Jesus replied, "All those who love me will do what I say. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and live with them. 24 Anyone who doesn't love me will not do what I say. And remember, my words are not my own. This message is from the Father who sent me. 25 I am telling you these things now while I am still with you. 26 But when the Father sends the Counselor as my representative--and by the Counselor I mean the Holy Spirit--he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I myself have told you.
27 "I am leaving you with a gift--peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give isn't like the peace the world gives. So don't be troubled or afraid. 28 Remember what I told you: I am going away, but I will come back to you again. If you really love me, you will be very happy for me, because now I can go to the Father, who is greater than I am. 29 I have told you these things before they happen so that you will believe when they do happen.
30 "I don't have much more time to talk to you, because the prince of this world approaches. He has no power over me, 31 but I will do what the Father requires of me, so that the world will know that I love the Father. Come, let's be going.
New Living Translation (NLT)
~For Olga ~
От Иоанна 14
1 Да не смущается сердце ваше; веруйте в Бога, и в Меня веруйте. 2 В доме Отца Моего обителей много. А если бы не так, Я сказал бы вам: Я иду приготовить место вам. 3 И когда пойду и приготовлю вам место, приду опять и возьму вас к Себе, чтобы и вы были, где Я. 4 А куда Я иду, вы знаете, и путь знаете. 5 Фома сказал Ему: Господи! не знаем, куда идешь; и как можем знать путь? 6 Иисус сказал ему: Я есмь путь и истина и жизнь; никто не приходит к Отцу, как только через Меня.
7 Если бы вы знали Меня, то знали бы и Отца Моего. И отныне знаете Его и видели Его. 8 Филипп сказал Ему: Господи! покажи нам Отца, и довольно для нас.
9 Иисус сказал ему: столько времени Я с вами, и ты не знаешь Меня, Филипп? Видевший Меня видел Отца; как же ты говоришь, покажи нам Отца? 10 Разве ты не веришь, что Я в Отце и Отец во Мне? Слова, которые говорю Я вам, говорю не от Себя; Отец, пребывающий во Мне, Он творит дела. 11 Верьте Мне, что Я в Отце и Отец во Мне; а если не так, то верьте Мне по самым делам. 12 Истинно, истинно говорю вам: верующий в Меня, дела, которые творю Я, и он сотворит, и больше сих сотворит, потому что Я к Отцу Моему иду. 13 И если чего попросите у Отца во имя Мое, то сделаю, да прославится Отец в Сыне. 14 Если чего попросите во имя Мое, Я то сделаю. 15 Если любите Меня, соблюдите Мои заповеди. 16 И Я умолю Отца, и даст вам другого Утешителя, да пребудет с вами вовек, 17 Духа истины, Которого мир не может принять, потому что не видит Его и не знает Его; а вы знаете Его, ибо Он с вами пребывает и в вас будет. 18 Не оставлю вас сиротами; приду к вам.
19 Еще немного, и мир уже не увидит Меня; а вы увидите Меня, ибо Я живу, и вы будете жить. 20 В тот день узнаете вы, что Я в Отце Моем, и вы во Мне, и Я в вас.
21 Кто имеет заповеди Мои и соблюдает их, тот любит Меня; а кто любит Меня, тот возлюблен будет Отцем Моим; и Я возлюблю его и явлюсь ему Сам. 22 Иуда--не Искариот--говорит Ему: Господи! что это, что Ты хочешь явить Себя нам, а не миру? 23 Иисус сказал ему в ответ: кто любит Меня, тот соблюдет слово Мое; и Отец Мой возлюбит его, и Мы придем к нему и обитель у него сотворим.24 Нелюбящий Меня не соблюдает слов Моих; слово же, которое вы слышите, не есть Мое, но пославшего Меня Отца. 25 Сие сказал Я вам, находясь с вами. 26 Утешитель же, Дух Святый, Которого пошлет Отец во имя Мое, научит вас всему и напомнит вам все, что Я говорил вам. 27 Мир оставляю вам, мир Мой даю вам; не так, как мир дает, Я даю вам. Да не смущается сердце ваше и да не устрашается. 28 Вы слышали, что Я сказал вам: иду от вас и приду к вам. Если бы вы любили Меня, то возрадовались бы, что Я сказал: иду к Отцу; ибо Отец Мой более Меня. 29 И вот, Я сказал вам [о том], прежде нежели сбылось, дабы вы поверили, когда сбудется. 30 Уже немного Мне говорить с вами; ибо идет князь мира сего, и во Мне не имеет ничего. 31 Но чтобы мир знал, что Я люблю Отца и, как заповедал Мне Отец, так и творю: встаньте, пойдем отсюда.
Russian Synodal Version (RSV)
Public Domain
~Lena’s Comments~
"There" is wherever God the father and His Son Jesus Christ is at. In that place is where they want us to live also. Wherever they live, they want us to live, wherever they go they want us to go also. I’m not sure if this is a physical place or another dimension. It could very well be a state of being. Kind of like not matter where you travel or if you are at home or work or whatever, you are still you mother’s child. That is a state of being. It cannot be changed by any location at anytime ever. In order to be God’s child we must believe in and accept Jesus as the very action that makes us His child. Just as being born through our natural mother’s wombs made us a physical child with specific natural parents, so does believing in and following Jesus cause us to be spiritually born into God’s family and we are then made God the Father’s child. Jesus’ life on earth was a clear picture of what God the Father is like. If we look at Jesus’ life in the word, we’ll get a very clear idea of how God thinks and acts. We’ll be able to know who God is. Jesus and the father God are One- what one thinks and what one does the other thinks and does. He was/is an exact representation of God, because he is also God, because they are one. Jesus was throwing an idea out there to see if we would get a hold of it to, That idea was that we also as a born again child of God's covenant love, can also be One with God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. He wants us to desire this Oneness and ask for and seek after it. It brings more of God-likeness in the earth. Have you ever heard people say, "Oh look at that child, he is the spittin’ image of his father?" That is what God wants people in the earth to be saying about His children who have been born spiritually and have become His children and who are growing up to be like Him. Jesus begins to taolk about the 3rd person of the Godhead, that os the personality of the complete Oneness of God. This is found in the father, The Son & now Jesus mentions The Holy Spirit. When we are born from our mothers here on earth we come out of the womb and breathe our first breath and we say the child is now alive and living. A living human being. If the child did not take a breath, they would not be alive. When we are born again and become God’s spiritual child we also need to breathe in the breath that gives us spiritual life, just as air gives us natural life. This spiritual breath id The Holy Spirit. Jesus said we’d be able to live our new life in Christ or our new Christian life, where we become more and more like God, if we have this spiritual life in us; if we’re made alive by His Holy Spirit. He says having this life in us is like having a teacher living inside of us and a comforter alive in us. Jesus who was showing us the father God was going to leave earth and go be with the Father God again. When Jesus left we’d be left without that picture of God around us all of the time, but if he left the 3rd part of God here with us we’d be able to learn about the things that God is like through Him. The neat things too is that Jesus could only be one place at a time, but the inspiration of His Holy Spirit could be breathed in anyone who wants to have spiritual life through Christ! Think of it as natural breath. Is that just for one person and no others? Of course not. We can all have it and do get it when we are born, In the same way we all can have the spiritual breath of the Holy Spirit. Isn’t that a wonder, that instead of being only one person in one place, God can actually live in whoever wants to breath of spiritual life?! Jesus also refers to Him as the spirit of peace. Peace is a word that means made complete. It’s like Jesus is saying , this Holy Spirit will make you complete. And will make the picture of the Godhead you need to see become complete. When we have children we are expected to raise them up to be responsible and good people. This training comes through example and teachings, which in order to be carried out the child must receive the training and do it, we call that obedience to the training. God is training us to be as He is and do as He does. The Holy Spirit will teach us His ways and as we do them we are responding to God and His love with obedience. So Jesus says- If you really love me , you’ll obey Me. It’s a natural response in demonstration toHis love.
Jesus, the Way to the Father
1 "Don't be troubled. You trust God, now trust in me. 2 There are many rooms in my Father's home, and I am going to prepare a place for you. If this were not so, I would tell you plainly. 3 When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am. 4 And you know where I am going and how to get there."
5 "No, we don't know, Lord," Thomas said. "We haven't any idea where you are going, so how can we know the way?" 6 Jesus told him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me. 7 If you had known who I am, then you would have known who my Father is. From now on you know him and have seen him!" 8 Philip said, "Lord, show us the Father and we will be satisfied." 9 Jesus replied, "Philip, don't you even yet know who I am, even after all the time I have been with you? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father! So why are you asking to see him? 10 Don't you believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words I say are not my own, but my Father who lives in me does his work through me. 11 Just believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me. Or at least believe because of what you have seen me do. 12 "The truth is, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father. 13 You can ask for anything in my name, and I will do it, because the work of the Son brings glory to the Father. 14 Yes, ask anything in my name, and I will do it!
Jesus Promises the Holy Spirit
15 "If you love me, obey my commandments. 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor, who will never leave you. 17 He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. The world at large cannot receive him, because it isn't looking for him and doesn't recognize him. But you do, because he lives with you now and later will be in you. 18 No, I will not abandon you as orphans--I will come to you. 19 In just a little while the world will not see me again, but you will. For I will live again, and you will, too. 20 When I am raised to life again, you will know that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. 21 Those who obey my commandments are the ones who love me. And because they love me, my Father will love them, and I will love them. And I will reveal myself to each one of them."
22 Judas (not Judas Iscariot, but the other disciple with that name) said to him, "Lord, why are you going to reveal yourself only to us and not to the world at large?"
23 Jesus replied, "All those who love me will do what I say. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and live with them. 24 Anyone who doesn't love me will not do what I say. And remember, my words are not my own. This message is from the Father who sent me. 25 I am telling you these things now while I am still with you. 26 But when the Father sends the Counselor as my representative--and by the Counselor I mean the Holy Spirit--he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I myself have told you.
27 "I am leaving you with a gift--peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give isn't like the peace the world gives. So don't be troubled or afraid. 28 Remember what I told you: I am going away, but I will come back to you again. If you really love me, you will be very happy for me, because now I can go to the Father, who is greater than I am. 29 I have told you these things before they happen so that you will believe when they do happen.
30 "I don't have much more time to talk to you, because the prince of this world approaches. He has no power over me, 31 but I will do what the Father requires of me, so that the world will know that I love the Father. Come, let's be going.
New Living Translation (NLT)
~For Olga ~
От Иоанна 14
1 Да не смущается сердце ваше; веруйте в Бога, и в Меня веруйте. 2 В доме Отца Моего обителей много. А если бы не так, Я сказал бы вам: Я иду приготовить место вам. 3 И когда пойду и приготовлю вам место, приду опять и возьму вас к Себе, чтобы и вы были, где Я. 4 А куда Я иду, вы знаете, и путь знаете. 5 Фома сказал Ему: Господи! не знаем, куда идешь; и как можем знать путь? 6 Иисус сказал ему: Я есмь путь и истина и жизнь; никто не приходит к Отцу, как только через Меня.
7 Если бы вы знали Меня, то знали бы и Отца Моего. И отныне знаете Его и видели Его. 8 Филипп сказал Ему: Господи! покажи нам Отца, и довольно для нас.
9 Иисус сказал ему: столько времени Я с вами, и ты не знаешь Меня, Филипп? Видевший Меня видел Отца; как же ты говоришь, покажи нам Отца? 10 Разве ты не веришь, что Я в Отце и Отец во Мне? Слова, которые говорю Я вам, говорю не от Себя; Отец, пребывающий во Мне, Он творит дела. 11 Верьте Мне, что Я в Отце и Отец во Мне; а если не так, то верьте Мне по самым делам. 12 Истинно, истинно говорю вам: верующий в Меня, дела, которые творю Я, и он сотворит, и больше сих сотворит, потому что Я к Отцу Моему иду. 13 И если чего попросите у Отца во имя Мое, то сделаю, да прославится Отец в Сыне. 14 Если чего попросите во имя Мое, Я то сделаю. 15 Если любите Меня, соблюдите Мои заповеди. 16 И Я умолю Отца, и даст вам другого Утешителя, да пребудет с вами вовек, 17 Духа истины, Которого мир не может принять, потому что не видит Его и не знает Его; а вы знаете Его, ибо Он с вами пребывает и в вас будет. 18 Не оставлю вас сиротами; приду к вам.
19 Еще немного, и мир уже не увидит Меня; а вы увидите Меня, ибо Я живу, и вы будете жить. 20 В тот день узнаете вы, что Я в Отце Моем, и вы во Мне, и Я в вас.
21 Кто имеет заповеди Мои и соблюдает их, тот любит Меня; а кто любит Меня, тот возлюблен будет Отцем Моим; и Я возлюблю его и явлюсь ему Сам. 22 Иуда--не Искариот--говорит Ему: Господи! что это, что Ты хочешь явить Себя нам, а не миру? 23 Иисус сказал ему в ответ: кто любит Меня, тот соблюдет слово Мое; и Отец Мой возлюбит его, и Мы придем к нему и обитель у него сотворим.24 Нелюбящий Меня не соблюдает слов Моих; слово же, которое вы слышите, не есть Мое, но пославшего Меня Отца. 25 Сие сказал Я вам, находясь с вами. 26 Утешитель же, Дух Святый, Которого пошлет Отец во имя Мое, научит вас всему и напомнит вам все, что Я говорил вам. 27 Мир оставляю вам, мир Мой даю вам; не так, как мир дает, Я даю вам. Да не смущается сердце ваше и да не устрашается. 28 Вы слышали, что Я сказал вам: иду от вас и приду к вам. Если бы вы любили Меня, то возрадовались бы, что Я сказал: иду к Отцу; ибо Отец Мой более Меня. 29 И вот, Я сказал вам [о том], прежде нежели сбылось, дабы вы поверили, когда сбудется. 30 Уже немного Мне говорить с вами; ибо идет князь мира сего, и во Мне не имеет ничего. 31 Но чтобы мир знал, что Я люблю Отца и, как заповедал Мне Отец, так и творю: встаньте, пойдем отсюда.
Russian Synodal Version (RSV)
Public Domain
~Lena’s Comments~
"There" is wherever God the father and His Son Jesus Christ is at. In that place is where they want us to live also. Wherever they live, they want us to live, wherever they go they want us to go also. I’m not sure if this is a physical place or another dimension. It could very well be a state of being. Kind of like not matter where you travel or if you are at home or work or whatever, you are still you mother’s child. That is a state of being. It cannot be changed by any location at anytime ever. In order to be God’s child we must believe in and accept Jesus as the very action that makes us His child. Just as being born through our natural mother’s wombs made us a physical child with specific natural parents, so does believing in and following Jesus cause us to be spiritually born into God’s family and we are then made God the Father’s child. Jesus’ life on earth was a clear picture of what God the Father is like. If we look at Jesus’ life in the word, we’ll get a very clear idea of how God thinks and acts. We’ll be able to know who God is. Jesus and the father God are One- what one thinks and what one does the other thinks and does. He was/is an exact representation of God, because he is also God, because they are one. Jesus was throwing an idea out there to see if we would get a hold of it to, That idea was that we also as a born again child of God's covenant love, can also be One with God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. He wants us to desire this Oneness and ask for and seek after it. It brings more of God-likeness in the earth. Have you ever heard people say, "Oh look at that child, he is the spittin’ image of his father?" That is what God wants people in the earth to be saying about His children who have been born spiritually and have become His children and who are growing up to be like Him. Jesus begins to taolk about the 3rd person of the Godhead, that os the personality of the complete Oneness of God. This is found in the father, The Son & now Jesus mentions The Holy Spirit. When we are born from our mothers here on earth we come out of the womb and breathe our first breath and we say the child is now alive and living. A living human being. If the child did not take a breath, they would not be alive. When we are born again and become God’s spiritual child we also need to breathe in the breath that gives us spiritual life, just as air gives us natural life. This spiritual breath id The Holy Spirit. Jesus said we’d be able to live our new life in Christ or our new Christian life, where we become more and more like God, if we have this spiritual life in us; if we’re made alive by His Holy Spirit. He says having this life in us is like having a teacher living inside of us and a comforter alive in us. Jesus who was showing us the father God was going to leave earth and go be with the Father God again. When Jesus left we’d be left without that picture of God around us all of the time, but if he left the 3rd part of God here with us we’d be able to learn about the things that God is like through Him. The neat things too is that Jesus could only be one place at a time, but the inspiration of His Holy Spirit could be breathed in anyone who wants to have spiritual life through Christ! Think of it as natural breath. Is that just for one person and no others? Of course not. We can all have it and do get it when we are born, In the same way we all can have the spiritual breath of the Holy Spirit. Isn’t that a wonder, that instead of being only one person in one place, God can actually live in whoever wants to breath of spiritual life?! Jesus also refers to Him as the spirit of peace. Peace is a word that means made complete. It’s like Jesus is saying , this Holy Spirit will make you complete. And will make the picture of the Godhead you need to see become complete. When we have children we are expected to raise them up to be responsible and good people. This training comes through example and teachings, which in order to be carried out the child must receive the training and do it, we call that obedience to the training. God is training us to be as He is and do as He does. The Holy Spirit will teach us His ways and as we do them we are responding to God and His love with obedience. So Jesus says- If you really love me , you’ll obey Me. It’s a natural response in demonstration toHis love.
Sunday, May 22, 2005
Today Our Daily Bread John 21
( Scroll down to see ~ Olga’s Russian translation & Lena’s Comments~)
John 21
Jesus and the Miraculous Catch of Fish
1 Afterward Jesus appeared again to his disciples, by the Sea of Tiberias. It happened this way: 2 Simon Peter, Thomas (called Didymus), Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two other disciples were together. 3 "I'm going out to fish," Simon Peter told them, and they said, "We'll go with you." So they went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing.
4 Early in the morning, Jesus stood on the shore, but the disciples did not realize that it was Jesus. 5 He called out to them, "Friends, haven't you any fish?" "No," they answered. 6 He said, "Throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some." When they did, they were unable to haul the net in because of the large number of fish.
7 Then the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, "It is the Lord!" As soon as Simon Peter heard him say, "It is the Lord," he wrapped his outer garment around him (for he had taken it off) and jumped into the water. 8 The other disciples followed in the boat, towing the net full of fish, for they were not far from shore, about a hundred yards. 9 When they landed, they saw a fire of burning coals there with fish on it, and some bread. 10 Jesus said to them, "Bring some of the fish you have just caught." 11 Simon Peter climbed aboard and dragged the net ashore. It was full of large fish, 153, but even with so many the net was not torn. 12 Jesus said to them, "Come and have breakfast." None of the disciples dared ask him, "Who are you?" They knew it was the Lord. 13 Jesus came, took the bread and gave it to them, and did the same with the fish. 14 This was now the third time Jesus appeared to his disciples after he was raised from the dead.
Jesus Reinstates Peter
15 When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon son of John, do you truly love me more than these?" "Yes, Lord," he said, "you know that I love you." Jesus said, "Feed my lambs."
16 Again Jesus said, "Simon son of John, do you truly love me?" He answered, "Yes, Lord, you know that I love you." Jesus said, "Take care of my sheep."
17 The third time he said to him, "Simon son of John, do you love me?" Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, "Do you love me?" He said, "Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you." 18 Jesus said, "Feed my sheep. I tell you the truth, when you were younger you dressed yourself and went where you wanted; but when you are old you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go." 19 Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God. Then he said to him, "Follow me!"
20 Peter turned and saw that the disciple whom Jesus loved was following them. (This was the one who had leaned back against Jesus at the supper and had said, "Lord, who is going to betray you?") 21 When Peter saw him, he asked, "Lord, what about him?" 22 Jesus answered, "If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? You must follow me." 23 Because of this, the rumor spread among the brothers that this disciple would not die. But Jesus did not say that he would not die; he only said, "If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you?" 24 This is the disciple who testifies to these things and who wrote them down. We know that his testimony is true. 25 Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written.
New International Version (NIV)
Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society
For Olga :-)
От Иоанна 21
1 После того опять явился Иисус ученикам Своим при море Тивериадском. Явился же так:
2 были вместе Симон Петр, и Фома, называемый Близнец, и Нафанаил из Каны Галилейской, и сыновья З еведеевы, и двое других из учеников Его. 3 Симон Петр говорит им: иду ловить рыбу. Говорят ему: идем и мы с тобою. Пошли и тотчас вошли в лодку, и не поймали в ту ночь ничего.
4 А когда уже настало утро, Иисус стоял на берегу; но ученики не узнали, что это Иисус. 5 Иисус говорит им: дети! есть ли у вас какая пища? Они отвечали Ему: нет. 6 Он же сказал им: закиньте сеть по правую сторону лодки, и поймаете. Они закинули, и уже не могли вытащить [сети] от множества рыбы.
7 Тогда ученик, которого любил Иисус, говорит Петру: это Господь. Симон же Петр, услышав, что это Господь, опоясался одеждою, --ибо он был наг, --и бросился в море. 8 А другие ученики приплыли в лодке, --ибо недалеко были от земли, локтей около двухсот, --таща сеть с рыбою. 9 Когда же вышли на землю, видят разложенный огонь и на нем лежащую рыбу и хлеб. 10 Иисус говорит им: принесите рыбы, которую вы теперь поймали. 11Симон Петр пошел и вытащил на землю сеть, наполненную большими рыбами, [которых было] сто пятьдесят три; и при таком множестве не прорвалась сеть. 12 Иисус говорит им: придите, обедайте. Из учеников же никто не смел спросить Его: кто Ты?, зная, что это Господь. 13 Иисус приходит, берет хлеб и дает им, также и рыбу. 14 Это уже в третий раз явился Иисус ученикам Своим по воскресении Своем из мертвых.
15 Когда же они обедали, Иисус говорит Симону Петру: Симон Ионин! любишь ли ты Меня больше, нежели они? [Петр] говорит Ему: так, Господи! Ты знаешь, что я люблю Тебя. [Иисус] говорит ему: паси агнцев Моих. 16 Еще говорит ему в другой раз: Симон Ионин! любишь ли ты Меня? [Петр] говорит Ему: так, Господи! Ты знаешь, что я люблю Тебя. [Иисус] говорит ему: паси овец Моих. 17 Говорит ему в третий раз: Симон Ионин! любишь ли ты Меня? Петр опечалился, что в третий раз спросил его: любишь ли Меня? и сказал Ему: Господи! Ты все знаешь; Ты знаешь, что я люблю Тебя. Иисус говорит ему: паси овец Моих.
18 Истинно, истинно говорю тебе: когда ты был молод, то препоясывался сам и ходил, куда хотел; а когда состаришься, то прострешь руки твои, и другой препояшет тебя, и поведет, куда не хочешь. 19 Сказал же это, давая разуметь, какою смертью [Петр] прославит Бога. И, сказав сие, говорит ему: иди за Мною.
20 Петр же, обратившись, видит идущего за ним ученика, которого любил Иисус и который на вечери, приклонившись к груди Его, сказал: Господи! кто предаст Тебя? 21 Его увидев, Петр говорит Иисусу: Господи! а он что?
22 Иисус говорит ему: если Я хочу, чтобы он пребыл, пока приду, что тебе [до того]? ты иди за Мною. 23 И пронеслось это слово между братиями, что ученик тот не умрет. Но Иисус не сказал ему, что не умрет, но: если Я хочу, чтобы он пребыл, пока приду, что тебе [до того]? 24 Сей ученик и свидетельствует о сем, и написал сие; и знаем, что истинно свидетельство его. 25 Многое и другое сотворил Иисус; но, если бы писать о том подробно, то, думаю, и самому миру не вместить бы написанных книг. Аминь.
Russian Synodal Version (RSV)
~Lena’s Comments ~
I wonder if the disciples were sad by Jesus’ death and not at a place where they remembered what he had told them it meant. Maybe they felt confused and were grieving and sorting through their mind why everything had happened. Maybe they wondered what all of this had been about and what their part in it was or was supposed to be now. Mankind is made to be workers, creators, inventors, and use their time. Their tendency at this time was to go back to what they always had done. Until questions are answered and understanding or direction is made clear this is where we find ourselves, doing what we do know to do. So they went fishing for fish to make $ in the way the earth finds its identity and purpose. For a brief time they’d forgotten that Jesus had taught them a different way to find their identity and purpose, that was in winning the souls of men and bringing them in to a relation that has been reconciled to Him. He had called this "Fishing for men" when he was there calling them into a new place of working, not only for earthly money and purposes, but for God’s kingdom and for kingdom purposes. At this moment they were being reminded of the Lord of the power in His voice, the voice that called them into a different way of living. They were being reminded of His power, the power that changes a heart, and they were reminded of the miraculous, that takes whatever we are doing and brings great increase to its work. IF we are working with Him in what we are doing. Jesus was also so gracious to give them a visible reminder of who he’d been training them to be, fishers of men and feeders of men. He was faithful to teach by doing and showing them the way. He knew they were possibly sad and had a moment of lost focus, so he helped them do their work and then he prepared a meal for them to eat. In this place where He led them to rest by serving them, He helped refresh them to His words once again. Just reminders of who he is, who they are and what their purposes in God were. These elements make it very easy to follow Him!Jesus is so beautifully wise and so loving. He leads us to see where we are at, to show us where He’d like for us to go and to help us see how to get there. The Hebrew language expresses this dissertation so clearly.
Jesus is actually asking Peter if he is willing to love with the kind of love Jesus had just demonstrated at the cross. (Remember Peter had just denied the Lord when he’d seen the threat of the cross)
Peter in his prideful manly nature said- Of course you know I love you that way! Peter had a moment of longing in His heart and felt the drawing of God spirit once again in the presence of Jesus. (God’s awesome presence does cause us to want to be all God wants us to be- this is the key to getting into His presence daily, if we don’t we lose that wonderfully drawing presence and we find it hard to make it through each day. We then live – barely live – from Sunday to Sunday, where we run back to find that presence again) Anyway, Peter blurted out his heartfelt desire and goal, but Jesus’ presence caused Peter to be able to see himself where he was at, in comparison to the awesomeness of God’s presence right there at that moment. So Jesus asked Him again, if he REALLY did love Him enough to give his life for Him. Peter confessed that his love was not yet that mature and that he wanted it to be, but right now it was only the kind of love people have for friends. Jesus accepted Peter as a disciple and was going to make Peter an Apostle, a father of the faith of others, even when his love was not yet matured. Jesus was saying to him, I want you to see where you are right now and from where you are right now I want you to go ahead and work the work of My kingdom, but I also want you to see that in order to work that work in the best way possible, you’ll have to follow Me. Do what I did, and seek me continually, because I’m the one who is making you a father of nations of people. Without this strong godly love you could not do it. You can’t do it if you only have the love a friend has for a friend. That love will not keep you to the end, where people who are weak, as you were weak, might deny you, might turn you over to tormentors, might leave you. Only My love, which has no conditions will be able to take you all the way through to the end of the purposes I have for you to fulfill. You’ll have to love me as much as I loved my Father in order to have children who will also love you enough to follow you, be fed by you and feed others the same meal too.
The last few verses are so important to me. It is like Jesus is saying that as we follow God and Christ we follow alone. We base the decisions we make upon the purposes we know ourselves before God. We cannot live out our faith because someone else does or does not have faith. If we follow their faith, what will happen if their faith fails? Then our faith also will fail. What if their faith gets strong or weak or dies? Our faith cannot be dependant on others and what they do or do not do. We must walk the walk God has called us to before God and not waiver no matter what others choose to do about it or not. That will help us know what unconditional love is about and how it is lived out. Lets’ leave the judgements to God.
John 21
Jesus and the Miraculous Catch of Fish
1 Afterward Jesus appeared again to his disciples, by the Sea of Tiberias. It happened this way: 2 Simon Peter, Thomas (called Didymus), Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two other disciples were together. 3 "I'm going out to fish," Simon Peter told them, and they said, "We'll go with you." So they went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing.
4 Early in the morning, Jesus stood on the shore, but the disciples did not realize that it was Jesus. 5 He called out to them, "Friends, haven't you any fish?" "No," they answered. 6 He said, "Throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some." When they did, they were unable to haul the net in because of the large number of fish.
7 Then the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, "It is the Lord!" As soon as Simon Peter heard him say, "It is the Lord," he wrapped his outer garment around him (for he had taken it off) and jumped into the water. 8 The other disciples followed in the boat, towing the net full of fish, for they were not far from shore, about a hundred yards. 9 When they landed, they saw a fire of burning coals there with fish on it, and some bread. 10 Jesus said to them, "Bring some of the fish you have just caught." 11 Simon Peter climbed aboard and dragged the net ashore. It was full of large fish, 153, but even with so many the net was not torn. 12 Jesus said to them, "Come and have breakfast." None of the disciples dared ask him, "Who are you?" They knew it was the Lord. 13 Jesus came, took the bread and gave it to them, and did the same with the fish. 14 This was now the third time Jesus appeared to his disciples after he was raised from the dead.
Jesus Reinstates Peter
15 When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon son of John, do you truly love me more than these?" "Yes, Lord," he said, "you know that I love you." Jesus said, "Feed my lambs."
16 Again Jesus said, "Simon son of John, do you truly love me?" He answered, "Yes, Lord, you know that I love you." Jesus said, "Take care of my sheep."
17 The third time he said to him, "Simon son of John, do you love me?" Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, "Do you love me?" He said, "Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you." 18 Jesus said, "Feed my sheep. I tell you the truth, when you were younger you dressed yourself and went where you wanted; but when you are old you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go." 19 Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God. Then he said to him, "Follow me!"
20 Peter turned and saw that the disciple whom Jesus loved was following them. (This was the one who had leaned back against Jesus at the supper and had said, "Lord, who is going to betray you?") 21 When Peter saw him, he asked, "Lord, what about him?" 22 Jesus answered, "If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? You must follow me." 23 Because of this, the rumor spread among the brothers that this disciple would not die. But Jesus did not say that he would not die; he only said, "If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you?" 24 This is the disciple who testifies to these things and who wrote them down. We know that his testimony is true. 25 Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written.
New International Version (NIV)
Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society
For Olga :-)
От Иоанна 21
1 После того опять явился Иисус ученикам Своим при море Тивериадском. Явился же так:
2 были вместе Симон Петр, и Фома, называемый Близнец, и Нафанаил из Каны Галилейской, и сыновья З еведеевы, и двое других из учеников Его. 3 Симон Петр говорит им: иду ловить рыбу. Говорят ему: идем и мы с тобою. Пошли и тотчас вошли в лодку, и не поймали в ту ночь ничего.
4 А когда уже настало утро, Иисус стоял на берегу; но ученики не узнали, что это Иисус. 5 Иисус говорит им: дети! есть ли у вас какая пища? Они отвечали Ему: нет. 6 Он же сказал им: закиньте сеть по правую сторону лодки, и поймаете. Они закинули, и уже не могли вытащить [сети] от множества рыбы.
7 Тогда ученик, которого любил Иисус, говорит Петру: это Господь. Симон же Петр, услышав, что это Господь, опоясался одеждою, --ибо он был наг, --и бросился в море. 8 А другие ученики приплыли в лодке, --ибо недалеко были от земли, локтей около двухсот, --таща сеть с рыбою. 9 Когда же вышли на землю, видят разложенный огонь и на нем лежащую рыбу и хлеб. 10 Иисус говорит им: принесите рыбы, которую вы теперь поймали. 11Симон Петр пошел и вытащил на землю сеть, наполненную большими рыбами, [которых было] сто пятьдесят три; и при таком множестве не прорвалась сеть. 12 Иисус говорит им: придите, обедайте. Из учеников же никто не смел спросить Его: кто Ты?, зная, что это Господь. 13 Иисус приходит, берет хлеб и дает им, также и рыбу. 14 Это уже в третий раз явился Иисус ученикам Своим по воскресении Своем из мертвых.
15 Когда же они обедали, Иисус говорит Симону Петру: Симон Ионин! любишь ли ты Меня больше, нежели они? [Петр] говорит Ему: так, Господи! Ты знаешь, что я люблю Тебя. [Иисус] говорит ему: паси агнцев Моих. 16 Еще говорит ему в другой раз: Симон Ионин! любишь ли ты Меня? [Петр] говорит Ему: так, Господи! Ты знаешь, что я люблю Тебя. [Иисус] говорит ему: паси овец Моих. 17 Говорит ему в третий раз: Симон Ионин! любишь ли ты Меня? Петр опечалился, что в третий раз спросил его: любишь ли Меня? и сказал Ему: Господи! Ты все знаешь; Ты знаешь, что я люблю Тебя. Иисус говорит ему: паси овец Моих.
18 Истинно, истинно говорю тебе: когда ты был молод, то препоясывался сам и ходил, куда хотел; а когда состаришься, то прострешь руки твои, и другой препояшет тебя, и поведет, куда не хочешь. 19 Сказал же это, давая разуметь, какою смертью [Петр] прославит Бога. И, сказав сие, говорит ему: иди за Мною.
20 Петр же, обратившись, видит идущего за ним ученика, которого любил Иисус и который на вечери, приклонившись к груди Его, сказал: Господи! кто предаст Тебя? 21 Его увидев, Петр говорит Иисусу: Господи! а он что?
22 Иисус говорит ему: если Я хочу, чтобы он пребыл, пока приду, что тебе [до того]? ты иди за Мною. 23 И пронеслось это слово между братиями, что ученик тот не умрет. Но Иисус не сказал ему, что не умрет, но: если Я хочу, чтобы он пребыл, пока приду, что тебе [до того]? 24 Сей ученик и свидетельствует о сем, и написал сие; и знаем, что истинно свидетельство его. 25 Многое и другое сотворил Иисус; но, если бы писать о том подробно, то, думаю, и самому миру не вместить бы написанных книг. Аминь.
Russian Synodal Version (RSV)
~Lena’s Comments ~
I wonder if the disciples were sad by Jesus’ death and not at a place where they remembered what he had told them it meant. Maybe they felt confused and were grieving and sorting through their mind why everything had happened. Maybe they wondered what all of this had been about and what their part in it was or was supposed to be now. Mankind is made to be workers, creators, inventors, and use their time. Their tendency at this time was to go back to what they always had done. Until questions are answered and understanding or direction is made clear this is where we find ourselves, doing what we do know to do. So they went fishing for fish to make $ in the way the earth finds its identity and purpose. For a brief time they’d forgotten that Jesus had taught them a different way to find their identity and purpose, that was in winning the souls of men and bringing them in to a relation that has been reconciled to Him. He had called this "Fishing for men" when he was there calling them into a new place of working, not only for earthly money and purposes, but for God’s kingdom and for kingdom purposes. At this moment they were being reminded of the Lord of the power in His voice, the voice that called them into a different way of living. They were being reminded of His power, the power that changes a heart, and they were reminded of the miraculous, that takes whatever we are doing and brings great increase to its work. IF we are working with Him in what we are doing. Jesus was also so gracious to give them a visible reminder of who he’d been training them to be, fishers of men and feeders of men. He was faithful to teach by doing and showing them the way. He knew they were possibly sad and had a moment of lost focus, so he helped them do their work and then he prepared a meal for them to eat. In this place where He led them to rest by serving them, He helped refresh them to His words once again. Just reminders of who he is, who they are and what their purposes in God were. These elements make it very easy to follow Him!Jesus is so beautifully wise and so loving. He leads us to see where we are at, to show us where He’d like for us to go and to help us see how to get there. The Hebrew language expresses this dissertation so clearly.
Jesus is actually asking Peter if he is willing to love with the kind of love Jesus had just demonstrated at the cross. (Remember Peter had just denied the Lord when he’d seen the threat of the cross)
Peter in his prideful manly nature said- Of course you know I love you that way! Peter had a moment of longing in His heart and felt the drawing of God spirit once again in the presence of Jesus. (God’s awesome presence does cause us to want to be all God wants us to be- this is the key to getting into His presence daily, if we don’t we lose that wonderfully drawing presence and we find it hard to make it through each day. We then live – barely live – from Sunday to Sunday, where we run back to find that presence again) Anyway, Peter blurted out his heartfelt desire and goal, but Jesus’ presence caused Peter to be able to see himself where he was at, in comparison to the awesomeness of God’s presence right there at that moment. So Jesus asked Him again, if he REALLY did love Him enough to give his life for Him. Peter confessed that his love was not yet that mature and that he wanted it to be, but right now it was only the kind of love people have for friends. Jesus accepted Peter as a disciple and was going to make Peter an Apostle, a father of the faith of others, even when his love was not yet matured. Jesus was saying to him, I want you to see where you are right now and from where you are right now I want you to go ahead and work the work of My kingdom, but I also want you to see that in order to work that work in the best way possible, you’ll have to follow Me. Do what I did, and seek me continually, because I’m the one who is making you a father of nations of people. Without this strong godly love you could not do it. You can’t do it if you only have the love a friend has for a friend. That love will not keep you to the end, where people who are weak, as you were weak, might deny you, might turn you over to tormentors, might leave you. Only My love, which has no conditions will be able to take you all the way through to the end of the purposes I have for you to fulfill. You’ll have to love me as much as I loved my Father in order to have children who will also love you enough to follow you, be fed by you and feed others the same meal too.
The last few verses are so important to me. It is like Jesus is saying that as we follow God and Christ we follow alone. We base the decisions we make upon the purposes we know ourselves before God. We cannot live out our faith because someone else does or does not have faith. If we follow their faith, what will happen if their faith fails? Then our faith also will fail. What if their faith gets strong or weak or dies? Our faith cannot be dependant on others and what they do or do not do. We must walk the walk God has called us to before God and not waiver no matter what others choose to do about it or not. That will help us know what unconditional love is about and how it is lived out. Lets’ leave the judgements to God.
Saturday, May 21, 2005
Today Our Daily Bread 2 Cor 4 English & Russian + Comments
(Olga scroll down for Russian version)
2 Corinthians 4 Treasure in Perishable Containers
1 And so, since God in his mercy has given us this wonderful ministry, we never give up. 2 We reject all shameful and underhanded methods. We do not try to trick anyone, and we do not distort the word of God. We tell the truth before God, and all who are honest know that.
3 If the Good News we preach is veiled from anyone, it is a sign that they are perishing. 4 Satan, the god of this evil world, has blinded the minds of those who don't believe, so they are unable to see the glorious light of the Good News that is shining upon them. They don't understand the message we preach about the glory of Christ, who is the exact likeness of God.
5 We don't go around preaching about ourselves; we preach Christ Jesus, the Lord. All we say about ourselves is that we are your servants because of what Jesus has done for us. 6 For God, who said, "Let there be light in the darkness," has made us understand that this light is the brightness of the glory of God that is seen in the face of Jesus Christ.
7 But this precious treasure--this light and power that now shine within us--is held in perishable containers, that is, in our weak bodies. So everyone can see that our glorious power is from God and is not our own.
8 We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed and broken. We are perplexed, but we don't give up and quit. 9 We are hunted down, but God never abandons us. We get knocked down, but we get up again and keep going. 10 Through suffering, these bodies of ours constantly share in the death of Jesus so (if that is is then..) that the life of Jesus may also be seen in our bodies.
11 Yes, we live under constant danger of death because we serve Jesus, so that the life of Jesus will be obvious in our dying bodies. 12 So we live in the face of death, but it has resulted in eternal life for you.
13 But we continue to preach because we have the same kind of faith the psalmist had when he said, "I believed in God, and so I speak." 14 We know that the same God who raised our Lord Jesus will also raise us with Jesus and present us to himself along with you. 15 All of these things are for your benefit. And as God's grace brings more and more people to Christ, there will be great thanksgiving, and God will receive more and more glory.
16 That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day. 17 For our present troubles are quite small and won't last very long. Yet they produce for us an immeasurably great glory that will last forever! 18 So we don't look at the troubles we can see right now; rather, we look forward to what we have not yet seen. For the troubles we see will soon be over, but the joys to come will last forever. New Living Translation (NLT)
Scroll down to end to see "Lena’s Comments"
For Olga -Russian Synodal Version (RSV)
2-е Коринфянам 4
1 Посему, имея по милости [Божией] такое служение, мы не унываем;
2 но, отвергнув скрытные постыдные [дела], не прибегая к хитрости и не искажая слова Божия, а открывая истину, представляем себя совести всякого человека пред Богом.
3 Если же и закрыто благовествование наше, то закрыто для погибающих,
4 для неверующих, у которых бог века сего ослепил умы, чтобы для них не воссиял свет б лаговествования о славе Христа, Который есть образ Бога невидимого.
5 Ибо мы не себя проповедуем, но Христа Иисуса, Господа; а мы--рабы ваши для Иисуса,
6 потому что Бог, повелевший из тьмы воссиять свету, озарил наши сердца, дабы просветить [нас] познанием славы Божией в лице Иисуса Христа.
7 Но сокровище сие мы носим в глиняных сосудах, чтобы преизбыточная сила была [приписываема] Богу, а не нам.
8 Мы отовсюду притесняемы, но не стеснены; мы в отчаянных обстоятельствах, но не отчаиваемся;
9 мы гонимы, но не оставлены; низлагаемы, но не погибаем.
10 Всегда носим в теле мертвость Господа Иисуса, чтобы и жизнь Иисусова открылась в теле на шем.
11 Ибо мы живые непрестанно предаемся на смерть ради Иисуса, чтобы и жизнь Иисусова открылась в смертной плоти нашей,
12 так что смерть действует в нас, а жизнь в вас.
13 Но, имея тот же дух веры, как написано: я веровал и потому говорил, и мы веруем, потому и говорим,
14 зная, что Воскресивший Господа Иисуса воскресит через Иисуса и нас и поставит перед [Собою] с вами.
15 Ибо всё для вас, дабы обилие благодати тем большую во многих произвело благодарность во славу Божию.
16 Посему мы не унываем; но если внешний наш человек и тлеет, то внутренний со дня на день обновляется.
17 Ибо кратковременное легкое страдание наше производит в безмерном преизбытке вечную славу,
18 когда мы смотрим не на видимое, но на невидимое: ибо видимое временно, а невидимое вечно.
Russian Synodal Version (RSV)
Public Domain
1 And so, since God in his mercy has given us this wonderful ministry, we never give up. 2 We reject all shameful and underhanded methods. We do not try to trick anyone, and we do not distort the word of God. We tell the truth before God, and all who are honest know that.
3 If the Good News we preach is veiled from anyone, it is a sign that they are perishing. 4 Satan, the god of this evil world, has blinded the minds of those who don't believe, so they are unable to see the glorious light of the Good News that is shining upon them. They don't understand the message we preach about the glory of Christ, who is the exact likeness of God.
5 We don't go around preaching about ourselves; we preach Christ Jesus, the Lord. All we say about ourselves is that we are your servants because of what Jesus has done for us. 6 For God, who said, "Let there be light in the darkness," has made us understand that this light is the brightness of the glory of God that is seen in the face of Jesus Christ.
7 But this precious treasure--this light and power that now shine within us--is held in perishable containers, that is, in our weak bodies. So everyone can see that our glorious power is from God and is not our own.
8 We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed and broken. We are perplexed, but we don't give up and quit. 9 We are hunted down, but God never abandons us. We get knocked down, but we get up again and keep going. 10 Through suffering, these bodies of ours constantly share in the death of Jesus so (if that is is then..) that the life of Jesus may also be seen in our bodies.
11 Yes, we live under constant danger of death because we serve Jesus, so that the life of Jesus will be obvious in our dying bodies. 12 So we live in the face of death, but it has resulted in eternal life for you.
13 But we continue to preach because we have the same kind of faith the psalmist had when he said, "I believed in God, and so I speak." 14 We know that the same God who raised our Lord Jesus will also raise us with Jesus and present us to himself along with you. 15 All of these things are for your benefit. And as God's grace brings more and more people to Christ, there will be great thanksgiving, and God will receive more and more glory.
16 That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day. 17 For our present troubles are quite small and won't last very long. Yet they produce for us an immeasurably great glory that will last forever! 18 So we don't look at the troubles we can see right now; rather, we look forward to what we have not yet seen. For the troubles we see will soon be over, but the joys to come will last forever. New Living Translation (NLT)
Scroll down to end to see "Lena’s Comments"
For Olga -Russian Synodal Version (RSV)
2-е Коринфянам 4
1 Посему, имея по милости [Божией] такое служение, мы не унываем;
2 но, отвергнув скрытные постыдные [дела], не прибегая к хитрости и не искажая слова Божия, а открывая истину, представляем себя совести всякого человека пред Богом.
3 Если же и закрыто благовествование наше, то закрыто для погибающих,
4 для неверующих, у которых бог века сего ослепил умы, чтобы для них не воссиял свет б лаговествования о славе Христа, Который есть образ Бога невидимого.
5 Ибо мы не себя проповедуем, но Христа Иисуса, Господа; а мы--рабы ваши для Иисуса,
6 потому что Бог, повелевший из тьмы воссиять свету, озарил наши сердца, дабы просветить [нас] познанием славы Божией в лице Иисуса Христа.
7 Но сокровище сие мы носим в глиняных сосудах, чтобы преизбыточная сила была [приписываема] Богу, а не нам.
8 Мы отовсюду притесняемы, но не стеснены; мы в отчаянных обстоятельствах, но не отчаиваемся;
9 мы гонимы, но не оставлены; низлагаемы, но не погибаем.
10 Всегда носим в теле мертвость Господа Иисуса, чтобы и жизнь Иисусова открылась в теле на шем.
11 Ибо мы живые непрестанно предаемся на смерть ради Иисуса, чтобы и жизнь Иисусова открылась в смертной плоти нашей,
12 так что смерть действует в нас, а жизнь в вас.
13 Но, имея тот же дух веры, как написано: я веровал и потому говорил, и мы веруем, потому и говорим,
14 зная, что Воскресивший Господа Иисуса воскресит через Иисуса и нас и поставит перед [Собою] с вами.
15 Ибо всё для вас, дабы обилие благодати тем большую во многих произвело благодарность во славу Божию.
16 Посему мы не унываем; но если внешний наш человек и тлеет, то внутренний со дня на день обновляется.
17 Ибо кратковременное легкое страдание наше производит в безмерном преизбытке вечную славу,
18 когда мы смотрим не на видимое, но на невидимое: ибо видимое временно, а невидимое вечно.
Russian Synodal Version (RSV)
Public Domain
~ Lena's Comments~
The scriptures above speak for themselves. They are so good, so full of direction for the way a Christian should be being changed in their thinking.
My weakness is an opportunity to prove Christ is alive inside of me! The dead feeling I experience here is an opportunity to prove His resurrection power is at work in me. Etc. Let’s prove that Christ is alive in us. Let’s take the opportunities given to us in the stresses of each day to prove God.
During a day FULL of stress beyond my own measure this week. I was about to break mentally and I was working on my computer at "work" and I had random songs playing all day long. All of a sudden I was stopped in what I was doing as this song began to play. I’ve heard it many, many times on the radio. I even have it as a ring on my cell phone. I did not know what the words were saying, but I began to cry. The desk was transformed into an altar. I wept before the Lord at how weak I was being and how much of His strength I needed to even make it past my thoughts for the day. I was sad at what I saw in my heart- anger, self pity etc… The song is playing and I still can’t understand the words. So I clicked on Internet Explorer and got the words!!! I’ve copied them below. BOY oh BOY do they say what needed to be said to me that day. Here it goes.
"Listen" to this song:
The scriptures above speak for themselves. They are so good, so full of direction for the way a Christian should be being changed in their thinking.
My weakness is an opportunity to prove Christ is alive inside of me! The dead feeling I experience here is an opportunity to prove His resurrection power is at work in me. Etc. Let’s prove that Christ is alive in us. Let’s take the opportunities given to us in the stresses of each day to prove God.
During a day FULL of stress beyond my own measure this week. I was about to break mentally and I was working on my computer at "work" and I had random songs playing all day long. All of a sudden I was stopped in what I was doing as this song began to play. I’ve heard it many, many times on the radio. I even have it as a ring on my cell phone. I did not know what the words were saying, but I began to cry. The desk was transformed into an altar. I wept before the Lord at how weak I was being and how much of His strength I needed to even make it past my thoughts for the day. I was sad at what I saw in my heart- anger, self pity etc… The song is playing and I still can’t understand the words. So I clicked on Internet Explorer and got the words!!! I’ve copied them below. BOY oh BOY do they say what needed to be said to me that day. Here it goes.
"Listen" to this song:
Welcome to the planet, Welcome to existence. Everyone's here, Everyone's here.Everybody's watching you now. Everybody's waiting for you now.What happens next, What happens next? I dare you to move, I DARE you to move. I dare you to lift yourself up off the floor ! I dare you to move, I DARE you to move, Like today never happened, Today never happened –before.Welcome to the fallout, Welcome to resistance. The tension is here, the tension is here. Between who you are and who you could be. Between how it is and how it should be. I dare you to move, I DARE you to move. I dare you to lift yourself up off the floor. I dare you to move, I DARE you to move, Like today never happened, Today never happened. Maybe redemption has stories to tell. Maybe forgiveness is right where you fell.Where can you run to escape from yourself? Where ya gonna go, Where ya gonna go? Salvation is HERE! I dare you to move, I DARE you to move. I dare you to lift yourself up off the floor.I dare you to move, I DARE you to move, Like today never happened, Today never happened. I dare you to move, I DARE you to move. I dare you to lift yourself up off the floor.I dare you to move, I DARE you to move. Like today never happened, Today never happened before.
Friday, May 20, 2005
Today Our Daily Bread 2 Cor 3
2 Corinthians 3
1 Are we beginning again to tell you how good we are? Some people need to bring letters of recommendation with them or ask you to write letters of recommendation for them. 2 But the only letter of recommendation we need is you yourselves! Your lives are a letter written in our[a] hearts, and everyone can read it and recognize our good work among you. 3 Clearly, you are a letter from Christ prepared by us. It is written not with pen and ink, but with the Spirit of the living God. It is carved not on stone, but on human hearts.
4 We are confident of all this because of our great trust in God through Christ. 5 It is not that we think we can do anything of lasting value by ourselves. Our only power and success come from God. 6 He is the one who has enabled us to represent his new covenant. This is a covenant, not of written laws, but of the Spirit. The old way ends in death; in the new way, the Holy Spirit gives life.
The Glory of the New Covenant
7 That old system of law etched in stone led to death, yet it began with such glory that the people of Israel could not bear to look at Moses' face. For his face shone with the glory of God, even though the brightness was already fading away. 8 Shouldn't we expect far greater glory when the Holy Spirit is giving life? 9 If the old covenant, which brings condemnation, was glorious, how much more glorious is the new covenant, which makes us right with God! 10 In fact, that first glory was not glorious at all compared with the overwhelming glory of the new covenant. 11 So if the old covenant, which has been set aside, was full of glory, then the new covenant, which remains forever, has far greater glory.
12 Since this new covenant gives us such confidence, we can be very bold. 13 We are not like Moses, who put a veil over his face so the people of Israel would not see the glory fading away. 14 But the people's minds were hardened, and even to this day whenever the old covenant is being read, a veil covers their minds so they cannot understand the truth. And this veil can be removed only by believing in Christ. 15 Yes, even today when they read Moses' writings, their hearts are covered with that veil, and they do not understand. 16 But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, then the veil is taken away. 17 Now, the Lord is the Spirit, and wherever the Spirit of the Lord is, he gives freedom. 18 And all of us have had that veil removed so that we can be mirrors that brightly reflect[b] the glory of the Lord. And as the Spirit of the Lord works within us, we become more and more like him and reflect his glory even more.
Footnotes:
2 Corinthians 3:2 Some manuscripts read your.
2 Corinthians 3:18 Or so that we can see in a mirror.
~ Lena’s Comments~
This is what is meant when, other places in scripture, it calls us living stones. It calls us lively stones, a temple of God made without hands. This IS the difference between religion and Christianity. Religion puts on the face, plays out the part and tries to play it well. There’s one big problem about that. In our humanness we can only be perfected in Christ, and cannot put on any act or even try to live perfectly without dependence upon Him and His spirit alive in our hearts and active in our lives. If He is active in us, living out this perfection in us each and everyday, where we practice all we learn on Sunday’s and Wednesdays and what we read everyday, then that is when we have conquered over religion by entering into a lifestyle of relationship. This is where God lives in and dwells inside of my body, given to me to serve and love Him and those who are His, here on earth. Our representation of the new covenant is actually based upon our dependence on His Spirit alive in us. Allowing the work of His spirit is allowing the manifestation of God life in human form. This is how we prove Him here. This is how our children, natural and spiritual, prove Him here. Fruit is not evidenced by religious activity and how perfectly I keep all of the commandments and laws. Fruit is evidenced in my love and obedience and my continued covenant walk with God. See in the law I try and try and try again to become perfected by what I do, in Christ, I love Him because he first loved me. I believe His love for me leads me along the way towards change, it motivates me and calls for my response to the change. Not that the change is required, but received, because it is best for the abundance of life, alive in me. The motivation is love drawing me out of the dangerous place I’ve been in where I’ve been lead by and influenced by and have even had intimacy with death. The love of God of draws me to life abundantly, where there is no death or dying. Moses’ writings are what we call "The laws of God." So even reading these laws when we do not know Christ is useless. It is ONLY through the acceptance and deliverance of His blood that we can ever become perfected- daily. One reason we have not reflected God to Himself is we have not be-lived His Son, we were living for ourselves, by ourselves and so we had a veil and he cannot be reflected through a veil, BUT when we be-live in Him, the veil is stripped away and God’s reflection is seen by us and in us!
1 Are we beginning again to tell you how good we are? Some people need to bring letters of recommendation with them or ask you to write letters of recommendation for them. 2 But the only letter of recommendation we need is you yourselves! Your lives are a letter written in our[a] hearts, and everyone can read it and recognize our good work among you. 3 Clearly, you are a letter from Christ prepared by us. It is written not with pen and ink, but with the Spirit of the living God. It is carved not on stone, but on human hearts.
4 We are confident of all this because of our great trust in God through Christ. 5 It is not that we think we can do anything of lasting value by ourselves. Our only power and success come from God. 6 He is the one who has enabled us to represent his new covenant. This is a covenant, not of written laws, but of the Spirit. The old way ends in death; in the new way, the Holy Spirit gives life.
The Glory of the New Covenant
7 That old system of law etched in stone led to death, yet it began with such glory that the people of Israel could not bear to look at Moses' face. For his face shone with the glory of God, even though the brightness was already fading away. 8 Shouldn't we expect far greater glory when the Holy Spirit is giving life? 9 If the old covenant, which brings condemnation, was glorious, how much more glorious is the new covenant, which makes us right with God! 10 In fact, that first glory was not glorious at all compared with the overwhelming glory of the new covenant. 11 So if the old covenant, which has been set aside, was full of glory, then the new covenant, which remains forever, has far greater glory.
12 Since this new covenant gives us such confidence, we can be very bold. 13 We are not like Moses, who put a veil over his face so the people of Israel would not see the glory fading away. 14 But the people's minds were hardened, and even to this day whenever the old covenant is being read, a veil covers their minds so they cannot understand the truth. And this veil can be removed only by believing in Christ. 15 Yes, even today when they read Moses' writings, their hearts are covered with that veil, and they do not understand. 16 But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, then the veil is taken away. 17 Now, the Lord is the Spirit, and wherever the Spirit of the Lord is, he gives freedom. 18 And all of us have had that veil removed so that we can be mirrors that brightly reflect[b] the glory of the Lord. And as the Spirit of the Lord works within us, we become more and more like him and reflect his glory even more.
Footnotes:
2 Corinthians 3:2 Some manuscripts read your.
2 Corinthians 3:18 Or so that we can see in a mirror.
~ Lena’s Comments~
This is what is meant when, other places in scripture, it calls us living stones. It calls us lively stones, a temple of God made without hands. This IS the difference between religion and Christianity. Religion puts on the face, plays out the part and tries to play it well. There’s one big problem about that. In our humanness we can only be perfected in Christ, and cannot put on any act or even try to live perfectly without dependence upon Him and His spirit alive in our hearts and active in our lives. If He is active in us, living out this perfection in us each and everyday, where we practice all we learn on Sunday’s and Wednesdays and what we read everyday, then that is when we have conquered over religion by entering into a lifestyle of relationship. This is where God lives in and dwells inside of my body, given to me to serve and love Him and those who are His, here on earth. Our representation of the new covenant is actually based upon our dependence on His Spirit alive in us. Allowing the work of His spirit is allowing the manifestation of God life in human form. This is how we prove Him here. This is how our children, natural and spiritual, prove Him here. Fruit is not evidenced by religious activity and how perfectly I keep all of the commandments and laws. Fruit is evidenced in my love and obedience and my continued covenant walk with God. See in the law I try and try and try again to become perfected by what I do, in Christ, I love Him because he first loved me. I believe His love for me leads me along the way towards change, it motivates me and calls for my response to the change. Not that the change is required, but received, because it is best for the abundance of life, alive in me. The motivation is love drawing me out of the dangerous place I’ve been in where I’ve been lead by and influenced by and have even had intimacy with death. The love of God of draws me to life abundantly, where there is no death or dying. Moses’ writings are what we call "The laws of God." So even reading these laws when we do not know Christ is useless. It is ONLY through the acceptance and deliverance of His blood that we can ever become perfected- daily. One reason we have not reflected God to Himself is we have not be-lived His Son, we were living for ourselves, by ourselves and so we had a veil and he cannot be reflected through a veil, BUT when we be-live in Him, the veil is stripped away and God’s reflection is seen by us and in us!
Thursday, May 19, 2005
Today Our Daily Bread
Exodus 34: 1 - 35
1 The LORD told Moses, "Prepare two stone tablets like the first ones. I will write on them the same words that were on the tablets you smashed. 2 Be ready in the morning to come up Mount Sinai and present yourself to me there on the top of the mountain. 3 No one else may come with you. In fact, no one is allowed anywhere on the mountain. Do not even let the flocks or herds graze near the mountain." 4 So Moses cut two tablets of stone like the first ones. Early in the morning he climbed Mount Sinai as the LORD had told him, carrying the two stone tablets in his hands.
5 Then the LORD came down in a pillar of cloud and called out his own name, "the LORD," as Moses stood there in his presence. 6 He passed in front of Moses and said, "I am the LORD, I am the LORD, the merciful and gracious God. I am slow to anger and rich in unfailing love and faithfulness. 7 I show this unfailing love to many thousands by forgiving every kind of sin and rebellion. Even so I do not leave sin unpunished, but I punish the children for the sins of their parents to the third and fourth generations." 8 Moses immediately fell to the ground and worshiped. 9 And he said, "If it is true that I have found favor in your sight, O Lord, then please go with us. Yes, this is an unruly and stubborn people, but please pardon our iniquity and our sins. Accept us as your own special possession."
10 The LORD replied, "All right. This is the covenant I am going to make with you. I will perform wonders that have never been done before anywhere in all the earth or in any nation. And all the people around you will see the power of the LORD – the awesome power I will display through you. 11 Your responsibility is to obey all the commands I am giving you today. Then I will surely drive out all those who stand in your way – the Amorites, Canaanites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites. 12 "Be very careful never to make treaties with the people in the land where you are going. If you do, you soon will be following their evil ways. 13 Instead, you must break down their pagan altars, smash the sacred pillars they worship, and cut down their carved images. 14 You must worship no other gods, but only the LORD, for he is a God who is passionate about his relationship with you. 15 "Do not make treaties of any kind with the people living in the land. They are spiritual prostitutes, committing adultery against me by sacrificing to their gods. If you make peace with them, they will invite you to go with them to worship their gods, and you are likely to do it. 16 And you will accept their daughters, who worship other gods, as wives for your sons. Then they will cause your sons to commit adultery against me by worshiping other gods. 17 You must make no gods for yourselves at all.
18 "Be sure to celebrate the Festival of Unleavened Bread for seven days, just as I instructed you, at the appointed time each year in early spring, F70 for that was when you left Egypt. 19 "Every firstborn male belongs to me – of both cattle and sheep. 20 A firstborn male donkey may be redeemed from the LORD by presenting a lamb in its place. But if you decide not to make the exchange, you must kill the donkey by breaking its neck. However, you must redeem every firstborn son. No one is allowed to appear before me without a gift. 21 "Six days are set aside for work, but on the Sabbath day you must rest, even during the seasons of plowing and harvest. 22 And you must remember to celebrate the Festival of Harvest F71 with the first crop of the wheat harvest, and celebrate the Festival of the Final Harvest F72 at the end of the harvest season. 23 Three times each year all the men of Israel must appear before the Sovereign LORD, the God of Israel. 24 No one will attack and conquer your land when you go to appear before the LORD your God those three times each year. I will drive out the nations that stand in your way and will enlarge your boundaries. 25 "You must not offer bread made with yeast as a sacrifice to me. And none of the meat of the Passover lamb may be kept over until the following morning. 26 You must bring the best of the first of each year's crop to the house of the LORD your God."You must not cook a young goat in its mother's milk." 27 And the LORD said to Moses, "Write down all these instructions, for they represent the terms of my covenant with you and with Israel."
28 Moses was up on the mountain with the LORD forty days and forty nights. In all that time he neither ate nor drank. At that time he wrote the terms of the covenant – the Ten Commandments – on the stone tablets. 29 When Moses came down the mountain carrying the stone tablets inscribed with the terms of the covenant, F73 he wasn't aware that his face glowed because he had spoken to the LORD face to face. 30 And when Aaron and the people of Israel saw the radiance of Moses' face, they were afraid to come near him. 31 But Moses called to them and asked Aaron and the community leaders to come over and talk with him. 32 Then all the people came, and Moses gave them the instructions the LORD had given him on Mount Sinai. 33 When Moses had finished speaking with them, he put a veil over his face. 34 But whenever he went into the Tent of Meeting to speak with the LORD, he removed the veil until he came out again. Then he would give the people whatever instructions the LORD had given him, 35 and the people would see his face aglow. Afterward he would put the veil on again until he returned to speak with the LORD.
FOOTNOTES:F70: Hebrew in the month of Abib. This month of the Hebrew lunar calendar usually occurs in March and April. F71: Or Festival of Weeks. F72: This was later called the Festival of Shelters; see Lev 23:33-36. F73: Hebrew the Testimony.
The New Living Translation
~ Lena's Comments.....
Were compiled this morning about 5 a.m. when my computer totally locked up and after restarting this lovely machine, my supposed auto saved docs were gone, leving me with the originally saved doc, as you see above ! And that was only the beginning of a "lovely" but veryb trying day which began at 4 a.m.. So I apologize, but I'm gonna go to sleep now and only post what was left for me this morning :-)
Love and blessings to you ALL! I hope and pray your days are full of exciting adventures which add lots of joy to your lives.
1 The LORD told Moses, "Prepare two stone tablets like the first ones. I will write on them the same words that were on the tablets you smashed. 2 Be ready in the morning to come up Mount Sinai and present yourself to me there on the top of the mountain. 3 No one else may come with you. In fact, no one is allowed anywhere on the mountain. Do not even let the flocks or herds graze near the mountain." 4 So Moses cut two tablets of stone like the first ones. Early in the morning he climbed Mount Sinai as the LORD had told him, carrying the two stone tablets in his hands.
5 Then the LORD came down in a pillar of cloud and called out his own name, "the LORD," as Moses stood there in his presence. 6 He passed in front of Moses and said, "I am the LORD, I am the LORD, the merciful and gracious God. I am slow to anger and rich in unfailing love and faithfulness. 7 I show this unfailing love to many thousands by forgiving every kind of sin and rebellion. Even so I do not leave sin unpunished, but I punish the children for the sins of their parents to the third and fourth generations." 8 Moses immediately fell to the ground and worshiped. 9 And he said, "If it is true that I have found favor in your sight, O Lord, then please go with us. Yes, this is an unruly and stubborn people, but please pardon our iniquity and our sins. Accept us as your own special possession."
10 The LORD replied, "All right. This is the covenant I am going to make with you. I will perform wonders that have never been done before anywhere in all the earth or in any nation. And all the people around you will see the power of the LORD – the awesome power I will display through you. 11 Your responsibility is to obey all the commands I am giving you today. Then I will surely drive out all those who stand in your way – the Amorites, Canaanites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites. 12 "Be very careful never to make treaties with the people in the land where you are going. If you do, you soon will be following their evil ways. 13 Instead, you must break down their pagan altars, smash the sacred pillars they worship, and cut down their carved images. 14 You must worship no other gods, but only the LORD, for he is a God who is passionate about his relationship with you. 15 "Do not make treaties of any kind with the people living in the land. They are spiritual prostitutes, committing adultery against me by sacrificing to their gods. If you make peace with them, they will invite you to go with them to worship their gods, and you are likely to do it. 16 And you will accept their daughters, who worship other gods, as wives for your sons. Then they will cause your sons to commit adultery against me by worshiping other gods. 17 You must make no gods for yourselves at all.
18 "Be sure to celebrate the Festival of Unleavened Bread for seven days, just as I instructed you, at the appointed time each year in early spring, F70 for that was when you left Egypt. 19 "Every firstborn male belongs to me – of both cattle and sheep. 20 A firstborn male donkey may be redeemed from the LORD by presenting a lamb in its place. But if you decide not to make the exchange, you must kill the donkey by breaking its neck. However, you must redeem every firstborn son. No one is allowed to appear before me without a gift. 21 "Six days are set aside for work, but on the Sabbath day you must rest, even during the seasons of plowing and harvest. 22 And you must remember to celebrate the Festival of Harvest F71 with the first crop of the wheat harvest, and celebrate the Festival of the Final Harvest F72 at the end of the harvest season. 23 Three times each year all the men of Israel must appear before the Sovereign LORD, the God of Israel. 24 No one will attack and conquer your land when you go to appear before the LORD your God those three times each year. I will drive out the nations that stand in your way and will enlarge your boundaries. 25 "You must not offer bread made with yeast as a sacrifice to me. And none of the meat of the Passover lamb may be kept over until the following morning. 26 You must bring the best of the first of each year's crop to the house of the LORD your God."You must not cook a young goat in its mother's milk." 27 And the LORD said to Moses, "Write down all these instructions, for they represent the terms of my covenant with you and with Israel."
28 Moses was up on the mountain with the LORD forty days and forty nights. In all that time he neither ate nor drank. At that time he wrote the terms of the covenant – the Ten Commandments – on the stone tablets. 29 When Moses came down the mountain carrying the stone tablets inscribed with the terms of the covenant, F73 he wasn't aware that his face glowed because he had spoken to the LORD face to face. 30 And when Aaron and the people of Israel saw the radiance of Moses' face, they were afraid to come near him. 31 But Moses called to them and asked Aaron and the community leaders to come over and talk with him. 32 Then all the people came, and Moses gave them the instructions the LORD had given him on Mount Sinai. 33 When Moses had finished speaking with them, he put a veil over his face. 34 But whenever he went into the Tent of Meeting to speak with the LORD, he removed the veil until he came out again. Then he would give the people whatever instructions the LORD had given him, 35 and the people would see his face aglow. Afterward he would put the veil on again until he returned to speak with the LORD.
FOOTNOTES:F70: Hebrew in the month of Abib. This month of the Hebrew lunar calendar usually occurs in March and April. F71: Or Festival of Weeks. F72: This was later called the Festival of Shelters; see Lev 23:33-36. F73: Hebrew the Testimony.
The New Living Translation
~ Lena's Comments.....
Were compiled this morning about 5 a.m. when my computer totally locked up and after restarting this lovely machine, my supposed auto saved docs were gone, leving me with the originally saved doc, as you see above ! And that was only the beginning of a "lovely" but veryb trying day which began at 4 a.m.. So I apologize, but I'm gonna go to sleep now and only post what was left for me this morning :-)
Love and blessings to you ALL! I hope and pray your days are full of exciting adventures which add lots of joy to your lives.
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