Ephesians 6
Children and Parents
1 Children, obey your parents because you belong to the Lord,[a] for this is the right thing to do. 2 “Honor your father and mother.” This is the first commandment with a promise: 3 If you honor your father and mother, “things will go well for you, and you will have a long life on the earth.”[b]
4 Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger by the way you treat them. Rather, bring them up with the discipline and instruction that comes from the Lord.
Slaves and Masters
5 Slaves, obey your earthly masters with deep respect and fear. Serve them sincerely as you would serve Christ. 6 Try to please them all the time, not just when they are watching you. As slaves of Christ, do the will of God with all your heart. 7 Work with enthusiasm, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people. 8 Remember that the Lord will reward each one of us for the good we do, whether we are slaves or free.
9 Masters, treat your slaves in the same way. Don’t threaten them; remember, you both have the same Master in heaven, and he has no favorites.
The Whole Armor of God
10 A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. 12 For we[c] are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.
13 Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm. 14 Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness. 15 For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared.[d] 16 In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil.[e] 17 Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
18 Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere.[f]
19 And pray for me, too. Ask God to give me the right words so I can boldly explain God’s mysterious plan that the Good News is for Jews and Gentiles alike.[g] 20 I am in chains now, still preaching this message as God’s ambassador. So pray that I will keep on speaking boldly for him, as I should.
Final Greetings
21 To bring you up to date, Tychicus will give you a full report about what I am doing and how I am getting along. He is a beloved brother and faithful helper in the Lord’s work. 22 I have sent him to you for this very purpose—to let you know how we are doing and to encourage you.
23 Peace be with you, dear brothers and sisters,[h] and may God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you love with faithfulness. 24 May God’s grace be eternally upon all who love our Lord Jesus Christ.
Footnotes:
a. Ephesians 6:1 Or Children, obey your parents who belong to the Lord; some manuscripts read simply Children, obey your parents.
b. Ephesians 6:3 Exod 20:12; Deut 5:16.
c. Ephesians 6:12 Some manuscripts read you.
d. Ephesians 6:15 Or For shoes, put on the readiness to preach the Good News of peace with God.
e. Ephesians 6:16 Greek the evil one.
f. Ephesians 6:18 Greek all of God’s holy people.
g. Ephesians 6:19 Greek explain the mystery of the Good News; some manuscripts read simply explain the mystery.
h. Ephesians 6:23 Greek brothers.
Tuesday, December 19, 2006
Monday, December 18, 2006
Lena’s Discipleship Journalin’ to Eph 3 Today
Paul’s prayer is very specific. He is after a target, the revelation of who we are, why we are here and what we are doing!
Isn’t that everyone’s question?
There is something amazing about finding that out and then living it out.
Don’t be so set in your mind that you won’t see it when it is revealed. The purposes of God for each human are more general than they are specific.
I hear people say, “I wonder where I should work?”, as though work is where they’ll find their purpose. Work has a purpose, it feeds your family and teaches you about character and integrity, faithfulness, submission etc, but it is not where your purpose is found.
Then I hear people say, “I wonder where I should go to college?”, as though college is where you’ll find your purpose. You might by chance find your purpose while at work or at college, but your purpose does not lye in it.
Purpose can only be found in Christ. All of the purposes of each individual will be found and fulfilled in Christ, in being a part of the utter fulfillment of God’s Divine dreams come true. Our ultimate purposes are fulfilled in making His dreams come alive in earthen vessels. Willing earthen vessels.
Our true and lifelong dreams of finding purpose can only be defined inside of doing the will of the Father while we’re still on earth, just as Jesus did.
You can work any job and do that, live in any place and do that, go to any college and do that, and be that.
To get down to detail, the place you work or live or study may or may not deter you from seeing and walking out your purposes more effectively. One place may set up distractions or detours along your pathway, so it may be better to put yourself in one place compared to another place, but that has to do more with your hunger, desire and willingness to do His good pleasure than the actual finding or fulfillment of your purpose.
Paul had found his purpose in Christ Jesus and in so doing, he was able to see it clearly for others, which is what led him to teach and preach it to others, that they might find theirs in Him. When a person really sees, they cannot help but yearn for Christ to be formed and complete His work in others, in any who will.
Paul says -
When I think of all this, I fall to my knees and pray to the Father, the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth.
I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit.
Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him.
Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong.
And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is.
May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully.
Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.
Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us,
to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.
Be glory and honor and wisdom and power, at work in us for Him, right here, right now! Amen.
Paul’s prayer is very specific. He is after a target, the revelation of who we are, why we are here and what we are doing!
Isn’t that everyone’s question?
There is something amazing about finding that out and then living it out.
Don’t be so set in your mind that you won’t see it when it is revealed. The purposes of God for each human are more general than they are specific.
I hear people say, “I wonder where I should work?”, as though work is where they’ll find their purpose. Work has a purpose, it feeds your family and teaches you about character and integrity, faithfulness, submission etc, but it is not where your purpose is found.
Then I hear people say, “I wonder where I should go to college?”, as though college is where you’ll find your purpose. You might by chance find your purpose while at work or at college, but your purpose does not lye in it.
Purpose can only be found in Christ. All of the purposes of each individual will be found and fulfilled in Christ, in being a part of the utter fulfillment of God’s Divine dreams come true. Our ultimate purposes are fulfilled in making His dreams come alive in earthen vessels. Willing earthen vessels.
Our true and lifelong dreams of finding purpose can only be defined inside of doing the will of the Father while we’re still on earth, just as Jesus did.
You can work any job and do that, live in any place and do that, go to any college and do that, and be that.
To get down to detail, the place you work or live or study may or may not deter you from seeing and walking out your purposes more effectively. One place may set up distractions or detours along your pathway, so it may be better to put yourself in one place compared to another place, but that has to do more with your hunger, desire and willingness to do His good pleasure than the actual finding or fulfillment of your purpose.
Paul had found his purpose in Christ Jesus and in so doing, he was able to see it clearly for others, which is what led him to teach and preach it to others, that they might find theirs in Him. When a person really sees, they cannot help but yearn for Christ to be formed and complete His work in others, in any who will.
Paul says -
When I think of all this, I fall to my knees and pray to the Father, the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth.
I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit.
Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him.
Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong.
And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is.
May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully.
Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.
Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us,
to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.
Be glory and honor and wisdom and power, at work in us for Him, right here, right now! Amen.
TRC's Daily Bread Reading for Today
Ephesians 3
God’s Mysterious Plan Revealed
1 When I think of all this, I, Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus for the benefit of you Gentiles[a] . . . 2 assuming, by the way, that you know God gave me the special responsibility of extending his grace to you Gentiles. 3 As I briefly wrote earlier, God himself revealed his mysterious plan to me. 4 As you read what I have written, you will understand my insight into this plan regarding Christ. 5 God did not reveal it to previous generations, but now by his Spirit he has revealed it to his holy apostles and prophets.
6 And this is God’s plan: Both Gentiles and Jews who believe the Good News share equally in the riches inherited by God’s children. Both are part of the same body, and both enjoy the promise of blessings because they belong to Christ Jesus.[b] 7 By God’s grace and mighty power, I have been given the privilege of serving him by spreading this Good News.
8 Though I am the least deserving of all God’s people, he graciously gave me the privilege of telling the Gentiles about the endless treasures available to them in Christ. 9 I was chosen to explain to everyone[c] this mysterious plan that God, the Creator of all things, had kept secret from the beginning.
10 God’s purpose in all this was to use the church to display his wisdom in its rich variety to all the unseen rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. 11 This was his eternal plan, which he carried out through Christ Jesus our Lord.
12 Because of Christ and our faith in him,[d] we can now come boldly and confidently into God’s presence. 13 So please don’t lose heart because of my trials here. I am suffering for you, so you should feel honored.
Paul’s Prayer for Spiritual Growth
14 When I think of all this, I fall to my knees and pray to the Father,[e] 15 the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth.[f] 16 I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. 17 Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. 18 And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. 19 May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.
20 Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. 21 Glory to him in the church and in Christ Jesus through all generations forever and ever! Amen.
Footnotes:
Ephesians 3:1 Paul resumes this thought in verse 14: “When I think of all this, I fall to my knees and pray to the Father.”
Ephesians 3:6 Or because they are united with Christ Jesus.
Ephesians 3:9 Some manuscripts omit to everyone.
Ephesians 3:12 Or Because of Christ’s faithfulness.
Ephesians 3:14 Some manuscripts read the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Ephesians 3:15 Or from whom every family in heaven and on earth takes its name.
God’s Mysterious Plan Revealed
1 When I think of all this, I, Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus for the benefit of you Gentiles[a] . . . 2 assuming, by the way, that you know God gave me the special responsibility of extending his grace to you Gentiles. 3 As I briefly wrote earlier, God himself revealed his mysterious plan to me. 4 As you read what I have written, you will understand my insight into this plan regarding Christ. 5 God did not reveal it to previous generations, but now by his Spirit he has revealed it to his holy apostles and prophets.
6 And this is God’s plan: Both Gentiles and Jews who believe the Good News share equally in the riches inherited by God’s children. Both are part of the same body, and both enjoy the promise of blessings because they belong to Christ Jesus.[b] 7 By God’s grace and mighty power, I have been given the privilege of serving him by spreading this Good News.
8 Though I am the least deserving of all God’s people, he graciously gave me the privilege of telling the Gentiles about the endless treasures available to them in Christ. 9 I was chosen to explain to everyone[c] this mysterious plan that God, the Creator of all things, had kept secret from the beginning.
10 God’s purpose in all this was to use the church to display his wisdom in its rich variety to all the unseen rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. 11 This was his eternal plan, which he carried out through Christ Jesus our Lord.
12 Because of Christ and our faith in him,[d] we can now come boldly and confidently into God’s presence. 13 So please don’t lose heart because of my trials here. I am suffering for you, so you should feel honored.
Paul’s Prayer for Spiritual Growth
14 When I think of all this, I fall to my knees and pray to the Father,[e] 15 the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth.[f] 16 I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. 17 Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. 18 And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. 19 May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.
20 Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. 21 Glory to him in the church and in Christ Jesus through all generations forever and ever! Amen.
Footnotes:
Ephesians 3:1 Paul resumes this thought in verse 14: “When I think of all this, I fall to my knees and pray to the Father.”
Ephesians 3:6 Or because they are united with Christ Jesus.
Ephesians 3:9 Some manuscripts omit to everyone.
Ephesians 3:12 Or Because of Christ’s faithfulness.
Ephesians 3:14 Some manuscripts read the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Ephesians 3:15 Or from whom every family in heaven and on earth takes its name.
Sunday, December 17, 2006
With Colossians 1
Lena’s Discipleship Journalin’ Today
Reconciliation is a sweet word. Why does the Bible use this? We were once enemies of God and now we are able to be drawn near by the Spirit of God who so desires to free us from the eternal bondage of sin and death.
In order for this to happen, one must acknowledge that one is in bondage to sin and death, realize their need for reconciliation and turn from the separation to unification.
All mankind since Adam were bound this way, taken out of the very heart’s reach of God our Creator Father and Lord. It was impossible to be made one with Father God again, up until the Son answered the question of, “Who will go for US?” Jesus, the Son said He would go. He was willing to become a living sacrifice before God for the men God the Father so loved. He would shed His precious and Divine blood once for all that freewill beings would now again be able to stay in fellowship with God if they so chose. Sin made that impossible. Even if one desired to be made righteous before God it was a mighty impossible feat to do so.
Jesus made a way for freewill man to be able to choose love and obedience in response to God the Father again, forever.
Reconcile means : to make to agree, make two into one, equalize, reestablish a close relationship to, to resolve and make compatible again.
That sounds like a marriage and even the accounting of finances.
In reconciliation we do both, we bring back together what was separated and we give an account, a good account to God for our eternal relationship with Him and return of previously separated fellowship with Him.
All will give account of their relationship to God. Now that we can be one with Christ, the accounting will be whether we chose to be reunited or not. Now that men can be one again, through His shed blood there is no excuse to not be reconciled. Rebellion is the only culprit to not become one with Him and His purposes. Jesus came to squash out the power of rebellion.
Reconciliation is a sweet word. Why does the Bible use this? We were once enemies of God and now we are able to be drawn near by the Spirit of God who so desires to free us from the eternal bondage of sin and death.
In order for this to happen, one must acknowledge that one is in bondage to sin and death, realize their need for reconciliation and turn from the separation to unification.
All mankind since Adam were bound this way, taken out of the very heart’s reach of God our Creator Father and Lord. It was impossible to be made one with Father God again, up until the Son answered the question of, “Who will go for US?” Jesus, the Son said He would go. He was willing to become a living sacrifice before God for the men God the Father so loved. He would shed His precious and Divine blood once for all that freewill beings would now again be able to stay in fellowship with God if they so chose. Sin made that impossible. Even if one desired to be made righteous before God it was a mighty impossible feat to do so.
Jesus made a way for freewill man to be able to choose love and obedience in response to God the Father again, forever.
Reconcile means : to make to agree, make two into one, equalize, reestablish a close relationship to, to resolve and make compatible again.
That sounds like a marriage and even the accounting of finances.
In reconciliation we do both, we bring back together what was separated and we give an account, a good account to God for our eternal relationship with Him and return of previously separated fellowship with Him.
All will give account of their relationship to God. Now that we can be one with Christ, the accounting will be whether we chose to be reunited or not. Now that men can be one again, through His shed blood there is no excuse to not be reconciled. Rebellion is the only culprit to not become one with Him and His purposes. Jesus came to squash out the power of rebellion.
TRC's Daily Bread Reading for Today
Colossians 1
Greetings from Paul
1 This letter is from Paul, chosen by the will of God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus, and from our brother Timothy.
2 We are writing to God’s holy people in the city of Colosse, who are faithful brothers and sisters[a] in Christ.
May God our Father give you grace and peace.
Paul’s Thanksgiving and Prayer
3 We always pray for you, and we give thanks to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. 4 For we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and your love for all of God’s people, 5 which come from your confident hope of what God has reserved for you in heaven. You have had this expectation ever since you first heard the truth of the Good News.
6 This same Good News that came to you is going out all over the world. It is bearing fruit everywhere by changing lives, just as it changed your lives from the day you first heard and understood the truth about God’s wonderful grace.
7 You learned about the Good News from Epaphras, our beloved co-worker. He is Christ’s faithful servant, and he is helping us on your behalf.[b] 8 He has told us about the love for others that the Holy Spirit has given you.
9 So we have not stopped praying for you since we first heard about you. We ask God to give you complete knowledge of his will and to give you spiritual wisdom and understanding. 10 Then the way you live will always honor and please the Lord, and your lives will produce every kind of good fruit. All the while, you will grow as you learn to know God better and better.
11 We also pray that you will be strengthened with all his glorious power so you will have all the endurance and patience you need. May you be filled with joy,[c] 12 always thanking the Father. He has enabled you to share in the inheritance that belongs to his people, who live in the light. 13 For he has rescued us from the kingdom of darkness and transferred us into the Kingdom of his dear Son, 14 who purchased our freedom[d] and forgave our sins.
Christ Is Supreme
15 Christ is the visible image of the invisible God.
He existed before anything was created and is supreme over all creation,[e]
16 for through him God created everything
in the heavenly realms and on earth.
He made the things we can see
and the things we can’t see—
such as thrones, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities in the unseen world.
Everything was created through him and for him.
17 He existed before anything else,
and he holds all creation together.
18 Christ is also the head of the church,
which is his body.
He is the beginning,
supreme over all who rise from the dead.[f]
So he is first in everything.
19 For God in all his fullness
was pleased to live in Christ,
20 and through him God reconciled
everything to himself.
He made peace with everything in heaven and on earth
by means of Christ’s blood on the cross.
21 This includes you who were once far away from God. You were his enemies, separated from him by your evil thoughts and actions. 22 Yet now he has reconciled you to himself through the death of Christ in his physical body. As a result, he has brought you into his own presence, and you are holy and blameless as you stand before him without a single fault.
23 But you must continue to believe this truth and stand firmly in it. Don’t drift away from the assurance you received when you heard the Good News. The Good News has been preached all over the world, and I, Paul, have been appointed as God’s servant to proclaim it.
Paul’s Work for the Church
24 I am glad when I suffer for you in my body, for I am participating in the sufferings of Christ that continue for his body, the church. 25 God has given me the responsibility of serving his church by proclaiming his entire message to you. 26 This message was kept secret for centuries and generations past, but now it has been revealed to God’s people. 27 For God wanted them to know that the riches and glory of Christ are for you Gentiles, too. And this is the secret: Christ lives in you. This gives you assurance of sharing his glory.
28 So we tell others about Christ, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all the wisdom God has given us. We want to present them to God, perfect[g] in their relationship to Christ. 29 That’s why I work and struggle so hard, depending on Christ’s mighty power that works within me.
Footnotes:
a. Colossians 1:2 Greek faithful brothers.
b. Colossians 1:7 Or he is ministering on your behalf; some manuscripts read he is ministering on our behalf.
c. Colossians 1:11 Or all the patience and endurance you need with joy.
d. Colossians 1:14 Some manuscripts add with his blood.
e. Colossians 1:15 Or He is the firstborn of all creation.
f. Colossians 1:18 Or the firstborn from the dead.
g. Colossians 1:28 Or mature.
Greetings from Paul
1 This letter is from Paul, chosen by the will of God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus, and from our brother Timothy.
2 We are writing to God’s holy people in the city of Colosse, who are faithful brothers and sisters[a] in Christ.
May God our Father give you grace and peace.
Paul’s Thanksgiving and Prayer
3 We always pray for you, and we give thanks to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. 4 For we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and your love for all of God’s people, 5 which come from your confident hope of what God has reserved for you in heaven. You have had this expectation ever since you first heard the truth of the Good News.
6 This same Good News that came to you is going out all over the world. It is bearing fruit everywhere by changing lives, just as it changed your lives from the day you first heard and understood the truth about God’s wonderful grace.
7 You learned about the Good News from Epaphras, our beloved co-worker. He is Christ’s faithful servant, and he is helping us on your behalf.[b] 8 He has told us about the love for others that the Holy Spirit has given you.
9 So we have not stopped praying for you since we first heard about you. We ask God to give you complete knowledge of his will and to give you spiritual wisdom and understanding. 10 Then the way you live will always honor and please the Lord, and your lives will produce every kind of good fruit. All the while, you will grow as you learn to know God better and better.
11 We also pray that you will be strengthened with all his glorious power so you will have all the endurance and patience you need. May you be filled with joy,[c] 12 always thanking the Father. He has enabled you to share in the inheritance that belongs to his people, who live in the light. 13 For he has rescued us from the kingdom of darkness and transferred us into the Kingdom of his dear Son, 14 who purchased our freedom[d] and forgave our sins.
Christ Is Supreme
15 Christ is the visible image of the invisible God.
He existed before anything was created and is supreme over all creation,[e]
16 for through him God created everything
in the heavenly realms and on earth.
He made the things we can see
and the things we can’t see—
such as thrones, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities in the unseen world.
Everything was created through him and for him.
17 He existed before anything else,
and he holds all creation together.
18 Christ is also the head of the church,
which is his body.
He is the beginning,
supreme over all who rise from the dead.[f]
So he is first in everything.
19 For God in all his fullness
was pleased to live in Christ,
20 and through him God reconciled
everything to himself.
He made peace with everything in heaven and on earth
by means of Christ’s blood on the cross.
21 This includes you who were once far away from God. You were his enemies, separated from him by your evil thoughts and actions. 22 Yet now he has reconciled you to himself through the death of Christ in his physical body. As a result, he has brought you into his own presence, and you are holy and blameless as you stand before him without a single fault.
23 But you must continue to believe this truth and stand firmly in it. Don’t drift away from the assurance you received when you heard the Good News. The Good News has been preached all over the world, and I, Paul, have been appointed as God’s servant to proclaim it.
Paul’s Work for the Church
24 I am glad when I suffer for you in my body, for I am participating in the sufferings of Christ that continue for his body, the church. 25 God has given me the responsibility of serving his church by proclaiming his entire message to you. 26 This message was kept secret for centuries and generations past, but now it has been revealed to God’s people. 27 For God wanted them to know that the riches and glory of Christ are for you Gentiles, too. And this is the secret: Christ lives in you. This gives you assurance of sharing his glory.
28 So we tell others about Christ, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all the wisdom God has given us. We want to present them to God, perfect[g] in their relationship to Christ. 29 That’s why I work and struggle so hard, depending on Christ’s mighty power that works within me.
Footnotes:
a. Colossians 1:2 Greek faithful brothers.
b. Colossians 1:7 Or he is ministering on your behalf; some manuscripts read he is ministering on our behalf.
c. Colossians 1:11 Or all the patience and endurance you need with joy.
d. Colossians 1:14 Some manuscripts add with his blood.
e. Colossians 1:15 Or He is the firstborn of all creation.
f. Colossians 1:18 Or the firstborn from the dead.
g. Colossians 1:28 Or mature.
Saturday, December 16, 2006
Lena's Discipleship Journalin' to 2 Cor 4
What is life about, our existence on earth about, even suffering about?
Do you ask these questions? If not outwardly, I believe most people ask these inner questions everyday.
Ever go through something hard and if you can seem to find purpose in it, it somehow becomes more enduring?
This is how I live, directing my thoughts, always in search of a greater purpose, a deeper understanding, and a higher view of the inward purposes and desired expressions of Christ.
At the beginning of 2 Cor 4 it says, “Being Christ gave us this ministry, we never give up”…Do you ever feel like giving up? When I feel like giving up I ask God to help me see the greater purpose in what I’m involved in. I don’t feel like giving up as much anymore, because I know there is purpose in this life and God has given us each a Divine “assignment” to bring forth His purposes. I know there is probably one great big “assignment” or “mission” or whatever, but I also believe each thing we encounter has its own purpose for us, either to lead us to a greater place in the understanding of Christ or to help others go there, through being able to watch us walk it through.
What is the ministry Christ gave us that keeps us from never giving up? I believe it is the formation of Christ in us, and not just for us, but that we’d become the bread for the earth to eat Him and the wine for them to drink-in the realization of their own purposes.
If men do not become as He is in the world now and feed others the truth, we’ll merely be here, just being here.
Yet when we get outside of ourselves, involved in kingdom thinking and living, we live a resurrected life. Life has a tremendous untapped into potential. Every person has it available to them, everyone who wishes more, can have more and be more for God in this world.
I cannot stand to waste time, yet if I know that what I’m doing is purposeful, I’ll willingly spend the time.
I just met a woman, in her 30’s, she lost a 17 year old boy this year. In her grief, she has come to search for and find her own purposes in Christ Jesus as Lord. She is in hot pursuit of God her Father. I was speaking with her the other night, just getting to know her, she said,
“I woke up, now I’m really alive and I must live on for Christ and God and my other two children, leading the way for them!”
Many times when we speak with people who either attend or visit our churches we listen to see if someone is committed to the purposes of God or is searching for them at all, or if they are there to have their own needs met and to get a fix for their week. As teachers and leaders we are always on alert for that one who really desires to be led into further discipleship of their faith.
As I further listened to her I heard her say this, “I am with you (all), God has led me here, you won’t be able to rid yourself of me, I’m here for the long-run, I need to be engaged as a soldier of God’s army. He has some things He needs to do in the earth and I’m here to be who He needs me to be in the army. I’m a soldier of the King”!
I was not sure if what I heard was a dream or if I was really hearing someone say these things! This is exactly how I feel, everyday. I’ve felt various degrees of this for 27 years. I’ve prayed and have waited to hear those kinds of words out of the mouth of a potential disciple. I told her I was so thankful that her son’s death had led her here, rather than away from this place of realization of purpose.
God is looking for activity, kingdom engagement, fulfillment of purpose, through us. He loves us if we never serve Him, but His heart is overjoyed if we love and serve Him back, as a reciprocation of His great love and service to us.
A lot of people have said they are committed to the cause of Christ, yet when offenses arise, or the test comes, or relationships get hard, or things don’t go exactly as planned, people shrink back and quit if they have no roots in them.
I recently put up a plaque in my boy’s bathroom that says, “NEVER, NEVER, NEVER…..GIVE UP!” My 6 year old girl went in the newly decorated bathroom and saw it, she’s just begun to read. She came out to tell me what someone put in there on the wall, and told me what it said, then she said, "Mom, I want our bathroom to be done like that too"!
So my words to you, from Romans 8 daily bread this week and from Luke 4 Daily bread this week. NEVER, NEVER, NEVER- GIVE UP.
Get rooted and grounded in covenant love, never breaking the promise of commitment to God’s work, no matter what.
Let no offense, no circumstance, no situation take you outside of the active purposes of God, ever!
The parable of the Sower & the writings of Paul’s perils tell the core of the story of this walk of faith that works by love! Without deep roots we’ll never make it, and roots won’t ever get deep, if we keep uprooting them everytime we get offended. If we never get established in a spiritual and natural family unit, for there are some things we're gonna face and go through that God did not mean for us to do alone, or to quit while we are going through it. We’ve gotta see, so we can believe. See beyond what is seen naturally, seeing eternally.
Do you ask these questions? If not outwardly, I believe most people ask these inner questions everyday.
Ever go through something hard and if you can seem to find purpose in it, it somehow becomes more enduring?
This is how I live, directing my thoughts, always in search of a greater purpose, a deeper understanding, and a higher view of the inward purposes and desired expressions of Christ.
At the beginning of 2 Cor 4 it says, “Being Christ gave us this ministry, we never give up”…Do you ever feel like giving up? When I feel like giving up I ask God to help me see the greater purpose in what I’m involved in. I don’t feel like giving up as much anymore, because I know there is purpose in this life and God has given us each a Divine “assignment” to bring forth His purposes. I know there is probably one great big “assignment” or “mission” or whatever, but I also believe each thing we encounter has its own purpose for us, either to lead us to a greater place in the understanding of Christ or to help others go there, through being able to watch us walk it through.
What is the ministry Christ gave us that keeps us from never giving up? I believe it is the formation of Christ in us, and not just for us, but that we’d become the bread for the earth to eat Him and the wine for them to drink-in the realization of their own purposes.
If men do not become as He is in the world now and feed others the truth, we’ll merely be here, just being here.
Yet when we get outside of ourselves, involved in kingdom thinking and living, we live a resurrected life. Life has a tremendous untapped into potential. Every person has it available to them, everyone who wishes more, can have more and be more for God in this world.
I cannot stand to waste time, yet if I know that what I’m doing is purposeful, I’ll willingly spend the time.
I just met a woman, in her 30’s, she lost a 17 year old boy this year. In her grief, she has come to search for and find her own purposes in Christ Jesus as Lord. She is in hot pursuit of God her Father. I was speaking with her the other night, just getting to know her, she said,
“I woke up, now I’m really alive and I must live on for Christ and God and my other two children, leading the way for them!”
Many times when we speak with people who either attend or visit our churches we listen to see if someone is committed to the purposes of God or is searching for them at all, or if they are there to have their own needs met and to get a fix for their week. As teachers and leaders we are always on alert for that one who really desires to be led into further discipleship of their faith.
As I further listened to her I heard her say this, “I am with you (all), God has led me here, you won’t be able to rid yourself of me, I’m here for the long-run, I need to be engaged as a soldier of God’s army. He has some things He needs to do in the earth and I’m here to be who He needs me to be in the army. I’m a soldier of the King”!
I was not sure if what I heard was a dream or if I was really hearing someone say these things! This is exactly how I feel, everyday. I’ve felt various degrees of this for 27 years. I’ve prayed and have waited to hear those kinds of words out of the mouth of a potential disciple. I told her I was so thankful that her son’s death had led her here, rather than away from this place of realization of purpose.
God is looking for activity, kingdom engagement, fulfillment of purpose, through us. He loves us if we never serve Him, but His heart is overjoyed if we love and serve Him back, as a reciprocation of His great love and service to us.
A lot of people have said they are committed to the cause of Christ, yet when offenses arise, or the test comes, or relationships get hard, or things don’t go exactly as planned, people shrink back and quit if they have no roots in them.
I recently put up a plaque in my boy’s bathroom that says, “NEVER, NEVER, NEVER…..GIVE UP!” My 6 year old girl went in the newly decorated bathroom and saw it, she’s just begun to read. She came out to tell me what someone put in there on the wall, and told me what it said, then she said, "Mom, I want our bathroom to be done like that too"!
So my words to you, from Romans 8 daily bread this week and from Luke 4 Daily bread this week. NEVER, NEVER, NEVER- GIVE UP.
Get rooted and grounded in covenant love, never breaking the promise of commitment to God’s work, no matter what.
Let no offense, no circumstance, no situation take you outside of the active purposes of God, ever!
The parable of the Sower & the writings of Paul’s perils tell the core of the story of this walk of faith that works by love! Without deep roots we’ll never make it, and roots won’t ever get deep, if we keep uprooting them everytime we get offended. If we never get established in a spiritual and natural family unit, for there are some things we're gonna face and go through that God did not mean for us to do alone, or to quit while we are going through it. We’ve gotta see, so we can believe. See beyond what is seen naturally, seeing eternally.
TRC's Daily Bread Reading for Today
2 Corinthians 4
Treasure in Fragile Clay Jars
1 Therefore, since God in his mercy has given us this new way,[a] we never give up. 2 We reject all shameful deeds and underhanded methods. We don’t try to trick anyone or distort the word of God. We tell the truth before God, and all who are honest know this.
3 If the Good News we preach is hidden behind a veil, it is hidden only from people who are perishing. 4 Satan, who is the god of this world, has blinded the minds of those who don’t believe. They are unable to see the glorious light of the Good News. They don’t understand this message about the glory of Christ, who is the exact likeness of God.
5 You see, we don’t go around preaching about ourselves. We preach that Jesus Christ is Lord, and we ourselves are your servants for Jesus’ sake. 6 For God, who said, “Let there be light in the darkness,” has made this light shine in our hearts so we could know the glory of God that is seen in the face of Jesus Christ.
7 We now have this light shining in our hearts, but we ourselves are like fragile clay jars containing this great treasure.[b] This makes it clear that our great power is from God, not from ourselves.
8 We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed. We are perplexed, but not driven to despair. 9 We are hunted down, but never abandoned by God. We get knocked down, but we are not destroyed. 10 Through suffering, our bodies continue to share in the death of Jesus so 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 evident in our dying bodies. 12 So we live in the face of death, but this 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, so I spoke.”[c] 14 We know that God, who raised the Lord Jesus,[d] will also raise us with Jesus and present us to himself together with you. 15 All of this is for your benefit. And as God’s grace reaches more and more people, 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[e] being renewed every day. 17 For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever! 18 So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever.
Footnotes:
2 Corinthians 4:1 Or ministry.
2 Corinthians 4:7 Greek We now have this treasure in clay jars.
2 Corinthians 4:13 Ps 116:10.
2 Corinthians 4:14 Some manuscripts read who raised Jesus.
2 Corinthians 4:16 Greek our inner being is.
Treasure in Fragile Clay Jars
1 Therefore, since God in his mercy has given us this new way,[a] we never give up. 2 We reject all shameful deeds and underhanded methods. We don’t try to trick anyone or distort the word of God. We tell the truth before God, and all who are honest know this.
3 If the Good News we preach is hidden behind a veil, it is hidden only from people who are perishing. 4 Satan, who is the god of this world, has blinded the minds of those who don’t believe. They are unable to see the glorious light of the Good News. They don’t understand this message about the glory of Christ, who is the exact likeness of God.
5 You see, we don’t go around preaching about ourselves. We preach that Jesus Christ is Lord, and we ourselves are your servants for Jesus’ sake. 6 For God, who said, “Let there be light in the darkness,” has made this light shine in our hearts so we could know the glory of God that is seen in the face of Jesus Christ.
7 We now have this light shining in our hearts, but we ourselves are like fragile clay jars containing this great treasure.[b] This makes it clear that our great power is from God, not from ourselves.
8 We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed. We are perplexed, but not driven to despair. 9 We are hunted down, but never abandoned by God. We get knocked down, but we are not destroyed. 10 Through suffering, our bodies continue to share in the death of Jesus so 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 evident in our dying bodies. 12 So we live in the face of death, but this 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, so I spoke.”[c] 14 We know that God, who raised the Lord Jesus,[d] will also raise us with Jesus and present us to himself together with you. 15 All of this is for your benefit. And as God’s grace reaches more and more people, 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[e] being renewed every day. 17 For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever! 18 So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever.
Footnotes:
2 Corinthians 4:1 Or ministry.
2 Corinthians 4:7 Greek We now have this treasure in clay jars.
2 Corinthians 4:13 Ps 116:10.
2 Corinthians 4:14 Some manuscripts read who raised Jesus.
2 Corinthians 4:16 Greek our inner being is.
Friday, December 15, 2006
TRC's Daily Bread Reading for 2-Day
Matthew 13
Parable of the Farmer Scattering Seed
1 Later that same day Jesus left the house and sat beside the lake. 2 A large crowd soon gathered around him, so he got into a boat. Then he sat there and taught as the people stood on the shore. 3 He told many stories in the form of parables, such as this one:
“Listen! A farmer went out to plant some seeds. 4 As he scattered them across his field, some seeds fell on a footpath, and the birds came and ate them. 5 Other seeds fell on shallow soil with underlying rock. The seeds sprouted quickly because the soil was shallow. 6 But the plants soon wilted under the hot sun, and since they didn’t have deep roots, they died. 7 Other seeds fell among thorns that grew up and choked out the tender plants. 8 Still other seeds fell on fertile soil, and they produced a crop that was thirty, sixty, and even a hundred times as much as had been planted! 9 Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand.”
10 His disciples came and asked him, “Why do you use parables when you talk to the people?”
11 He replied, “You are permitted to understand the secrets[a] of the Kingdom of Heaven, but others are not. 12 To those who listen to my teaching, more understanding will be given, and they will have an abundance of knowledge. But for those who are not listening, even what little understanding they have will be taken away from them. 13 That is why I use these parables,
For they look, but they don’t really see.
They hear, but they don’t really listen or understand.
14 This fulfills the prophecy of Isaiah that says,
‘When you hear what I say,
you will not understand.
When you see what I do,
you will not comprehend.
15 For the hearts of these people are hardened,
and their ears cannot hear,
and they have closed their eyes—
so their eyes cannot see,
and their ears cannot hear,
and their hearts cannot understand,
and they cannot turn to me
and let me heal them.’[b]
16 “But blessed are your eyes, because they see; and your ears, because they hear. 17 I tell you the truth, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see, but they didn’t see it. And they longed to hear what you hear, but they didn’t hear it.
18 “Now listen to the explanation of the parable about the farmer planting seeds: 19 The seed that fell on the footpath represents those who hear the message about the Kingdom and don’t understand it. Then the evil one comes and snatches away the seed that was planted in their hearts. 20 The seed on the rocky soil represents those who hear the message and immediately receive it with joy. 21 But since they don’t have deep roots, they don’t last long. They fall away as soon as they have problems or are persecuted for believing God’s word. 22 The seed that fell among the thorns represents those who hear God’s word, but all too quickly the message is crowded out by the worries of this life and the lure of wealth, so no fruit is produced. 23 The seed that fell on good soil represents those who truly hear and understand God’s word and produce a harvest of thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times as much as had been planted!”
Parable of the Wheat and Weeds
24 Here is another story Jesus told: “The Kingdom of Heaven is like a farmer who planted good seed in his field. 25 But that night as the workers slept, his enemy came and planted weeds among the wheat, then slipped away. 26 When the crop began to grow and produce grain, the weeds also grew.
27 “The farmer’s workers went to him and said, ‘Sir, the field where you planted that good seed is full of weeds! Where did they come from?’
28 “‘An enemy has done this!’ the farmer exclaimed.
“‘Should we pull out the weeds?’ they asked.
29 “‘No,’ he replied, ‘you’ll uproot the wheat if you do. 30 Let both grow together until the harvest. Then I will tell the harvesters to sort out the weeds, tie them into bundles, and burn them, and to put the wheat in the barn.’”
Parable of the Mustard Seed
31 Here is another illustration Jesus used: “The Kingdom of Heaven is like a mustard seed planted in a field. 32 It is the smallest of all seeds, but it becomes the largest of garden plants; it grows into a tree, and birds come and make nests in its branches.”
Parable of the Yeast
33 Jesus also used this illustration: “The Kingdom of Heaven is like the yeast a woman used in making bread. Even though she put only a little yeast in three measures of flour, it permeated every part of the dough.”
34 Jesus always used stories and illustrations like these when speaking to the crowds. In fact, he never spoke to them without using such parables. 35 This fulfilled what God had spoken through the prophet:
“I will speak to you in parables.
I will explain things hidden since the creation of the world.[c]”
Parable of the Wheat and Weeds Explained
36 Then, leaving the crowds outside, Jesus went into the house. His disciples said, “Please explain to us the story of the weeds in the field.”
37 Jesus replied, “The Son of Man[d] is the farmer who plants the good seed. 38 The field is the world, and the good seed represents the people of the Kingdom. The weeds are the people who belong to the evil one. 39 The enemy who planted the weeds among the wheat is the devil. The harvest is the end of the world,[e] and the harvesters are the angels.
40 “Just as the weeds are sorted out and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the world. 41 The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will remove from his Kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil. 42 And the angels will throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 43 Then the righteous will shine like the sun in their Father’s Kingdom. Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand!
Parables of the Hidden Treasure and the Pearl
44 “The Kingdom of Heaven is like a treasure that a man discovered hidden in a field. In his excitement, he hid it again and sold everything he owned to get enough money to buy the field.
45 “Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like a merchant on the lookout for choice pearls. 46 When he discovered a pearl of great value, he sold everything he owned and bought it!
Parable of the Fishing Net
47 “Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like a fishing net that was thrown into the water and caught fish of every kind. 48 When the net was full, they dragged it up onto the shore, sat down, and sorted the good fish into crates, but threw the bad ones away. 49 That is the way it will be at the end of the world. The angels will come and separate the wicked people from the righteous, 50 throwing the wicked into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 51 Do you understand all these things?”
“Yes,” they said, “we do.”
52 Then he added, “Every teacher of religious law who becomes a disciple in the Kingdom of Heaven is like a homeowner who brings from his storeroom new gems of truth as well as old.”
Jesus Rejected at Nazareth
53 When Jesus had finished telling these stories and illustrations, he left that part of the country. 54 He returned to Nazareth, his hometown. When he taught there in the synagogue, everyone was amazed and said, “Where does he get this wisdom and the power to do miracles?” 55 Then they scoffed, “He’s just the carpenter’s son, and we know Mary, his mother, and his brothers—James, Joseph,[f] Simon, and Judas. 56 All his sisters live right here among us. Where did he learn all these things?” 57 And they were deeply offended and refused to believe in him.
Then Jesus told them, “A prophet is honored everywhere except in his own hometown and among his own family.” 58 And so he did only a few miracles there because of their unbelief.
Footnotes:
a. Matthew 13:11 Greek the mysteries.
b. Matthew 13:15 Isa 6:9-10 (Greek version).
c. Matthew 13:35 Some manuscripts do not include of the world. Ps 78:2.
d. Matthew 13:37 “Son of Man” is a title Jesus used for himself.
e. Matthew 13:39 Or the age; also in 13:40, 49.
f. Matthew 13:55 Other manuscripts read Joses; still others read John.
Parable of the Farmer Scattering Seed
1 Later that same day Jesus left the house and sat beside the lake. 2 A large crowd soon gathered around him, so he got into a boat. Then he sat there and taught as the people stood on the shore. 3 He told many stories in the form of parables, such as this one:
“Listen! A farmer went out to plant some seeds. 4 As he scattered them across his field, some seeds fell on a footpath, and the birds came and ate them. 5 Other seeds fell on shallow soil with underlying rock. The seeds sprouted quickly because the soil was shallow. 6 But the plants soon wilted under the hot sun, and since they didn’t have deep roots, they died. 7 Other seeds fell among thorns that grew up and choked out the tender plants. 8 Still other seeds fell on fertile soil, and they produced a crop that was thirty, sixty, and even a hundred times as much as had been planted! 9 Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand.”
10 His disciples came and asked him, “Why do you use parables when you talk to the people?”
11 He replied, “You are permitted to understand the secrets[a] of the Kingdom of Heaven, but others are not. 12 To those who listen to my teaching, more understanding will be given, and they will have an abundance of knowledge. But for those who are not listening, even what little understanding they have will be taken away from them. 13 That is why I use these parables,
For they look, but they don’t really see.
They hear, but they don’t really listen or understand.
14 This fulfills the prophecy of Isaiah that says,
‘When you hear what I say,
you will not understand.
When you see what I do,
you will not comprehend.
15 For the hearts of these people are hardened,
and their ears cannot hear,
and they have closed their eyes—
so their eyes cannot see,
and their ears cannot hear,
and their hearts cannot understand,
and they cannot turn to me
and let me heal them.’[b]
16 “But blessed are your eyes, because they see; and your ears, because they hear. 17 I tell you the truth, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see, but they didn’t see it. And they longed to hear what you hear, but they didn’t hear it.
18 “Now listen to the explanation of the parable about the farmer planting seeds: 19 The seed that fell on the footpath represents those who hear the message about the Kingdom and don’t understand it. Then the evil one comes and snatches away the seed that was planted in their hearts. 20 The seed on the rocky soil represents those who hear the message and immediately receive it with joy. 21 But since they don’t have deep roots, they don’t last long. They fall away as soon as they have problems or are persecuted for believing God’s word. 22 The seed that fell among the thorns represents those who hear God’s word, but all too quickly the message is crowded out by the worries of this life and the lure of wealth, so no fruit is produced. 23 The seed that fell on good soil represents those who truly hear and understand God’s word and produce a harvest of thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times as much as had been planted!”
Parable of the Wheat and Weeds
24 Here is another story Jesus told: “The Kingdom of Heaven is like a farmer who planted good seed in his field. 25 But that night as the workers slept, his enemy came and planted weeds among the wheat, then slipped away. 26 When the crop began to grow and produce grain, the weeds also grew.
27 “The farmer’s workers went to him and said, ‘Sir, the field where you planted that good seed is full of weeds! Where did they come from?’
28 “‘An enemy has done this!’ the farmer exclaimed.
“‘Should we pull out the weeds?’ they asked.
29 “‘No,’ he replied, ‘you’ll uproot the wheat if you do. 30 Let both grow together until the harvest. Then I will tell the harvesters to sort out the weeds, tie them into bundles, and burn them, and to put the wheat in the barn.’”
Parable of the Mustard Seed
31 Here is another illustration Jesus used: “The Kingdom of Heaven is like a mustard seed planted in a field. 32 It is the smallest of all seeds, but it becomes the largest of garden plants; it grows into a tree, and birds come and make nests in its branches.”
Parable of the Yeast
33 Jesus also used this illustration: “The Kingdom of Heaven is like the yeast a woman used in making bread. Even though she put only a little yeast in three measures of flour, it permeated every part of the dough.”
34 Jesus always used stories and illustrations like these when speaking to the crowds. In fact, he never spoke to them without using such parables. 35 This fulfilled what God had spoken through the prophet:
“I will speak to you in parables.
I will explain things hidden since the creation of the world.[c]”
Parable of the Wheat and Weeds Explained
36 Then, leaving the crowds outside, Jesus went into the house. His disciples said, “Please explain to us the story of the weeds in the field.”
37 Jesus replied, “The Son of Man[d] is the farmer who plants the good seed. 38 The field is the world, and the good seed represents the people of the Kingdom. The weeds are the people who belong to the evil one. 39 The enemy who planted the weeds among the wheat is the devil. The harvest is the end of the world,[e] and the harvesters are the angels.
40 “Just as the weeds are sorted out and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the world. 41 The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will remove from his Kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil. 42 And the angels will throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 43 Then the righteous will shine like the sun in their Father’s Kingdom. Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand!
Parables of the Hidden Treasure and the Pearl
44 “The Kingdom of Heaven is like a treasure that a man discovered hidden in a field. In his excitement, he hid it again and sold everything he owned to get enough money to buy the field.
45 “Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like a merchant on the lookout for choice pearls. 46 When he discovered a pearl of great value, he sold everything he owned and bought it!
Parable of the Fishing Net
47 “Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like a fishing net that was thrown into the water and caught fish of every kind. 48 When the net was full, they dragged it up onto the shore, sat down, and sorted the good fish into crates, but threw the bad ones away. 49 That is the way it will be at the end of the world. The angels will come and separate the wicked people from the righteous, 50 throwing the wicked into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 51 Do you understand all these things?”
“Yes,” they said, “we do.”
52 Then he added, “Every teacher of religious law who becomes a disciple in the Kingdom of Heaven is like a homeowner who brings from his storeroom new gems of truth as well as old.”
Jesus Rejected at Nazareth
53 When Jesus had finished telling these stories and illustrations, he left that part of the country. 54 He returned to Nazareth, his hometown. When he taught there in the synagogue, everyone was amazed and said, “Where does he get this wisdom and the power to do miracles?” 55 Then they scoffed, “He’s just the carpenter’s son, and we know Mary, his mother, and his brothers—James, Joseph,[f] Simon, and Judas. 56 All his sisters live right here among us. Where did he learn all these things?” 57 And they were deeply offended and refused to believe in him.
Then Jesus told them, “A prophet is honored everywhere except in his own hometown and among his own family.” 58 And so he did only a few miracles there because of their unbelief.
Footnotes:
a. Matthew 13:11 Greek the mysteries.
b. Matthew 13:15 Isa 6:9-10 (Greek version).
c. Matthew 13:35 Some manuscripts do not include of the world. Ps 78:2.
d. Matthew 13:37 “Son of Man” is a title Jesus used for himself.
e. Matthew 13:39 Or the age; also in 13:40, 49.
f. Matthew 13:55 Other manuscripts read Joses; still others read John.
Wednesday, December 13, 2006
TRC's Daily Bread Reading 4, 2 -Day 12-14-06
Romans 8
Life in the Spirit
1 So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. 2 And because you belong to him, the power[a] of the life-giving Spirit has freed you[b] from the power of sin that leads to death. 3 The law of Moses was unable to save us because of the weakness of our sinful nature.[c] So God did what the law could not do. He sent his own Son in a body like the bodies we sinners have. And in that body God declared an end to sin’s control over us by giving his Son as a sacrifice for our sins. 4 He did this so that the just requirement of the law would be fully satisfied for us, who no longer follow our sinful nature but instead follow the Spirit.
5 Those who are dominated by the sinful nature think about sinful things, but those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit think about things that please the Spirit. 6 So letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death. But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace. 7 For the sinful nature is always hostile to God. It never did obey God’s laws, and it never will. 8 That’s why those who are still under the control of their sinful nature can never please God.
9 But you are not controlled by your sinful nature. You are controlled by the Spirit if you have the Spirit of God living in you. (And remember that those who do not have the Spirit of Christ living in them do not belong to him at all.) 10 And Christ lives within you, so even though your body will die because of sin, the Spirit gives you life[d] because you have been made right with God. 11 The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. And just as God raised Christ Jesus from the dead, he will give life to your mortal bodies by this same Spirit living within you.
12 Therefore, dear brothers and sisters,[e] you have no obligation to do what your sinful nature urges you to do. 13 For if you live by its dictates, you will die. But if through the power of the Spirit you put to death the deeds of your sinful nature,[f] you will live. 14 For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children[g] of God.
15 So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children.[h] Now we call him, “Abba, Father.”[i] 16 For his Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God’s children. 17 And since we are his children, we are his heirs. In fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God’s glory. But if we are to share his glory, we must also share his suffering.
The Future Glory
18 Yet what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory he will reveal to us later. 19 For all creation is waiting eagerly for that future day when God will reveal who his children really are. 20 Against its will, all creation was subjected to God’s curse. But with eager hope, 21 the creation looks forward to the day when it will join God’s children in glorious freedom from death and decay. 22 For we know that all creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. 23 And we believers also groan, even though we have the Holy Spirit within us as a foretaste of future glory, for we long for our bodies to be released from sin and suffering. We, too, wait with eager hope for the day when God will give us our full rights as his adopted children,[j] including the new bodies he has promised us. 24 We were given this hope when we were saved. (If we already have something, we don’t need to hope[k] for it. 25 But if we look forward to something we don’t yet have, we must wait patiently and confidently.)
26 And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words. 27 And the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers[l] in harmony with God’s own will. 28 And we know that God causes everything to work together[m] for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. 29 For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. 30 And having chosen them, he called them to come to him. And having called them, he gave them right standing with himself. And having given them right standing, he gave them his glory.
Nothing Can Separate Us from God’s Love
31 What shall we say about such wonderful things as these? If God is for us, who can ever be against us? 32 Since he did not spare even his own Son but gave him up for us all, won’t he also give us everything else? 33 Who dares accuse us whom God has chosen for his own? No one—for God himself has given us right standing with himself. 34 Who then will condemn us? No one—for Christ Jesus died for us and was raised to life for us, and he is sitting in the place of honor at God’s right hand, pleading for us.
35 Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death? 36 (As the Scriptures say, “For your sake we are killed every day; we are being slaughtered like sheep.”[n]) 37 No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.
38 And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,[o] neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. 39 No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Footnotes:
a. Romans 8:2 Greek the law; also in 8:2b.
b. Romans 8:2 Some manuscripts read me.
c. Romans 8:3 Greek our flesh; similarly in 8:4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 12.
d. Romans 8:10 Or your spirit is alive.
e. Romans 8:12 Greek brothers; also in 8:29.
f. Romans 8:13 Greek deeds of the body.
g. Romans 8:14 Greek sons; also in 8:19.
h. Romans 8:15 Greek you received a spirit of sonship.
i. Romans 8:15 Abba is an Aramaic term for “father.”
j. Romans 8:23 Greek wait anxiously for sonship.
k. Romans 8:24 Some manuscripts read wait.
l. Romans 8:27 Greek for God’s holy people.
m. Romans 8:28 Some manuscripts read And we know that everything works together.
n. Romans 8:36 Ps 44:22.
o. Romans 8:38 Greek nor rulers.
Life in the Spirit
1 So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. 2 And because you belong to him, the power[a] of the life-giving Spirit has freed you[b] from the power of sin that leads to death. 3 The law of Moses was unable to save us because of the weakness of our sinful nature.[c] So God did what the law could not do. He sent his own Son in a body like the bodies we sinners have. And in that body God declared an end to sin’s control over us by giving his Son as a sacrifice for our sins. 4 He did this so that the just requirement of the law would be fully satisfied for us, who no longer follow our sinful nature but instead follow the Spirit.
5 Those who are dominated by the sinful nature think about sinful things, but those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit think about things that please the Spirit. 6 So letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death. But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace. 7 For the sinful nature is always hostile to God. It never did obey God’s laws, and it never will. 8 That’s why those who are still under the control of their sinful nature can never please God.
9 But you are not controlled by your sinful nature. You are controlled by the Spirit if you have the Spirit of God living in you. (And remember that those who do not have the Spirit of Christ living in them do not belong to him at all.) 10 And Christ lives within you, so even though your body will die because of sin, the Spirit gives you life[d] because you have been made right with God. 11 The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. And just as God raised Christ Jesus from the dead, he will give life to your mortal bodies by this same Spirit living within you.
12 Therefore, dear brothers and sisters,[e] you have no obligation to do what your sinful nature urges you to do. 13 For if you live by its dictates, you will die. But if through the power of the Spirit you put to death the deeds of your sinful nature,[f] you will live. 14 For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children[g] of God.
15 So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children.[h] Now we call him, “Abba, Father.”[i] 16 For his Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God’s children. 17 And since we are his children, we are his heirs. In fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God’s glory. But if we are to share his glory, we must also share his suffering.
The Future Glory
18 Yet what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory he will reveal to us later. 19 For all creation is waiting eagerly for that future day when God will reveal who his children really are. 20 Against its will, all creation was subjected to God’s curse. But with eager hope, 21 the creation looks forward to the day when it will join God’s children in glorious freedom from death and decay. 22 For we know that all creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. 23 And we believers also groan, even though we have the Holy Spirit within us as a foretaste of future glory, for we long for our bodies to be released from sin and suffering. We, too, wait with eager hope for the day when God will give us our full rights as his adopted children,[j] including the new bodies he has promised us. 24 We were given this hope when we were saved. (If we already have something, we don’t need to hope[k] for it. 25 But if we look forward to something we don’t yet have, we must wait patiently and confidently.)
26 And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words. 27 And the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers[l] in harmony with God’s own will. 28 And we know that God causes everything to work together[m] for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. 29 For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. 30 And having chosen them, he called them to come to him. And having called them, he gave them right standing with himself. And having given them right standing, he gave them his glory.
Nothing Can Separate Us from God’s Love
31 What shall we say about such wonderful things as these? If God is for us, who can ever be against us? 32 Since he did not spare even his own Son but gave him up for us all, won’t he also give us everything else? 33 Who dares accuse us whom God has chosen for his own? No one—for God himself has given us right standing with himself. 34 Who then will condemn us? No one—for Christ Jesus died for us and was raised to life for us, and he is sitting in the place of honor at God’s right hand, pleading for us.
35 Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death? 36 (As the Scriptures say, “For your sake we are killed every day; we are being slaughtered like sheep.”[n]) 37 No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.
38 And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,[o] neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. 39 No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Footnotes:
a. Romans 8:2 Greek the law; also in 8:2b.
b. Romans 8:2 Some manuscripts read me.
c. Romans 8:3 Greek our flesh; similarly in 8:4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 12.
d. Romans 8:10 Or your spirit is alive.
e. Romans 8:12 Greek brothers; also in 8:29.
f. Romans 8:13 Greek deeds of the body.
g. Romans 8:14 Greek sons; also in 8:19.
h. Romans 8:15 Greek you received a spirit of sonship.
i. Romans 8:15 Abba is an Aramaic term for “father.”
j. Romans 8:23 Greek wait anxiously for sonship.
k. Romans 8:24 Some manuscripts read wait.
l. Romans 8:27 Greek for God’s holy people.
m. Romans 8:28 Some manuscripts read And we know that everything works together.
n. Romans 8:36 Ps 44:22.
o. Romans 8:38 Greek nor rulers.
Lena's Discipleship Journalin' to 1 Cor 11
“So, Dear Brothers and sisters, when you gather for the Lord’s supper, wait for one another…”
Ya, know that scripture that says, “they who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings as eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint”?
The word “wait” in this scripture does not mean be patiently enduring, though both patience and endurance are Godly characteristics. It means to serve actively, as a “waiter” waits on a table at a restraint, because it is his vocation.
I wonder how we would see this passage in 1 Cor11 if we read it that way? “Dear brothers when you gather for the Lord’s supper, purpose to serve one another, and put visible action to the serving of one another as though it were your livelihood…
One way we can serve one another well is to clear the air, so to speak, forgive one another, don’t allow offenses to separate us from the agreement of the spirit. Stop allowing petty differences to divide us as a body of believers who are serving the Lord to win souls and make disciples. Along with these things helping us to better serve one another, it also serves the Lord.
The whole head covering thing is so understated, and misunderstood. When it says, “a woman should cover her head”…( and a man shouldn’t dadada), because of the angels, it seems to make no sense, but if we read with spirit-filled eyes and ears we’ll take a better peek and see that it is referring to those who are under authority are also in authority in the spirit.
God is a God of order. God is a Spirit. We are also Spirits and are made spiritually alive unto God when we get Born Again. We enter the awareness of the spirit realm as never before. We realize we are instantly and automatically engaged in warfare in the spirit realm and that it effects who we are and what goes on for our lives naturally speaking.
The things we do and decide shape our world, and most of the warfare and shaping happens in the unseen world first before we see it. It’s God’s character, to create with vision, speak the desired plan, and then open it up in our natural world.
The reason we’ve been made spiritually alive unto God is to join His will and plan and the execution of it in the earth. Being God is orderly, to be effective as executioners of His will, we must be engaged in His order. Once engaged, we are enabled and equipped change our world. If never engaged in His order we just deal with disorder. We go from one disorderly thing to another, these are called “circumstances”.
One of God’s ways of ordering life in the spirit is using the order of authority. It’s just like military order, yet it is not dictatorial. The difference is we volunteer and we’re only in that order if we want to be, we can leave at anytime we’d like. That is sad for God, but we have that option. If we take that option we just won’t see change in our world as much or as quickly as we would if we stayed inside of order.
Angels and other spirits know very well the order of the Universe that God set up and they know if we who call ourselves His people, His ambassadors, are in or out of order. Angels of God actually wait for us to get in order so they can help us out. This is why it says here, “because of the angels”. If we are under authority and thus being we are in order, in battle array, we have angelic servants to do His will in our lives along with us, helping us. If we decide to get out of “line” they stand around doing nothing for us. We’re help-less.
Ever feel helpless? There’s something we can do. Get back in Divine order, engage, obey God, come under authority and be accountable.
These things even work for ungodly people. Look at the military. They can get anyone together, put them under authority and make them accountable, unify them after one purpose, and watch them fight and win a war, even for a wrong cause.
So, “cover your head”, means, “come under authority”- willingly, be accountable, because you want to, unto God. Submit yourself life to a disciplined spiritual walk of faith, joined with a body of believers who are doing the same, and watch for the salvation of God! Amen!
Ya, know that scripture that says, “they who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings as eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint”?
The word “wait” in this scripture does not mean be patiently enduring, though both patience and endurance are Godly characteristics. It means to serve actively, as a “waiter” waits on a table at a restraint, because it is his vocation.
I wonder how we would see this passage in 1 Cor11 if we read it that way? “Dear brothers when you gather for the Lord’s supper, purpose to serve one another, and put visible action to the serving of one another as though it were your livelihood…
One way we can serve one another well is to clear the air, so to speak, forgive one another, don’t allow offenses to separate us from the agreement of the spirit. Stop allowing petty differences to divide us as a body of believers who are serving the Lord to win souls and make disciples. Along with these things helping us to better serve one another, it also serves the Lord.
The whole head covering thing is so understated, and misunderstood. When it says, “a woman should cover her head”…( and a man shouldn’t dadada), because of the angels, it seems to make no sense, but if we read with spirit-filled eyes and ears we’ll take a better peek and see that it is referring to those who are under authority are also in authority in the spirit.
God is a God of order. God is a Spirit. We are also Spirits and are made spiritually alive unto God when we get Born Again. We enter the awareness of the spirit realm as never before. We realize we are instantly and automatically engaged in warfare in the spirit realm and that it effects who we are and what goes on for our lives naturally speaking.
The things we do and decide shape our world, and most of the warfare and shaping happens in the unseen world first before we see it. It’s God’s character, to create with vision, speak the desired plan, and then open it up in our natural world.
The reason we’ve been made spiritually alive unto God is to join His will and plan and the execution of it in the earth. Being God is orderly, to be effective as executioners of His will, we must be engaged in His order. Once engaged, we are enabled and equipped change our world. If never engaged in His order we just deal with disorder. We go from one disorderly thing to another, these are called “circumstances”.
One of God’s ways of ordering life in the spirit is using the order of authority. It’s just like military order, yet it is not dictatorial. The difference is we volunteer and we’re only in that order if we want to be, we can leave at anytime we’d like. That is sad for God, but we have that option. If we take that option we just won’t see change in our world as much or as quickly as we would if we stayed inside of order.
Angels and other spirits know very well the order of the Universe that God set up and they know if we who call ourselves His people, His ambassadors, are in or out of order. Angels of God actually wait for us to get in order so they can help us out. This is why it says here, “because of the angels”. If we are under authority and thus being we are in order, in battle array, we have angelic servants to do His will in our lives along with us, helping us. If we decide to get out of “line” they stand around doing nothing for us. We’re help-less.
Ever feel helpless? There’s something we can do. Get back in Divine order, engage, obey God, come under authority and be accountable.
These things even work for ungodly people. Look at the military. They can get anyone together, put them under authority and make them accountable, unify them after one purpose, and watch them fight and win a war, even for a wrong cause.
So, “cover your head”, means, “come under authority”- willingly, be accountable, because you want to, unto God. Submit yourself life to a disciplined spiritual walk of faith, joined with a body of believers who are doing the same, and watch for the salvation of God! Amen!
TRC's Daily Bread Reading for Today 12-13
1 Corinthians 11
1 11:1 And you should imitate me, just as I imitate Christ.
Instructions for Public Worship
2 I am so glad that you always keep me in your thoughts, and that you are following the teachings I passed on to you. 3 But there is one thing I want you to know: The head of every man is Christ, the head of woman is man, and the head of Christ is God.[a] 4 A man dishonors his head[b] if he covers his head while praying or prophesying. 5 But a woman dishonors her head[c] if she prays or prophesies without a covering on her head, for this is the same as shaving her head. 6 Yes, if she refuses to wear a head covering, she should cut off all her hair! But since it is shameful for a woman to have her hair cut or her head shaved, she should wear a covering.[d]
7 A man should not wear anything on his head when worshiping, for man is made in God’s image and reflects God’s glory. And woman reflects man’s glory. 8 For the first man didn’t come from woman, but the first woman came from man. 9 And man was not made for woman, but woman was made for man. 10 For this reason, and because the angels are watching, a woman should wear a covering on her head to show she is under authority.[e]
11 But among the Lord’s people, women are not independent of men, and men are not independent of women. 12 For although the first woman came from man, every other man was born from a woman, and everything comes from God.
13 Judge for yourselves. Is it right for a woman to pray to God in public without covering her head? 14 Isn’t it obvious that it’s disgraceful for a man to have long hair? 15 And isn’t long hair a woman’s pride and joy? For it has been given to her as a covering. 16 But if anyone wants to argue about this, I simply say that we have no other custom than this, and neither do God’s other churches.
Order at the Lord’s Supper
17 But in the following instructions, I cannot praise you. For it sounds as if more harm than good is done when you meet together. 18 First, I hear that there are divisions among you when you meet as a church, and to some extent I believe it. 19 But, of course, there must be divisions among you so that you who have God’s approval will be recognized!
20 When you meet together, you are not really interested in the Lord’s Supper. 21 For some of you hurry to eat your own meal without sharing with others. As a result, some go hungry while others get drunk. 22 What? Don’t you have your own homes for eating and drinking? Or do you really want to disgrace God’s church and shame the poor? What am I supposed to say? Do you want me to praise you? Well, I certainly will not praise you for this!
23 For I pass on to you what I received from the Lord himself. On the night when he was betrayed, the Lord Jesus took some bread 24 and gave thanks to God for it. Then he broke it in pieces and said, “This is my body, which is given for you.[f] Do this to remember me.” 25 In the same way, he took the cup of wine after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant between God and his people—an agreement confirmed with my blood. Do this to remember me as often as you drink it.” 26 For every time you eat this bread and drink this cup, you are announcing the Lord’s death until he comes again.
27 So anyone who eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord unworthily is guilty of sinning against[g] the body and blood of the Lord. 28 That is why you should examine yourself before eating the bread and drinking the cup. 29 For if you eat the bread or drink the cup without honoring the body of Christ,[h] you are eating and drinking God’s judgment upon yourself. 30 That is why many of you are weak and sick and some have even died.
31 But if we would examine ourselves, we would not be judged by God in this way. 32 Yet when we are judged by the Lord, we are being disciplined so that we will not be condemned along with the world.
33 So, my dear brothers and sisters,[i] when you gather for the Lord’s Supper, wait for each other. 34 If you are really hungry, eat at home so you won’t bring judgment upon yourselves when you meet together. I’ll give you instructions about the other matters after I arrive.
Footnotes:
a. 1 Corinthians 11:3 Or to know: The source of every man is Christ, the source of woman is man, and the source of Christ is God. Or to know: Every man is responsible to Christ, a woman is responsible to her husband, and Christ is responsible to God.
b. 1 Corinthians 11:4 Or dishonors Christ.
c. 1 Corinthians 11:5 Or dishonors her husband.
d. 1 Corinthians 11:6 Or should have long hair.
e. 1 Corinthians 11:10 Greek should have an authority on her head.
f. 1 Corinthians 11:24 Greek which is for you; other manuscripts read which is broken for you.
g. 1 Corinthians 11:27 Or is responsible for.
h. 1 Corinthians 11:29 Greek the body; other manuscripts read the Lord’s body.
i. 1 Corinthians 11:33 Greek brothers.
1 11:1 And you should imitate me, just as I imitate Christ.
Instructions for Public Worship
2 I am so glad that you always keep me in your thoughts, and that you are following the teachings I passed on to you. 3 But there is one thing I want you to know: The head of every man is Christ, the head of woman is man, and the head of Christ is God.[a] 4 A man dishonors his head[b] if he covers his head while praying or prophesying. 5 But a woman dishonors her head[c] if she prays or prophesies without a covering on her head, for this is the same as shaving her head. 6 Yes, if she refuses to wear a head covering, she should cut off all her hair! But since it is shameful for a woman to have her hair cut or her head shaved, she should wear a covering.[d]
7 A man should not wear anything on his head when worshiping, for man is made in God’s image and reflects God’s glory. And woman reflects man’s glory. 8 For the first man didn’t come from woman, but the first woman came from man. 9 And man was not made for woman, but woman was made for man. 10 For this reason, and because the angels are watching, a woman should wear a covering on her head to show she is under authority.[e]
11 But among the Lord’s people, women are not independent of men, and men are not independent of women. 12 For although the first woman came from man, every other man was born from a woman, and everything comes from God.
13 Judge for yourselves. Is it right for a woman to pray to God in public without covering her head? 14 Isn’t it obvious that it’s disgraceful for a man to have long hair? 15 And isn’t long hair a woman’s pride and joy? For it has been given to her as a covering. 16 But if anyone wants to argue about this, I simply say that we have no other custom than this, and neither do God’s other churches.
Order at the Lord’s Supper
17 But in the following instructions, I cannot praise you. For it sounds as if more harm than good is done when you meet together. 18 First, I hear that there are divisions among you when you meet as a church, and to some extent I believe it. 19 But, of course, there must be divisions among you so that you who have God’s approval will be recognized!
20 When you meet together, you are not really interested in the Lord’s Supper. 21 For some of you hurry to eat your own meal without sharing with others. As a result, some go hungry while others get drunk. 22 What? Don’t you have your own homes for eating and drinking? Or do you really want to disgrace God’s church and shame the poor? What am I supposed to say? Do you want me to praise you? Well, I certainly will not praise you for this!
23 For I pass on to you what I received from the Lord himself. On the night when he was betrayed, the Lord Jesus took some bread 24 and gave thanks to God for it. Then he broke it in pieces and said, “This is my body, which is given for you.[f] Do this to remember me.” 25 In the same way, he took the cup of wine after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant between God and his people—an agreement confirmed with my blood. Do this to remember me as often as you drink it.” 26 For every time you eat this bread and drink this cup, you are announcing the Lord’s death until he comes again.
27 So anyone who eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord unworthily is guilty of sinning against[g] the body and blood of the Lord. 28 That is why you should examine yourself before eating the bread and drinking the cup. 29 For if you eat the bread or drink the cup without honoring the body of Christ,[h] you are eating and drinking God’s judgment upon yourself. 30 That is why many of you are weak and sick and some have even died.
31 But if we would examine ourselves, we would not be judged by God in this way. 32 Yet when we are judged by the Lord, we are being disciplined so that we will not be condemned along with the world.
33 So, my dear brothers and sisters,[i] when you gather for the Lord’s Supper, wait for each other. 34 If you are really hungry, eat at home so you won’t bring judgment upon yourselves when you meet together. I’ll give you instructions about the other matters after I arrive.
Footnotes:
a. 1 Corinthians 11:3 Or to know: The source of every man is Christ, the source of woman is man, and the source of Christ is God. Or to know: Every man is responsible to Christ, a woman is responsible to her husband, and Christ is responsible to God.
b. 1 Corinthians 11:4 Or dishonors Christ.
c. 1 Corinthians 11:5 Or dishonors her husband.
d. 1 Corinthians 11:6 Or should have long hair.
e. 1 Corinthians 11:10 Greek should have an authority on her head.
f. 1 Corinthians 11:24 Greek which is for you; other manuscripts read which is broken for you.
g. 1 Corinthians 11:27 Or is responsible for.
h. 1 Corinthians 11:29 Greek the body; other manuscripts read the Lord’s body.
i. 1 Corinthians 11:33 Greek brothers.
Tuesday, December 12, 2006
TRC's Daily Bread Today
Gen 14
1 About this time war broke out in the region. King Amraphel of Babylonia, F48 King Arioch of Ellasar, King Kedorlaomer of Elam, and King Tidal of Goiim 2 fought against King Bera of Sodom, King Birsha of Gomorrah, King Shinab of Admah, King Shemeber of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela (now called Zoar). 3 The kings of Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, Zeboiim, and Bela formed an alliance and mobilized their armies in Siddim Valley (that is, the valley of the Dead Sea F49 ). 4 For twelve years they had all been subject to King Kedorlaomer, but now in the thirteenth year they rebelled. 5 One year later, Kedorlaomer and his allies arrived. They conquered the Rephaites in Ashteroth-karnaim, the Zuzites in Ham, the Emites in the plain of Kiriathaim, 6 and the Horites in Mount Seir, as far as El-paran at the edge of the wilderness. 7 Then they swung around to En-mishpat (now called Kadesh) and destroyed the Amalekites, and also the Amorites living in Hazazon-tamar. 8 But now the army of the kings of Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, Zeboiim, and Bela (now called Zoar) prepared for battle in the valley of the Dead Sea F50 9 against King Kedorlaomer of Elam and the kings of Goiim, Babylonia, and Ellasar – four kings against five. 10 As it happened, the valley was filled with tar pits. And as the army of the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled, some slipped into the tar pits, while the rest escaped into the mountains. 11 The victorious invaders then plundered Sodom and Gomorrah and began their long journey home, taking all the wealth and food with them. 12 They also captured Lot – Abram's nephew who lived in Sodom – and took everything he owned.
13 One of the men who escaped came and told Abram the Hebrew, who was camped at the oak grove belonging to Mamre the Amorite. Mamre and his relatives, Eshcol and Aner, were Abram's allies. 14 When Abram learned that Lot had been captured, he called together the men born into his household, 318 of them in all. He chased after Kedorlaomer's army until he caught up with them in Dan. 15 There he divided his men and attacked during the night from several directions. Kedorlaomer's army fled, but Abram chased them to Hobah, north of Damascus. 16 Abram and his allies recovered everything – the goods that had been taken, Abram's nephew Lot with his possessions, and all the women and other captives.
17 As Abram returned from his victory over Kedorlaomer and his allies, the king of Sodom came out to meet him in the valley of Shaveh (that is, the King's Valley). 18 Then Melchizedek, the king of Salem and a priest of God Most High, brought him bread and wine. 19 Melchizedek blessed Abram with this blessing: "Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth. 20 And blessed be God Most High, who has helped you conquer your enemies." Then Abram gave Melchizedek a tenth of all the goods he had recovered.
21 The king of Sodom told him, "Give back my people who were captured. But you may keep for yourself all the goods you have recovered." 22 Abram replied, "I have solemnly promised the LORD, God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth, 23 that I will not take so much as a single thread or sandal thong from you. Otherwise you might say, 'I am the one who made Abram rich!' 24 All I'll accept is what these young men of mine have already eaten. But give a share of the goods to my allies – Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre." FOOTNOTES:
F48: Hebrew Shinar; also in 14:9.
F49: Hebrew Salt Sea.
F50: Hebrew in Siddim Valley; see 14:3
1 About this time war broke out in the region. King Amraphel of Babylonia, F48 King Arioch of Ellasar, King Kedorlaomer of Elam, and King Tidal of Goiim 2 fought against King Bera of Sodom, King Birsha of Gomorrah, King Shinab of Admah, King Shemeber of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela (now called Zoar). 3 The kings of Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, Zeboiim, and Bela formed an alliance and mobilized their armies in Siddim Valley (that is, the valley of the Dead Sea F49 ). 4 For twelve years they had all been subject to King Kedorlaomer, but now in the thirteenth year they rebelled. 5 One year later, Kedorlaomer and his allies arrived. They conquered the Rephaites in Ashteroth-karnaim, the Zuzites in Ham, the Emites in the plain of Kiriathaim, 6 and the Horites in Mount Seir, as far as El-paran at the edge of the wilderness. 7 Then they swung around to En-mishpat (now called Kadesh) and destroyed the Amalekites, and also the Amorites living in Hazazon-tamar. 8 But now the army of the kings of Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, Zeboiim, and Bela (now called Zoar) prepared for battle in the valley of the Dead Sea F50 9 against King Kedorlaomer of Elam and the kings of Goiim, Babylonia, and Ellasar – four kings against five. 10 As it happened, the valley was filled with tar pits. And as the army of the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled, some slipped into the tar pits, while the rest escaped into the mountains. 11 The victorious invaders then plundered Sodom and Gomorrah and began their long journey home, taking all the wealth and food with them. 12 They also captured Lot – Abram's nephew who lived in Sodom – and took everything he owned.
13 One of the men who escaped came and told Abram the Hebrew, who was camped at the oak grove belonging to Mamre the Amorite. Mamre and his relatives, Eshcol and Aner, were Abram's allies. 14 When Abram learned that Lot had been captured, he called together the men born into his household, 318 of them in all. He chased after Kedorlaomer's army until he caught up with them in Dan. 15 There he divided his men and attacked during the night from several directions. Kedorlaomer's army fled, but Abram chased them to Hobah, north of Damascus. 16 Abram and his allies recovered everything – the goods that had been taken, Abram's nephew Lot with his possessions, and all the women and other captives.
17 As Abram returned from his victory over Kedorlaomer and his allies, the king of Sodom came out to meet him in the valley of Shaveh (that is, the King's Valley). 18 Then Melchizedek, the king of Salem and a priest of God Most High, brought him bread and wine. 19 Melchizedek blessed Abram with this blessing: "Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth. 20 And blessed be God Most High, who has helped you conquer your enemies." Then Abram gave Melchizedek a tenth of all the goods he had recovered.
21 The king of Sodom told him, "Give back my people who were captured. But you may keep for yourself all the goods you have recovered." 22 Abram replied, "I have solemnly promised the LORD, God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth, 23 that I will not take so much as a single thread or sandal thong from you. Otherwise you might say, 'I am the one who made Abram rich!' 24 All I'll accept is what these young men of mine have already eaten. But give a share of the goods to my allies – Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre." FOOTNOTES:
F48: Hebrew Shinar; also in 14:9.
F49: Hebrew Salt Sea.
F50: Hebrew in Siddim Valley; see 14:3
Monday, December 11, 2006
Lena's Discipleship Journalin for Ps 87
What is God’s Holy Mountain? Who is Zion? Do you know it’s a who?
Yes Zion is a place, and it is God’s people who love to assemble together, love to unify, are compacted together on purpose! They are gathered with purpose, gather on purpose as an army of lovers. Lovers both of God their Father and of the people He loves and who His heart goes after. When we love who someone else loves, it is one of the greatest expressions of matured love in action. It goes way deeper than me loving you, when I love who belongs to you. Like in-laws. When I love my in-laws, no matter what, rather than complaining against them, belittling them, putting them down, I show you deep love. When I love your kids, even if they came from a former relationship, I’m showing you a greater and deeper love. Others you love are an extension of you, they come form your lineage, they are you in reproduced form. When I love your friends, I love you even more, for I’m willing to extend and grow love further than just you and I.
Zion is who God loves, they are His hope for the world to be saved. They are His ambassador-messengers. They are what is in His heart. If I love them, even if they are unworthy in my eyes, or they don’t quite deserve it, I’m maturing.
Jacob represents my unsaved unredeemed nature. Destined to be saved, rescued, redeemed, yet undecided, uncommitted. God loves this person, in fact His love is drawing them in, and those who have already decided for Him, who love who He loves now, they have a special place in his heart. They are fulfilled dreams come true. Jacob is the anticipation of Zion. He can be changed, if he will be.
God’s dream can come true through the faithfulness of those who call themselves Zion. Jacob can be changed as well as anyone else who decides can be, it is all possible now through the blood of the Lamb! The Spirit is calling all to come and assemble, to commit, to marry Him. Anyone who wants to can, and those who do not, don’t have to, ever, if they don’t really want to. It is a freewill society. If one decides to perish, they perish. If they desire to be saved they can be saved. It’s up to her. The call of love is saying, come in, gather, commit, be saved and save some more.
Are you Jacob or Zion? Jacob becomes Zion, Zion loves Jacob and gives His life to save her!
Yes Zion is a place, and it is God’s people who love to assemble together, love to unify, are compacted together on purpose! They are gathered with purpose, gather on purpose as an army of lovers. Lovers both of God their Father and of the people He loves and who His heart goes after. When we love who someone else loves, it is one of the greatest expressions of matured love in action. It goes way deeper than me loving you, when I love who belongs to you. Like in-laws. When I love my in-laws, no matter what, rather than complaining against them, belittling them, putting them down, I show you deep love. When I love your kids, even if they came from a former relationship, I’m showing you a greater and deeper love. Others you love are an extension of you, they come form your lineage, they are you in reproduced form. When I love your friends, I love you even more, for I’m willing to extend and grow love further than just you and I.
Zion is who God loves, they are His hope for the world to be saved. They are His ambassador-messengers. They are what is in His heart. If I love them, even if they are unworthy in my eyes, or they don’t quite deserve it, I’m maturing.
Jacob represents my unsaved unredeemed nature. Destined to be saved, rescued, redeemed, yet undecided, uncommitted. God loves this person, in fact His love is drawing them in, and those who have already decided for Him, who love who He loves now, they have a special place in his heart. They are fulfilled dreams come true. Jacob is the anticipation of Zion. He can be changed, if he will be.
God’s dream can come true through the faithfulness of those who call themselves Zion. Jacob can be changed as well as anyone else who decides can be, it is all possible now through the blood of the Lamb! The Spirit is calling all to come and assemble, to commit, to marry Him. Anyone who wants to can, and those who do not, don’t have to, ever, if they don’t really want to. It is a freewill society. If one decides to perish, they perish. If they desire to be saved they can be saved. It’s up to her. The call of love is saying, come in, gather, commit, be saved and save some more.
Are you Jacob or Zion? Jacob becomes Zion, Zion loves Jacob and gives His life to save her!
Today
Psalms 87
1 He founded Zion on the Holy Mountain - 2 and oh, how God loves his home! Loves it far better than all the homes of Jacob put together! 3 God's hometown - oh! everyone there is talking about you! 4 I name them off, those among whom I'm famous: Egypt and Babylon, also Philistia, even Tyre, along with Cush. Word's getting around; they point them out: "This one was born again here!" 5 The word's getting out on Zion: "Men and women, right and left, get born again in her!" 6 God registers their names in his book: "This one, this one, and this one - born again, right here." 7 Singers and dancers give credit to Zion: "All my springs are in you!" The Message
1 He founded Zion on the Holy Mountain - 2 and oh, how God loves his home! Loves it far better than all the homes of Jacob put together! 3 God's hometown - oh! everyone there is talking about you! 4 I name them off, those among whom I'm famous: Egypt and Babylon, also Philistia, even Tyre, along with Cush. Word's getting around; they point them out: "This one was born again here!" 5 The word's getting out on Zion: "Men and women, right and left, get born again in her!" 6 God registers their names in his book: "This one, this one, and this one - born again, right here." 7 Singers and dancers give credit to Zion: "All my springs are in you!" The Message
Sunday, December 10, 2006
Luke 2
1 At that time the Roman emperor, Augustus, decreed that a census should be taken throughout the Roman Empire. 2 (This was the first census taken when Quirinius was governor of Syria.) 3 All returned to their own towns to register for this census. 4 And because Joseph was a descendant of King David, he had to go to Bethlehem in Judea, David's ancient home. He traveled there from the village of Nazareth in Galilee. 5 He took with him Mary, his fianc'e, who was obviously pregnant by this time. 6 And while they were there, the time came for her baby to be born. 7 She gave birth to her first child, a son. She wrapped him snugly in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the village inn.
8 That night some shepherds were in the fields outside the village, guarding their flocks of sheep. 9 Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord's glory surrounded them. They were terribly frightened, 10 but the angel reassured them. "Don't be afraid!" he said. "I bring you good news of great joy for everyone! 11 The Savior – yes, the Messiah, the Lord – has been born tonight in Bethlehem, the city of David! 12 And this is how you will recognize him: You will find a baby lying in a manger, wrapped snugly in strips of cloth!" 13 Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others – the armies of heaven – praising God: 14 "Glory to God in the highest heaven, and peace on earth to all whom God favors. F6 " 15 When the angels had returned to heaven, the shepherds said to each other, "Come on, let's go to Bethlehem! Let's see this wonderful thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about." 16 They ran to the village and found Mary and Joseph. And there was the baby, lying in the manger. 17 Then the shepherds told everyone what had happened and what the angel had said to them about this child. 18 All who heard the shepherds' story were astonished, 19 but Mary quietly treasured these things in her heart and thought about them often. 20 The shepherds went back to their fields and flocks, glorifying and praising God for what the angels had told them, and because they had seen the child, just as the angel had said.
21 Eight days later, when the baby was circumcised, he was named Jesus, the name given him by the angel even before he was conceived. 22 Then it was time for the purification offering, as required by the law of Moses after the birth of a child; so his parents took him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord. 23 The law of the Lord says, "If a woman's first child is a boy, he must be dedicated to the Lord." F7 24 So they offered a sacrifice according to what was required in the law of the Lord – "either a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons." F8
25 Now there was a man named Simeon who lived in Jerusalem. He was a righteous man and very devout. He was filled with the Holy Spirit, and he eagerly expected the Messiah to come and rescue Israel. 26 The Holy Spirit had revealed to him that he would not die until he had seen the Lord's Messiah. 27 That day the Spirit led him to the Temple. So when Mary and Joseph came to present the baby Jesus to the Lord as the law required, 28 Simeon was there. He took the child in his arms and praised God, saying, 29 "Lord, now I can die in peace! As you promised me, 30 I have seen the Savior 31 you have given to all people. 32 He is a light to reveal God to the nations, and he is the glory of your people Israel!" 33 Joseph and Mary were amazed at what was being said about Jesus. 34 Then Simeon blessed them, and he said to Mary, "This child will be rejected by many in Israel, and it will be their undoing. But he will be the greatest joy to many others. 35 Thus, the deepest thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your very soul." 36 Anna, a prophet, was also there in the Temple. She was the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher, and was very old. She was a widow, for her husband had died when they had been married only seven years. 37 She was now eighty-four years old. She never left the Temple but stayed there day and night, worshiping God with fasting and prayer. 38 She came along just as Simeon was talking with Mary and Joseph, and she began praising God. She talked about Jesus to everyone who had been waiting for the promised King to come and deliver Jerusalem. 39 When Jesus' parents had fulfilled all the requirements of the law of the Lord, they returned home to Nazareth in Galilee. 40 There the child grew up healthy and strong. He was filled with wisdom beyond his years, and God placed his special favor upon him. 41 Every year Jesus' parents went to Jerusalem for the Passover festival. 42 When Jesus was twelve years old, they attended the festival as usual. 43 After the celebration was over, they started home to Nazareth, but Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. His parents didn't miss him at first, 44 because they assumed he was with friends among the other travelers. But when he didn't show up that evening, they started to look for him among their relatives and friends. 45 When they couldn't find him, they went back to Jerusalem to search for him there. 46 Three days later they finally discovered him. He was in the Temple, sitting among the religious teachers, discussing deep questions with them. 47 And all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers. 48 His parents didn't know what to think. "Son!" his mother said to him. "Why have you done this to us? Your father and I have been frantic, searching for you everywhere." 49 "But why did you need to search?" he asked. "You should have known that I would be in my Father's house." F9 50 But they didn't understand what he meant. 51 Then he returned to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them; and his mother stored all these things in her heart. 52 So Jesus grew both in height and in wisdom, and he was loved by God and by all who knew him. FOOTNOTES:F6: Or and peace on earth for all those pleasing God; some manuscripts read and peace on earth, goodwill among people. F7: Exod 13:2. F8: Lev 12:8. F9: Or "Didn't you realize that I should be involved with my Father's affairs?" The New Living Translation
1 At that time the Roman emperor, Augustus, decreed that a census should be taken throughout the Roman Empire. 2 (This was the first census taken when Quirinius was governor of Syria.) 3 All returned to their own towns to register for this census. 4 And because Joseph was a descendant of King David, he had to go to Bethlehem in Judea, David's ancient home. He traveled there from the village of Nazareth in Galilee. 5 He took with him Mary, his fianc'e, who was obviously pregnant by this time. 6 And while they were there, the time came for her baby to be born. 7 She gave birth to her first child, a son. She wrapped him snugly in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the village inn.
8 That night some shepherds were in the fields outside the village, guarding their flocks of sheep. 9 Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord's glory surrounded them. They were terribly frightened, 10 but the angel reassured them. "Don't be afraid!" he said. "I bring you good news of great joy for everyone! 11 The Savior – yes, the Messiah, the Lord – has been born tonight in Bethlehem, the city of David! 12 And this is how you will recognize him: You will find a baby lying in a manger, wrapped snugly in strips of cloth!" 13 Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others – the armies of heaven – praising God: 14 "Glory to God in the highest heaven, and peace on earth to all whom God favors. F6 " 15 When the angels had returned to heaven, the shepherds said to each other, "Come on, let's go to Bethlehem! Let's see this wonderful thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about." 16 They ran to the village and found Mary and Joseph. And there was the baby, lying in the manger. 17 Then the shepherds told everyone what had happened and what the angel had said to them about this child. 18 All who heard the shepherds' story were astonished, 19 but Mary quietly treasured these things in her heart and thought about them often. 20 The shepherds went back to their fields and flocks, glorifying and praising God for what the angels had told them, and because they had seen the child, just as the angel had said.
21 Eight days later, when the baby was circumcised, he was named Jesus, the name given him by the angel even before he was conceived. 22 Then it was time for the purification offering, as required by the law of Moses after the birth of a child; so his parents took him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord. 23 The law of the Lord says, "If a woman's first child is a boy, he must be dedicated to the Lord." F7 24 So they offered a sacrifice according to what was required in the law of the Lord – "either a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons." F8
25 Now there was a man named Simeon who lived in Jerusalem. He was a righteous man and very devout. He was filled with the Holy Spirit, and he eagerly expected the Messiah to come and rescue Israel. 26 The Holy Spirit had revealed to him that he would not die until he had seen the Lord's Messiah. 27 That day the Spirit led him to the Temple. So when Mary and Joseph came to present the baby Jesus to the Lord as the law required, 28 Simeon was there. He took the child in his arms and praised God, saying, 29 "Lord, now I can die in peace! As you promised me, 30 I have seen the Savior 31 you have given to all people. 32 He is a light to reveal God to the nations, and he is the glory of your people Israel!" 33 Joseph and Mary were amazed at what was being said about Jesus. 34 Then Simeon blessed them, and he said to Mary, "This child will be rejected by many in Israel, and it will be their undoing. But he will be the greatest joy to many others. 35 Thus, the deepest thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your very soul." 36 Anna, a prophet, was also there in the Temple. She was the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher, and was very old. She was a widow, for her husband had died when they had been married only seven years. 37 She was now eighty-four years old. She never left the Temple but stayed there day and night, worshiping God with fasting and prayer. 38 She came along just as Simeon was talking with Mary and Joseph, and she began praising God. She talked about Jesus to everyone who had been waiting for the promised King to come and deliver Jerusalem. 39 When Jesus' parents had fulfilled all the requirements of the law of the Lord, they returned home to Nazareth in Galilee. 40 There the child grew up healthy and strong. He was filled with wisdom beyond his years, and God placed his special favor upon him. 41 Every year Jesus' parents went to Jerusalem for the Passover festival. 42 When Jesus was twelve years old, they attended the festival as usual. 43 After the celebration was over, they started home to Nazareth, but Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. His parents didn't miss him at first, 44 because they assumed he was with friends among the other travelers. But when he didn't show up that evening, they started to look for him among their relatives and friends. 45 When they couldn't find him, they went back to Jerusalem to search for him there. 46 Three days later they finally discovered him. He was in the Temple, sitting among the religious teachers, discussing deep questions with them. 47 And all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers. 48 His parents didn't know what to think. "Son!" his mother said to him. "Why have you done this to us? Your father and I have been frantic, searching for you everywhere." 49 "But why did you need to search?" he asked. "You should have known that I would be in my Father's house." F9 50 But they didn't understand what he meant. 51 Then he returned to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them; and his mother stored all these things in her heart. 52 So Jesus grew both in height and in wisdom, and he was loved by God and by all who knew him. FOOTNOTES:F6: Or and peace on earth for all those pleasing God; some manuscripts read and peace on earth, goodwill among people. F7: Exod 13:2. F8: Lev 12:8. F9: Or "Didn't you realize that I should be involved with my Father's affairs?" The New Living Translation
Luke 2 Today (Scripture only- Journalin' will come separate)
Luke 2
1 At that time the Roman emperor, Augustus, decreed that a census should be taken throughout the Roman Empire. 2 (This was the first census taken when Quirinius was governor of Syria.) 3 All returned to their own towns to register for this census. 4 And because Joseph was a descendant of King David, he had to go to Bethlehem in Judea, David's ancient home. He traveled there from the village of Nazareth in Galilee. 5 He took with him Mary, his fianc'e, who was obviously pregnant by this time. 6 And while they were there, the time came for her baby to be born. 7 She gave birth to her first child, a son. She wrapped him snugly in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the village inn.
8 That night some shepherds were in the fields outside the village, guarding their flocks of sheep. 9 Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord's glory surrounded them. They were terribly frightened, 10 but the angel reassured them. "Don't be afraid!" he said. "I bring you good news of great joy for everyone! 11 The Savior – yes, the Messiah, the Lord – has been born tonight in Bethlehem, the city of David! 12 And this is how you will recognize him: You will find a baby lying in a manger, wrapped snugly in strips of cloth!" 13 Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others – the armies of heaven – praising God: 14 "Glory to God in the highest heaven, and peace on earth to all whom God favors. F6 " 15 When the angels had returned to heaven, the shepherds said to each other, "Come on, let's go to Bethlehem! Let's see this wonderful thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about." 16 They ran to the village and found Mary and Joseph. And there was the baby, lying in the manger. 17 Then the shepherds told everyone what had happened and what the angel had said to them about this child. 18 All who heard the shepherds' story were astonished, 19 but Mary quietly treasured these things in her heart and thought about them often. 20 The shepherds went back to their fields and flocks, glorifying and praising God for what the angels had told them, and because they had seen the child, just as the angel had said.
21 Eight days later, when the baby was circumcised, he was named Jesus, the name given him by the angel even before he was conceived. 22 Then it was time for the purification offering, as required by the law of Moses after the birth of a child; so his parents took him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord. 23 The law of the Lord says, "If a woman's first child is a boy, he must be dedicated to the Lord." F7 24 So they offered a sacrifice according to what was required in the law of the Lord – "either a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons." F8
25 Now there was a man named Simeon who lived in Jerusalem. He was a righteous man and very devout. He was filled with the Holy Spirit, and he eagerly expected the Messiah to come and rescue Israel. 26 The Holy Spirit had revealed to him that he would not die until he had seen the Lord's Messiah. 27 That day the Spirit led him to the Temple. So when Mary and Joseph came to present the baby Jesus to the Lord as the law required, 28 Simeon was there. He took the child in his arms and praised God, saying, 29 "Lord, now I can die in peace! As you promised me, 30 I have seen the Savior 31 you have given to all people. 32 He is a light to reveal God to the nations, and he is the glory of your people Israel!" 33 Joseph and Mary were amazed at what was being said about Jesus. 34 Then Simeon blessed them, and he said to Mary, "This child will be rejected by many in Israel, and it will be their undoing. But he will be the greatest joy to many others. 35 Thus, the deepest thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your very soul." 36 Anna, a prophet, was also there in the Temple. She was the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher, and was very old. She was a widow, for her husband had died when they had been married only seven years. 37 She was now eighty-four years old. She never left the Temple but stayed there day and night, worshiping God with fasting and prayer. 38 She came along just as Simeon was talking with Mary and Joseph, and she began praising God. She talked about Jesus to everyone who had been waiting for the promised King to come and deliver Jerusalem. 39 When Jesus' parents had fulfilled all the requirements of the law of the Lord, they returned home to Nazareth in Galilee. 40 There the child grew up healthy and strong. He was filled with wisdom beyond his years, and God placed his special favor upon him. 41 Every year Jesus' parents went to Jerusalem for the Passover festival. 42 When Jesus was twelve years old, they attended the festival as usual. 43 After the celebration was over, they started home to Nazareth, but Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. His parents didn't miss him at first, 44 because they assumed he was with friends among the other travelers. But when he didn't show up that evening, they started to look for him among their relatives and friends. 45 When they couldn't find him, they went back to Jerusalem to search for him there. 46 Three days later they finally discovered him. He was in the Temple, sitting among the religious teachers, discussing deep questions with them. 47 And all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers. 48 His parents didn't know what to think. "Son!" his mother said to him. "Why have you done this to us? Your father and I have been frantic, searching for you everywhere." 49 "But why did you need to search?" he asked. "You should have known that I would be in my Father's house." F9 50 But they didn't understand what he meant. 51 Then he returned to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them; and his mother stored all these things in her heart. 52 So Jesus grew both in height and in wisdom, and he was loved by God and by all who knew him. FOOTNOTES:F6: Or and peace on earth for all those pleasing God; some manuscripts read and peace on earth, goodwill among people. F7: Exod 13:2. F8: Lev 12:8. F9: Or "Didn't you realize that I should be involved with my Father's affairs?" The New Living Translation
1 At that time the Roman emperor, Augustus, decreed that a census should be taken throughout the Roman Empire. 2 (This was the first census taken when Quirinius was governor of Syria.) 3 All returned to their own towns to register for this census. 4 And because Joseph was a descendant of King David, he had to go to Bethlehem in Judea, David's ancient home. He traveled there from the village of Nazareth in Galilee. 5 He took with him Mary, his fianc'e, who was obviously pregnant by this time. 6 And while they were there, the time came for her baby to be born. 7 She gave birth to her first child, a son. She wrapped him snugly in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the village inn.
8 That night some shepherds were in the fields outside the village, guarding their flocks of sheep. 9 Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord's glory surrounded them. They were terribly frightened, 10 but the angel reassured them. "Don't be afraid!" he said. "I bring you good news of great joy for everyone! 11 The Savior – yes, the Messiah, the Lord – has been born tonight in Bethlehem, the city of David! 12 And this is how you will recognize him: You will find a baby lying in a manger, wrapped snugly in strips of cloth!" 13 Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others – the armies of heaven – praising God: 14 "Glory to God in the highest heaven, and peace on earth to all whom God favors. F6 " 15 When the angels had returned to heaven, the shepherds said to each other, "Come on, let's go to Bethlehem! Let's see this wonderful thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about." 16 They ran to the village and found Mary and Joseph. And there was the baby, lying in the manger. 17 Then the shepherds told everyone what had happened and what the angel had said to them about this child. 18 All who heard the shepherds' story were astonished, 19 but Mary quietly treasured these things in her heart and thought about them often. 20 The shepherds went back to their fields and flocks, glorifying and praising God for what the angels had told them, and because they had seen the child, just as the angel had said.
21 Eight days later, when the baby was circumcised, he was named Jesus, the name given him by the angel even before he was conceived. 22 Then it was time for the purification offering, as required by the law of Moses after the birth of a child; so his parents took him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord. 23 The law of the Lord says, "If a woman's first child is a boy, he must be dedicated to the Lord." F7 24 So they offered a sacrifice according to what was required in the law of the Lord – "either a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons." F8
25 Now there was a man named Simeon who lived in Jerusalem. He was a righteous man and very devout. He was filled with the Holy Spirit, and he eagerly expected the Messiah to come and rescue Israel. 26 The Holy Spirit had revealed to him that he would not die until he had seen the Lord's Messiah. 27 That day the Spirit led him to the Temple. So when Mary and Joseph came to present the baby Jesus to the Lord as the law required, 28 Simeon was there. He took the child in his arms and praised God, saying, 29 "Lord, now I can die in peace! As you promised me, 30 I have seen the Savior 31 you have given to all people. 32 He is a light to reveal God to the nations, and he is the glory of your people Israel!" 33 Joseph and Mary were amazed at what was being said about Jesus. 34 Then Simeon blessed them, and he said to Mary, "This child will be rejected by many in Israel, and it will be their undoing. But he will be the greatest joy to many others. 35 Thus, the deepest thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your very soul." 36 Anna, a prophet, was also there in the Temple. She was the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher, and was very old. She was a widow, for her husband had died when they had been married only seven years. 37 She was now eighty-four years old. She never left the Temple but stayed there day and night, worshiping God with fasting and prayer. 38 She came along just as Simeon was talking with Mary and Joseph, and she began praising God. She talked about Jesus to everyone who had been waiting for the promised King to come and deliver Jerusalem. 39 When Jesus' parents had fulfilled all the requirements of the law of the Lord, they returned home to Nazareth in Galilee. 40 There the child grew up healthy and strong. He was filled with wisdom beyond his years, and God placed his special favor upon him. 41 Every year Jesus' parents went to Jerusalem for the Passover festival. 42 When Jesus was twelve years old, they attended the festival as usual. 43 After the celebration was over, they started home to Nazareth, but Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. His parents didn't miss him at first, 44 because they assumed he was with friends among the other travelers. But when he didn't show up that evening, they started to look for him among their relatives and friends. 45 When they couldn't find him, they went back to Jerusalem to search for him there. 46 Three days later they finally discovered him. He was in the Temple, sitting among the religious teachers, discussing deep questions with them. 47 And all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers. 48 His parents didn't know what to think. "Son!" his mother said to him. "Why have you done this to us? Your father and I have been frantic, searching for you everywhere." 49 "But why did you need to search?" he asked. "You should have known that I would be in my Father's house." F9 50 But they didn't understand what he meant. 51 Then he returned to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them; and his mother stored all these things in her heart. 52 So Jesus grew both in height and in wisdom, and he was loved by God and by all who knew him. FOOTNOTES:F6: Or and peace on earth for all those pleasing God; some manuscripts read and peace on earth, goodwill among people. F7: Exod 13:2. F8: Lev 12:8. F9: Or "Didn't you realize that I should be involved with my Father's affairs?" The New Living Translation
Saturday, December 09, 2006
~Lena’s Discipleship Journalin’~
Theo-philus, means “lover of God”. John means “Jehovah is a gracious Giver”. He was one who showed the Way to seeing the Divine Gift of eternal Life in Christ Jesus the Lord.
Remember we are all “Johns”, as in preparers of the way of the Lord.
Johns:
Bring joy and gladness and rejoicing because of the anticipation “coming” of the Lord.
This John, did not ever touch wine OR hard liquor, for his complete and total source of supply, His total source of peace and comfort and health was tapped into God.
He is filled with the Holy Spirit, full of, compared to having the spirit within measure. He was filled to the overflow, with the spirit of God.
He is persuasive concerning the gospel message.
Turning hearts.
Having the spirit and power of Elijah whose ultimate purpose is to turn hearts around from the service of self, or of evil, to the service of Father God, and of the people He loves.
He will persuade the church to turn to the Lordship of Christ, rather than merely the acknowledgement of Jesus as a Savior of the whole world.
He prophesies. That means proclaims, preaches good news of salvation and Lordship. He sees with vision beyond natural eyesight’s view. He speaks of that which he sees eternally speaking, exhorting others to head towards that vision as more than a goal, but as a lifestyle of pursuit.
He makes hearts ready to receive revelation of the Lord Jesus Christ, planting as many seeds as are allowed, watering along the way; making people ready to hear deep truths for their own freedom and liberation from the bondage of sin, causing disobedient minds to change to obedient minds, who willingly accept the wisdom of God, rather than the reason of men.
This is the spirit of “John”, which is the spirit of God, which is inside whoever calls on the name of the Lord and accepts the call to reconciliation.
Even Zacharias and Elizabeth had an Encounter with this invitation to come out from one way of thinking to participate in another new way of thinking, in order to let God more effectively work through them in the earth.
Do you know people let God work, or don’t let Him work? He is gentlemanly and won’t work in us if we don’t allow it.
Ever been dumfounded by what you saw in the spirit? That can be a good thing for a time, while God works on your faith level and trust and reliance level, so you’ll change whatever it is you’re saying to be in agreement with His words. He is looking for men who will say what He says, believe what He says, agree with what He says and proclaim it as so throughout their part of the earth.
We need to study more of what His will is so we can set ourselves in agreement with His will which will bring life. It does not work well to say we agree and then speak words contrary. What we are speaking in normal everyday conversations is what we really believe. That is the part God wants to change with the empowerment of His words.
When the way is prepared and we find the Lord is with us:
Fear dissipates
We’re blessed
He will be magnified in us
His name will be exalted as great in and through us, wherever we go.
We’ll be overshadowed by God Most High
He’ll be allowed to rule and reign
We’ll watch the impossible appear
He’ll truly have what He has always wanted to come true.
Emmanuel God is With-In us.
When Jesus is revealed to those who are lost without His Spirit in them they will be changed as Mary was, from bitter to sweet (Mary means “bitter”) –. Part of the beginning of change for Mary was Mary was open to being used by God. God desires each of us to be used to hold His Son until we can give Him to a lost and dying world. Elizabeth observed the key in Mary’s change. “You are blessed, because you believed that the Lord would do what He said He would do”.
Do we also believe what the Lord says, enough to personalize it and live for it, all of the days of our lives? Enough to allow God to move in and rearrange our homes and schedules, and plans to replace them with His?
Notice when Zacharaias resolved with action to speak in agreement with God, His words were heard again? His tongue was loosed to speak more of what God would say. In the creation of the world, the Bible says, God said, and God saw. What God said appeared. God also told Adam to name things, and then whatever he called it, it became. His words, as a man, established it.
What kinds of things are we establishing with our day to day conversations?
What are we saying? ”I’m so sick and tired of this and that”? Then are you always wondering why you feel so ill, and fight staying awake for anything important, or are so bone tired all the time? You have taken been taken, the thief knows the principles of God’s words and the power He gave us to use and create with words, he’s using yours for his own glory and power. He’s snookered our society into thinking we’re helpless to make anything happen differently. We are perishing for what we do and do not know.
Know that our words frame out our worlds!
Here are some other examples……“I always get the worst parking spot”, I never seem to get ahead”, “I have the worst of luck”, “Yeah my mom and grandmother were like this too, it’s just our family curse”….. Is that what you want?
You cannot wish away things like that. You can’t even hope God will pass a magic wand over your situation if He somehow loves you enough to help you. That type of thinking is incorrect assumption. You must come into agreement with what God has already said about your situation in order for any creative power to be released on your behalf.
It took an extreme measure of grace for an angel to “put his hand over” Zacharias’ mouth and allow him time to meditate on this principle. He had a son of God to rise up into a man of God who would be faith-filled and say what needed to be said in a day of opposition. God dealt with the mouth of His tutors and governors first. Good thing Zacharias got it while John was just a baby! How long is it taking us to get it? God won’t let us raise His Holy Seed until we become governors of our own words.
There’s a Psalm that says- Oh Lord, set a guard over my mouth, a watch on my tongue. Amen.
Theo-philus, means “lover of God”. John means “Jehovah is a gracious Giver”. He was one who showed the Way to seeing the Divine Gift of eternal Life in Christ Jesus the Lord.
Remember we are all “Johns”, as in preparers of the way of the Lord.
Johns:
Bring joy and gladness and rejoicing because of the anticipation “coming” of the Lord.
This John, did not ever touch wine OR hard liquor, for his complete and total source of supply, His total source of peace and comfort and health was tapped into God.
He is filled with the Holy Spirit, full of, compared to having the spirit within measure. He was filled to the overflow, with the spirit of God.
He is persuasive concerning the gospel message.
Turning hearts.
Having the spirit and power of Elijah whose ultimate purpose is to turn hearts around from the service of self, or of evil, to the service of Father God, and of the people He loves.
He will persuade the church to turn to the Lordship of Christ, rather than merely the acknowledgement of Jesus as a Savior of the whole world.
He prophesies. That means proclaims, preaches good news of salvation and Lordship. He sees with vision beyond natural eyesight’s view. He speaks of that which he sees eternally speaking, exhorting others to head towards that vision as more than a goal, but as a lifestyle of pursuit.
He makes hearts ready to receive revelation of the Lord Jesus Christ, planting as many seeds as are allowed, watering along the way; making people ready to hear deep truths for their own freedom and liberation from the bondage of sin, causing disobedient minds to change to obedient minds, who willingly accept the wisdom of God, rather than the reason of men.
This is the spirit of “John”, which is the spirit of God, which is inside whoever calls on the name of the Lord and accepts the call to reconciliation.
Even Zacharias and Elizabeth had an Encounter with this invitation to come out from one way of thinking to participate in another new way of thinking, in order to let God more effectively work through them in the earth.
Do you know people let God work, or don’t let Him work? He is gentlemanly and won’t work in us if we don’t allow it.
Ever been dumfounded by what you saw in the spirit? That can be a good thing for a time, while God works on your faith level and trust and reliance level, so you’ll change whatever it is you’re saying to be in agreement with His words. He is looking for men who will say what He says, believe what He says, agree with what He says and proclaim it as so throughout their part of the earth.
We need to study more of what His will is so we can set ourselves in agreement with His will which will bring life. It does not work well to say we agree and then speak words contrary. What we are speaking in normal everyday conversations is what we really believe. That is the part God wants to change with the empowerment of His words.
When the way is prepared and we find the Lord is with us:
Fear dissipates
We’re blessed
He will be magnified in us
His name will be exalted as great in and through us, wherever we go.
We’ll be overshadowed by God Most High
He’ll be allowed to rule and reign
We’ll watch the impossible appear
He’ll truly have what He has always wanted to come true.
Emmanuel God is With-In us.
When Jesus is revealed to those who are lost without His Spirit in them they will be changed as Mary was, from bitter to sweet (Mary means “bitter”) –. Part of the beginning of change for Mary was Mary was open to being used by God. God desires each of us to be used to hold His Son until we can give Him to a lost and dying world. Elizabeth observed the key in Mary’s change. “You are blessed, because you believed that the Lord would do what He said He would do”.
Do we also believe what the Lord says, enough to personalize it and live for it, all of the days of our lives? Enough to allow God to move in and rearrange our homes and schedules, and plans to replace them with His?
Notice when Zacharaias resolved with action to speak in agreement with God, His words were heard again? His tongue was loosed to speak more of what God would say. In the creation of the world, the Bible says, God said, and God saw. What God said appeared. God also told Adam to name things, and then whatever he called it, it became. His words, as a man, established it.
What kinds of things are we establishing with our day to day conversations?
What are we saying? ”I’m so sick and tired of this and that”? Then are you always wondering why you feel so ill, and fight staying awake for anything important, or are so bone tired all the time? You have taken been taken, the thief knows the principles of God’s words and the power He gave us to use and create with words, he’s using yours for his own glory and power. He’s snookered our society into thinking we’re helpless to make anything happen differently. We are perishing for what we do and do not know.
Know that our words frame out our worlds!
Here are some other examples……“I always get the worst parking spot”, I never seem to get ahead”, “I have the worst of luck”, “Yeah my mom and grandmother were like this too, it’s just our family curse”….. Is that what you want?
You cannot wish away things like that. You can’t even hope God will pass a magic wand over your situation if He somehow loves you enough to help you. That type of thinking is incorrect assumption. You must come into agreement with what God has already said about your situation in order for any creative power to be released on your behalf.
It took an extreme measure of grace for an angel to “put his hand over” Zacharias’ mouth and allow him time to meditate on this principle. He had a son of God to rise up into a man of God who would be faith-filled and say what needed to be said in a day of opposition. God dealt with the mouth of His tutors and governors first. Good thing Zacharias got it while John was just a baby! How long is it taking us to get it? God won’t let us raise His Holy Seed until we become governors of our own words.
There’s a Psalm that says- Oh Lord, set a guard over my mouth, a watch on my tongue. Amen.
Luke 1
1 Most honorable Theophilus: Many people have written accounts about the events that took place F1 among us. 2 They used as their source material the reports circulating among us from the early disciples and other eyewitnesses of what God has done in fulfillment of his promises. 3 Having carefully investigated all of these accounts from the beginning, I have decided to write a careful summary for you, 4 to reassure you of the truth of all you were taught.
5 It all begins with a Jewish priest, Zechariah, who lived when Herod was king of Judea. Zechariah was a member of the priestly order of Abijah. His wife, Elizabeth, was also from the priestly line of Aaron. 6 Zechariah and Elizabeth were righteous in God's eyes, careful to obey all of the Lord's commandments and regulations. 7 They had no children because Elizabeth was barren, and now they were both very old. 8 One day Zechariah was serving God in the Temple, for his order was on duty that week. 9 As was the custom of the priests, he was chosen by lot to enter the sanctuary and burn incense in the Lord's presence. 10 While the incense was being burned, a great crowd stood outside, praying. 11 Zechariah was in the sanctuary when an angel of the Lord appeared, standing to the right of the incense altar. 12 Zechariah was overwhelmed with fear. 13 But the angel said, "Don't be afraid, Zechariah! For God has heard your prayer, and your wife, Elizabeth, will bear you a son! And you are to name him John. 14 You will have great joy and gladness, and many will rejoice with you at his birth, 15 for he will be great in the eyes of the Lord. He must never touch wine or hard liquor, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even before his birth. F2 16 And he will persuade many Israelites to turn to the Lord their God. 17 He will be a man with the spirit and power of Elijah, the prophet of old. He will precede the coming of the Lord, preparing the people for his arrival. He will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and he will change disobedient minds to accept godly wisdom." F3 18 Zechariah said to the angel, "How can I know this will happen? I'm an old man now, and my wife is also well along in years." 19 Then the angel said, "I am Gabriel! I stand in the very presence of God. It was he who sent me to bring you this good news! 20 And now, since you didn't believe what I said, you won't be able to speak until the child is born. For my words will certainly come true at the proper time." 21 Meanwhile, the people were waiting for Zechariah to come out, wondering why he was taking so long. 22 When he finally did come out, he couldn't speak to them. Then they realized from his gestures that he must have seen a vision in the Temple sanctuary. 23 He stayed at the Temple until his term of service was over, and then he returned home. 24 Soon afterward his wife, Elizabeth, became pregnant and went into seclusion for five months. 25 "How kind the Lord is!" she exclaimed. "He has taken away my disgrace of having no children!"
26 In the sixth month of Elizabeth's pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a village in Galilee, 27 to a virgin named Mary. She was engaged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of King David. 28 Gabriel appeared to her and said, "Greetings, favored woman! The Lord is with you! F4 " 29 Confused and disturbed, Mary tried to think what the angel could mean. 30 "Don't be frightened, Mary," the angel told her, "for God has decided to bless you! 31 You will become pregnant and have a son, and you are to name him Jesus. 32 He will be very great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David. 33 And he will reign over Israel F5 forever; his Kingdom will never end!" 34 Mary asked the angel, "But how can I have a baby? I am a virgin." 35 The angel replied, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the baby born to you will be holy, and he will be called the Son of God. 36 What's more, your relative Elizabeth has become pregnant in her old age! People used to say she was barren, but she's already in her sixth month. 37 For nothing is impossible with God." 38 Mary responded, "I am the Lord's servant, and I am willing to accept whatever he wants. May everything you have said come true." And then the angel left.
39 A few days later Mary hurried to the hill country of Judea, to the town 40 where Zechariah lived. She entered the house and greeted Elizabeth. 41 At the sound of Mary's greeting, Elizabeth's child leaped within her, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. 42 Elizabeth gave a glad cry and exclaimed to Mary, "You are blessed by God above all other women, and your child is blessed. 43 What an honor this is, that the mother of my Lord should visit me! 44 When you came in and greeted me, my baby jumped for joy the instant I heard your voice! 45 You are blessed, because you believed that the Lord would do what he said." 46 Mary responded, "Oh, how I praise the Lord. 47 How I rejoice in God my Savior! 48 For he took notice of his lowly servant girl, and now generation after generation will call me blessed. 49 For he, the Mighty One, is holy, and he has done great things for me. 50 His mercy goes on from generation to generation, to all who fear him. 51 His mighty arm does tremendous things! How he scatters the proud and haughty ones! 52 He has taken princes from their thrones and exalted the lowly. 53 He has satisfied the hungry with good things and sent the rich away with empty hands. 54 And how he has helped his servant Israel! He has not forgotten his promise to be merciful. 55 For he promised our ancestors – Abraham and his children – to be merciful to them forever." 56 Mary stayed with Elizabeth about three months and then went back to her own home.
57 Now it was time for Elizabeth's baby to be born, and it was a boy. 58 The word spread quickly to her neighbors and relatives that the Lord had been very kind to her, and everyone rejoiced with her. 59 When the baby was eight days old, all the relatives and friends came for the circumcision ceremony. They wanted to name him Zechariah, after his father. 60 But Elizabeth said, "No! His name is John!" 61 "What?" they exclaimed. "There is no one in all your family by that name." 62 So they asked the baby's father, communicating to him by making gestures. 63 He motioned for a writing tablet, and to everyone's surprise he wrote, "His name is John!" 64 Instantly Zechariah could speak again, and he began praising God. 65 Wonder fell upon the whole neighborhood, and the news of what had happened spread throughout the Judean hills. 66 Everyone who heard about it reflected on these events and asked, "I wonder what this child will turn out to be? For the hand of the Lord is surely upon him in a special way."
67 Then his father, Zechariah, was filled with the Holy Spirit and gave this prophecy: 68 "Praise the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has visited his people and redeemed them. 69 He has sent us a mighty Savior from the royal line of his servant David, 70 just as he promised through his holy prophets long ago. 71 Now we will be saved from our enemies and from all who hate us. 72 He has been merciful to our ancestors by remembering his sacred covenant with them, 73 the covenant he gave to our ancestor Abraham. 74 We have been rescued from our enemies, so we can serve God without fear, 75 in holiness and righteousness forever. 76 "And you, my little son, will be called the prophet of the Most High, because you will prepare the way for the Lord. 77 You will tell his people how to find salvation through forgiveness of their sins. 78 Because of God's tender mercy, the light from heaven is about to break upon us, 79 to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, and to guide us to the path of peace." 80 John grew up and became strong in spirit. Then he lived out in the wilderness until he began his public ministry to Israel. FOOTNOTES:F1: Or have been fulfilled. F2: Or even from birth. F3: See Mal 4:5-6. F4: Some manuscripts add Blessed are you among women. F5: Greek over the house of Jacob. The New Living Translation
1 Most honorable Theophilus: Many people have written accounts about the events that took place F1 among us. 2 They used as their source material the reports circulating among us from the early disciples and other eyewitnesses of what God has done in fulfillment of his promises. 3 Having carefully investigated all of these accounts from the beginning, I have decided to write a careful summary for you, 4 to reassure you of the truth of all you were taught.
5 It all begins with a Jewish priest, Zechariah, who lived when Herod was king of Judea. Zechariah was a member of the priestly order of Abijah. His wife, Elizabeth, was also from the priestly line of Aaron. 6 Zechariah and Elizabeth were righteous in God's eyes, careful to obey all of the Lord's commandments and regulations. 7 They had no children because Elizabeth was barren, and now they were both very old. 8 One day Zechariah was serving God in the Temple, for his order was on duty that week. 9 As was the custom of the priests, he was chosen by lot to enter the sanctuary and burn incense in the Lord's presence. 10 While the incense was being burned, a great crowd stood outside, praying. 11 Zechariah was in the sanctuary when an angel of the Lord appeared, standing to the right of the incense altar. 12 Zechariah was overwhelmed with fear. 13 But the angel said, "Don't be afraid, Zechariah! For God has heard your prayer, and your wife, Elizabeth, will bear you a son! And you are to name him John. 14 You will have great joy and gladness, and many will rejoice with you at his birth, 15 for he will be great in the eyes of the Lord. He must never touch wine or hard liquor, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even before his birth. F2 16 And he will persuade many Israelites to turn to the Lord their God. 17 He will be a man with the spirit and power of Elijah, the prophet of old. He will precede the coming of the Lord, preparing the people for his arrival. He will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and he will change disobedient minds to accept godly wisdom." F3 18 Zechariah said to the angel, "How can I know this will happen? I'm an old man now, and my wife is also well along in years." 19 Then the angel said, "I am Gabriel! I stand in the very presence of God. It was he who sent me to bring you this good news! 20 And now, since you didn't believe what I said, you won't be able to speak until the child is born. For my words will certainly come true at the proper time." 21 Meanwhile, the people were waiting for Zechariah to come out, wondering why he was taking so long. 22 When he finally did come out, he couldn't speak to them. Then they realized from his gestures that he must have seen a vision in the Temple sanctuary. 23 He stayed at the Temple until his term of service was over, and then he returned home. 24 Soon afterward his wife, Elizabeth, became pregnant and went into seclusion for five months. 25 "How kind the Lord is!" she exclaimed. "He has taken away my disgrace of having no children!"
26 In the sixth month of Elizabeth's pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a village in Galilee, 27 to a virgin named Mary. She was engaged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of King David. 28 Gabriel appeared to her and said, "Greetings, favored woman! The Lord is with you! F4 " 29 Confused and disturbed, Mary tried to think what the angel could mean. 30 "Don't be frightened, Mary," the angel told her, "for God has decided to bless you! 31 You will become pregnant and have a son, and you are to name him Jesus. 32 He will be very great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David. 33 And he will reign over Israel F5 forever; his Kingdom will never end!" 34 Mary asked the angel, "But how can I have a baby? I am a virgin." 35 The angel replied, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the baby born to you will be holy, and he will be called the Son of God. 36 What's more, your relative Elizabeth has become pregnant in her old age! People used to say she was barren, but she's already in her sixth month. 37 For nothing is impossible with God." 38 Mary responded, "I am the Lord's servant, and I am willing to accept whatever he wants. May everything you have said come true." And then the angel left.
39 A few days later Mary hurried to the hill country of Judea, to the town 40 where Zechariah lived. She entered the house and greeted Elizabeth. 41 At the sound of Mary's greeting, Elizabeth's child leaped within her, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. 42 Elizabeth gave a glad cry and exclaimed to Mary, "You are blessed by God above all other women, and your child is blessed. 43 What an honor this is, that the mother of my Lord should visit me! 44 When you came in and greeted me, my baby jumped for joy the instant I heard your voice! 45 You are blessed, because you believed that the Lord would do what he said." 46 Mary responded, "Oh, how I praise the Lord. 47 How I rejoice in God my Savior! 48 For he took notice of his lowly servant girl, and now generation after generation will call me blessed. 49 For he, the Mighty One, is holy, and he has done great things for me. 50 His mercy goes on from generation to generation, to all who fear him. 51 His mighty arm does tremendous things! How he scatters the proud and haughty ones! 52 He has taken princes from their thrones and exalted the lowly. 53 He has satisfied the hungry with good things and sent the rich away with empty hands. 54 And how he has helped his servant Israel! He has not forgotten his promise to be merciful. 55 For he promised our ancestors – Abraham and his children – to be merciful to them forever." 56 Mary stayed with Elizabeth about three months and then went back to her own home.
57 Now it was time for Elizabeth's baby to be born, and it was a boy. 58 The word spread quickly to her neighbors and relatives that the Lord had been very kind to her, and everyone rejoiced with her. 59 When the baby was eight days old, all the relatives and friends came for the circumcision ceremony. They wanted to name him Zechariah, after his father. 60 But Elizabeth said, "No! His name is John!" 61 "What?" they exclaimed. "There is no one in all your family by that name." 62 So they asked the baby's father, communicating to him by making gestures. 63 He motioned for a writing tablet, and to everyone's surprise he wrote, "His name is John!" 64 Instantly Zechariah could speak again, and he began praising God. 65 Wonder fell upon the whole neighborhood, and the news of what had happened spread throughout the Judean hills. 66 Everyone who heard about it reflected on these events and asked, "I wonder what this child will turn out to be? For the hand of the Lord is surely upon him in a special way."
67 Then his father, Zechariah, was filled with the Holy Spirit and gave this prophecy: 68 "Praise the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has visited his people and redeemed them. 69 He has sent us a mighty Savior from the royal line of his servant David, 70 just as he promised through his holy prophets long ago. 71 Now we will be saved from our enemies and from all who hate us. 72 He has been merciful to our ancestors by remembering his sacred covenant with them, 73 the covenant he gave to our ancestor Abraham. 74 We have been rescued from our enemies, so we can serve God without fear, 75 in holiness and righteousness forever. 76 "And you, my little son, will be called the prophet of the Most High, because you will prepare the way for the Lord. 77 You will tell his people how to find salvation through forgiveness of their sins. 78 Because of God's tender mercy, the light from heaven is about to break upon us, 79 to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, and to guide us to the path of peace." 80 John grew up and became strong in spirit. Then he lived out in the wilderness until he began his public ministry to Israel. FOOTNOTES:F1: Or have been fulfilled. F2: Or even from birth. F3: See Mal 4:5-6. F4: Some manuscripts add Blessed are you among women. F5: Greek over the house of Jacob. The New Living Translation
Friday, December 08, 2006
~Lena’s Discipleship Journalin’
One must come to the knowledge of the truth. The truth is, we are not mere human beings having intermittent spiritual experiences; we are rather eternal spirit beings having a temporary human existence. Understanding this will cause many a mystery to be solved for us, especially in the area of understanding purpose. Do you know you perish for the things you do not know or understand? These things actually can kill you? Eternal destruction is far greater a tragedy than natural death, what we do not know about being spirit beings and what we do not understand of the work of Christ’s redemption can destroy us forever. This sets off alarms in the very center of my being. It makes me want to liver here longer and get the message of rescue and of this reality out.
Just as an astronaut must have a space suit to live in space, so we as eternal beings must have an earth suit, a physical body to live here. When we give up the earth suit body, we leave earth, but we are eternal, so we’re not “gone”, just gone from earth. We enter whatever realm we are a citizen of. If we are Kingdom of heaven citizens, we go to heaven and put on heavenly bodies. If we never receive eternal redemption, we are held in a place of judgment awaiting an eternal doom.
Ya know the scripture that says, wherever your treasure is your heart will also be? This has to do with storing up for eternity. We do that now. How we live and who we decide to live for shapes our eternal home life. Our earth life is all about securing our eternal life. It’s about finding the One who redeemed us, and beginning right at that point living eternally for Him and telling others how to also be rescued that they may make eternal investments and live life abundantly. It’s about showing as many others the way, as we can in our time here. It is a pivotal time and very, very temporary, yet such a power-filled time for daily opportunity to reconcile God and man together for eternity.
Our aim………..AIM,,,,,target….thing to shoot at……pinpoint while we are here on earth, in earth suit physical bodies, is to please Him. It is because we know this solemn fear of the Lord that we work so hard to persuade others. Good and evil works are not just good things we do, no our goodness is of God, evil is what does not benefit those who could know Him more. Doesn’t that put a stricter light on the walk of the spirit and the eternal responsibility we have? If our modeling does not lead others to Christ and redemption or if it actually leads them away from Him, that is evil. Jesus Himself said, what is not of Me is from the evil one. What is not outright for me is automatically against Me. Good vs. evil? Light- darkness, truth-lies, in-out, active-inactive….
We are Christ’s Ambassadors. Representatives of God Himself on earth. We are made able each day through the changing power of His Spirit actively alive in us.
Let us regard each person we meet as one who has an eternal destiny, a reserved seat in the kingdom of God. Let’s look at them, not after the different masks they wear, but according to the purposes God has set aside for their lives here and after here. Let’s look beyond the veil of the flesh covering that has us here for a time to accomplish a task while here on earth. Let’s look past that outer covering into what God really sees in people. Pettiness and day to day irritancies will quickly disappear when we see into the life of the spirit. Things won’t be as hard to face either, when we’ve been re-centered face to face with His Divine purposes and plans.
One must come to the knowledge of the truth. The truth is, we are not mere human beings having intermittent spiritual experiences; we are rather eternal spirit beings having a temporary human existence. Understanding this will cause many a mystery to be solved for us, especially in the area of understanding purpose. Do you know you perish for the things you do not know or understand? These things actually can kill you? Eternal destruction is far greater a tragedy than natural death, what we do not know about being spirit beings and what we do not understand of the work of Christ’s redemption can destroy us forever. This sets off alarms in the very center of my being. It makes me want to liver here longer and get the message of rescue and of this reality out.
Just as an astronaut must have a space suit to live in space, so we as eternal beings must have an earth suit, a physical body to live here. When we give up the earth suit body, we leave earth, but we are eternal, so we’re not “gone”, just gone from earth. We enter whatever realm we are a citizen of. If we are Kingdom of heaven citizens, we go to heaven and put on heavenly bodies. If we never receive eternal redemption, we are held in a place of judgment awaiting an eternal doom.
Ya know the scripture that says, wherever your treasure is your heart will also be? This has to do with storing up for eternity. We do that now. How we live and who we decide to live for shapes our eternal home life. Our earth life is all about securing our eternal life. It’s about finding the One who redeemed us, and beginning right at that point living eternally for Him and telling others how to also be rescued that they may make eternal investments and live life abundantly. It’s about showing as many others the way, as we can in our time here. It is a pivotal time and very, very temporary, yet such a power-filled time for daily opportunity to reconcile God and man together for eternity.
Our aim………..AIM,,,,,target….thing to shoot at……pinpoint while we are here on earth, in earth suit physical bodies, is to please Him. It is because we know this solemn fear of the Lord that we work so hard to persuade others. Good and evil works are not just good things we do, no our goodness is of God, evil is what does not benefit those who could know Him more. Doesn’t that put a stricter light on the walk of the spirit and the eternal responsibility we have? If our modeling does not lead others to Christ and redemption or if it actually leads them away from Him, that is evil. Jesus Himself said, what is not of Me is from the evil one. What is not outright for me is automatically against Me. Good vs. evil? Light- darkness, truth-lies, in-out, active-inactive….
We are Christ’s Ambassadors. Representatives of God Himself on earth. We are made able each day through the changing power of His Spirit actively alive in us.
Let us regard each person we meet as one who has an eternal destiny, a reserved seat in the kingdom of God. Let’s look at them, not after the different masks they wear, but according to the purposes God has set aside for their lives here and after here. Let’s look beyond the veil of the flesh covering that has us here for a time to accomplish a task while here on earth. Let’s look past that outer covering into what God really sees in people. Pettiness and day to day irritancies will quickly disappear when we see into the life of the spirit. Things won’t be as hard to face either, when we’ve been re-centered face to face with His Divine purposes and plans.
2 Cor 5
2 Cor 5
1 For we know that when this earthly tent we live in is taken down – when we die and leave these bodies – we will have a home in heaven, an eternal body made for us by God himself and not by human hands. 2 We grow weary in our present bodies, and we long for the day when we will put on our heavenly bodies like new clothing. 3 For we will not be spirits without bodies, but we will put on new heavenly bodies. 4 Our dying bodies make us groan and sigh, but it's not that we want to die and have no bodies at all. We want to slip into our new bodies so that these dying bodies will be swallowed up by everlasting life. 5 God himself has prepared us for this, and as a guarantee he has given us his Holy Spirit. 6 So we are always confident, even though we know that as long as we live in these bodies we are not at home with the Lord. 7 That is why we live by believing and not by seeing. 8 Yes, we are fully confident, and we would rather be away from these bodies, for then we will be at home with the Lord. 9 So our aim is to please him always, whether we are here in this body or away from this body. 10 For we must all stand before Christ to be judged. We will each receive whatever we deserve for the good or evil we have done in our bodies. 11 It is because we know this solemn fear of the Lord that we work so hard to persuade others. God knows we are sincere, and I hope you know this, too.
12 Are we trying to pat ourselves on the back again? No, we are giving you a reason to be proud of us, so you can answer those who brag about having a spectacular ministry rather than having a sincere heart before God. 13 If it seems that we are crazy, it is to bring glory to God. And if we are in our right minds, it is for your benefit. 14 Whatever we do, it is because Christ's love controls us. F13 Since we believe that Christ died for everyone, we also believe that we have all died to the old life we used to live. F14 15 He died for everyone so that those who receive his new life will no longer live to please themselves. Instead, they will live to please Christ, who died and was raised for them.
16 So we have stopped evaluating others by what the world thinks about them. Once I mistakenly thought of Christ that way, as though he were merely a human being. How differently I think about him now! 17 What this means is that those who become Christians become new persons. They are not the same anymore, for the old life is gone. A new life has begun! 18 All this newness of life is from God, who brought us back to himself through what Christ did. And God has given us the task of reconciling people to him. 19 For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people's sins against them. This is the wonderful message he has given us to tell others. 20 We are Christ's ambassadors, and God is using us to speak to you. We urge you, as though Christ himself were here pleading with you, "Be reconciled to God!" 21 For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ. FOOTNOTES:F13: Or urges us on. F14: Greek Since one died on behalf of all, then all died. The New Living Translation
1 For we know that when this earthly tent we live in is taken down – when we die and leave these bodies – we will have a home in heaven, an eternal body made for us by God himself and not by human hands. 2 We grow weary in our present bodies, and we long for the day when we will put on our heavenly bodies like new clothing. 3 For we will not be spirits without bodies, but we will put on new heavenly bodies. 4 Our dying bodies make us groan and sigh, but it's not that we want to die and have no bodies at all. We want to slip into our new bodies so that these dying bodies will be swallowed up by everlasting life. 5 God himself has prepared us for this, and as a guarantee he has given us his Holy Spirit. 6 So we are always confident, even though we know that as long as we live in these bodies we are not at home with the Lord. 7 That is why we live by believing and not by seeing. 8 Yes, we are fully confident, and we would rather be away from these bodies, for then we will be at home with the Lord. 9 So our aim is to please him always, whether we are here in this body or away from this body. 10 For we must all stand before Christ to be judged. We will each receive whatever we deserve for the good or evil we have done in our bodies. 11 It is because we know this solemn fear of the Lord that we work so hard to persuade others. God knows we are sincere, and I hope you know this, too.
12 Are we trying to pat ourselves on the back again? No, we are giving you a reason to be proud of us, so you can answer those who brag about having a spectacular ministry rather than having a sincere heart before God. 13 If it seems that we are crazy, it is to bring glory to God. And if we are in our right minds, it is for your benefit. 14 Whatever we do, it is because Christ's love controls us. F13 Since we believe that Christ died for everyone, we also believe that we have all died to the old life we used to live. F14 15 He died for everyone so that those who receive his new life will no longer live to please themselves. Instead, they will live to please Christ, who died and was raised for them.
16 So we have stopped evaluating others by what the world thinks about them. Once I mistakenly thought of Christ that way, as though he were merely a human being. How differently I think about him now! 17 What this means is that those who become Christians become new persons. They are not the same anymore, for the old life is gone. A new life has begun! 18 All this newness of life is from God, who brought us back to himself through what Christ did. And God has given us the task of reconciling people to him. 19 For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people's sins against them. This is the wonderful message he has given us to tell others. 20 We are Christ's ambassadors, and God is using us to speak to you. We urge you, as though Christ himself were here pleading with you, "Be reconciled to God!" 21 For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ. FOOTNOTES:F13: Or urges us on. F14: Greek Since one died on behalf of all, then all died. The New Living Translation
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