Wednesday, January 28, 2009

Language

Hi Steve, having some issues with Blooger automatically putting message in Dutch when it is sent.  Hope this works as I did NOT view the last post...

Monday, January 26, 2009

Jesus and the temple Pt 2

Just a follow up on my last post when I asked the questions, Who were the thieves and what were they stealing? On Sunday I asked the folks in sunday school and others as well the same questions and these were some of the responses.


The first thoughts that came to my and others mind was that those who were doing the selling of doves and the money changers were the thieves .The money changers would take the pilgrims foreign coinage and exchange it for that which would pay the tribute money to the temple at a poor rate for the pilgrims and make a substantial profit as would the seller of doves. Many unscrupulous fellows would engage in these practises and it could be said that they were stealing from the people and also stealing from God.


Another thought was that the priests were takeing that which was a holy place, the temple courtyard, and debasing it into a common thing. A market place. Thereby stealing the reverence that such a place should have in the hearts and minds of the people.


I'm inclined to think that Jesus had in mind that the priests and the Pharisees were the thieves. Especially from their reaction to what he said. They created a system that was so burdensome and a load so heavy for the common Jew that he could never find rest in it A system that pointed to them as the best example of how to please God. A system of works. In essence they were stealing the opportunity for them to trust God by faith. They were stealing the faith of Abraham and turning it into a works religion. That's what came to my mind as I pondered this question .

Toby

Saturday, January 24, 2009

Mountain Meanings

Four of my top ten favorite mountain or hill verses:

For ye are not come unto the mount that might be touched, and that burned with fire, nor unto blackness, and darkness, and tempest...But ye are come unto mount Zion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, Heb.18,22

In his hand are the deep places of the earth: the strength of the hills is his also. Psalm 95:4

For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith. Mark 11:23
What's your thinking on Mountains?

(everybody re-bookmark this blog site because I changed the url address)



Thursday, January 22, 2009

Jesus and the temple

I've been teaching sunday school on the gospel of Mark and we're in chp.11. Jesus has been to the temple the day before and surveyed the situation and enters the temple again and begins to toss out the moneychangers and those who sold things to the pilgrims comeing to offer sacrifices for the feast. He says" My house shall be called of all nations the house of prayer? but ye have made it a den of thieves. " My question for you all is, Who are the thieves and what were/are they stealing?
I've got some thoughts but would love to hear from you guys.

Thanks Toby

Monday, January 19, 2009

Gethsemene


Lovely Lamb of God

Trembling in the garden

Beads of blood are rolling

From his hands clutching at His brow

Anguished are His silent sighs


The closest of his friends

Slumber near the garden

Could they not awaken

And keep watch with Him for an hour?

In the night alone he prays


In the night alone

In the night alone

In the night alone

He prays


The dread of this dark hour

His heart had tasted daily

But now a demon whispers

"Like a bird you can fly away

To the mountain fly away"


Then His troubled soul

Cries from Calvary's shadow

"Father if it's able then I ask

This cup to pass from me

But not my will, but thine be done"


Not my will but thine

Not my will but thine

Not my will but thine

Be done


© 2008 by Stephen Popovich

Saturday, January 3, 2009

Ps 1 - The Tree and Water

vs 1. How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, Nor stand in the path of sinners, Nor sit in the seat of scoffers!
We see in the first verse of the first Psalm, ambassadors of the spiritual land of death and darkness. From their place of darkness and foolishness, they offer words to guide others even as they scoff at words of light and life. Nothing has changed since this Psalm was written.
We do not need to look far in any direction around us---the media, academia, the Government, our relatives and acquaintances---before we hear the chorus: "We want nothing to do with your God because we do not like his words. We have other, more sin-friendly, words to live by"
vs 2. But his delight is in the law of the LORD, And in His law he meditates day and night.
God's word is often referred to as His law because it is the road our hearts are to travel---We enter this Salvation Road by obeying the gospel. Then we obey the street signs of love on the journey down the road. And we must mind the guardrails!
A great significance of verse two following verse one is that God's people must first say "no" to the world's ways before they say "yes" to God's way. It's called confession and repentance.
vs. 3 He will be like a tree {firmly} planted by streams of water, Which yields its fruit in its season And its leaf does not wither; And in whatever he does, he prospers.
Water is always a picture of the word. Trees represent mankind. Christ was sent into the fallen world to become the everlasting tree----the Word Made Flesh--- in whom the word of God freely flowed and bore fruit. The moment a believer is saved, he becomes a living branch in Christ the Vine.
"Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither {can} you unless you abide in Me. If anyone does not abide in Me, he is thrown away as a branch and dries up; and they gather them, and cast them into the fire and they are burned. If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit, and {so} prove to be My disciples." John 15:4-8
The life and light of God's word lasts forever, all else is of the world and withers away with the world.
For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world. The world is passing away, and {also} its lusts; but the one who does the will of God lives forever. 1 John 2:16-17
vs. 4-5 The wicked are not so, But they are like chaff which the wind drives away. Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, Nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.
Bread comes from wheat, so it should be no surprise that wheat is yet another symbol of God's word. When Jesus comes to judge the world, those that are in Him will have been born of His word---the seed remaining in them while producing fruit. Those in whom the word is not rooted because of unbelief, will be carried off like chaff to hell.
"And Jesus cried out and said, "He who believes in Me, does not believe in Me but in Him who sent Me. He who sees Me sees the One who sent Me. I have come {as} Light into the world, so that everyone who believes in Me will not remain in darkness. If anyone hears My sayings and does not keep them, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world, but to save the world. He who rejects Me and does not receive My sayings, has one who judges him; the word I spoke is what will judge him at the last day. For I did not speak on My own initiative, but the Father Himself who sent Me has given Me a commandment {as to} what to say and what to speak. I know that His commandment is eternal life; therefore the things I speak, I speak just as the Father has told Me." John 12:45-48
And those who are standing and walking in righteousness,---the true branches of the Vine,---will be as the trees planted by the river of God that flows from His heavenly throne through a street of gold.
.