tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-60859365789873988132024-03-12T21:39:13.234-07:00A Southern Baptist Calvinist...on life, the world, and java.
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Clark's musings on events and trends, hopefully from Christian worldview. These represent my thoughts as an individual not those of my church, denomination, or even family.Clark Dunlaphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06887033027838106600noreply@blogger.comBlogger178125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6085936578987398813.post-41266656439275024072019-12-14T20:44:00.001-08:002019-12-14T20:45:24.531-08:00The Incarnation: A Christmas Miracle<br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.5pt; line-height: 95%;">Title</span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.5pt; line-height: 95%;">: The
Incarnation: A Christmas Miracle<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.5pt; line-height: 95%;">Theme</span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.5pt; line-height: 95%;">: Christ
becoming Flesh and what it means<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.5pt; line-height: 95%;">Goal</span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.5pt; line-height: 95%;">: To
help believers understand Christ and the lost believe<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.5pt; line-height: 95%;"><o:p></o:p></span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 16.6667px;">Sometimes we h</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.5pt; line-height: 95%;">ear or use the phrase, “The Miracle of Christmas.” </span><i><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 95%;">Sometimes
we see that phrase in the title of a Hallmark Christmas movie. Where some girl
comes to town in December, meets a guy she doesn’t like and falls in love.
Every. Time!</span></i><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.5pt; line-height: 95%;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.5pt; line-height: 95%;">Of
course, we know that’s <b>not</b> the Christmas miracle!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.5pt; line-height: 95%;">In
fact, there are many miracles associated with Christmas or the birth of Jesus
Christ!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.5pt; line-height: 95%;">Some
have listed 7 Christmas miracles: Annunciation: Gabriel tells Mary; Conception:
The Beginning of the Christ Child; The Explanation: Gabriel appears to Joseph; Incarnation:
God takes on flesh (which is what incarnation means); The Declaration: Angels appear
to Shepherds; The Agreement: Between The Father and the Son (Heb 10); The Visitation:
The Wise men were led to Jesus, just as all who come to him are led to Him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.5pt; line-height: 95%;">But
really, the miracles don’t start with the Angel appearing to Mary! How about
the Prophecies of the coming Messiah?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.5pt; line-height: 95%;">Those
are miraculous, right?!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.5pt; line-height: 95%;">Jeremiah
said he would be the Lord our righteousness! A Righteous branch out of the
house of David! (Jer 23:5-6)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.5pt; line-height: 95%;">Isaiah
said the people who walk in darkness would see a great light! He will reign on
the Throne of David, be called Prince of Peace and Almighty God! (Isa 9:2-7)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.5pt; line-height: 95%;">Micah
said – and get this, he would be <b>born in Bethlehem</b> and yet his going
forth is <b>from eternity</b>! And he will shepherd his flock and be Our Peace!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.5pt; line-height: 95%;">And
again, Isaiah, tells us he will be born of a virgin and be called <b>Immanuel –
God with Us</b>! (Isa 7:2)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.5pt; line-height: 95%;">We
have heard these things so often we forget how amazing these things are! A
Virgin would conceive!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>HE will be God
and yet born a man! He told us the Village! He told us some of his titles and ministries!
And we didn’t even get to Isa 53 or Psalm 22 that tell of His sacrificial death!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.5pt; line-height: 95%;">But
there’s one miracle I mentioned earlier, that I want to focus on. I’m going to
wax a little “theological” but you can follow me, and you may already know this,
at least I hope you do!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.5pt; line-height: 95%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Along with the Miraculous appearance of Jesus
in Mary’s womb, something incredible was happening. </span><b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 95%;">The miracle of IMMANUEL! God With Us! God became flesh and dwelt among us</span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.5pt; line-height: 95%;">! John
said:</span><b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 95%;">1:14</span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 95%;"> <u>And
the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as
of the only begotten Son from the Father, full of grace and truth</u>.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.5pt; line-height: 95%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.5pt; line-height: 95%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Have you wondered why Jesus wrestled with His
death in the Garden when He knew He’d come to earth for this moment?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.5pt; line-height: 95%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How about when Jesus said, no man knows the
time of His return except the Father? (Mt 24:36) I</span><b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 95%;">
mean, He is God right?</span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.5pt; line-height: 95%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 95%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ill) Last Sunday the Golden Heirs sang a
Christmas Musical. It had some great songs, but one of them drove me a little
crazy! It wasn’t a bad song, and it kinda folded into Away in a Manger which
was really nice. But the song was called, <i><u>are you ready</u></i>?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was called “Was he quiet or did he cry?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.5pt; line-height: 95%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It's talking about the baby Jesus. Was he a
quiet baby or did he sometimes cry? Now, that’s not a bad question. </span><b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 95%;">BUT!
The song never answered that question! </span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.5pt; line-height: 95%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Let me answer it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i><u>Ready?</u></i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.5pt; line-height: 95%;">Jesus,
as a baby, cried! <u>HE had the brain of a baby</u>!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.5pt; line-height: 95%;">Let’s
go back a bit and approach this from the Bible. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.5pt; line-height: 95%;">NOW
– I KNOW this question has been keeping you awake at night! <u>But the reason behind
my answer is part of the Christmas Miracle and it really does matter!</u> <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And I’ll show you why!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.5pt; line-height: 95%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>First</span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.5pt; line-height: 95%;">, Jesus is not <b>just</b>
a man, and he is not <b>just</b> God. HE is the God/man! There is no other
person like him in the universe!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.5pt; line-height: 95%;">These
Old Testament prophecies talked about how a man would be born who is <b>from
eternity</b>! But only God is eternal! He is “God With Us.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.5pt; line-height: 95%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But the OT doesn’t explain much about what
that means. Jewish scholars actually wondered if there would be two messiahs! One
human and one Divine. And the fact Jesus was both was difficult for them to
wrap their brains around.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.5pt; line-height: 95%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then, in the year 451, there was an important
Church Council. The Council of Chalcedon. Now the early church held several
councils and each time they addressed false teachings that were going around. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.5pt; line-height: 95%;">In
those days some said that Jesus was just a man that God Adopted. Others said
no, he is God and he just appeared to be a man; he just “seemed” to die on the
cross! Still, others said, No, he is the God/man, but he has one nature, it is
both human and divine. <u>But that idea</u> led to other problems like, why did
he sweat drops of blood in Gethsemane or say he didn’t know when He was coming
back? They would have us believe that Jesus had a divine human nature or a
humanly divine nature. But Then, how could He DIE? God can’t die! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.5pt; line-height: 95%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So, the Council met and discussed the
scriptures. Remember, by 451 the New Testament was fully formed and they had
the same scriptures we do! So, what do you do with verses showing both Jesus’
human nature and His Divine nature?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.5pt; line-height: 95%;">Listen
as I read just a few short verses. </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 95%;">(Col 2:9, Heb 1:3, 4:15)</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.5pt; line-height: 95%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Col 2:9 (NKJV) “For in Him (<i>Jesus the man</i>) dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily;” <o:p></o:p></div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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Heb 1:3 (NKJV) Speaking of
Jesus: “Who being the brightness of His glory (<i>God the Father</i>) and the
express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power,
when <u>He had by Himself purged our sin</u>s, sat down at the right hand of
the Majesty on high,” <o:p></o:p></div>
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Heb 4:15 (NKJV)"For we do not have a High Priest (Jesus) who
cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are,
yet without sin." </div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.5pt; line-height: 95%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Council came up with a formula that we
use to this day. In part of their long document, they said this: Jesus is truly
man and truly God. We sometimes say “Fully” God and man, or “100” God and man.
But “TRULY” expresses the two natures of Christ.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.5pt; line-height: 95%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But,
his two natures are neither Mixed together nor are they divided. <u>They don’t
trade their attributes</u>. The Divine nature isn’t a little bit human. The
human nature isn’t a tiny bit divine. </span><b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 95%;">Jesus Christ’s human
nature had a beginning</span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.5pt; line-height: 95%;">. </span><b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 95%;">His Divine nature is
eternal</span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.5pt; line-height: 95%;">. The human nature of Christ could cry over the death
of Lazarus and the grieving family, but His Divine nature would soon raise
Lazarus from the dead!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.5pt; line-height: 95%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His Human nature looked on the coming crucifixion
and receiving His Father’s wrath with great tribulation of the soul! But the Divine
Son of God had already, in eternity past, said Yes to His Father. </span><b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 95%;">Heb
10:5</span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 95%;">…when
Christ came into the world, he <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 95%;">said,
“Sacrifices and offerings you have not desired, but a body have you prepared
for me; 6 in burnt offerings and sin offerings you have taken no
pleasure. 7 Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come to do your will, O God…”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 14.5667px;">Within Our Lord Jesus Christ, there is the Miracle of Two complete natures. His human nature knows exactly what it means to be tempted and His divine nature gives us the power to resist!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 14.5667px;">His human nature knows what it means to grieve! His divine nature is the God of all Comfort!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.5pt; line-height: 15.8333px;">His Human nature Wept! His human nature sweat drops of blood. He was tired and hungry and weak and beaten and suffered and DIED!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.5pt; line-height: 15.8333px;">His divine nature was consistently perfect, loving, and NEVER died. Don’t look at the cross and say that’s where God died! God never died! Jesus, our redeemer, died! Jesus the man died. Jesus Paid our debt. Took our place. Bought our forgiveness and Secured YOUR SALVATION <b>For All Eternity</b>!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.5pt; line-height: 15.8333px;">We have this Great High Priest! Who understands us because He walked with us and experienced us!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.5pt; line-height: 15.8333px;">THAT is the Miracle of Christmas. The WORD BECAME FLESH AND DWELT AMONG US…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.5pt; line-height: 15.8333px;">AND WE BEHOLD HIS GLORY!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.5pt; line-height: 15.8333px;">Have you experienced the Glory of Christ? You can.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.5pt; line-height: 15.8333px;">In your heart, Fall on your face before the Lord Jesus Christ. Confess your sins, receive His forgiveness, repent from living life your way, and follow Jesus forever!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Clark Dunlaphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06887033027838106600noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6085936578987398813.post-8389203075690712572017-03-26T16:54:00.004-07:002017-03-26T16:54:54.877-07:00The Lost First Love Church<div class="MsoListParagraph" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; tab-stops: .25in;">
<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 95%;">:
To call believers to see where they strayed and return<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 95%;"><br /></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 95%;">Text</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 95%;">: Rev
2:1-7</span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 95%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">Rev 2:1 "To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: 'The words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand, who walks among the seven golden lampstands. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 95%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">Rev 2:2 "'I know your works, your toil and your patient endurance, and how you cannot bear with those who are evil, but have tested those who call themselves apostles and are not, and found them to be false. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 95%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">Rev 2:3 I know you are enduring patiently and bearing up for my name's sake, and you have not grown weary. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">Rev 2:4 But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 95%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">Rev 2:5 Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first. If not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 95%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">Rev 2:6 Yet this you have: you hate the works of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 95%;"></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">Rev 2:7 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers I will grant to eat of the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.' </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 95%;"><br /></span></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AyEcVgJ_C8g/WNhUmkQ-hcI/AAAAAAAACes/C_inlmIyG2YlY37lmcfAwuhAi8WtoJxlACLcB/s1600/lampstand.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AyEcVgJ_C8g/WNhUmkQ-hcI/AAAAAAAACes/C_inlmIyG2YlY37lmcfAwuhAi8WtoJxlACLcB/s1600/lampstand.png" /></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">When we talk about Revelation we often think of graphic symbolism and predictions of the future. But
we forget this book starts out with 7 short letters to 7 churches. These are more
like <u>Postcards</u>! Postcards from Heaven! They’re brief, personal and Urgent! In fact, the urgency
part is a bit unnerving, because Jesus says things like, “Repent or I’ll take
away your lampstand!” And even if we aren’t sure what the lampstand is, it
sounds pretty serious!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">We
are going to spend 7 messages with these postcards. My hope is God
will speak to you and me, through these passages, and <b>bring us home</b>! Now you might think you're <b>already home</b>. And to a large degree,
you might be. But let me ask, <u>Is your life as fruitful</u> for Jesus as you
would like it to be? <u>Are you as courageous</u> in the Lord as you ought to
be? <u>Is any area of your life in rebellion </u>to the Lord? Are you afraid to
take a risk for Jesus? If so, open your hearts to these passages in the weeks
ahead. Ask God to speak to you, to draw you to himself.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Acts 19 is the record of Paul ministering in Ephesus. But its
believed John also ministered there both before and after he wrote this book. </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Ephesus
was among the largest cities of Asia Minor, about 50,000 around this time, and
a </span><u style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">famous center for idolatry</u><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">In<b> V1</b> Jesus is the one who holds the 7
starts and walks among the 7 lampstands. What is that about? See </span><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Rev
1:20</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"> As for
the mystery of the 7 stars you saw in my right hand, and the seven golden
lampstands, the seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven
lampstands are the seven churches.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">What are the 7 stars? Angels?
Well the word means messenger. I think it’s fairly safe to say these are the pastors or individual messengers that John sent with each message. But I favor the pastors of the churches.
And what are the lampstands? Remember, there was a lampstand in the temple. That
was the only source of light in the temple, it was made with pure gold and
filled with oil. Oil was the fuel of the 7 flames on the lampstand. That’s some
profound symbolism when we remember, oil is symbolic of the Holy Spirit. So,
what is the lampstand? I believe it is the life and light giving Spirit of God
in the churches. And notice Jesus is walking among these lampstands and
churches. He is with them, He knows what is going on.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">V2</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"> He says, I know you works, your toil and
your endurance. He knows not only the work we do but the pains we take and how
we suffer in our work for Him. That’s what He means by toil. And they have
endured – they continued working when it was hard.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"> He said they didn’t put up with evil. They
even tested self-appointed apostles and found them to be false. They understood
what the Bible taught about good and evil and sound doctrine. They didn’t put
up with false teachers! In those days there were men going around trying to
trick churches into false doctrine. Things like <u>Gentiles need to become Jews</u>
to be Christians. Or <u>Jesus wasn’t really God</u> in the flesh. Or <u>the God
of the Old Testament was bad but Jesus was good</u>. On and on. And the church called
these things heresy, And Jesus said, Good!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">In V3</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"> He mentions again their patience
and endurance and how they “bore up” or held up under stress. This is a good
sign of being a true believer.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Ill</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 11.5pt;">) I remember
reading of two missionaries who brought the gospel to some folks in Indonesia.
They were ladies who went there as Bible translators. As they worked there for
years some finally left their tribal religion and trusted in Jesus Christ. This
made the local witch-doctor pretty angry and he was put curses on them. One of
the young women who became a Christian lost her baby just after it was born and
everybody said it was the power of the shaman. So there was this fear in the
village that following Jesus would cause your babies to die. When the young
missionaries heard and rushed to see the young mother who lost her baby they
were prepared for the worst. How are we going to convince her that our God is a
God of love, and more powerful than the shaman.? When they got there, they
found her grieving but she said, shall I receive good from Him and not accept
the bad also? And the other believers were all encouraged and even more women came to know Christ.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Perseverance in trouble is a testimony of
true believers!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 11.5pt;">BUT!</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 11.5pt;"> Don’t you just hate it when
someone is singing your praises but you know there is a “But” coming. “You did
a great job!! BUT – you missed this part,
do it over.” Or, when a girl is letting the guy down easy, “I really like you a
lot – BUT – can we just be friends?” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Well
Jesus says But – and remember He walks among the candlesticks – he knows each
church – and He says -<b>V4</b> – <b>But I have this against you – You have
abandoned your first love!</b> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">This
is a powerful accusation. And you know its true because Jesus said it! And of
all things to have lost, <u>Love is the Hallmark of the Gospel</u>! </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">For God so
LOVED He sent! </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Herein is LOVE, not that we loved Him but He loved us! </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">By this shall
all men know you are my disciples, if you have LOVE for one another! </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">LOVE is
important! Its appears over 200 X in the NT!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"> What does <u>Left your first love</u>, mean? Well,
who is our first love as believers? Isn’t it the one who took our place? Who
paid our debt? We have no Genuine Love – no Godly Love – until Jesus comes and
rescues us! </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">But what can you
do about it? </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">How do you just start loving again? </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">How do you get that back?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">V5 Remember</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">. Here is where I
start the alliteration. I have 4 “R’s” for you. The first is Remember! <b>V5 Remember from where you have fallen</b>.
Can you remember?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Can
you remember a time when you loved Jesus more? Is it hard to say the words “I
love Jesus” or “I love God”? Can you remember a time when the Grace and Mercy
of God was so precious to you? HOW do you go back there? Or how do I get there
if I have never really been there?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 11.5pt;">Ill)
For years, I had a hard time singing “I love you Lord and I lift my voice ...” Even
though I was grateful and loved the Lord for what He did, I knew my love was
nothing compared with His love for me! But one day I accepted that He
knew that I knew that! I was able to say ‘I love you.’ Because I knew that
while my love was far from perfect, it was a love He had planted in my heart! </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">But
lets face it, we don’t always continue in the realization of His love for us
and ours for Him!</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">SO – What do we
do?</span></div>
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</span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">REPENT.</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"> What does this
mean? It means think differently. Change the direction of our thinking! After
you Remember, Go </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">back to that way of Thinking! But we have
to be intentional about it. I saw a great quote the other day – "Nobody ever
drifts into Holiness!" You don’t Repent by accident. You don’t keep repenting,
everyday, several times a day, without Intentionality! Keep Remembering and
Keep going back to that time when you were so thankful for His Grace!</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">3.<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">RETURN</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">! Go Back to the
First Works! This doesn’t mean, Work harder, or Serve the Lord More! No it
means go back to what you did before you started to work for Him. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; tab-stops: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Remember – He just praised their
hard work and faithfulness! They were working. Maybe they weren’t doing
everything right but they were working. No, he said do the “First” works. What
are those? Pray harder? Sing louder?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">
Look at the History of the Ephesian church. Read Acts 19:18:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="BODY" style="margin-bottom: 4.0pt; mso-pagination: none;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span lang="X-NONE" style="color: #208080; mso-fareast-language: X-NONE;">V.18</span><span lang="X-NONE"> many of those who were <b>now believers</b> came, confessing and
divulging their practices. </span><b><span lang="X-NONE" style="color: #802020; mso-fareast-language: X-NONE;">19</span></b><span lang="X-NONE"> And a number of those who had
practiced magic arts brought their books together and burned them in the sight
of all. And they counted the value of them and found it came to fifty thousand
pieces of silver. </span><span style="color: #208080; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;">20</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;"> So the word of the Lord continued to increase
and prevail mightily. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><u><br /></u></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><u>Among
other things they did when they first believed is they put away their idols</u>!
Now I don’t think any of you have little idols set up in your house – if so –
that’s got to go! I am really surprised
that some Christians STILL follow horoscopes! That’s an idol. I’m surprised how
many people get their beliefs from bumper stickers and the internet! We need to
get away from catchy phrases and believe God’s Word! We need to get our
principles from the Bible! If you follow worldly wisdom and Facebook more than
the Bible you’re doing it wrong!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; tab-stops: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">We need to put away things we
worship. How about our comfort zones? Are you willing to give those to God and
burn them in a bonfire? That’s Hard, right? You bet it is. </span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; tab-stops: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">But, Before you ever started
“Working” for Jesus, look back and see if you didn’t have a heart for Jesus.
And you realized, NOTHING – NOTHING – compares with the Love of Christ.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: .25in; text-indent: 0in;">
<b><span style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">4. </span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></b><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><b>One more R </b>in this passage. (V5). <b>REMOVE</b>. Now
this is not Removing our salvation or Jesus leaving us. But it has to do with
the Question, Why does Jesus need a church that has left their Love for Christ?
Does that do the Kingdom any good? When he removes a lampstand, there are other churches to carry on.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; tab-stops: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Will you Remember, Repent and
Return To Jesus as your King of Kings today?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Clark Dunlaphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06887033027838106600noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6085936578987398813.post-64194620590062663362016-12-24T12:19:00.000-08:002016-12-24T12:19:21.182-08:00Reason for the Season: Why Angels? Why Shepherds?<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;">"Fear not, I have Good News." </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Luke 2:1-2<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;">I know the phrase “The Reason for the Season” is pretty overdone.
But "The Point of Jesus’ Coming" didn’t sound as catchy. And there are not too
many words that rhyme with point! It’s kinda like the word Phoenix, hard to
rhyme! There’s point, joint and anoint and that’s it! So, "Reason for the
Season." (No, I never considered using "The Point the Anointed One came to this Joint")<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"> Now I’m not talking about
the Season of Santa Claus, or the season of shopping, or even the season of
holidays and food and family and Football! Even though ALL of those are better than the "Season of Politics" we just came thru! The Season I am talking about is
remembering the Coming of the Son of God to earth!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"> Why is that a Big Thing? Why
do we celebrate the Birth of this man 2000 years later? There have been other
great men and women, we don’t tend to celebrate their births, do we? Abraham
Lincoln: We celebrate the Gettysburg address or the Emancipation Proclamation,
but not his birth. Certainly, not his death! Madame Curie: Great Scientist! Nobody
celebrates her birth! OK, we do celebrate Washington’s birthday with a holiday
but it’s not like he gets fireworks and songs! All he gets is President’s Day
Sales!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"> Bible Study is kind of like
being a detective. It’s asking the right kind of questions. There are many
things we could ask about the message the angels had that day. But I want to
start with two simple questions: <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Why was it announced by Angels?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;">And why was it announced to Shepherds?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;">I understand God sending a messenger to Mary! She was going to have a
baby and she was a young virgin! And Joseph! He was engaged to her and this was
a shock! But Shepherds?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"> Luke 2:8 And in the same region there </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"> were shepherds out in the field,
keeping </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"> watch over their flock by night. </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-KKXdzHm-UFI/WF7X34UryjI/AAAAAAAACZ8/G6OUhxYyfVkrAUG9GNg2tTUse_5iggkpACLcB/s1600/angel-and-shepherds.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="152" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-KKXdzHm-UFI/WF7X34UryjI/AAAAAAAACZ8/G6OUhxYyfVkrAUG9GNg2tTUse_5iggkpACLcB/s320/angel-and-shepherds.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;">In the </span><span style="font-size: large;">same region, near where Jesus was born,</span><span style="font-size: large;"> near Bethlehem, were
shepherds. It doesn’t say how many, how old, or how Godly they are, just
‘shepherds.’</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Now, if God had a PR man he might have suggested a different group.
“Let’s announce it to the Governor.” Or to Congress! They couldn’t put it on
TV, but how about sending an angel to Ceasar? Nope. God told shepherds.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;">You may remember that shepherds were near the bottom of society in
those days. They couldn’t even testify in a trial because a) they weren’t
trusted and b) they weren’t considered smart enough! </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;">But how did God want us to
picture Him? David said, The Lord-is-my-Shepherd! </span><span style="font-size: large;">Jesus said, “I am the Good Shepherd.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"> What if somebody was running
for president and announced, “I am the Good Used Car salesman!” People would
laugh. I know I pick on used car dealers, but I have known a couple good Christian
men who sold used cars. Great guys! Honest guys! But that’s not the reputation
they have! Same with Shepherds!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;">But that’s who God chose to make his first public announcement to. God
is not worried about PR. God loves the world. Especially the ones no one else
cares about. God was targeting a certain group with his Angelic
advertising! Who did He target? Listen to these verses: First a prophecy about
Jesus: </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"> Isaiah 61:1 The Spirit of the Lord
GOD</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"> is upon me, because the LORD has </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"> anointed me to bring good news to </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"> the
poor; he has sent me to bind up </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"> the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"> to the
captives, and the opening of the </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"> prison to those who are bound; <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Luke 1:52 (Mary said) </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"> He has brought down the mighty </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"> from their thrones
and exalted </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"> those of humble estate; 53 he has </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"> filled the hungry with good
things, </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"> and the rich he has sent away empty. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;">1Co 1:26 </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"> For consider your calling, brothers: </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"> not many of you were wise
according </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"> to worldly standards, not many </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"> powerful, not many of noble birth. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"> 27
But God chose what is foolish </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"> in the world to shame the wise; </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"> God chose what is
weak …to shame </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"> the strong; 28 God chose what is </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"> low and despised in the world… </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"> 29 so that no human being might </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"> boast in the presence of God.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;">WHY Shepherds? Not because they were great and special. Because God
values people over position.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Because God doesn’t value people the way the world does.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;">God took Moses from being a Prince and made him a shepherd before he
used him to deliver Israel from bondage! </span><span style="font-size: large;">In God’s estimation, shepherds have a noble duty. That’s why Jesus
called Himself a good shepherd. Think about it!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;">They were out in their fields with the sheep. Not at home, under a
roof, in a comfy bed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;">“Watching over” means they put themselves between the sheep and
dangerous predators.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;">They lived with the sheep, led them to water and green pastures, they
didn’t just give them orders to follow!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Likewise, Jesus left the comfort and glory of heaven, to come down to be
with us, here on earth.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Jesus was lifted up on a cross to put himself between us and dangerous
predator who would take us to Hell with himself.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Jesus comes to walk with us, and live in us, not just give us rules to
follow! He became sin that we might become the Holiness of God! God elevated
the shepherds! Jesus became the Shepherd!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"> And notice, he didn’t say, "now go to Bethlehem and find the baby!" No, these shepherds did that on their
own. I think these shepherds took the
promises of a Messiah, seriously. There were many in Israel who did!</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wBS4sR-isxE/WF7YCS-QNCI/AAAAAAAACaA/IeqMrLLva9My1i8QqcCwwaajj-jJyT_CQCLcB/s1600/Joseph-and-Mary.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wBS4sR-isxE/WF7YCS-QNCI/AAAAAAAACaA/IeqMrLLva9My1i8QqcCwwaajj-jJyT_CQCLcB/s320/Joseph-and-Mary.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;">But then, why the Angels?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;">God uses his angels as messengers. When he drove Adam and eve from Eden
he put a messenger at the gate to remind them they were no longer welcome!
Angels appeared to Abraham and Jacob and Joshua. In Deut 33 we learn that when
God brought the law it was with 10,000 of His angels. In fact, in the Jewish
mind, it was angels who delivered the law of God. Well the law was the Old
Testament, or covenant. God is about to put in place a New Covenant. Angels are
still His messengers!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;">But notice something here in Luke 2:9 an angel of the Lord stood by
them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore
afraid.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;">The angel didn’t come alone. He didn’t come incognito. The Bible says
angels can appear without us noticing them. That’s not the case here! He came
with the Glory of the Lord. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Listen, until that last year before the birth of Jesus, The Glory of
the Lord hadn’t been seen on earth for almost a thousand years! Joseph and Mary
may have glimpsed it. The shepherds saw it in a big way! But the last time was
the dedication of Solomon’s temple, when God’s glory came down! There may have been
an occasion a couple hundred years later when Elijah’s sacrifice was burned up
by fire that came down from Heaven. But it had been a long, long time!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;">The glory of God was with Adam and Eve in the garden before they
sinned. Moses saw it in the burning bush. The Israelites saw it in the pillar
of fire that led them out of bondage. They saw it come down on the tabernacle
in the wilderness.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;">But the Glory of the Lord had just become a legend. Here, however, the shepherds saw it when the angel appeared! God was doing something brand new!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Later, Jesus took 3 disciples up a hill and was transfigured before
them. The Glory of the Lord burst out of the Man Christ Jesus. Hebrews explains
why. Jesus was the "outshining of the Glory of God.” Paul wrote that Jesus is
the Image of the invisible God. Before Jesus, God appeared as light and fire,
not primarily with a human body. He is the invisible God. But God is doing
something new! He is sending His Only Begotten, His One and Only, the 2nd
person of the Eternal trinity in Heaven; Jesus the Christ, the God/man. And on
that day was born a baby in Bethlehem, with the fullness of the glorious Glory
of God bottled up inside of Him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">God came down! Oh what a Thought!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">God Himself, in Human flesh was wrought.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Born of a virgin, this God most high!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">In an unknown stable,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Our Holy God came nigh! </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Our God came down.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Our God came down. Our God came down!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;">When you are giving presents this Christmas, remember the greatest gift
of all! Given for you! When you open a Christmas Card, think of the gift inside
those swaddling clothes!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 95%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;">If you don’t know Jesus – He paid for your sins 2000 years ago – Today
is the day to trust Him!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12.5pt; line-height: 15.8333px;"><br /></span></div>
Clark Dunlaphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06887033027838106600noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6085936578987398813.post-46686792803175697462016-12-24T11:41:00.001-08:002016-12-24T11:54:19.251-08:00Reason for the Season Part II<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-line-height-alt: 11.4pt;">
<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 18pt;">Who is this Baby and
What is a Savior?<br />
</span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 18pt;"> Luke 2:1-11<br />
<b>What does the World think of Jesus</b>? More specifically what does the
world, that lives in the USA, think of Jesus?<br />
Just last year a study was done by the Barna group showing
that over <b>90% of Americans believe Jesus was a real person</b>.<span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="color: black; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 107%;">[i]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span> </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 18pt;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-aVqpJQ315nU/WF7Py7rRs7I/AAAAAAAACZc/jmxXUm2594oXIlArF_OzmPjlcOWAcjTiQCLcB/s1600/bu-040115-ig-6.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-aVqpJQ315nU/WF7Py7rRs7I/AAAAAAAACZc/jmxXUm2594oXIlArF_OzmPjlcOWAcjTiQCLcB/s200/bu-040115-ig-6.png" width="200" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 18pt;">That’s nice. But, with each generation it’s a
little bit less. The youngest generation tested, the Millennials, about 35 and
under, only 87% think he was real. Who knows how low that will go in the next
generation, those who are just children right now.<br />
But even though that’s a pretty high number, <b>less than 60% </b>(56) <b>believe
Jesus is God </b>or divine. Guess where the millennials stand. Less than
50%! Now if Jesus isn’t God, our faith is as pointless as if he didn’t exist at
all!<br />
But even though slightly over 50% of all America thinks he is god, <b>LESS
than 50% think he was sinless</b>! In other words, most people think Jesus
sinned like everyone else! There is <i>one lie</i> from the devil
that has really taken hold in our culture! If Jesus sinned, he could not be our
sacrifice or our savior.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 18pt;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ljFXTXLHqF4/WF7QBe8v0vI/AAAAAAAACZg/Ue-ASIfRmDwrlxcLxNPPBnNnQiWMm4QlgCLcB/s1600/I-believe-Jesus-was-God.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ljFXTXLHqF4/WF7QBe8v0vI/AAAAAAAACZg/Ue-ASIfRmDwrlxcLxNPPBnNnQiWMm4QlgCLcB/s200/I-believe-Jesus-was-God.jpg" width="200" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 18pt;">
<br />
But in spite of that low number – When asked if they had made a <b>personal
commitment to Jesus Christ that affected their lives – are you ready? – 62%
said yes</b>! Some of these people don’t even think Jesus is God, or know he
was sinless! It’s hard to believe 62% of the USA is truly saved.<br />
There are people all over the USA today, sitting in churches this morning, who
think they have made a commitment to Jesus Christ, but He never made a
commitment to them!<br />
<b><i> But one final point.</i></b> Among those who say
they have made a commitment to Jesus Christ -<b> people who say they’re
Christians - how many believe they will go to heaven because they confessed
their sins to Christ, believed in and accepted Him as their savior</b>? 63%.
Basically 2 out of three. Not 2/3 Americans, but 2/3 of those who say they
believe in Jesus.<br />
Over 30% of people who claim they believe in Christ, who say they made a<br />
commitment to Him – don’t understand HOW to be saved!<br />
20% say its because they tried to keep the 10 commandments or because they were
basically good, OR because God loves everybody and won’t let anyone go to Hell!<br />
IN one sense this is Good news, It means there are lots of folks who need to
hear the gospel! But its also bad news. After 300 years of gospel preaching in
America only 60% call themselves Christian and 2/3rds of those don’t even know
how to be saved!<br />
THE ANGELS SAID:<br />
<i> I bring you good news of great joy<br />
that will be for all the people. For<br />
unto you is born this day in the<br />
city of David a Savior</i>!<br />
WHAT IS A SAVIOR? Have any of you noticed a drop off in the use of the word
“saved?” I have. I even feel funny using it just because I’m not sure people
know what it means. But it’s a good word. We could replace it with rescued or
delivered. But delivered makes many think about babies, boxes, and mail.
Rescued is good because it implies a sense of danger or trouble or even death!
But I think we need to keep the word “Saved” alive! Or else nobody will know
why Jesus is a Savior!<br />
A lifeguard rescues people from drowning. He SAVES them. People still know the
meaning of saved in that context. It happened to me once. When I was about 12 I
was swimming the rapids in my hometown of New Braunfels, Texas. I felt the tug
of a whirlpool and just before I went under I yelled "help." Now these are pretty
weak whirlpools in the Comal river and with one kick I was back above the
water. Just in time to me hit smack in the face by an inner tube. Which stung, but I was glad to have it to grab on to. That lifeguard (I think his name
was Max) was my savior that day. (Well, kinda, I wasn't really going to drown
but he didn't know that.)<br />
Jesus came, as a Savior because God had already planned to
save people. People who really needed saving! If you are saved today let me
tell you something amazing. Before Jesus ever came, God knew, from before the
foundation of the world, that Jesus would save you. Your eternal life would be
guaranteed when His only begotten Son took your place on the cross! Jesus <b>came</b> as
a Savior!<br />
BUT SAVED FROM WHAT? That’s a good question.<br />
Some think we need to be saved from our unfulfillment or our terrible life
situation.<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=6085936578987398813#_edn2" name="_ednref2" title=""><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="color: black; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 107%;">[ii]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 18pt;">A) Sometimes
when we talk about our salvation we talk about how our life wasn’t complete.
Maybe our marriage wasn’t too great till Jesus came along. Or we didn’t have
the career we hoped for. Our kids didn’t turn out how we liked or we didn’t
have the kinda of life we hoped for. We look at vacation brochures for skiing
the alps but all we get is 3 nights in Oklahoma City! Now that might make most
people turn to Jesus!<br />
But we can give off the idea that Jesus came to deliver you from a bad
marriage, or give us a better career. Or at least help you like the crummy
career you got! Sometimes the idea we give people is Jesus came to help out our
lot in life. With Jesus I drive a Lincoln, ski in Colorado, get promotions at
work and my kid goes to Harvard!<br />
B) Sometimes we give people the impression that Jesus
came to deliver us from bad habits or addictions. We treat Jesus as if he’s the
“Higher Power” that some people in AA use as a "hook in heaven" to help them pull
themselves up. Maybe its drugs or alcohol or even sexual sin. Maybe you had a
bad temper, were a serial glutton or a serial murderer until Jesus came.<br />
Now these things I mentioned are <b>certainly
within the power</b> of the <b>gospel</b>. Knowing Jesus <b>can give you a
new outlook</b> on life. It can make you the kind of loving caring person
who might get that promotion at work, or have a better marriage or raise better
kids.<br />
The gospel – the good news of Jesus - can give you power over
drugs and alcohol. It can deliver you from a wicked temper or the power of
lust. <b>But</b> <b>is that ALL Jesus came for</b>?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 18pt;"><br /> Further, what about those people who do feel fulfilled?
They have a nice house and car, vacations galore. Their kids are doing great. They
aren’t addicted to drugs or alcohol. <b>Do they not need Jesus?</b> There
are millions of people in the world who get up every day, work in the fields,
live in a hut, and marry their kids off to the neighboring village, who are
content to do just that. They can’t imagine anything else! <b>Don’t They
Need the Gospel of Jesus Christ</b>?<br />
C) <b>Luk 2:10</b> And the angel said to them, </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 18pt;"> "Fear not, for behold, I bring you good </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 18pt;"> news of great joy that will be for
all the </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 18pt;"> people. 11 For unto you is born this day </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 18pt;"> in the city of David a Savior. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 18pt;"><b>Saved from what?</b> In the Matthew story of Jesus’ birth-<br />
an angel – maybe the same angel here – appears to Joseph and says, </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 18pt;"><i> 1:21
She will bear a son, and you shall </i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 18pt;"><i> call his name Jesus, for he will <b>save </b></i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 18pt;"><i><b> his people from their sins</b>.</i> From Their Sins!<br />That’s what we are saved from. May not be as exciting as getting off drugs, or
being fulfilled in their careers or helping them have perfect kids. It’s not a
fulfilling as finding your purpose in life! <b>But salvation from
sin </b>is what God provides! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 18pt;">For one thing, its universal. Everyone has a sin
problem. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 18pt;">Not everybody "needs" purpose or a better life!<br />
Why would God save us from our sins? Because that is the only way
we can be right with Him! When you realize it’s not just about
forgiveness.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 18pt;">Forgiveness is GREAT! But God will deliver you from the Penalty of
sin, the hell created for the devil. He delivers you from the power of sin,
which includes deliverance from addiction, and every sin
that damages our relationship with Him! He also delivers from the Presence of
sin. Jesus saves you from your sin that you might dwell in the House of the
Lord forever!<br />
The church needs to get back to telling the world what Jesus really came to do!
Not to be your best friend, but to be your savior. Not to manage your career
but to remove you from your sins. Not to help you stand head and shoulders
above other men but to fall to your knees at the feet of Jesus!<br />
You know the angels didn’t even tell the shepherds the baby’s name. They said
you’ll find him in a manger, a feed trough. But they found him and his name was
savior, not just his title. Because Jesus means the Salvation of Jehovah. The
Savior sent by God.<br />
That’s the Good News! God sent his Son to save us from the thing we try to deny
we need saving from. We don’t like to admit we are sinners. But we are and God
has a remedy!<br />
A Savior, Jesus Christ the Lord.<br />
This is what makes us truly understand the love of God. Not so much the things
that Jesus does for us to help have happy lives. But the fact that He saved us
from our sins.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=6085936578987398813#_ednref1" name="_edn1" title=""><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="font-size: 6.0pt;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 6.0pt; line-height: 107%;">[i]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a><span style="font-size: 6.0pt;"> https://www.barna.com/research/what-do-americans-believe-about-jesus-5-popular-beliefs/<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=6085936578987398813#_ednref2" name="_edn2" title=""><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="font-size: 6.0pt;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 6.0pt; line-height: 107%;">[ii]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a><span style="font-size: 6.0pt;"> Borrowed partially from John MacArthur.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Clark Dunlaphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06887033027838106600noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6085936578987398813.post-84206508445805321152016-12-24T11:08:00.000-08:002016-12-24T11:10:38.821-08:00Reason for the season Part III<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 95%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
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<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 95%;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 95%;">He is Christ the
Lord, A foundational truth of</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 95%;"> the gospel of Jesus Christ!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 95%;"><span style="font-size: large;">This
is part 3 of my creatively titled series, "The Reason for the Season." </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 95%;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 95%;"><span style="font-size: large;">We’ve been
looking closely at this passage announcing the birth of Jesus. W</span></span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">e talked about Why Angels and Why Shepherds? Many don’t
realise, the law was given to Moses by God but it was delivered with
ten-thousands of angels. Deut. 33 tells us that as well as the books of Acts and
Galatians. Well, here, one angel delivers the news but he is joined very
possibly by ten-thousands of angels! But too my knowledge, this is the only
time, after the birth of Christ, that angels announce Jesus. You see, that’s up
to humans now. God has made it His Plan A, that people will tell other people
about Jesus. Or as Paul put it, “How shall they hear without a preacher?”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 95%;"><span style="font-size: large;">And Why shepherds? The lowest group in society, they were dirty, smelly, caretakers of
the dumbest of animals. But God designed his Gospel for the poor and the
outcasts. In fact there is a very real sense in which the gospel brings all
people very low before it lifts them up.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 95%;"><span style="font-size: large;">Then
we looked at the first great statement the angel made, </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"> Luke
2:11</span></i><i><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 95%;"> For unto you is
born this day in the city</span></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 95%;"> of David </span></i></span><i style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 95%;">a Savior</span></i><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large; line-height: 95%;">.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 95%;"><span style="font-size: large;">A
Savior! Jesus did not come to take away all your troubles. Hate to break it to
you. He even told us, “In this world you will have tribulation, but be of good
cheer, I have overcome the world." Jesus came to save us from our sins! He took
our sins upon Him that we might be made holy before God. He didn’t come to make
us prosperous or popular or pretty. He came to save us from our sins! He told
the shepherds what he already told Joseph in </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 95%;"><span style="font-size: large;"><i> Mat 1:21, She will bear a son, and you shall call </i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 95%;"><span style="font-size: large;"><i> his name Jesus, for
he will save his people from their sins</i>." <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 95%;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 95%;"><span style="font-size: large;">But
then the angel enlarges the description. The rest of v11 says, </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 95%;"><span style="font-size: large;"><i> a Savior, who is Christ the Lord</i>. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 95%;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 95%;">Savior, Christ and Lord.</span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 95%;">
Terms we throw around in church but what do they mean? We looked at Savior so
let’s look at Christ!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 95%;"><span style="font-size: large;">This
is the Greek word for Messiah. It means the anointed one. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 95%;"><span style="font-size: large;">Well
generally speaking there were three classes of people who were anointed. Know
who they were? Prophets, Priests and Kings.<span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><a href="file:///C:/Users/Clark%20Dunlap/Dropbox/FBCS%20Staff/the%20reason%20for%20the%20season%20III.docx#_ftn1" title="">[1]</a> Which one was Jesus? </span></span><a href="file:///C:/Users/Clark%20Dunlap/Dropbox/FBCS%20Staff/the%20reason%20for%20the%20season%20III.docx#_ftn1" title=""><!--[endif]--></a></span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 95%;"><span style="font-size: large;">As
a prophet, Jesus spoke the Word of God, in Fact He was the Word of God in the
Flesh! He communicated the will of God to us. As well as His love and all of
His attributes! Just as words communicate ideas, Jesus communicated God to us - He is God.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 95%;"><span style="font-size: large;">Jesus
the Priest was our go-between with God! He became a man, dwelt among us, full of
grace and truth, took our sins and paid for them with His blood. And the Bible
suggests that the very blood of Christ was sprinkled in the Holy of Holies in
the heavens. The blood that washed away our sins!</span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-k-6xSx7qshc/WF7GnuJ_e_I/AAAAAAAACZE/BLmY_2G76rAx7iT2xRdATF2Adtq65cIGACLcB/s1600/031_JesusChristIsProphetPriestAndKing.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="153" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-k-6xSx7qshc/WF7GnuJ_e_I/AAAAAAAACZE/BLmY_2G76rAx7iT2xRdATF2Adtq65cIGACLcB/s200/031_JesusChristIsProphetPriestAndKing.jpg" width="200" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 95%;"><span style="font-size: large;">Jesus
our King – Our King – rules and reigns over the
universe AND over our hearts and lives. Remember when the wise men came looking
for a King who was born? They came to Herod,who was a governor, so Herod
asked his scholars about this. They told him what Malachi had prophesied, the messiah, who would reign, would be born in Bethlehem. These wise men had
a better idea of who Jesus was meant to be than many in Israel! He is a King!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 95%;"><span style="font-size: large;">Jesus
is the anointed one, the Christ, the Word of God, the High Priest and the King
of Kings!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 95%;"><span style="font-size: large;">And
the Lord of Lords! That’s the other thing the angels said.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 95%;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 95%;"><span style="font-size: large;">What
is a Lord? Simply it is one with authority, a master or boss. It is used of masters of slaves as well as emperors. But here’s the thing, the disciple began to call
Him Lord early on. They owned Him as their master and teacher and ruler. And
that’s the bottom line isn’t it? Jesus is King of Kings but there will be those
who rebel against the King to the death! They won't bow the knee until they are banished from His presence.That doesn’t mean Jesus isn’t King!
But will He be your King? Will He be your Lord?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 95%;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 95%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 95%;"><span style="font-size: large;">I want to show you
something interesting. Who did the Angel says this Good news was for?<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 95%;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 95%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 95%;"><span style="font-size: large;"> “For
I bring YOU good news of great joy...</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 95%;"><span style="font-size: large;"> “For unto YOU is born this day…” </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 95%;"><span style="font-size: large;">There is a great personal, individual announcement
going on here. YOU! For YOU is born a Savior! This is the narrowest part of the
announcement! It comes for you! Each Shepherd was told the Savior came for
them!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 95%;"><span style="font-size: large;">But
the angel adds, “I bring you good news of great joy that will be <b>for all the people</b>.” This makes the
announcement much widerr, but, not as big as you might think. When God speaks about
“The People” He invariably is talking about His people, Israel! But that is
still a lot more than just <b>you</b>! <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 95%;"><span style="font-size: large;">Think
about it, where did Jesus spend his whole life? In Israel. Except for an early
childhood in Egypt and the occasional sidetrip to a neighboring country. Jesus
came for Israel! And did they receive Him? Or did they say “Crucify Him”?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 95%;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 95%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 95%;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>But
GOD makes this even larger</b>. Is it good news for me and you? Its good news for
Israel! Its good news for a few shepherds. But, I’m just a tiny fraction of being Jewish, so I’m probably 99%
gentile! What about me and you?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 95%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 95%;">Later
in this same chapter </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 95%;">(V28),</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 95%;"> the Bible says a man
named Simeon was “in the Spirit” and when he saw the baby Jesus, v28 says,</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 95%;"> “</span><i><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 95%;">he took him up in his arms and blessed
God </span></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 95%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><i><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 95%;"> and said, 29 "Lord, now you are letting your </span></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 95%;"> servant depart in peace,
according to your word; </span></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 95%;"> 30 for my eyes have seen your
salvation 31 that </span></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 95%;"> you have prepared in the presence of all
peoples, </span></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 95%;"> 32 a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for </span></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 95%;"> glory to your
people Israel</span></i><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 95%;">." <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 95%;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 95%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 95%;"><span style="font-size: large;">Jesus
is a Light for the Gentiles!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 95%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 95%;"><span style="font-size: large;">When
I was a boy we sang the hymn <i>Jesus
Included Me</i>. </span></span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">As
a child I didn’t get it. As a teenager I didn’t get it.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 95%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 95%;"><span style="font-size: large;">Then
one day He became a light to this gentile. And I got it. </span></span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">He
is My Savior, He is my Messiah, and He is My Lord!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 95%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 95%;"><span style="font-size: large;">He’s
the boss of me! I don’t always act like it I know!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 95%;"><span style="font-size: large;">But
He is. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 95%;"><span style="font-size: large;">And I’m more than willing for Him to be my Lord, <b>Supremely Because He Is My Savior</b>!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: large;">Is He yours?</span></span>
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<a href="file:///C:/Users/Clark%20Dunlap/Dropbox/FBCS%20Staff/the%20reason%20for%20the%20season%20III.docx#_ftnref1" name="_ftn1" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">[1]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></a> <span style="font-size: 8.0pt;">Smith’s Bible Dictionary</span> <span style="font-size: 6.0pt;">http://www.biblestudytools.com/dictionaries/smiths-bible-dictionary/anointing.html</span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<span style="font-size: 6.0pt;">Image: </span><span style="font-size: 8px;">http://www.refrigeratordevotionals.com/get-started/powerful-visual-learning/visual-aid-jesus-christ-is-prophet-priest-and-king/</span></div>
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Clark Dunlaphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06887033027838106600noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6085936578987398813.post-49824555294339921182016-05-28T11:14:00.000-07:002016-05-28T11:14:52.009-07:00Final Words, Writer of Hebrews Asks for Trust and Prayer<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Keep Calm, Trust and Pray</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The Final words of admonition by
the writer of Hebrews. </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Importance of</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"> trusting leadership & praying for them!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Heb 13:17-23 <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">Heb 13:17 Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you. </span></div>
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-w6NTz5j79D8/V0ndfgJW5SI/AAAAAAAACRQ/TmTblG2U2j0EHN7k4oI7ErXGtYMzfhrGACLcB/s1600/Sgt%2BKirkland.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="149" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-w6NTz5j79D8/V0ndfgJW5SI/AAAAAAAACRQ/TmTblG2U2j0EHN7k4oI7ErXGtYMzfhrGACLcB/s200/Sgt%2BKirkland.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">18 Pray for us, for we are sure that we have a clear conscience, desiring to act honorably in all things. </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">19 I urge you the more earnestly to do this in order that I may be restored to you the sooner. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">1862, during
the Civil War, the Union army took Fredericksburg, Va. And advanced on the confederate
army assembled behind a large stone wall south of town. The union army attacked
and shortly 8000 soldiers lay shot and scattered in front of that stone wall, most
of them Union soldiers. Night fell and soldiers in both camps heard the cries
and moans of those dying on the battlefield. They were wounded, cold and
parched, it was one of the horrible scenes of war. Next day sergeant Richard Rowland
Kirkland asked Brig. General Kershaw for permission to scale the wall and help
what soldiers he could. He was told no, it was too dangerous. But he continued
insisting and got permission. He asked if he could wave a white handkerchief as
he went and the General said no. Kirkland said, “All right, sir, I'll take my
chances.” And over the wall he went.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Immediately shots
rang out, the other side thought a charge was forming but then stopped when it
was just one man. Kirkland took many canteens with him, covered a man with his
own coat. Both sides watched as he went from wounded soldier to another. He stopped
at every wounded soldier. Did I mention these were mostly northern boys? Did I
mention Kirkland was a confederate sergeant? He was promoted to Lieutenant at
the battle of Gettysburg and I have a feeling, he was the kind of leader men
would trust. The kind of leader men would follow.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Qwh4vJLidl8/V0nfoLzdptI/AAAAAAAACRc/UZvbsMf-hZcfuko8psFVoxb23dq8vT0ewCLcB/s1600/Keep-calm%2Btrust%2Band%2Bpray.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Qwh4vJLidl8/V0nfoLzdptI/AAAAAAAACRc/UZvbsMf-hZcfuko8psFVoxb23dq8vT0ewCLcB/s200/Keep-calm%2Btrust%2Band%2Bpray.jpg" width="132" /></a><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.5pt;">
V17: Obey your Leaders and submit to them.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.5pt;"> But what does it mean for Christians? In
this context, leaders are spiritual leaders. Back in V7 he says we should <i>imitate</i> these leaders. Now he says <i>obey and submit</i>. But the word obey has
other meanings. It’s not just the word barked out by an angry parent or drill sergeants.
It carries the idea of trust and agreement, even to befriend. So obey implies <i>follow them because you trust them</i>. The
next word, submit, means surrender, as in ‘go <u>their</u> way’, give in to
them. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.5pt;"> Some people think this is a pastor’s
favorite verse: “Obey your leaders!” because we want to boss people around. But
actually it <u>reminds us</u> to be trustworthy. To be people who others are
willing to follow.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.5pt;"> But he quickly tells you why to trust your
pastor. They “keep watch for your souls because they must keep account!” Let me
repeat that last bit: “Must keep account!” Interesting idea. The pastor is to
serve the church. Jesus came to serve. Pastors are to imitate Him. But while
the pastor serves the church it doesn’t mean he works for the church. He keeps
account with God. Now, the pastor may serve at the church’s pleasure. It could
be the church who tells him when its time to go. But he works for God. He
serves and gives his account to God. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.5pt;"> There are people who know a lot more about
leadership than I do. I just keep it simple. I just want to lead, by following
hard after Jesus. I want to follow Jesus in such a way, someone just might say,
“He’s following Jesus, I can follow him. I trust him.” I cannot think of any
higher tribute man can give me. In fact, if you wrote that on my tomb it’d be
great – “He followed Christ.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.5pt;"> <u>But this isn’t about me</u>, it’s about
the church trusting their leaders. If your leader proves himself untrustworthy find
one who is. Now I don’t mean they have to be perfect, they can’t. But they
ought to earn and keep trust.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.5pt;"> <b>Because
they keep accoun</b>t. I used to think that meant someday I’d stand before God
and be held accountable for what I taught and preached and how I led others.
And that may be true. But I’ve learned something else. When I come before God
in prayer, I may pray for your Dr. visit and your Aunt Bobby’s surgery, but I
have to give account for you in prayer. Now I don’t have to tell God how you’re
doing, He knows better than I how you’re doing! But I am either rejoicing over
your progress or I carry the burden of your lack of following Christ! When I come to the Lord, on your behalf, with
a burden for your eternal soul, that doesn’t speak well of your walk with
Christ.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.5pt;"> So after telling them to trust and obey, he
invites them to pray for Him. He follows <i>Trust
and Obey</i> with <i>Pray and Pray</i>!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.5pt;">
V 19: Pray for us! </span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.5pt;">This is a very logical thing to say after “<i>Trust us and obey us</i>!” Pray for us! Why?
There are lots of reasons but here he says that He will act honorably! To deal
honestly with people, to Behave Well! I so wish more pastors were concerned
with that! Pastors should be about acting well! I see so many pastors with an “I’m
right and I don’t care what you think” attitude. That’s not honorable! I may be
right about a lot of things but guess what! I’ve been wrong a time or two. All
pastors, all teachers and all leaders are wrong now and then. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.5pt;"> He has a clear conscience about the letter
he has written and his position on the Excellence of Jesus Christ, but he says
pray for me to act honorably <b>AND to be
able to see you all soon</b>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.5pt;"> How do you pray for your pastor and teacher
and leaders? Do you pray for them? I did a quick look at the times Paul asked
for prayers in his letters. He did that a lot! I figure if Paul needed prayers
I definitely do! Here are a few things he asked prayer for: </span><u><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">He wanted to be
a blessing to people, he wanted boldness to preach the gospel, he hoped for
open doors for the word of God and that the Word of God spread freely, He asked
for safety and and for restoration; to be with the people of God once again</span></u><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.5pt;">. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.5pt;"> Pray for your leaders! Pray earnestly.
Pray with your heart and soul for me, and Larry and Matt and your Sunday School
teacher and any other leader you come across. Wives pray for your husbands. Men
pray for the people who teach you what it means to follow Jesus.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">Heb 13:20 Now may the God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">Heb 13:21 equip you with everything good that you may do his will, working in us that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">Heb 13:22 I appeal to you, brothers, bear with my word of exhortation, for I have written to you briefly. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">Heb 13:23 You should know that our brother Timothy has been released, with whom I shall see you if he comes soon. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">Heb 13:24 Greet all your leaders and all the saints. Those who come from Italy send you greetings. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">Heb 13:25 Grace be with all of you. </span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.5pt;">
Then the Writer prays for them:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.5pt;"> (read 20-21) V20 is a beautiful
benediction. He packs so much in just a few words. There is a God of Peace who
wants us to be at Peace with Him. There is the Lord’s Resurrection that gives
us this peace with God. There He is as shepherd, or savior and our Lord and
leader, and it is all because of His sacrifice for us! His blood establishes an
Eternal Covenant! Not a temporary stay of execution!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.5pt;"> And he says all that to introduce <b>V21</b> (read) God has to equip us so that
we can please Him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.5pt;"> You know what this means?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12.5pt;">It means you were <b>not equipped</b> to please Him until He graced you with His presence. And He is working in you – all the time – to continue to please Him! And it’s all through Jesus Christ that you are equipped and enabled to bring Glory to God the Father! That is the ultimate goal! Not our obedience, not our pleasing Him, Both of those are good! But the Goal is God’s Glory. Men should see our good works and do what? Glorify our Father in Heaven!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12.5pt;"> So, he says, <b>give heed to this brief letter</b>! (V22) It may seem long to you but concerning the subject matter, this is short! It’s like the author knew how many books would be written on the subjects he wrote about in this book!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12.5pt;"> And He calls them <b>brothers</b>. Even though he is <i>a leader,</i> he is also <i>just a brother</i>. He is not their father, he is their brother. In equal standing before God, the same grace and mercy was needed to save his rotten soul as well.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12.5pt;"> He gives them a bit of </span><b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 11.5pt;">good news. Timothy has been released</span></b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12.5pt;">. He has just asked for their prayers and then he tells them, look! God has answered your prayers for Timothy! He’s released and I’ll try to bring him to see you! SOMETIMES we need to be reminded that prayer really does matter! It’s easy to think God is going to do what God is going to do no matter what I say. But God says <u>the effectual fervent prayers of the righteous man avails much </u>with God!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12.5pt;"> <b>And Finally</b>; (read 24-25) Grace be with you all. It is Grace that makes ALLLLL the difference! Without grace we are lost and dead. But when grace is with us we have life eternal!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12.5pt;">When it comes to your salvation, your growth, your eternity in heaven – Its ALL GRACE!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12.5pt;"> Do you have grace?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Clark Dunlaphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06887033027838106600noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6085936578987398813.post-74524183246981395372016-05-28T10:52:00.001-07:002016-05-28T10:53:13.016-07:00The Gospel in Hebrews - Keep Calm we have an Altar<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Keep Calm We have an Altar!</span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Every
time we read, meditate, or preach the Word of God we <i><u>deal with the Holy</u></i>. Holiness is not just another attribute
of God; it is His very “Godness”. He is merciful, right? His Mercy is a Holy
Mercy. He is wise, His wisdom is Holy Wisdom. He Judges. Even His judgment is
Holy. But it’s hard to appreciate His Holiness until His Holiness <u>has broken
out on you</u>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Why do I mean</span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> by that?
Imagine how Isaiah felt in when he saw the Lord. </span><b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 11.5pt;">Isa
6:3</span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 11.5pt;">
One called to another, "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole
earth is full of his glory!" 4 And the foundations of the thresholds shook
at His voice; the house was filled with smoke. 5 And I said: "Woe is me!
For I am undone; I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a
people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of
hosts!"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The Holiness of God</span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> broke out before
him. Later he prophesied:</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 11.5pt;">
<b>Isa 66:1</b> Thus says the LORD:
"Heaven is my throne, and earth is my footstool; what is the house you
would build for me, and what is the place of my rest? 2 All these things my
hand has made, and all these things came to be, says the LORD. <u>But to this one
I will look: he who is humble and contrite in spirit and <b>trembles</b> at my word</u>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BGp-K2dbLKQ/V0nan51yGJI/AAAAAAAACQ0/02iFw8EHSe8Sw_V5RpMKgbmqUnoDzdlTwCLcB/s1600/touch%2Bthe%2Bhem.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="156" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BGp-K2dbLKQ/V0nan51yGJI/AAAAAAAACQ0/02iFw8EHSe8Sw_V5RpMKgbmqUnoDzdlTwCLcB/s200/touch%2Bthe%2Bhem.jpg" width="200" /></a><b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Hosea prophesied</span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> a time when all
God’s people would be affected by His Holiness:</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 11.5pt;"> <b>Hos 11:10</b> They will walk after the LORD, He will roar like a lion;
He will roar And His sons will come trembling …<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Jesus Christ’s holiness</span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> broke out on
people, too. Like the woman who touched the hem of his robe. </span><b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 11.5pt;">Luke 8:47</span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 11.5pt;"> When the woman saw she had not escaped
notice, she came trembling, falling down before Him, declaring in the presence
of all why she had touched Him…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">How about when Jesus calmed</span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> the sea? </span><b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 11.5pt;">Mar 4:41</span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 11.5pt;"> they feared exceedingly, and said one
to another, What manner of man is this…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Or the women at the tomb</span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> on the 1<sup>st</sup>
day of the week?</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 11.5pt;">
<b>Mark 16:8</b> They went out and fled
from the tomb, </span><b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif";">for trembling</span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 11.5pt;"> and
astonishment had gripped them; and they said nothing… for <b>they were afraid</b></span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Hebrews is Inspired by Holy Spirit. The
writer wants God’s Holiness to break out on them! He elevates Jesus like they
never heard before. He taught and warned, encouraged and maybe even threatened
them to <u>look to Jesus</u>. In Chapter 13 he wraps it up. These are His final
words. And, it’s my prayer that through this study the Holiness of God will
break forth onto you. May your worship be greater. May your love be stronger in
light of His word and may your faith be rooted in the Living Lord, Jesus
Christ. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">Heb 13:10 We have an altar of which they have no right to eat, those who serve the tabernacle. </span></div>
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7yFvfK6lqb0/V0nYeXiHNCI/AAAAAAAACQc/fFIURJ5iOrQLNrrm8TLidvtUjKl3pNpEgCKgB/s1600/Keep-calm-we%2Bhave%2Ban%2Baltar.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7yFvfK6lqb0/V0nYeXiHNCI/AAAAAAAACQc/fFIURJ5iOrQLNrrm8TLidvtUjKl3pNpEgCKgB/s200/Keep-calm-we%2Bhave%2Ban%2Baltar.jpg" width="143" /></a><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">Heb 13:11 For the bodies of those animals, whose blood is brought into the Holy of Holies by the high priest for sin, are burned outside the camp. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">Heb 13:12 Therefore Jesus also, so that He might sanctify the people through His own blood, suffered outside the gate. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">Heb 13:13 Therefore let us go forth to Him outside the camp, bearing His reproach. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">Heb 13:14 For here we have no continuing city, but we seek one to come. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">Heb 13:15 By Him, then, let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips, confessing His name. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">Heb 13:16 But do not forget to do good and to share, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">Let him
who has ears to hear, hear and understand.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> The Jews put a high value on the altar on the temple grounds where sacrifices were killed. The blood of the covenant was shed
there. It was sanctified originally by Aaron himself. The animals killed there
were tangible evidence they were following God’s law and buying another <u>year’s
worth of mercy</u>. Now in light of what we know about Jesus, that is pretty
sad. But in these final words the author of Hebrews reminds them they do have a New Altar and they
have New sacrifices!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.5pt;">I.<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-weight: normal;">
</span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.5pt;">We Have an Altar</span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.5pt;">: Now an altar
is where animals are sacrificed to God. The Greek word actually means "place
of sacrifice." What is our altar? The cross is one example of that. Jesus died
there. That’s why we have a cross hanging here in our worship center. It reminds us where Christ was
offered up and how He gave His life for us. And I’m glad that it is made of
rough wood. The highly decorated, gold plated, pearl inlaid crosses are a bit incongruous.
They can be quite beautiful. But Jesus died there! He bled there in torture. He
groaned there in agony. Now that cross in the baptistery is not where Jesus
died, but it reminds us that <b>we have an altar</b>! There was a sacrifice!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.5pt;"><b> We have an Altar! </b>And those priests </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.5pt;">who serve at the
temple’s altar don’t have access to this altar! Not that they couldn’t have if
they turned to Christ. But they are not trusting in God’s Lamb! They are
trusting in animal sacrifices. And the blood they carry into the Holy of Holies
is just that, the blood of a dead animal. That animal has not experienced the
wrath of God. So God’s wrath is still aimed at sinners! </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.5pt;">Let me repeat that. Under the Old
Covenant, God’s Holy Anger is still aimed at people of sin!</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.5pt;"> We
have an Altar!</span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.5pt;">
But, it’s a different altar! We have an altar where blood was shed - not at the
hand of the priests, but at the hand of God! God’s wrath, poured out on Christ
for all who believe! <b>We have an Altar!<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.5pt;"> When the priests would kill the
sacrificial animal they’d take it outside the camp to burn it. They committed
to the animal the sins of the people. In its unclean state they would burn it
outside the camp.<b> V12</b> </span><i><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 11.5pt;">So Jesus also suffered outside the gate in order to sanctify
the people through his own blood</span></i><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.5pt;">. This is a radical departure from
tradition. Jesus wasn’t slain inside the camp, inside the temple grounds. He
wasn’t <u>carried</u> outside Jerusalem, He walked, He volunteered! And, part of
the way, He carried His Own Altar! <b>We
Have an Altar!<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.5pt;"> Why did it happen this way</span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.5pt;">? Well, He died
to make US holy! To Sanctify, to change us! He doesn’t make us gods, He gives
us Christ’s righteousness. He gives us the indwelling Holy Spirit. He makes us
His Children, part of the family of God!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mYzoxS1nYrA/V0nY3kfdwbI/AAAAAAAACQg/L0AAOuhOJiwVWpg_1vHdXA2wEPxymCdggCKgB/s1600/bohdi%2Btree.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="141" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mYzoxS1nYrA/V0nY3kfdwbI/AAAAAAAACQg/L0AAOuhOJiwVWpg_1vHdXA2wEPxymCdggCKgB/s200/bohdi%2Btree.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bohdi tree</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.5pt;"> But also there is the fact that he is
rejecting the Temple sacrifices. He wouldn’t be offered there. He is ending the
Priesthood. He didn’t need a Levite Priest. He gave Himself! He is ending this
religion of good works, of earning <i>temporary grace</i>! And He ushers in a Relationship of eternal Grace, of never
ending Peace with God <b>We Have an Altar!<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.5pt;"> So what do we do with this altar?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-indent: -0.5in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 11.5pt;">II.<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-weight: normal;">
</span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.5pt;">II.</span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif";"> V13 </span><b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.5pt;">Therefore
let us go to him outside the camp. </span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.5pt;">Up until this time they went physically
to the temple.</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-indent: -0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 16.6667px; text-indent: -0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; text-indent: -0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; text-indent: -0.5in;">Today, Jews travel to Jerusalem to pray at the western wall. Muslims go to Mecca on
the Hajj and perform their rituals. There are estimates of 100 million people a year going on religious pilgrimages. Hindus to the Ganges river,
Catholics go to Lourdes or Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City, or the
Vatican. Buddhists go see the Tree where Buddha meditated. Bahai’s go to north
Israel. Pagans go to Stonehenge, and Christians go to Jerusalem, Bethlehem and
Galilee.</span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ebEbj-BqYxY/V0nY9R7EsGI/AAAAAAAACQk/RzHIih861K0Aicnw0v40oPpcr1mKE_R8gCKgB/s1600/mecca_great_mosque_600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ebEbj-BqYxY/V0nY9R7EsGI/AAAAAAAACQk/RzHIih861K0Aicnw0v40oPpcr1mKE_R8gCKgB/s320/mecca_great_mosque_600.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mecca</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.5pt;">But here He says, <b>Lets Go To Him</b>! We have someone who has <b>done everything for us</b>. Sure I’d like to go to Jerusalem, but it’s because I have <u>already come to Christ</u>, not so I might meet him!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.5pt;">Let’s go to Him Outside the Camp</span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.5pt;">! We too must leave behind religion. Offering sacrifices in order for God to be pleased with us! Don’t tell me you never tried that. “Oh God forgive me. I’ll do this and this for you.” I’ll stop cussing. I’ll stop gossiping. I’l do this and I’ll do that. <b>Come To Jesus! We have An Altar where the Son of God was slain for us</b>!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.5pt;">III.<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-weight: normal;"> </span></span></b><b><u><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.5pt;">And We have Our Sacrifices to make!</span></u></b><b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.5pt;"> </span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.5pt;">We are to<b> bear the reproach He endured</b>! Oh wait! We have to bear something? </span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.5pt;"><u>What is reproach?</u> Reproach is disapproval, being scorned, held in contempt! Jewish scholars saw the death of Christ as a reproach! Hung on a tree? That’s unacceptable! Claimed to be God’s Son? Unacceptable! Expelled from Jerusalem to die? Unacceptable! And you want to follow this man? You are unacceptable!<b><o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.5pt;"> Often in this world Christians are just Unacceptable! Just make sure it’s for being like Christ you are rejected. No good in being rejected just for being a jerk! But coming to Christ is entering into His Reproach. It is being willing to be scorned for Christ!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.5pt;">Another Sacrifice</span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.5pt;"> we offer is the sacrifice of Praise. (V15) These are not sacrifices that earn God’s favor. They reflect God’s grace back to Him! They are not the fruit of the womb or the fruit of the field but the fruit of our redeemed lips! It's like the words we sing in </span><i style="font-size: 12.5pt;">Blessed be the Name of the Lord</i><span style="font-size: 12.5pt;">, </span><b>"<o:p></o:p></b></span><b><span style="background-color: white; color: #6a6a6a; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; line-height: 18.2px;">Every blessing You pour out</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #545454; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; line-height: 18.2px;">. </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #6a6a6a; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; line-height: 18.2px;">I'll turn back to praise</span></b><span style="background-color: white; color: #545454; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; line-height: 18.2px;"><b>.<span style="font-size: x-small;">" </span></b><span style="font-size: x-small;">(Matt Redman)</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.5pt;"> And then there are <b>the sacrifices of good works</b> and <b>generosity!</b> Once again, reflecting the Good Work of Christ, the Generosity of God who has lavished upon us the riches of His grace!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.5pt;">Coming Out to Jesus is not traveling across the globe to see Bethlehem. It is the heart'<o:p></o:p></span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.5pt;">s </span><b style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12.5pt;">Reaching out</b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.5pt;"> to Christ. </span><b style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12.5pt;">Responding to His love</b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.5pt;"> for you. </span><b style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12.5pt;">Rejoicing in His presence</b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.5pt;">. </span><b style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12.5pt;">Reveling In His Amazing Grace</b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.5pt;">!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.5pt;"> Have you Come out to Him? Are you still Coming out to Him?</span></div>
Clark Dunlaphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06887033027838106600noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6085936578987398813.post-29501118507575659742016-01-18T18:50:00.000-08:002016-01-18T19:08:33.230-08:00Why Does the Bible Teach that Human Life is Sacred?<div style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.32px; margin-bottom: 6px;">
<div class="MsoNormal">
Why Does the Bible Teach that Human Life is Sacred?<o:p></o:p></div>
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Sanctity of Life 2016<o:p></o:p></div>
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Why Does the Bible teach us that all Life is Sacred?<o:p></o:p></div>
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All Human Life is stamped with the Image of God.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Christians are called to exercise vigilance for life.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Ephesians 2:1 And you were dead in the trespasses and sins 2
in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the
prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of
disobedience—3 among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh,
carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children
of wrath, like the rest of mankind.<o:p></o:p></div>
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This verse is crystal clear about one thing. We were all
dead in sins. Not physically dead, spiritually dead. Right? “How many of you
have heard the old expression: “The Bible says it, I believe it, that settles
it.”? Heard that? That’s not really a good saying. It needs to be shorter. “The
Bible says it –That settles it!” Whether you believe it or not. Eph 2 says: And
you were dead in the trespasses and sins.<o:p></o:p></div>
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OK? What did that look like? We followed the course of this
world and the “Prince of the power of the air.” Who is that? That’s the Devil,
Satan. Jesus called him, The “ruler” of this world (Jn12&14). He doesn’t
rule the entire universe, that’s God’s job. But we all followed the Devil.<o:p></o:p></div>
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So what else does this look like when we are dead in sins.
Stay there in Eph. But listen to 1 Cor 6:9 "… neither sexually immoral,
idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor
greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of
God."<o:p></o:p></div>
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Listen, you may not admit it for yourself, but before I came
to Christ, these were my kind of people. Yes, I was raised in a home that was
pretty far from this, but I chose to associate with immoral idolaters who were
greedy drunks and scoundrels – which is what a ‘reviler’ is. I think I hit the
motherlode pretty good. AND I participated!!!<o:p></o:p></div>
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Now it doesn’t take long for a sinner to decide some of
these sins are nothing. Sexual Immorality? Pssh! Forget that man. Love the one
your with! All’s fair in love and war. But we all maintain SOME kind of moral
standard. Maybe yours is lying or stealing. You’re like, “OK, that’s just
wrong.” But not everybody agrees with you. Liars and thieves don’t think
they’re so bad!<o:p></o:p></div>
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What I am pointing out is that while salvation is inside of
us and spiritual, there’s something to be said about our behavior that defines
our citizenship. Are we Following after the Prince of the World or are we
Citizens of the Kingdom of God?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SbnppZVDjqA/Vp0WYpYatpI/AAAAAAAACM4/6nVbL52YZ1A/s1600/17%2Bweeks.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; line-height: 19.32px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="112" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SbnppZVDjqA/Vp0WYpYatpI/AAAAAAAACM4/6nVbL52YZ1A/s200/17%2Bweeks.jpg" width="200" /></a>But now back in Eph. V4; This is the Hinge of the Door of
Grace! BUT. GOD. Who is rich in mercy… Everything changed because of God! Maybe
I came to my senses, but it was GOD who brought me there. Maybe I began looking
for something better, but it was GOD who drew me there! Back over in the 1 Cor
passage we read 1Co 6:11 "And such were some of you. But you were washed,
you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus
Christ…" You didn’t wash yourself – God did. You didn’t sanctify yourself
– God did. This whole idea just broke down my understanding of being a
Christian, of being "good enough" for God. The idea I am talking
about is the GOSPEL, the good news about Jesus.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
You know what? I STINK at being good! I’m just not good at
it. Oh I can be good enough! When I am around you I can do the things YOU think
I ought to do. When I’m around someone else I’ll figure out what they think is
good. You might think you are good. But really, if I could look at all your
thoughts and all your actions… really? Would you let me put all your secret
thoughts and actions up on a video screen at the front of the church? Are you
that much better than me?” Listen, I live my life 24/7/365 before the Face of
God! And I AM NOT GOOD! … But - Jesus - is.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-AoavhPdBciA/Vp0WYi9O31I/AAAAAAAACMw/VuLqLfkhI5c/s1600/8%2Bmonths.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; line-height: 19.32px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="148" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-AoavhPdBciA/Vp0WYi9O31I/AAAAAAAACMw/VuLqLfkhI5c/s200/8%2Bmonths.jpg" width="200" /></a>And Jesus said, trust in me, come to me, surrender to me,
and I’ll - be – your - righteousness! All of a sudden I am confronted NOT with
what I THINK is immoral. But I’m confronted with what GOD says is immoral &
sinful. As if the Spirit within me says, This isn’t Your choice! This is just
what Sin is!! Deal with it.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I know many of you think that this subject is important for
others but it doesn’t relate to you. Could it relate to you? Could your child,
or grandchild, or friend of a friend of a grandchild possibly be influenced by
you? Could you help people who are helping others who have hard choices to
make? Could you pray for someone? Could you help someone have a biblical
understanding of the value of Human life? I think this could surely affect your
life. So listen up! <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
First, Gen 1:26 "God said, 'Let us make man in our
image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea
and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth
and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.' So God created man in
his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created
them." GOD created humans with His Image! Something about God was on Adam
and Eve that aren’t on lions and sheep or dogs and cats.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Ill) A lion never lays awake at night thinking, Man, I feel
bad about eating the baby antelope, And doing it right in front of that camera
crew from the wildlife channel. NEVER! But you and I? Regrets galore. WHY? We
have a Moral State! Anybody who ever says, "I have lived my life with no
regrets" is an idiot! NO REGRETS? Were you perfect? I don’t think so. I
may have more regrets than you, but all of us should. We should regret sinning
against God. Regret not raising our children better. Regret not loving more and
regret being so stinking selfish!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
But your puppy never does that! Not because he’s perfect, he
just isn’t made with a moral state!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Why did God give mankind Dominion over animals? We have a
capacity they don’t have. We use the term “Humane” for treating animals right?
Not because all humans are good, but we know HOW God’s creation “Ought” to be
treated. We don’t say, “Treat animals more animalistic.” No we say treat them
Humanely! WHY? Cause animalistic means be brutal to each other. Yes, humans CAN
be cruel, but we have a Moral State!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-60v0zyNIaVE/Vp0WYx8ABqI/AAAAAAAACM8/nRsjCQKQV0g/s1600/1%2Bwilliam-wilberforce.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; line-height: 19.32px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="96" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-60v0zyNIaVE/Vp0WYx8ABqI/AAAAAAAACM8/nRsjCQKQV0g/s200/1%2Bwilliam-wilberforce.png" width="200" /></a>Second, SO GOD made Adam and Eve that way. What about the
rest of us? Psalm 58:3, "The wicked are estranged from the womb; they go
astray from birth..." This verse shows us that Man’s moral state is from
the womb. He’s already wicked. "Wicked" is a Moral state. Rom 5:12
"…sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so
death spread to all men…". We inherit this Image of God in the form of a
Moral State (among other things), and also inherit a Sinful nature! Job 14:4,
says, "Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? There is not
one." Did your dad sin? Be honest, even If your dad is sitting next to
you. Moms, anybody's mom sin? This isn’t rocket science. If dad’s a sinner and
mom’s a sinner, guess what, you are Sinners. You might have inherited your good
looks from Mom, but you also got a sin nature. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Third, So When does this Moral State Begin? See, If every
soul is a sinner(see Eph 2:1 at top), when does the soul start? That will be
when your Image of God starts. Right? Logical? Psalm 51:5, "Behold, I was
brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me." See that
word “conceive.” The answer to the question - according to God’s Word - about
when the soul comes into being: Ready?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
At conception! Our Moral State is in force at Conception!
Why? That’s when we become Human! That’s when we’re stamped with 2 things: 1)
The Image of God which includes our Moral State, and 2) The Sin we inherited as
our sinful condition.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
This has PROFOUND consequences if you believe what the Bible
says here.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Do you know why God commanded us to Not Commit Murder! Why
he said, Thou Shalt Not Kill. It doesn’t mean you can’t step on an ant, or
slaughter a cow. It means, the unlawful pre-meditated killing of a human by
another. WHY did God say that?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Long, long, ago, before the 10 commandments included
"Thou shalt not kill.", God told Noah, Gen 9:6 "Whoever sheds
the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed...<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
-for God made man in his own image. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Yes God allowed for capital punishment or war; and God
doesn’t hold people responsible for accidents. BUT you’d Better Not take a
human life at will, for your own satisfaction. Because that Human is in GOD’s
image! <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Because of these Truths I have just shared I can say this:
Abortion is murder. (These Women need help not pat answers)<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-o6aiKmv8eDM/Vp0WXicnQeI/AAAAAAAACM0/GxHISL9FLRc/s1600/1%2Beuthanasia-live-without---copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; line-height: 19.32px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="135" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-o6aiKmv8eDM/Vp0WXicnQeI/AAAAAAAACM0/GxHISL9FLRc/s200/1%2Beuthanasia-live-without---copy.jpg" width="200" /></a>Euthanasia is Murder. (You can make it people comfortable,
you can honor their "Do not resuscitate" requests, but not kill.)
Slavery is evil. (I'm glad the church fought it 150 years ago!) Human
trafficking is Sinful. (100s of thousands and many under 17 years old) <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
You might ask “what can I do about it?” <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
First, stand on the Word of God, this society needs that
desperately! Don’t be ashamed to say "I am Pro-Life because God is
pro-life!" This doesn't mean sound rude or belligerent. You can be
gracious and loving and say it.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Second, help those who are helping people. There are people
facing an abortion decision who can get help from Pregnancy Crisis centers.
There are people who help rescue Children from Human trafficking. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
There are people who need to know, that while you will do
everything you can to help alleviate suffering you will not rush their death by
killing them. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And lastly, Stop helping people who Do these ungodly things!
Don’t put them in office, don’t send them money, and don’t applaud their evil
efforts!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I had a good friend years ago who had several abortions. You
know what she found out? Jesus forgives! He forgives and loves and restores.
She learned that "such were some of you."<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gZdNebJhfp0/Vp0WX8scUNI/AAAAAAAACMg/bVzc7bglBv8/s1600/1%2BSexTraffickingStats.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; line-height: 19.32px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gZdNebJhfp0/Vp0WX8scUNI/AAAAAAAACMg/bVzc7bglBv8/s200/1%2BSexTraffickingStats.jpg" width="188" /></a>NEVER EVER EVER EVER Forget, That God, who is rich in mercy,
For His Great love, wherewith He loved us – Even when we were dead in
trespasses and sins- has made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have
been saved— and by Grace You can be forgiven and saved!<o:p></o:p></div>
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Clark Dunlaphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06887033027838106600noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6085936578987398813.post-44439877747280201812015-10-14T16:16:00.002-07:002015-10-14T16:16:45.775-07:00Question 5: Is Jesus God?<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">How Do you answer the Question
about Who Jesus is? Is He God? A good man, philosopher, avatar, or legend?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<a href="http://www.lastdaysministries.org/Images/content/1000000028/1000031574.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.lastdaysministries.org/Images/content/1000000028/1000031574.jpg" height="172" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"> I
grew up in church and a Christian home and didn’t have any doubt that Jesus was
God. I didn’t appreciate the complexity of all that until I studied theology
and found it’s really pretty intricate, but the basic idea of Christianity is:
Jesus is God!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Years
ago I read the biography of one of my favorite Christian song-writers, Keith
Green, You may have heard some of his and his wife, Melody's, songs: There is a
Redeemer, Oh Lord You’re Beautiful, and Rushing Wind are just a few. As an adult he gave his life to Jesus
Christ, was attending church, writing songs, and doing concerts. One day he was
visiting with the head of a mission agency, when this man said something about
the <b>deity of Christ</b>. Keith's response was like, “The
what?” The Deity of Christ, that Christ is God, the man said. Keith Green was amazed. He said
something like “Jesus is God? Really?” And for a good while the mission leader
explained it all to him. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Now
this story always bothered me because I believe the Deity of Christ is crucial
to the gospel, and it is! But here’s Keith Green not knowing about it After he
was saved! So I figured he must have been saved without that information! <i>He believed what he knew about Jesu</i>s,
and when he learned about this, <i>he
believed it too! <o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<v:fill opacity="14392f"/>
</v:roundrect><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><span style="height: 25px; margin-left: 1px; margin-top: 32px; mso-ignore: vglayout; position: absolute; width: 44px; z-index: 251659264;"> </span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> <u>But anyone who believes the opposite,
that <i>Jesus is Not God</i> – is not
believing in or talking about the Jesus of the Bible</u>! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> How do we answer this question? And how
about other questions like, <u>Did Jesus really exist</u>? Does He ever claim to be God? Can a man be a God? (You see there are many potential questions here.) </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<a href="http://wp.production.patheos.com/blogs/acatholicthinker/files/2014/07/sculpture-of-abraham-lincoln.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://wp.production.patheos.com/blogs/acatholicthinker/files/2014/07/sculpture-of-abraham-lincoln.jpg" height="156" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> So, <b>Did Jesus Exist? </b> First let me say, <i>I can’t even prove Abraham Lincoln existed... scientifically!
</i>I'm sure you believe he did. We don’t doubt it, right? But if you said to me “Prove
it”; how could I? The best I can do is <b>historical
evidence</b>! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> And let me add, historical evidence can be
Pretty Convincing! The evidence that Jesus existed is historical writings. We have
ancient texts of people, <b>not Christians</b>,
who refer to Jesus. They also refer to Christians worshiping Jesus <b>in the 1</b><sup style="font-weight: bold;">st</sup><b> Century</b>, soon after Christ's resurrection. Then
there are 4 well-known books by Matthew, Mark, Luke and John! There is no
reason to believe these are works of fiction. There is good evidence they all
knew Jesus, or in Luke’s case, knew people who knew Jesus. So if anybody is
seriously questioning whether Jesus existed, they are not dealing in reality. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<a href="http://rlv.zcache.com/matthew_mark_luke_john_tshirt-rb35394a675ec413f9e449ece4699b9c6_va6lr_324.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://rlv.zcache.com/matthew_mark_luke_john_tshirt-rb35394a675ec413f9e449ece4699b9c6_va6lr_324.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> But
the Question “<b>Is Jesus God</b>” is a
little more nuanced. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">First</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> we appeal to Historical
evidence! Especially the evidence from scripture. We must ask those who ask
this question to <u>consider what scripture says about Him, before they make up
their minds</u>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> 1.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-weight: normal;"> </span></span></b><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">True, the Bible
never records Jesus saying “I Am God</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">.” That’d sure clear it up. But it does
record him saying, “<b>I Am</b>.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Now
why is that significant? Listen to <b>Jn
8:58</b> & 59 Jesus said to them, "<u>Truly, I say to you, before
Abraham was<b>, I am</b></u>." So they
picked up stones to throw at him, but Jesus hid himself and went out of the
temple.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Why
do you suppose they tried to stone him? Listen to <b>Jn 10:24</b> the Jews gathered around saying, "How long will you
keep us in suspense? If you’re the Christ, tell us plainly." 25 Jesus
answered, <u>"I told you, and you do not believe. The works I do in my
Father's name bear witness about me, 26 but you do not believe because you are
not among my sheep. 27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow
me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will
snatch them out of my hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to me, is greater
than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand. 30 I and
the Father are one."</u> 31 The Jews picked up stones again to stone him.
32 Jesus answered them, "<u>I’ve shown you many good works from the
Father; for which of them are you going to stone me</u>?" 33 The Jews said,
"It is not for a good work that we are going to stone you but for
blasphemy, because you, being a man, make yourself God."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">These
aren’t the only times that Jesus told people he was God. But there are other ways
He communicated it! Like His Actions!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> 2.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-weight: normal;"> </span></span></b><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><b>Mark 2:5 </b>Remember when some men </span>brought<span style="font-size: 12pt;"> a paralyzed man to see Jesus? "...</span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">when Jesus saw
their faith he said to the paralytic, "<u>Son, your sins are forgiven</u>."
6 Now some of the scribes sitting there, questioning in their hearts, 7
"Why does this man speak like that? He is blaspheming! Who can forgive
sins but God alone?" 8 And immediately Jesus, per-ceiving in his spirit
that they questioned within themselves, said, "<u>Why do you question
these things in your hearts? 9 Which is easier, to say…'Your sins are
forgiven,' or, 'Rise, take up your bed and walk'? 10 But that you may know that
the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins </u>—he said to the
paralytic—11 "…<u>rise, pick up your bed, and go home.</u>" Jesus
never disputed that God alone can forgive sins! So what does that say about who He believed He was?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">A little farther down in <b>Mark 2</b> we read, <b>23</b> "One Sabbath he was
going through the grain fields, and as they made their way his disciples began
to pluck heads of grain. 24 And the Pharisees were saying, 'Look, why are
they doing what is not lawful on the Sabbath?' 25 And he said to them, 'Have you never read what David did, when he was in need and was hungry, …
26 how he entered the house of God, in the time of Abiathar the high priest,
and ate the bread of the Presence, which it is not lawful for any but the
priests to eat, and also gave it to those who were with him?' 27 And he
said to them, '<u>The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.28
So the Son of Man is lord even of the Sabbath</u>.' <b>Who is Lord over the Sabbath</b>? <u>Well first there is God. And then
there is the Son of Man</u>. Who are they to conclude the “Son of Man” is, but
another name for someone who is God? Especially since they know the Old
Testament and what the prophet Daniel had to say about the “Son of Man.” <b>Dan 7:13</b> "I saw in the night visions,
and behold, with the clouds of heaven there came one like a son of man, …And to
him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and
languages should serve him; his dominion is an <b>everlasting dominion</b>, which
<b>shall not pass away</b>, and his kingdom …shall not be destroyed." So, <u>by
his claims and by his actions</u> he left no doubt in the minds of the Jews, He
claimed equality with God. And not some lesser God, but “One with the Father.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">I could show you more evidence: How Jesus
received worship that was due God, how the apostles declared He was God, but…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Secondly
</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">there
is another evidence besides the "Historical" kind. This is one is very subjective but no less real. It may
not convince you, but it matters to each believer. Jesus has given to me, and
everyone who has trusted in Christ for Salvation, two things: repentance and faith. He didn’t help us ‘turn over a new leaf’ or
‘give up drinkin’ and cussin’. That’s not Godly repentance, anyone can do
those things. Godly repentance is turning from sin but it’s also turning from
our own efforts, our own understanding and our own will, to a life focused on
Jesus Christ and His Will for us. And, He gives us faith. The very ability to
trust in Jesus Christ’s forgiveness for our sins, the work he did on the cross,
and the fact that He rose from the dead. This Faith is the Evidence for
everyone who believes! (Heb 11:1 Faith is the evidence of things unseen...)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">But
there is another Question that should be asked</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> along with “Is
Jesus Really God?” And that is – <b>Why
Does it Matter</b>?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Why Does it Matter that Jesus was
God?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Mainly because <b>no mere man</b> could
die for our sins! Why?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Because <b>no mere man could live a
life without sin</b>! Why?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Because All Have Sinned and our
hearts are deceitfully wicked!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">So only the God-man, Jesus Christ
could do this.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">And don’t think that Jesus is
Half-man and half God- that’s not Jesus at all! Jesus is Fully God and Fully
man! He isn’t partially God – <b>Rom 1:20</b> For the invisible things of him from
the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that
are made, <b>even his eternal power and Godhead</b>; <b>Col 2:9</b> For in him [Jesus] dwells
all <b>the fullness of the Godhead bodily</b>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> There are people who call
themselves Christians today who do not believe in the Deity of Jesus Christ.
But it is His True Godhood that explains all of these things: </span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">His sinless life, </span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">His receiving of worship, </span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">His claims to equality with God, </span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">His forgiving sins, </span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">His proclaiming himself as Son of Man And Son of God, </span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">His ability to heal the
blind and raise the dead, </span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">His use of the Divine name “I AM” and </span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">His
resurrection from the dead. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">If you are going to accept the
Bible record of Jesus then you can only conclude Three Things: </span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<a href="http://www.godvoter.org/Photos/Trilemma.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.godvoter.org/Photos/Trilemma.jpg" height="96" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Either He was a
liar and wasn’t God. He was Lunatic who Thought He was God. Or He Is Lord.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><b>If he lied </b>about who he was, he
is worse than the devil himself! WHo says they are the God who saves, if they are not? Only a very evil person.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><b>If he is a lunatic</b>, C.S. Lewis
said, then he is on the same level "with the man who says he is a poached egg.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><b>But if He is who He says </b>He is,
He is Lord!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Liar, Lunatic or Lord!</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Now you might say it’s none of
the above and reject the gospel story of Jesus and reject the scriptures. You might say Jesus is just a
<b>Legend</b>. But then you might want to explain why so many 1st century followers of "A Legend" would die horrible deaths for a legend. And that brings you back to
the evidence of Faith. </span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">These 1st century martyrs had Faith in the Man they knew
to be the Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world! Have you trusted
in the Son of God – Jesus?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Can you give an answer to anyone
who asks for the hope and faith you have in you<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Clark Dunlaphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06887033027838106600noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6085936578987398813.post-85853720689812594112015-10-05T11:52:00.000-07:002015-10-05T11:52:29.951-07:00Question 4: Is Christianity Too Narrow?<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">It can be Good to be Too Narrow
for the World!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 95%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 95%;">Is Christianity too narrow?
I wonder why this is even a question? I think it is because people don’t
understand Christianity. When I was a kid Christianity was too narrow because
“people said” we didn’t believe in drinking, dancing and dipping. I was a bit
confused because there were folks in my church who drank, danced and dipped!
But I got the point. “Good Christians” weren’t supposed to do those things. I
don’t hear those things anymore. Now days the church is narrow because it
doesn’t support gay marriage and doesn’t think Islam or Hinduism or some other
ism is another way to God. Basically the church is Narrow because it is not
Tolerant!</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.narrow-minded.com/images/img0037.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.narrow-minded.com/images/img0037.png" height="98" width="200" /></a></div>
<o:p></o:p><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 95%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 95%;"> <b>Now,
Are their intolerant people in the church</b>? You betcha! Is some of our
intolerance a problem? Yes it is! When we are intolerant of people in a
“personal” way because of their race, creed or color- that’s a problem. When I
say we shouldn’t be intolerant I mean of their existence, their personal value,
their freedom and their functioning in society.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 95%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 95%;"> But<b>,
Is there a time to be intolerant</b>? Absolutely! When somebody starts shooting
at people, don’t tolerate it. If somebody commits a violent crime, lock them
away. <b>Is that what Society means by ‘intolerant’?</b> Well, not always.
Sometimes they tell us that being intolerant is simply “disagreeing” with them.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 95%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 95%;"> How many of you were intolerant with your
children when they were growing up? How many of you think I was? If you ask did
I lock them up? Well, I may have grounded them a time or two. But I didn’t lock
them up. But If you ask, did I disagree with their ideas, choices and
lifestyle? You Bet I did! Narrow-minded! Absolutely! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 95%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<u><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 95%;">If one of my children </span></u><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 95%;">got the idea that back-talking their
mother was an acceptable practice they learned the full strength of my
intolerance! I might have even made them fearful for their safety a time or
two. <u>If my children got the idea</u> that running across the street without
looking both ways was a good idea, they would learn quickly that I did not
tolerate that behavior? Does that make me narrow-minded and intolerant? No
doubt about it!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 95%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 95%;"> Now I’m sure many people will agree and
say, “<i>Absolutely, when raising children
we should teach them rules of safety and respect and hygiene and how to read
and write etc. etc. But that’s not the same as being tolerant with your
neighbor!</i>” And they have a valid point. My neighbor is not my child! But it
is still evidence that <b>there is a place
for narrow-mindedness in life</b> as in raising kids. I’m also narrow-minded
about folks who drink and drive!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 95%;"> So, </span><b style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 95%;">what
about training society</b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 95%;">? Do we do that? Yes, we do. We have trained society
not to judge people on the basis of color. I’m not saying it doesn’t happen!
But as a society we have taught each other it is not acceptable. But </span><span style="line-height: 15.2px;">that's</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 95%;"> narrow minded thinking! It is saying that thinking outside the box of
anti-racism, you’re wrong. And That is “Good” narrow-mindedness!</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://i292.photobucket.com/albums/mm40/usmc0788/Drunk%20driving%20stuff/MADD-LOGO-color.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://i292.photobucket.com/albums/mm40/usmc0788/Drunk%20driving%20stuff/MADD-LOGO-color.png" height="200" width="178" /></a></div>
<o:p></o:p><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 95%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 95%;">We have been on a campaign
for many years against Drinking and driving. We have toughened up our laws, we
have organisations like MADD! We say “Drunk driving is bad!” For the person who
likes to drive with a buzz that’s pretty narrow thinking! But we consider it a
Good kind of narrow-mindedness! <u>Here’s the bottom line.</u> <b>The reason people don’t like narrow-mindedness
is when you make a truth claim that they do not agree with.</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 95%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 95%;">The civil rights movement
helped people get on board with saying racism is bad. Some people disagreed and
pushed back. But they have not been tolerated! They are looked down on, openly
criticized! So Now, saying we should treat all people as equal doesn’t threaten
most people. We still have a long way to go but we have come a long way, too!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 95%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 95%;">But start talking about the
claims of Jesus you get Push Back! Not when Jesus says love each other, they’re
good with that. And they Really like Jesus calling religious people hypocrites,
which he did! But Jesus also said </span><b><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 95%;">John 14:6</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 95%;">, …I am the way, the truth, and the
life: <b>no man comes unto the Father, but
by me</b>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 95%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 95%;">Jesus also said <b>marriage was between male & female</b>.
(</span><b>Mt 19:4-</b>5<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 95%;">)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 95%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 95%;">Jesus also said <b>repentance from Sin is required</b> for
salvation! (</span><b>Mt 4:17, Lu13:3</b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 95%;">) And on top of all that, it’s not
just the Red-letter words of Jesus in the gospels that guide us! Since Jesus is
God in the flesh, the Whole Word of God is the Word of Christ!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 95%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 95%;">But MOST of the truths fron
the Bible, and the truths Christians proclaim from God’s Word, are not accepted
by the culture around us! <b>So they call
US intolerant! They won’t tolerate us! <o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 95%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="line-height: 95%;">(I</span>f it turns out
to be true that this shooting in Oregon had something to do with killing
Christians, it might just be the beginning of More of this kind of treatment in
the US. I’m just waiting for a news person to say, “Well after all,
it’s Christians who are the least tolerant of other folks.</span><span style="line-height: 95%;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">”)</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 95%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 95%;"> The fact is there are some narrow minded
Christians - and I mean that in the <b>bad sense</b> of the word. They don’t like
foreigners, gays, liberals, or anti-gun advocates and they think we ought to
run them off! But they aren’t the only ones! There are Muslims who are
intolerant of everyone who is A) Not a Muslim or B) not part of their sect of
Islam, or C) not as Muslim as they ought to be! I don’t know much about Buddhists (although there are buudhist monks in Burma protesting equal rights for all religions), but there are Secular Humanists who think ANYONE who believes
in God is unsafe and ought to be locked up. </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 95%;">So if Somebody makes a
truth claim Somebody Else doesn’t agree with in our society, then “Intolerance”
is pretty much Status Quo! </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/03463/Buddhist-monks-who_3463222b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/03463/Buddhist-monks-who_3463222b.jpg" height="124" width="200" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 95%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="line-height: 95%;"><b style="font-size: 12pt;">Because, more
important than being “tolerant” in our society, is not allowing anyone to step
on what You believe is truth!</b><span style="font-size: x-small;"> (think about that)</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 95%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 95%;"> There are <b>4 basic views of truth</b> in society today. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 95%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 95%;">1st</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 95%;"> -the
only thing that’s true is that <b>which you
can prove</b> scientifically, beyond any significant doubt. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 95%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 95%;"><b>2<sup>nd</sup></b>
-truth is <b>whatever you or society makes
it</b>. Whats true in your life or culture isn’t necessarily true in another
culture. Killing people is wrong here, but maybe not in another culture. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 95%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 95%;"><b>3<sup>rd</sup></b>
Truth is <b>whatever works</b>. it’s a
pragmatic view of truth. If it works it works! Don’t worry about it! </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 95%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 95%;"><b>4<sup>th</sup>
</b>truth is just a way to control people. When people make truth claims they
are trying to control you! It’s a Power Play!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 95%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 95%;">Some people hold all of these</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 95%;"> at the same time! If it is convenient
to accept scientific truth, great. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 95%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 95%;">If something else achieves what you want,
great, whatever works! </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 95%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 95%;">If someone makes a truth claim that cramps your style,
reject it. Hey, Its YOUR truth!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 95%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 95%;">Works pretty good right?
Except for one thing: </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 95%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 95%;"><b>What if</b> there is objective truth, beyond science, beyond
culture, and is true for everyone, everywhere, always? That is what the Bible
teaches!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 95%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 95%;">Listen to these verses:</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zjk17CKU4H8/VhK_7FmEY2I/AAAAAAAACHw/jTzZrZi4P44/s1600/Q4%2Bverses.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zjk17CKU4H8/VhK_7FmEY2I/AAAAAAAACHw/jTzZrZi4P44/s320/Q4%2Bverses.jpg" width="195" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 95%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 95%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 95%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 95%;"> There are many reasons <b>the Church </b>is too
narrow! We get many things wrong. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 95%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 95%;">The reason <b>Christianity is Narrow</b>, the reason
Jesus Christ is narrow is because He is The Truth. And if something disagrees
with Truth- Logically- it HAS to be False.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 95%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 95%;">So, <b>The 1st Reason </b>it’s
Good to be Narrow: God’s Word is Truth!
We may not like the truth but we need to be saved! Lies don’t save. Saying
Evil is good and good is evil is not going to help! “…know the truth and the
truth shall set you free!” (Jn 8:32) We are sanctified – set apart for God – By
Truth!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 95%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 95%;"><b>The 2nd Reason</b> it is Good
to be Narrow: Truth is A Person! Jesus is the Truth! When we introduce
people to Jesus, it needs to be the Jesus of the Bible! He’s not the Jeannie in
a Bottle Jesus who gives you whatever you want to make life easy. He’s not the Santa Claus Jesus who only
brings presents and never makes any demands. He’s not the Rainbow Jesus who
accepts everything you have ever done as just Fine as long as you love people.
He’s not the Republican Jesus. He’s not the Democrat Jesus. He’s Lord of the
Universe, King of Kings and He is coming again! He will tell some people to enter
in to His Father’s Kingdom but say to the majority, Depart from me, I never
knew you!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 95%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 95%;"> When Jesus stood before Pilate in Jn 18
Pilate asked Jesus if he was a King; He said,
“Thou sayest I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause I
came into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that
is of the truth hears my voice. (and) Pilate saith unto him, What is truth? And
when he had said this..." At This point I wish it said, "And when he had said this he stared searchingly into the eyes of Jesus, truly desiring to know the answer to his question." But, alas, that's not what it says.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 95%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 95%;"> "And when he had said this, </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 95%;">he went out again unto the Jews…".</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 95%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 95%;"> The Truth was Standing right in front of him. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 95%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 95%;"> But he didn’t even wait around for an answer. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 95%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 95%;">Do you want to know the Truth?
Jesus is the Truth and His word is Truth!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 95%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 95%;"> And the Truth WILL set you free!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
Clark Dunlaphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06887033027838106600noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6085936578987398813.post-15617451901283107322015-10-03T15:12:00.001-07:002015-10-03T15:19:25.727-07:00Question 3: Why Does God Allow Evil and Suffering<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Did you know there is a Bible approach to
suffering and pain?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><b>You can trust an All-knowing, Loving, Powerful God!</b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">We’ve
all heard of the Problem of Evil and Suffering. It boils down to this: </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">If God
is All-knowing, All-powerful and Good why does He allow Evil and Suffering in
the world? Something about this doesn’t make sense. And while it may just be an
academic question to debate in a philosophy class, when YOU are hurting and
suffering it takes on a whole different flavor. Unless, you can find some sort
of answer to the question!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Here’s
the argument: </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">If I am hurting, maybe God can’t do anything about it! But we
remember, God is all powerful, Nothing is too hard for the Lord! </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Well maybe he
doesn’t Know – That could explain it! But the Bible says God knows everything! <b>Maybe</b> – we hate to even think it – God
isn’t really good, or doesn’t love me. But we remember the Bible says God Is
love! Maybe He loves some more than me but He’s love personified! So He must love me! </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">For some the
only way to reconcile this is: <b>there is
no god</b>!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Many
have gone down that path, winding up at that conclusion. Some I have known and love. It's painful to watch others in pain!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><b>But: There’s a better answer than that</b>? Suppose with me for a minute, there IS a
good, powerful God. How do we answer the question about WHY there is evil and
pain? </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">There are lots of ways to suffer, right? It’s not all physical.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">WHAT IS SUFFERING</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">? How’s this?
Suffering is experiencing some kind of pain that we consider to be <b>not normal</b>. Our bodies shouldn't hurt! Surely
that’s not what God intended! How about the pain of loss? We think, It is not
right that someone I love is gone. This hurts and I am suffering. How about the
pain of rejection? Is it normal that everyone we love should love us back? How about abuse and subterfuge and criticism? How about poverty, illness and our own destructive behaviors?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">(Do
you see a little problem with how we define pain and suffering sometimes?)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Then there is <b>natural pain and moral pain</b>. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Natural pain is when we get sick or
struck by lightning or slip and fall on an icy side-walk. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Moral pain is when
someone attacks us, inflicts <u>undeserved</u> pain upon us. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">But I can
complicate that even more! What if your pain was caused by you? What if you
drink your way to cirrhosis of the liver? What if you were running on the ice
you slipped on? What I am saying is, <b>sometimes</b> there IS an answer to the Question
“Why am I Suffering?” It could be “I did this to myself.” OR, “That person did
this to me.” Or “I guess I shouldn’t have been running on the ice – in slick
shoes – for no reason.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> But if we filter out those times when we
can answer the “why,” there are still times we don’t know Why we suffer! And if
there is a Good, Omnipotent, Omniscient God, Why doesn’t He stop this? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Defending
God:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">There is a fancy word: <b>Theodicy.</b> It
comes from two words for God and justice or trial. Theodicy is the defense of
God’s Justice in light of evil and pain. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Now there are religions where this isn’t as
big an issue. Some religions explain it as good spirits and evil spirits, and
if we keep the good spirits happy they’ll take care of us. When something bad
happens that means <b>you did something</b>
wrong! <u>Come to think of it, many Christians live that way too</u>! </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Now this
can get complicated real fast but here are a couple ideas to guide your
thinking:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">First</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">, Did God make everything good at
creation? Yes! (</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 9.0pt;">Gen
1:31</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">)
God made the best world! And in that world he gave men choices. And man chose
poorly! From then on, humanity has been under a curse. We have wicked hearts.
We rebel against God. The earth is under God’s curse so we have to work the
ground for food. Even the animals are at odds with us! SO - I said all that to say, Evil came into the
World as a Result of the Fall or Sin of Adam! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Second,</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Life is not a
circle, it’s a line. Ever heard “what goes around comes around”? It can sure
seem that way? But that’s not a biblical view. </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://perplexingtimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/mt-gn-carousel-wide1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://perplexingtimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/mt-gn-carousel-wide1.jpg" height="228" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Imagine you’re on a
merry-go-round or Carousel. You’re on you horsey going up and down, round and round and you
see someone nearby and as you go by you reach out and slap them upside the
head! Now this is the Merry-go-round of life, so while that person is
recovering you’re going around and you die and are reincarnated as someone
else. So now you are approaching the guy your former self hit. But there you
are, not knowing what you did in the previous life, minding your own business,
up and down on your horsey when some yahoo punches you right in the nose</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">! And you cry
out, “Why does God all such pain and suffering?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><b>That’s
NOT how it works! </b>There is no reincarnation and there is no merry-go-round, and
there is no endless karma where <u>what goes around comes around</u>. Yes, the
Bible says we reap what we sow! But sin, evil and pain have a beginning <b>and an end</b>. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">It’s a Line, not a circle! God
made all things good, and the day is coming when he will restore His people to
perfect Goodness! Better than Adam and Eve enjoyed at the first! “</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 11.5pt;"><b>God</b> [Himself]<b> </b>shall wipe
away all tears from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor
crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed
away</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Thirdly,</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> there is one
other idea very important to this whole idea of defending God’s justice.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">But
before I do I want to clarify the Questions we have been adressing.. I’ve been addressing two questions
that are really different. One Question is “Why is there Pain and suffering in
the World.” And the other question is “<b>Why Am I hurting</b> and suffering? What did
I do? And Why isn’t God fixing it?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">This Third idea</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> includes the
idea that <b>God understands that suffering is very important to us</b>. The Bible is
filled with words of anguish. There’s a whole book of "Lamentations" and the Book of Job. And the
Book of Psalms shares in our grief! </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<b><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Psa
6:6</span></i></b><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> I am worn out from my groaning. All night long I
flood my bed with weeping and drench my couch with tears. </span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"><b>13:1-3 </b>How long, Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will
you hide your face from me? How long must I wrestle with my thoughts and day
after day have sorrow in my heart? </span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"><b>42:3</b>
My tears have been my food day and night, people say to me all day long, ‘Where
is your God</span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">?</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> There’s a
story of a man who lost his son. Two men came to visit. The first man said God
would give him strength, that in God’s wisdom there is a reason for this, and
that he should cry out to God. The second man didn’t say a thing. He mourned
with him, listened to him a lot, cried with him and prayed with him. The man
who lost the sons knew that both men cared about him and had good intentions.
But he couldn’t wait for the first man to leave, and he <b>hated</b> to see the second
man go.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<u><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">I have been that
first man at times</span></u><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">.
Trying to help, I didn’t always help. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">But I can tell you that <b>God will be that 2<sup>nd</sup> man</b>. The One who comes and bears your pain with you! If you belong to Him! And if you trust in Jesus Christ He promises to
Never leave you or forsake you! </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"><b>But will</b></span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">that really help you? </span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">When we are hurting it’s hard to be aware of anything else. </span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">It’s hard to pray, hard to hope, hard to trust God! </span></b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span></div>
<div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> Sin brought pain and suffering into the world! Not </span>necessarily<span style="font-size: 12pt;"> your sin! Even if you are not totally innocent, you may be suffering innocently! We live in a fallen world! Not the perfect One God created. And bad things happen to good people – because of Sin! </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<b style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">So God brought the remedy</b><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">! </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<a href="http://abhakhetarpal.in/blog/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/crucifix28_01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://abhakhetarpal.in/blog/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/crucifix28_01.jpg" height="200" width="187" /></a><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">He didn’t just declare “</span></span><u style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">There shall be no more sin</u><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">!” No! God Suffered! He sent His Son. </span></span><b style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">He came</b><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> in the Form of a living, breathing, suffering Man. He was a "Man of sorrows, acquainted with grief." He experienced <b>excruciating</b> physical pain. (Ex<b>cruc</b>iating actually means, pain from the "Cross"). He experienced rejection and hatred. He experienced His Father’s Wrath being poured out on Him! </span></span><b style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">God paid the price for Sin and Suffering</b><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">! We have Not Yet experienced total deliverance from it. But the day will come, when All God’s People will come to Him, and He will bring Pain to an end!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">If you are hurting today, can I tell you, God Knows Your Pain! And while He may not stop it now, He will be with you in it AND it will end!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="height: 16px; margin-left: 40px; margin-top: 92px; position: absolute; width: 24px; z-index: 251659264;"><img height="16" src="file:///C:/Users/Clark/AppData/Local/Temp/msohtmlclip1/01/clip_image001.png" v:shapes="Rounded_x0020_Rectangle_x0020_1" width="24" /></span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Let me tell you something - I am not brave in the face of pain! I don’t like it. I have been mad at God. I have cried out to God for Him to stop the pain and yet it continued on. But I know that my redeemer lives, and on the earth again shall stand. And nothing shall separate us from the Love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"> <i> </i></span><i><b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">Rom 9:14</span></b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"> What should we say then? <b>Is there injustice with God? </b>Not at all! He tells Moses: I will show mercy to whom I show mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion. …For the Scripture tells Pharaoh: I raised you up for this, that I may display My power in you and that My name may be proclaimed in all the earth. So then, He shows mercy to those He wants, and hardens those He wants to harden. …But who are you, a mere man, to talk back to God? Will what is formed say to the one who formed it “Why did you make me like this?” has the potter no right over the clay, to make from one lump a vessel for honor and another for dishonor? And what if God, desiring to display His wrath and make His power known, endured with patience objects of wrath ready for destruction?… to make known the riches of His glory, on objects of mercy, He prepared beforehand for glory— on us, the ones He also called, not only from Jews but also from the Gentiles?</span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"> <u>Will you trust the Potter? We are just clay.<o:p></o:p></u></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
We need to trust Him. He is Strong, He is Powerful. He is Wise.</div>
<hr align="left" size="1" width="33%" />
<!--[endif]-->
<br />
<div id="ftn1">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<a href="file:///C:/Users/Clark/Documents/Q3%20why%20does%20God%20allow%20pain.docx#_ftnref1" name="_ftn1" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-size: 6.0pt;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 6.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">[1]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a><span style="font-size: 6.0pt;"> “Revelation 21:4”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Clark Dunlaphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06887033027838106600noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6085936578987398813.post-7261937778915534412015-09-21T12:05:00.002-07:002015-09-21T12:06:07.464-07:00Question 2: Is there a God?<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br />
Why is this an important question to settle and how can we believe He does
exist?</span></b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Romans 1:19-20 For what can be known about God is plain to
them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely,
his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since
the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are
without excuse. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Hebrews 11:6 And without faith it is impossible to please
him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he
rewards those who seek him. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">The Next Question that comes up in Exploring God is Simply, Is
there a God? And this can be a very honest question. </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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</v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">It’s not unusual to run in to folks who say, “All we can really
know is what we can prove. If we can prove it exists then we can’t know it.”
Now I believe very few people actually live like that. To say it is one
thing, to live by that is another. You might ask them if they love anyone. If
so, what is love, is it provable? Can they show it to me in a laboratory? How
about right and wrong? Show me that in a lab. If it is wrong to steal or
murder, why? True, people might experience love or ethics, and conclude their
reality based on experience; but God? That’s really hard to pin down!</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">So <b>Why is it important </b>to decide if there is a
God or not?</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">If you do not believe in God, I’m going to ask you to consider 2
things: </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">First, I know I cannot prove to you there is a God. Can’t be done.
I know, I make the claim that God exists so the burden of proof is on me, but I
can’t prove it. </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">But second, I’d like you to at least hear WHY I – an educated, functionally
intelligent person - believe this.</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">So under the category of "Importance for believing in
God" I’m going to list two things: </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Meaning and Morality. </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Now this does not prove God, but, consider that <b>without
God, life has no meaning</b>. There is no purpose to it. There is only genetic
reproduction. There is no difference between me and a tree. No don’t say “amen”
to that. I didn’t mean I’m dum as a tree. But without God, I just exist for no
higher reason than a tree...or a rock! </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Also my accomplishments mean nothing. I could find a cure for
cancer, but the people I would help are going to die anyway, and they have
meaningless lives too! </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Also, my future has no meaning. There is death and then nothing,
if there is no God. But if there is, and if He has a place for His people to go
after death and experience a paradise of eternity, and if He wants us to
fulfill in us a purpose here on earth, that changes everything! That gives
Meaning to life!</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">But also there is morality</span></b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">. Now, I am not saying atheists cannot be moral people. They can
be. They can be good in the sense of caring for others, acting for the common
good, they can be law-abiding productive citizens. </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Absolutely</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">. But why? They might say, to live among other humans it is better
to be good than bad. It is better to help than hurt. But I would say, Why?
I mean, if life is short and then you die, why not just take whatever you want?
If somebody bothers you, get rid of them. There is no God to judge you. There
may be police but, hey, if you can get away with it, why not? Maybe you say,
Well I'm just a good person, I don't need the "fear of God" to treat
people right. OK, thats fair, but what if its something you really really want.
What if someone stole the affection of someone you really really love. And you
find yourself thinking, "I would do anything to get them back," Would
you? How far would you go? Maybe you wouldn't murder your rival, but how far?
I'm willing to bet that we all have a side of us that just might do some pretty
horrible things in order to get something that means the world to us.</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">And unless you know what Straight is how do you know what crooked
is? Unless there is a God, who impressed morality on humanity, there is no
objective morality. Yet, there are moral codes with similarities all across the
various cultures on earth.</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Now as I said these don’t “Prove” anything, but I have to wonder,
why does humanity look for meaning and why do we accept, across all kinds of
cultures, that there is an objective morality? Maybe God made us this way!</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Three Kinds of People</span></b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I love it when someone says, “there are two kinds of people in the
world!” They all have different categories! So if 10 people say there are 2
kinds of people in the world, and they each have different kinds, Now we’re up
to 20 kinds. Or the guy who says, There are 3 kinds of people in the world:
Those that can add and those that can’t</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">!</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
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</v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><!--[endif]--><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-IkBLvtO16OU/VgBNWc32TOI/AAAAAAAACGk/Pe7vgBtvfx4/s1600/hand_3Fingers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-IkBLvtO16OU/VgBNWc32TOI/AAAAAAAACGk/Pe7vgBtvfx4/s200/hand_3Fingers.jpg" width="133" /></a><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">But When it comes to the Question today, “Does God exist?” There
are 3 kinds. Atheists, Agnostics and Theists. Atheists say there is no God,
Theists say there is a God, and Agnostics don’t know!</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Atheists:</span></b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"> Some
people say it takes a lot of “faith” to be an atheist. You have to believe that
all of creation is an accident. That the Big Bang explains how the entire
Universe comes from nothing, that life came from things that were not alive,
etc. etc. But the Atheist says, no. The whole point is they don’t have ‘faith’
for anything. The only thing they have that resembles faith is a trust in
scientific theories supported by scientific facts. They say, all there is, is
what you can prove. As I said before, they usually think there a few things
that exists that are hard to prove, but what is hard for me to accept is their
absolute Certainty that there is no God! Many modern scientists say there is no
God. But Einstein wouldn’t say that. He said he did not believe in a personal
god, but he advocated a certain humility in the face of an overwhelming
universe that kept him from being an atheist.</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Theists: </span></b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Then
there are theists. Thesists are Christians, Jews, Muslims, even animists who
live in the remote jungles of Borneo! Anyone who believes there is a god is a
theist.</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Agnostics:</span></b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"> Agnostics
are neither. Some people say “There are three kinds of agnostics in the world!”
There are those who say, “I don’t know if there is a god and you can’t know
either whether you admit it or not!” Then there are those who not only don’t
know, they don’t even care. There is no point to the question for them. They
won’t go on record as saying there is no god. But they live like there isn’t.
Then there are those who don’t know but wish they did.</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<u><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">I like meeting that last group of people, because I want them to
know, there is a way to know, for sure, that there is a God</span></u><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">.</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">But How can I convince them</span></b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">?</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Recently on Sunday nights at the Dunlap’s we started a book study
of Robert Jeffress’ <i>How Can I Know: The Answer to Life’s 7 most
important questions</i>. And we spent a little time a couple months back on all
the arguments of how we can know there is a God.</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">There is the Cosmological Argument</span></b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"> that talks about how everything needs a
cause to exist and ultimately a first Cause or God.</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Theres the <b>Teleological argument</b> or Argument from
design. If you find a clock you know it didn’t happen by accident. There had to
be a clockmaker. Well the incredible precision of Universe requires a Designer.</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">There <b>are ontological and transcendental arguments,</b> and
all of these have compelling points. But the atheist and the agnostic can argue
against every one of them. They reinforce what the Christian believes, but they
don’t really convince anyone. What they may do is help someone be open-minded
about the subject.</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">So how can we convince anyone there IS a God? If you doubt the
reality of God today, how can I convince you? There is a convincing proof of
God! Did you know that?</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">But here’s the problem. I can’t show it to you. //</span></b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"> <b>The Utimate Proof.</b></span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Earlier we read, </span><i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Heb 11:6 …without<b> faith</b> it is impossible to
please God, for the one who draws near to Him must believe that He exists and
rewards those who seek Him</span></i><i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">. </span></i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">A few verses earlier it says in vs1-3, </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">faith is the reality of what is hoped for, the proof of what is
not seen. …3 By faith we understand that the universe was created by God’s
command, so that what is seen has been made from things that are not visible</span></i><i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">.</span></i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">So, <u>Faith is Required to Approach God</u> because you
have to have faith that He exists. </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">At the same time <u>Faith is the evidence of God.</u> If
you have no faith, of course you have no evidence! I understand that! You
might decide he exists, you might decide he doesn’t, but without faith you have
No Conclusive Evidence! So how or why would you approach a God you have no
faith in?</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Listen to </span><b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Rom
10:17 </span></b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 10pt;">(HCSB) </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">So faith comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes through
the message about Christ.</span></b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Ultimately this is the Only Way a person can come to truly Know
there is a God, if they hear the good news about Jesus and believe on the Lord
Jesus Christ. But, How does that happen?</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">First</span></b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">, they hear the good
news about Jesus Christ. There are many verses of scripture about this, but
none is any more precious than:</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">John 3:16.</span></b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"> For
God SO LOVED the world, that He gave his one and only Son, so that whoever has
Faith in Him, will not die! But have Eternal life!</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Next</span></b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">, God gives Faith to
believe. But, in H<b>eb 4:2 </b>we learn that not everyone who hears the
Word hears it with faith. </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the
word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that
heard it.</span></i><i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">But according to <b>Eph 2:8</b> In order to believe God,
He has to give you that faith. </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of
yourselves: it is the gift of God</span></i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">:</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">So what is the <b>Ultimate proof?</b></span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Consider the good News of Jesus Christ.</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">This is not a political claim. It doesn't matter your political
affiliation or what country you are from.</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">This is not a scientific claim. This is not about proving
something in a sterile laboratory.</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">This is not even a religious claim. This is not some religious
exercise where you have jump through intellectual hoops, or fast or pray to get
enlightenment, or pay for it with money or time or blood.</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">This is the claim of God. He made the payment.</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">You Need a Savior because you are a sinner.</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">But Jesus took the punishment you deserve, and you can be forgiven
and receive everlasting life. Will you Trust Jesus today?</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<!-- Blogger automated replacement: "https://images-blogger-opensocial.googleusercontent.com/gadgets/proxy?url=http%3A%2F%2Fstatic.coco.sensis.com.au%2F20120518t092003n00f0015%2FLaboratory%2520Equipment_and_Supplies_300x185.jpg&container=blogger&gadget=a&rewriteMime=image%2F*" with "https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/proxy/ZJqQIavAUPAUEVBGPMahBgzs59_59zXMxwElNg6HYFzbdhhDWwTDveBB_hQ08Xz94nhRHX0XOzo3CSaaW7OQiBMIfRdEIxB3TfWCSBwq450XFS5UseaVgMznh-pqYeRh7uLQUQDTZHLEjEERioYeKH7AJ__gmiQStQDfyw" -->Clark Dunlaphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06887033027838106600noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6085936578987398813.post-5060942708869411792015-09-19T13:37:00.004-07:002015-09-19T13:37:33.725-07:00Question 1: Does Life Have Purpose?<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><b>What is</b></span></span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"> The purpose and meaning of life? Does it have purpose? Do the scriptures </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">point
believers to our true purpose?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> What do you think? </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16px;">Does Life Have a Purpose? </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"> There
are different ways to unpack this question. Some think in terms of purpose,
others want to know if life has meaning. Some just want to know if their life has
a purpose.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Some
look at life like</span> like<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">
scientist and atheist Richard Dawkins, that death proves there is no purpose in the
universe except genetic replication: </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">He
wrote,</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"><i>”During the minute it takes me to compose this sentence, thousands of
animals are being eaten alive; others are running for their lives, whimpering
with fear; others are being slowly devoured from within by …parasites;
thousands …are dying of starvation, thirst and disease. . . . In a universe of
blind physical forces and genetic replication, some people are going to get
hurt, other people are going to get lucky, and you won't find any rhyme or
reason in it, nor any justice. The universe we observe has precisely the
properties we should expect if there is, at bottom, no design, no purpose, no evil
and no good, nothing but blind, pitiless indifference</i></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><i>.</i><a href="file:///C:/Users/Clark/Documents/Q1%20What%20is%20life's%20purpose.docx#_ftn1" name="_ftnref1" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">[1]</span></span></span></a>(WOW! Why does he get up every day?) <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> But
he’s not alone! And he’s not the first one to think that. Remember Macbeth?
Shakespeare wrote:</span> <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Tomorrow,
and tomorrow, and tomorrow, Creeps in this petty pace </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">from day to day, To the last syllable of recorded time; </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">And all our
yesterdays have lighted fools The way to dusty death. Out, out, brief candle! </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">Life’s but a
walking shadow, a poor player That struts and frets his hour upon the stage And
then is heard no more. It is a tale Told by an idiot, </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"> full of sound and fury - Signifying nothing</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">.</span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> But
that’s an atheist and an old playwrite! What does the Bible say? </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Well,
<b>If</b> Death and suffering are the most
basic facts in the Universe</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">, then the Bible pretty much agrees! <i>“</i></span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>Vanity, vanity, all is vanity!
Everything is meaningless…What do people gain from all their labors?...No one
remembers the former generations, and even those yet to come will not be
remembered...”</i></span><u><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">(</span></u><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 10pt;">Ecc1:2-4</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> So
Is everything Really Emptiness? Is that really what the Bible teaches? Well, Ecclesiastes
<b>starts out</b> by saying all is vanity
and empty of meaning. But it ends with this<u>:</u></span><i> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Ecc 12:13 The end of the matter;
after all has been heard. Revere & honor God, keep and guard His Word and
commands, for this is the whole duty of man</span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><i>. </i> Well, well, well, that sounds like something
close to a purpose to me!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> But, One thing death does is cure us of
the delusion that we are the center of the universe and in control of
everything. We are not the Masters of our destiny if we can’t even guarantee
tomorrow!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<a href="https://newsela-test-files-f331e.s3.amazonaws.com/article_media/2014/02/stolen-violin-d74d0e21.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://newsela-test-files-f331e.s3.amazonaws.com/article_media/2014/02/stolen-violin-d74d0e21.jpg" width="400" /></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">We
are obviously not gods! Gods don’t die. But does this mean, because we aren’t
gods that we don’t have meaning? This is
important. You don’t want to get this wrong, but neither do you want to say, "sure
my life has meaning," but not know what that meaning is! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> What if someone had a
Stradivarius violin and you asked them, do you know what that is for? And they
looked at you funny and said “Sure I know what a violin is for!” Then they
started to hammer a nail with it</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">! They either have a low view of violins or don't care about the price of a hammer! OR, They don't really know what a violin is!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> When Barna Research
group asked the Question “Are you clear about the meaning and purpose of your
life?” 21% somewhat agree & 64% strongly agree! That’s 85%! But I have to
wonder what their answer is based on? Are they driving nails with the Stradivarius
life God has given them? </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"> So let me ask you - Are you clear about
the meaning and purpose of your life?</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> You are a gifted person. Each of you. You
may be a teacher, a marathon runner, a song writer, a great parent, or a really
good listener! You have something you do well! But is that your purpose! What
happens if you can’t do it anymore? What if you're a great listener and then you go deaf. Have you lost your purpose? If it’s not your talents or the abilities
you have worked hard to perfect, then what is your purpose?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Ever heard the expression, “Image is
Everything</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">”?
Usually it’s used in an ironic sense. We say it about people who value image
over substance. Some people don’t care if they are Doing a good job as long
as they LOOK like they’re doing a good job. For them <u>Image is Everything</u>. But I
don’t mean it that way when I say it. I mean it the way God uses it in Genesis.</span>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">“</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">God created mankind in <b>his own
image</b>, in the <b>image of God</b> he created them; male and female…</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">” We are made in
God’s Image. THAT image is everything.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Why
do I say that? <b>Isa 43:6-7</b> says, </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">“<i>Bring my sons from afar and my
daughters from the ends of the earth—everyone who is called by my name, whom I
created for my glory</i></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><i>.”</i>
And then there’s <b>Rev 4:16</b> that says <b>were created to glorify God</b>, for His
pleasure and His will. <b>1Cor10:31</b>
says, ‘<i>whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of
God.</i>’<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> So
let me tie this together: We were created in the Image of God, And, God created
us for His glory! So we are to reflect his supreme goodness and the excellence
of His character! We are to provide that Image to the world and reflect it back
to Him! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">So
God created us for His glory, were are to glorify Him in all we do – BUT, what
does <b>Romans 3:23</b> say? Famous verse! Its one of the verses of the famous Roman
Road! 3:23 says, <i>For All have Sinned and</i>…What? <i>Fallen Short of the <b>Glory of
God</b></i>!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">God
gave us a life that is like a Stradivarius – it should be making beautiful
music in reflecting back to God the beauty of His Holiness. And we started hammering
Nails with it</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> I
am suggesting to you today, God created us for a purpose. God gave us
meaning. And we misused our lives because we thought we knew better, or because
we thought we could have more fun, or because we want to be our own masters.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"><b> </b>There is a
building in London that has a mural painted on the ceiling by Peter Paul Rubens. They say the beauty and intricacy of it is amazing! But you
can only stare up at the ceiling so long before you get a neck ache. So they
provide mirrors for you so you can look in the mirrors and see the beauty up above without breaking your back! (</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Now
don’t get ahead of me here.)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"> But like that ceiling, the Beauty of God is so high
above us, that we can’t continually look at it. Not because we get sore
necks. It’s because we have fallen so far from where God created us to be. But Listen, God created us in His image! God wants us to behold the beauty of
the Lord, so he sent us a mirror! Remember
what Jesus told the disciples</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">?
“<i>If you have seen me, you have seen the Father!</i>” <b>Col 1:15</b> says Jesus “<i>is the image of the invisible God</i>”.</span></div>
<br />
<div>
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"> And listen to</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span><b style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">2Co 4:6</b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span><i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts,</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span><b style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ</b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">.</span></i></div>
<div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"> I love that! We have the light of the knowledge of God's Glory in Jesus Christ's face!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">So what does that mean for us? Think of all the things we say that God has done for us. He loves us so He sent His son, Jesus, who died for us, He rose again, He forgives our sins, He adopts us into His family, He gives us eternal life, he gives us the riches of grace, on and on and on… Why?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">WHY does He do all this? WHAT IS THE PURPOSE????<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"> Consider:</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Rom 8:28</span></b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"> “<i>And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to <b>his purpose</b>. 29 For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be <b>conformed to the image of his Son</b>, in order that He might be the firstborn among many brothers.</i>” He did all this, so that we may be just like Jesus, who PERFECTLY reflected the Image of God the Father.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Does life have purpose? Yes. For all the meaning your life might have, for all the reasons you exist, it starts with the Purpose of our Creator! And its Found….. In the Face of Jesus Christ!</span></div>
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<a href="file:///C:/Users/Clark/Documents/Q1%20What%20is%20life's%20purpose.docx#_ftnref1" name="_ftn1" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-size: 8.0pt;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 8.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">[1]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a><span style="font-size: 8.0pt;">
http://www.exploregod.com/what-the-bible-says-about-meaning-and-purpose-paper<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Clark Dunlaphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06887033027838106600noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6085936578987398813.post-33244295082856389892015-02-19T12:13:00.004-08:002015-02-19T12:50:37.156-08:00"Did God actually say…” Genesis 3:1<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 110%; margin-bottom: 4.0pt;">
<span style="line-height: 110%;">I’m going to
make a case for something that might make some folks angry. Others may just
shake their heads and say I’ve lost it. Maybe, however, a few will say, ‘Clark
may be on to something here.’ And if I cause you to think about these issues
then I will have not wasted my time with this.</span></div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-AqxY-NyOnWg/VOZCG5jV1JI/AAAAAAAAB4I/nNGk9-7yThs/s1600/eve_apple.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-AqxY-NyOnWg/VOZCG5jV1JI/AAAAAAAAB4I/nNGk9-7yThs/s1600/eve_apple.jpg" height="187" width="200" /></a>The Serpent
asked Eve, “Did God actually say don’t eat of every tree?” The Serpent was not
calling in to question, at first anyway, whether every tree was good for food,
but what God actually said. Later he totally dismissed what God said and
contradicted Him. But the initial question was concerned with what God actually
said.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Don’t you think
that’s a good question? Do we want to obey what God said, or what we 'think' He
said. Is what we “assume” He said good enough for obedience sake? Does it help
us live better lives if we go with what He ‘probably’ said? Or is getting as
close as translation will allow to what He actually said more important? I hope
you agree with the latter. Or the Word of God as an entity holds no great
standing in your life. If that’s the case, so be it, but for those who claim to
love God’s Word, for those who claim it authoritative, and perhaps infallible
and even inerrant, then the question, “Did God actually say…?” is a question
that ought to be answered accurately. (Eve may not have answered so well it
seems.)<o:p></o:p></div>
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Why do I make
this point? Simply this, I have used the phrase “God told me” or “the Lord told
me” or other similar phrases in my life and <b>I hope never to do so again</b>. And, I suggest, neither should you.
Really, I think we should STOP putting Words in God’s mouth. I wouldn't put
words in your mouth, and if I did misquote you and misrepresent you, you should
quickly set me straight.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Let me give you
<b>one biblical reason</b> I say this.
(Though I believe there are others.) Listen to the “Word of God” in <b>Hebrews 1:1</b> “Long ago, at many times
and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets,<b> 2</b> <b>but</b> in these last
days he has spoken to us by his Son…”. Do you see an important implication
there? The implication is God no longer speaks to us, in these last days (which
started with the first Coming of Christ) as he did to prophets of old. God revealed
things to the prophet’s minds, with Moses he spoke ‘face to face’, He called
Abram out of Ur in some personal revelatory way. Abram had no Bible to act upon
so God spoke to him.<o:p></o:p></div>
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But God doesn't
do that anymore! That’s what this teaches as plain as the small, pig-like nose
on my face! Look at it again, “God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but…”!
We now have the revelation of Jesus Christ - in the actual person of Christ, who
came to earth and walked among humanity; in the gospels that record to us the
life and works of Christ; and in the writings of the apostles and some close to
the apostles that were authorized by Christ. Then the Book of the Revelation of
Jesus Christ closed the door on the scriptures. If we hold the scriptures in
high regard we should be first to admit that God doesn't speak to us today like
He did to the prophets! Because that’s what God said!<o:p></o:p></div>
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Actually, we
have it better than the prophets and the fathers. With the New Covenant
initiated and purchased by Christ, those who are redeemed have the
indwelling Spirit of God; the Comforter, Counselor and Helper who comes to us
with divine aid. He enlightens us to what God has said. He gives wisdom, he
communicates to us the assurance of our faith, He empowers us to live for
Christ and on and on it goes. But, nowhere does it say He will give us New
Revelation, or speak to us as God did to the prophets of old. God has spoken to
us through His Son and we have His Son’s Word written for us in scripture.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Let’s take a look at why we say things like
“God told me.”<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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It may be
innocent enough as to motive. I have had thoughts come to mind in such a
powerful way, thoughts that are noble, that seem like a good idea and seem to
be in keeping with scripture. It’s easy to think, I don’t want to take credit
for something God has said so I will give God credit. I agree, don’t ever take
credit for anything God has said. But “has God actually said”: “Call your old
friend up and see how he’s doing.” “Take a meal to that family that just lost
their mom.” “Ask the person next to you if they know Jesus.” I don’t think so.
Why? Because Hebrews 1:1-2.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Those are all
fine thoughts. Those are thoughts that can bring glory to God. Maybe God has so
redeemed your mind that you are beginning to think like Christ (occasionally).
But <b>you don’t have to couch it in “God told me too” language</b>. What if it wasn’t
God? (And it wasn’t) You are putting words in His mouth, words He didn't speak, and then lying about it! God is pleased if you have a good idea to show
His love to someone and then just do it! God wants men to see your good works
and glorify Him! He never said, “Be sure to tell everybody that it was my idea.”<o:p></o:p></div>
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So why do we
say that? As I said, it may be simple enough as wanting to give God credit. I
knew a fellow once who said God told him to go stand outside a diner and when a
person comes out wearing a certain thing – like a green scarf or something –
that person needs to know that I love them. So they went and stood outside the
diner. Right then, in obedience to God! And they waited and waited and soon the
breakfast rush was over, the diner was empty and not a single green scarf was
seen. This person felt foolish. This person wondered, “How can I ever know if I’m
hearing from God if I thought this was God’s voice and it wasn’t?” Excellent
Question! It obviously wasn’t God both by what happened and because of Hebrews
1:1-2.<o:p></o:p></div>
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But there are
other reasons people say, “The Lord told me” or even “Thus saith the Lord.” I’ve
heard people ‘prophesy’ in church meetings and end their prophecies with “Thus
saith the Lord.” Sometimes they just enjoy the glory of others seeing them as
someone who hears from God. It exists! Not everyone has that motive, by any
means, but it’s out there! We are fallen humans with impure motives. Sometimes <b>we want people to think more highly of us</b>,
so we play the “God told me” card.<o:p></o:p></div>
<span style="line-height: 110%;">Some people say
<i>God told me</i> in order <b>to shut down argument</b>. They want to do what they want to
do and </span><b style="line-height: 110%;">you aren’t going to talk them out
of it because God told me</b><span style="line-height: 110%;">! Now there are times we can show people playing
that card that what they claim to be revealed by God contradicts His word so
they are imagining things. The person who thinks God has told them to get a
divorce for no good reason, we can say, “yeah, that guy’s nuts.” Or the one who
says, God told me to leave my wife and kids and go to Africa as a missionary.
Nope, Sorry. Your argument is invalid. But what about the mom who says, “God
told me not to immunize my kids.” I don’t care where you stand on that issue,
Did God actually say that? Nope. I can say with utter confidence.</span><br />
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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Related to that
motive is the Truth/Power claim. If a person has the "truth" they have some authoritative "power." I’ve talked to so many ladies who said, at
some point in their youth, some guy told them, that, after praying about it, God had told him they were to be married. This is the “<b style="line-height: 110%;">God told me so you need to comply” motive</b><span style="line-height: 110%;">. Invariably the ladies
did not marry the young men in question. (Smart ladies!) What is worse is to
see this played out by pastors and congregations. God told me we need to build
this 10 million dollar building and that you all can pay for it. God will bless
you abundantly if you double your giving so we can build this tribute to my, er,
um, God’s name! These are the people who play the “God spoke” card </span><b style="line-height: 110%;">to get what they want from you</b><span style="line-height: 110%;">!</span></div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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Using the “God
told me” phrase is ultimately selfish, even in the most benign uses. We want to
know what God has said even if we have to make it up. Sometimes we use it just
to embolden ourselves to do something God has actually told us in the Bible, like
“be prepared to give an answer to anyone who asks.” You don’t have to wait for
God to tell you when to witness, when to call an old friend, when to bake a
cake. Just look for opportunities God is providing.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Now <b>if you think I am saying there are things
God cannot do. No.</b> God can do anything He pleases. But God is telling us in
scripture what He does and is going to do. Part of what He is going to do is
transform our minds, empower us, lead us in truth, and guide our steps. I truly
believe all good and perfect gifts come down from the Father… (James 1:17). I believe the good ideas we have and act upon
that bring glory to God are a gift of God. But I have too high a regard for the
True Word of God to claim I received a ‘special’ word from God. Enough with the
“special” words from God! You have one, the Bible!<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dXjxK_wF_7k/VOZMXGgSAyI/AAAAAAAAB4k/RWyhwMP0_A8/s1600/eve_apple_Beth.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dXjxK_wF_7k/VOZMXGgSAyI/AAAAAAAAB4k/RWyhwMP0_A8/s1600/eve_apple_Beth.jpg" height="187" width="200" /></a></div>
Sadly, there
have been many good teachers and preachers of the Word who have not understood this.
If I hear Beth Moore say one more time that God said to her, “Sweetie, you just
need to…” WHATEVER, I just might scream. I have read things by Mrs. Moore that
I found enlightening and informative. But for the love of God’s Word would you just
quit saying “God hath said” when God hath not said! And it’s many others not
just Mrs. Moore. I point her out because she has in the past written some very
good things. I won’t even bother rebuking the “Word/Faith” false teachers who
hear God whenever it’s convenient. But it’s even conservative Bible teachers,
professors and pastors, who need to take a serious look at their demeaning of
the Word of God.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>I’m sure there are other motives behind
this practice, but let me entertain an objection or two to my reasoning here.<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<b>I have been told I am ignoring the prophecy
of Joel</b>, repeated in Acts 2 about visions and dreams by young men and women
in the last days. I am not ignoring that. It came true right there in Acts 2.
Those were the beginnings of the last days. But now we have the complete New
Testament that shows us everything we need, from now through the return of
Christ. We no longer need these visions because Hebrews 1:1-2.<o:p></o:p></div>
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I had, when I
was a young man, something that sure seemed to be a vision. Actually, I think I
nodded off and dreamed during an early morning prayer meeting while I was
sitting on a very comfortable couch. It was an interesting dream and an
inspiring dream. No wonder, since I fell asleep amid thoughts of God’s
goodness. I told about it often and still have vague memories of it today. IF,
and I make that a big IF, it was from God, I do not suggest that it was
revelatory in any way, but simply an illustration of what the scriptures teach
in that we are saved through the cross, because that was the gist of the dream.
Nothing revelatory here, move along. I did not hear God’s voice, I did not
receive instruction, I only marveled at the love of God seen on Jesus dying for
me on the cross.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Others say, “You’re just a cessationist</b>
that doesn’t believe God does miracle today.” Au Contraire! God still does
miracle today. The greatest of course is Salvation! When God takes a dead man
and makes him alive again. But people are healed, prayers are answered, and the
whole universe holds together by the power Christ! I may be a cessationist to
your way of thinking because what <b>I don’t
believe is that God is continuing in Revelation</b>. Because Hebrews 1:1-2. <o:p></o:p></div>
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God gives
people gifts. But no longer speaks to us through prophets etc. with new
revelations. God gives wisdom beyond our human means, God gives direction and
opens doors and shuts doors. God even gives some people the ability to bring
greater understanding to scripture, understanding in applying scripture and
motivation to obey scripture (And I hope as a pastor I have some modicum of
this gift.) But <b>God isn’t giving any New
Scripture</b>. And every time someone says, “God told me” or “Thus saith the
Lord” they are adding to scripture! That is simply a given! That is what
Scripture is – What God Has Said!<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Finally,</b> I am reminded of a passage in Act
15 where James sums up the decision of the Jerusalem council. At a time when
precedent for the church is being established and there is apostolic authority
represented on the council, James simply said, 28 “For it <b>seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and to us</b>, to lay upon you no
greater burden than these necessary things…”<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hP11bVm3uBs/VOZDfkNPaII/AAAAAAAAB4U/jsL62b_G8OI/s1600/rembrandt_belshazzar.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hP11bVm3uBs/VOZDfkNPaII/AAAAAAAAB4U/jsL62b_G8OI/s1600/rembrandt_belshazzar.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a>He didn’t say, “Hear
my People the Word of the Lord; thou shalt lay no great burden… etc.” He just
said, It seems what the Lord would have us do at a time like this is…. Do we
need more than that? Is our faith so weak that we need “the handwriting on the
wall?” That didn’t work out to well for the guy who got that message did it? Is
our self-confidence so weak we need someone to pat us on the back for having
heard from God? Are we so consumed with ourselves we need to invoke God’s voice
as a power play? God forbid.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Clark Dunlaphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06887033027838106600noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6085936578987398813.post-87160935716085774752015-02-07T14:35:00.004-08:002015-02-07T14:35:51.730-08:00A Lord's Supper Devotional<div class="P1">
Heb 10:19 Therefore, brothers,<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="P1">
since
we have(bold) confidence to enter the holy places <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="P1">
by
the blood of Jesus, <o:p></o:p></div>
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20
by the new and living way <o:p></o:p></div>
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that
he opened for us through the curtain,<o:p></o:p></div>
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that
is, through his flesh, <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="P1">
21
and since we have a great priest over the house of God, <o:p></o:p></div>
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22 let us draw near <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="P1">
with
a true heart <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="P1">
in
full assurance of faith, <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="P1">
with
our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="P1">
and
our bodies washed with pure water.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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I so love the Book of Hebrews!</div>
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<br />
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<br /></div>
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<b><i>since we have(bold) confidence</i></b><i> –</i> Before Christ came there was no confidence
or boldness to enter into God’s presence. Humanity had no indwelling presence and only fear and loathing.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b><i>to enter the holy places</i></b> - If you went into the Lord’s presence and
weren't permitted to, you could be struck dead. If you were a priest and you
went at the wrong time, you could be struck dead. Why? Because of our sinful
nature.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="P1" style="margin-top: 3.0pt;">
But now, <b><i>by the <u>blood </u>of Jesus</i></b>
– Because the perfect Lamb of God, not a dumb lamb, goat or bull, shed his
blood, the way is open. God wrath is assuaged.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="P1" style="margin-top: 3.0pt;">
And, <b><i>20 by the new and living way</i></b> –<i> </i>New as it is the New Covenant, and
Living because none of the old sacrifices lived. Jesus alone rose from the dead!<b><i><o:p></o:p></i></b></div>
<div class="P1" style="margin-top: 3.0pt;">
<b><i>he opened for us through the curtain, that is <u>his flesh</u></i></b> – As the Veil
separated the Holy from the Holiest, and blocked the approach of man to God, so the body of Christ veiled His divinity!
Humans had no access through the veil except at God’s beck and call, and not
without blood. But to grant access, through the Body of Christ, to God; Jesus gave up
His life for us on the cross. Because the body was ‘broken’ and died, along
with the blood shed, we have Boldness to enter. Both Body and blood are invoked
here, just as in Christ’s last supper.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="P1" style="margin-top: 3.0pt;">
<b><i>21 and since we have a great priest</i></b> –
The priest is the go-between, between God and Man. Priests are chosen by God,
they're human, and they accept and perform the duties of priesthood.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="P1" style="margin-top: 3.0pt;">
So the writer is saying, Jesus is both Priest and the sacrifice!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="P1" style="margin-top: 3.0pt;">
And because of these things - <b><i>22
let us draw near</i></b> – That is God’s Goal! To draw his bride near to Him.
He paid a high price for it because He loves us so. And since He loves us He
wants us to draw near. Not in some pretend Romantic play, but…<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="P1" style="margin-top: 3.0pt;">
<b><i>with a true heart</i></b> – Not with the
heart of wickedness and deceit, but a heart changed by the application of
Christ’s character. This is done in counterpart to the application of His righteousness
to our standing before God, when God conforms us to the image of Christ, and
sanctifies us. Psa 51:6<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="P1">
<b><i>in full assurance of faith</i></b> – reminds us there is no
righteousness, alluded to by “true heart”, without faith! Abraham believed and
it was credited to him as righteousness. Without faith it is impossible to
please God. So this faith, granted to us, is required, and it accompanies the
true heart as we draw near.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="P1">
<b><i>with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience</i></b> – Another
allusion to Old Testament ritual is seen in the sprinkling. Blood of sacrifices
was sprinkled on both items and people who were being consecrated to God. The
evil conscience reminds us that our conscience and self-awareness includes evil
and wickedness but also the misery of guilt and the results of sin. But the
blood shed for us, and the sprinkling suggests it is applied to us, so that
both wickedness and guilt are removed.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="P1">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-kCBwAEPt5pY/VNaTFBvgY2I/AAAAAAAAB3I/M70LORPuwh8/s1600/priest%2Bconsecration.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-kCBwAEPt5pY/VNaTFBvgY2I/AAAAAAAAB3I/M70LORPuwh8/s1600/priest%2Bconsecration.jpg" /></a><b>and our bodies washed with
pure water</b> – often considered an allusion to Christian baptism, it is
another reference to ancient ritual, as when Aaron and his sons were bathed with
water as a part of their purification as priests.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="P1">
These sprinkling and washing references are most important to the
passage precisely because they do invoke the picture of the sanctification of priests
under the Old Covenant. Because in the New Covenant all God’s people are His
Royal Priesthood. It is because of this that we all have access to God and may, in fact are called and commanded to, Draw Near!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="P1">
So Draw near today. Draw Near in Worship, giving God praise for all
He has done, for who He is and specifically for Jesus Christ opening the way
for us to draw near.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="P1">
Draw near in prayer, as we bare our hearts to Him and make our
requests known.<o:p></o:p></div>
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">Draw near in taking the Lord’s Supper as a reminder of
His work, a reminder of our current salvation, and a reminder of His return ,
to once again draw us to Himself, only this time with eternal bodies to be with
Him for ever and ever.</span>Clark Dunlaphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06887033027838106600noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6085936578987398813.post-13392715254493032352014-10-24T12:56:00.003-07:002014-10-24T13:03:36.874-07:00Why I Trust the Bible<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">(First let me say that John Piper addresses this exceptionally well at http://theresurgence.com/2014/09/23/resurgence-leadership-032-why-i-trust-the-scriptures-part-1 and it was John Piper that sort of 'inspired' this post.)</span></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<b>Why do Christians, in the face of opposition, and an abundance of critiques against the Bible, still trust the Bible and believe it? </b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
Psalm 19:7 The law of the LORD is perfect,<br />
reviving the soul; </div>
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the testimony of the LORD is sure,<br />
making wise the simple; </div>
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8 the precepts of the LORD are right,<br />
rejoicing the heart; </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
the commandment of the LORD is pure,<br />
enlightening the eyes; </div>
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9 the fear of the LORD is clean,<br />
enduring forever; </div>
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the rules of the LORD are true,<br />
and righteous altogether. </div>
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10 More to be desired are they than gold,<br />
even much fine gold; </div>
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sweeter also than honey and drippings<br />
of the honeycomb. </div>
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11 Moreover, by them is your servant warned; </div>
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in keeping them there is great reward. </div>
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12 Who can discern his errors? </div>
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Declare me innocent from hidden faults. </div>
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13 Keep back your servant also from presumptuous sins; </div>
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let them not have dominion over me! </div>
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Then I shall be blameless, and innocent of great transgression. </div>
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14 Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart </div>
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be acceptable in your sight, O LORD, my rock and my redeemer. </div>
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<br /></div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
Why do I believe the Bible? Is it smart
to believe the Bible? Does it do any good to give Bibles to people? Are there any good reasons to not believe it?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-GUyzqiQ9kDk/VEquRvXVqxI/AAAAAAAABw8/qwhPVWxQNVk/s1600/bible.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-GUyzqiQ9kDk/VEquRvXVqxI/AAAAAAAABw8/qwhPVWxQNVk/s1600/bible.jpg" height="133" width="200" /></a><span style="font-size: small;">You know
what I have found about trusting God’s word? It’s hard to remember all the
arguments for it if someone was to ask you. I have books on </span>apologetics<span style="font-size: small;"> where I can look up good info on it's trustworthiness. But if I run
into a man on the street who asks me why I believe it, not only can I not remember all those details, but I don't think they are likely to convince him anyway! I mean, I guess I should be able to, I am a preacher! I went to Seminary!</span></div>
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I can tell you details about the Bible. How many prophecies fulfilled, how
many authors there are and yet they all agree about things. But in a few days, you’d have
trouble remembering all that too! <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: small;">For instance, one group of </span>scholars<span style="font-size: small;"> counted, 1,817 prophetic predictions in scripture. Most of which have already been fulfilled in incredible detail and the remainder we fully expect to come to pass as well, they just haven't happened yet. 191 of those are prophecies about the coming Jewish Messiah. Close to 100 of those have been fulfilled, accurately, and the remainder we expect at His return and in eternity.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: small;">But 3 days, from now, ask yourself, how many prophecies are there? Do you still remember?</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: small;">Now it is good to know and hear these things. It is good to know that Geisler and Howe wrote <i>The Big Book of Bible Difficulties</i>, taking on the accusation of 800 errors in scripture and refuted each one of them. Good info! But I believe there is another approach to this whole question.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
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So I want to take a whole different
approach to this.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<b>First, what
do we trust it for? What does it Do for us? </b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
<i>It
reveals the <u>principles by which God judges us</u>, and therefore is…the <u>true
center of Christian </u></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
<i><u>union</u>, and the supreme standard by <u>which all human
conduct, creeds, and religious opinions </u></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
<i><u>should be tried</u>. All <u>Scripture
is a testimony to Christ</u>, who is…the focus of divine revelation<a href="file:///C:/Users/User/Documents/Why%20I%20Trust%20the%20Bible%20(1).docx#_ftn1" name="_ftnref1" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><b><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%;">[1]</span></b></span></span></a></i>.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
Bottom line: The Bible gives us the Law, which tells us about the Holiness of God! <b>And</b>
it tells us how far we fall short of God’s Holiness!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
It’s the basis for <b>Christian union</b>. I
find myself in agreement with Baptists the most. But, guess what, I also have a
lot of agreement with Presbyterians, Methodists and Yes, even Pentecostals –
well some of them. If they are true believers and hold to the same gospel of
Salvation by Grace thru faith I do. I know the Founders of the Lutherans, Presbyterians and Methodists believed that! <b>But</b> it also means I’m <u>wary about other groups</u>. While I have much in common with Catholics
and the Church of Christ, in my opinion, they add works to the process of salvation. That is a big problem for me. Don’t
get me wrong; There are true Christians among the Catholics and Church of
Christ. And, there are lost people among the Baptists! But if we adhere to the
clear teaching of scripture on salvation, on the nature of God and man, then we can have true Christian union. <b>But,</b>
It also tells me some groups Like Mormons & Jehovah’s Witnesses are Not Christian at all.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<b> </b>Also,
it gives us a basis for our <b>Behavior and Beliefs</b>! How we should act, how we
should think and believe is directed in the Scriptures. Even with all the technology, and the way the world has changed, you can't find a moral
or ethical question the Bible doesn’t have something to say about it!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<b> And</b>
<b>Most Important</b>: The Bible Tells us
about Jesus! Not Just the New Testament! Genesis 3 tells us about Him. The
rituals of Leviticus, Psalms of David, Joshua, Isaiah, Hosea, Jeremiah, even
Malachi do, too. Then of course Matthew, Mark, Luke and John do it Supremely
Well! There’s not a book on earth that can tell us about Jesus and how He came
to save like the Bible!<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b>Second,
Why is this important today</b>? </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<b>1)</b> More people today deny the
existence of Truth. Oh there is your truth and my truth but there is No
Universal truth to a lot of people. That idea begins to trickle down to all of us! In
fact, It is taught that if someone comes along claiming truth, then really they
just have an agenda to control you!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<b>2)</b> Others say there is truth but the B<u>ible is a
mixture of truth and error</u>. To them the Bible is so full of myths, contradictions,
absurdities, and even Divine Sins, where God got things Wrong!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<b>3)</b> There are more books competing with the Bible as Holy
Books. Used to be the Quran was way over in the Syrian and Iraq. Now it’s here.
And the Bhagavad Gita, the Vedas etc. These are flooding the world! We need to
flood the world with the Bible! </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<b>4) </b><span style="font-size: small;">And, it’s
Important today because the Bible DOES make exclusive claims! It claims to be </span>inspired by God<span style="font-size: small;">! Look at these claims:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
<b>2nd Timothy 3:16</b> <b>All Scripture is breathed out by God</b>...</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
<b>John 14:6</b> (Jesus says) <b>I am the way</b>, the truth, and the life. <b>No man comes </b>to the Father, <b>but by me</b>. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
<b>Act 4:12 ...</b>neither
is there salvation in any other: for there is <b>none other name under heaven</b>... </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
whereby we must be saved.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<b>Last,
Why Trust it? Is it just a blind leap of faith?
Or is there something more?<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
John Piper gives a great example of why ‘blind trust’ doesn’t
honor God. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
Suppose you were walking down the street and a guy comes up with a
brown bag full of cash and says "go put this in the bank for me, here’s the bank
and my account #" and then he runs off without explaining. What would you think?
This guy is crazy. Not only that he’s stupid. He doesn’t know me. I know I’m
trustworthy but he doesn’t. There’s nothing about that situation that gives you
any credit. It’s all about <b>his</b>
foolishness. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
But, suppose he runs up gives you all that and you stop and say, "why are
you doing this? You don’t know me." And he says, "Oh yes I do. I have watched
you. You’re a man of integrity. I've asked many about you and each of them says
you are trustworthy. So I've done my homework and I know I can count on you.
Now I have to take care of an emergency…"</div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<b>Now</b> it’s about <b>Your</b> character, and your trustworthiness. Many Christians don’t really do their homework. The preacher says,
“Trust God” so they’re like "OK, we’ll do it." I don’t think that works well for them when troubles come, but it’s good enough for now. </div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<b>So why trust the Bible? Why Trust that it’s God’s Word</b>?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
Look at:</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
2nd Corinthians 4:2 But we have renounced disgraceful,<br />
underhanded ways. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
We refuse to practice cunning or to tamper with God's<br />
word, but by the open statement of the truth </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
we would commend ourselves to everyone's conscience </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
in the sight of God. </div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
3 And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those<br />
who are perishing. 4 In their case the god of this world<br />
has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel<br />
of the glory of Christ, </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
who is the image of God. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
5 For what we proclaim is not ourselves,<br />
but Jesus Christ as Lord, </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
with ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
6 For God who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
has shone in our hearts to give the light<br />
of the knowledge of the glory of God </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
in the face of Jesus Christ. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
Notice Paul
is talking about the Word of God, the gospel and the knowledge of the Glory of
God. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
All of these phrases refer to scripture. But there is a single, watershed
event that makes all the difference. <b>Has this
event has happened to you?</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
6 For God, who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
has shone in our hearts</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
in the face of Jesus Christ. </div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
Let me talk about me a second. WHY DO I BELIEVE THE BIBLE? Because God has pierced the darkness of my heart
with the light of His Glory, and this glory takes on the Face of Jesus Christ.
Bottom line? I Have Met Jesus Christ! I know the “Living Word”! You say, “well
that’s just your subjective experience!” </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
True, but I have found the Word of God
“Self-Authenticating.” I appreciate all the “Reasons” like how many Bible prophecies
have been fulfilled, how accurate its history is, and how beautifully its
written and how all these writers from over hundreds of years all have the same
view of God. Great!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
But I know Jesus! I have met Jesus! He
has changed my life! I have encountered the Glory of God. The outshining of His
Shekinah Glory in the Person of Jesus Christ! HOW CAN I NOT BELIEVE?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
And if you have met him, you know you
can trust His word, too.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-u_sDuNUvWkw/VEquzKyBRFI/AAAAAAAABxM/5yqpOSRht4M/s1600/crosses.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-u_sDuNUvWkw/VEquzKyBRFI/AAAAAAAABxM/5yqpOSRht4M/s1600/crosses.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
I didn’t answer the Question why should
<b>everybody in the world</b> believe the Bible. I answered the Question why I do and you should!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
You desperately need an encounter with God,
where you have been convinced by the Holy Spirit, that you are a sinner. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
And because you are a sinner you are
headed for an eternity of separation and suffering. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
But Jesus communicates His Love for you
in that while we were all sinners Christ Died for us! <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
And if you will Repent and Believe the
Good news, that Jesus Christ has paid the penalty for your sins by shedding His own blood..</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
And if you will place your trust in Christ...</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
He Will Forgive! He will give
Eternal Life.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
And you will Know the Truth and the
Truth Will set you free!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
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John 16:13 When the Spirit of truth
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Clark Dunlaphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06887033027838106600noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6085936578987398813.post-32681233971307483702014-10-23T12:41:00.003-07:002014-10-23T12:42:21.354-07:00Accept No Substitutes<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">God creates co-existence and wants us to hear and proclaim the Gospel in a multi-faith context. The challenge is, we believe we proclaim the truth in a world full of substitutes.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><b>From Matthew 13</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-OGG_vfEPnzE/VElZevaKrtI/AAAAAAAABwk/pIltdADZO7I/s1600/pols_feature-26219.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-OGG_vfEPnzE/VElZevaKrtI/AAAAAAAABwk/pIltdADZO7I/s1600/pols_feature-26219.jpeg" height="134" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">I don’t know how
long the phrase “Accept No Substitutes” has been around, but I know its not
new. Coca Cola used it i</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">n the early 1900s. </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> Schlotzkys started back in the
70s in Austin with one sandwich called “The Original.” They had an “original”
and nothing else. So since you have the original you are qualified to say,
accept no substitutes, and they did say that. Then there’s AMSOIL. Amsoil was
the first popular synthetic oil for your car. One of the marketing phrases was
– yep, "Accept no Substitutes." Think about that, a synthetic motor oil, which<b> is a Substitute</b> has the gall to tell
you not to accept substitutes. Then there’s Porsche, the car maker, they did
one better when then proclaimed: <b>There
IS no substitut</b>e. As if Porsche was the only car in the World. Everybody
knows it’s a souped up Volkswagen!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Why am I talking
about Substitutes? Well just like Schlotzky and Porsche and fake motor oil has
to <b>coexist</b> with “Substitutes” the
whole chapter of Matt 13 <b>involves</b>
coexistence! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-uNwMf2ojfYM/VElZe4GL0lI/AAAAAAAABwg/eTQFptNRJo0/s1600/porsche-sub.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-uNwMf2ojfYM/VElZe4GL0lI/AAAAAAAABwg/eTQFptNRJo0/s1600/porsche-sub.jpg" height="200" width="150" /></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">I’m not saying it’s
ABOUT coexistence, because really, it’s about the Kingdom of God. But it
involves coexistence. Coexistence with things that will compete for your
interest but they are not "Kingdom." Things that will confuse the Kingdom, but
they are not Kingdom. Things that will seem good, but they are not the Kingdom.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"><br /></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> First Parables (or story with a meaning)
of the Kingdom are Coexistence Parables. </span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">And the first </span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">is <u>t</u>he
Parable of the Sower. Of the 8 parables in Matt 13 this may be the most
famous, maybe 2<sup>nd</sup> to the Prodigal Son, but still famous.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">Mat 13:1 That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat beside the sea. </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">2 And great crowds gathered about him, so that he got into a boat and sat down. And the whole crowd stood on the beach. </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">3 And he told them many things in parables, saying: </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">"A sower went out to sow. </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">4 And as he sowed, some seeds fell along the path, and the birds </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">came and devoured them. </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">5 Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">soil, and immediately they sprang up, since they had no depth of soil, </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">6 but when the sun rose </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">they were scorched. And since they had no root, they withered away. </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">Other seeds fell among</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">8 Other seeds fell on good soil and </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">produced grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">You
have probably all heard sermons on this passage,</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"> but lets just hit the highlights and get to the
point. There are 4 results of scattering seed. 1) Birds eat the seeds, 2) The
Sun burns them up, 3) the weeds choke them out, or 4) They grow and bear fruit.
What do you notice? I notice 4 different outcomes that all coexist for a while.
But only one of them does God accept. </span><b style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"><i>God Accepts No Substitutes</i></b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Down
in v.19ff Jesus explains these 4 outcomes. 1) The birds are the Evil One, the
devil, who comes and steals the seed. The seed never even gets to sprout! Its
just gone. 2) The Sun is tribulation or persecution. A person thinks they
have the "Original", but trials, troubles and persecution make them give it up. </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">3)
The weeds that choke the growing plant are worry and the distractions of
wealth. Isn’t it interesting that both Trials and Treasures cause people to
abandon the Kingdom of God? One group expected something God never promised,
the other got something they thought was more valuable. And 4) The last group,
grows and flourishes and Always bears fruit!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Now
we can extract a lot of ideas from this parable. Like, maybe it’s not a good
idea to cast your seed on the sidewalk. OR better yet, maybe it’s better to
prepare the soil and so help create a more receptive medium for the seed to be
planted.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> And we’ve tried different ways to 'prepare the soil'. Like Pizza! Sure, are you gonna have an
evangelistic meeting with teenagers? Feed them Pizza and when they get stuffed
they’ll sit quietly and listen to the gospel! </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Altar
calls! If we can just get them down front, maybe they’ll get saved! We’ve
tried, soup kitchens and VBS and Gospel Blimps!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> And
you know… I like Pizza and altar calls and soup kitchens and VBS. But those
things do not prepare the soil of the human heart for the gospel. Only the
Preaching of the Word of God does that! Wanna reach out to Young people? Feed
them pizza, then Preach the Word. Want to reach a person that’s cold, give them
a blanket then tell them they are lost and without Hope in this world, but
Jesus gives Hope! Want to reach children? Give ‘em games, songs and crafts and
Tell them about the Saving Power of Jesus Christ!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> But this first parable, is about the Reality and Co-existence of the Kingdom of God. There
Really is a Kingdom and there really are Substitutes! That which is Not
Kingdom! The Next Parable has a similar purpose.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"> <u>Then the Parable of the Tares</u></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">: </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">Mat 13:24 He put another parable before them, saying, "The kingdom of heaven may be </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field, </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">25 but while his men were sleeping, </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat and went away.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">26 So when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared also. </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">27 And the </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">servants of the master of the house came and said to him, 'Master, did you not sow good seed </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">in your field? How then does it have weeds?'</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">28 He said to them, 'An enemy has done this.' So the servants said to him, 'Then do you</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">want us to go and gather them?' </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">29 But he said, 'No, lest in gathering the weeds you </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">root up the wheat along with them. </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">30 Let both grow together until the harvest, and at </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">harvest time I will tell the reapers, Gather the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">burned, but gather the wheat into my barn.'"</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Pretty straight-forward right? There is the Real Kingdom, planted by
God! And a substitute planted by the devil. And if you think I’m making that
part up look down at v.38 <u><i>"</i></u></span><u><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"><i>The
field is the world, and the good seed is the sons of the kingdom. The weeds are
the sons of the evil one</i></span></u><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><u><i>.</i></u>" They coexist. The evil one wants to choke out the
wheat. And it's not because he's Gluten Free! He wants to dilute the field. He wants to cause the good ones to fail.
God says let them both grow. We’ll sort it out at the end. And the evil ones
will be punished, and the Righteous are fit to serve for God. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">God
accepts no Substitutes!<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></i></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Next Parables of the Kingdom are the
Impact Parables</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">.
The Kingdom has value and it makes an impact!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">Mat 13:31 He put another parable before them, saying, "The kingdom of heaven is like a </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">grain of mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his field. </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">32 It is the smallest of all </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">seeds, but when it has grown it is larger than all the garden plants and becomes a tree, </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches." </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">33 He told them </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">another parable. "The kingdom of heaven is like leaven that a woman took and hid in </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">three measures of flour, till it was all leavened."</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">There
is a garden, lots of plants; but one stands out. The one that starts small and
grows and even gives the birds a home. Would Jesus start Small? You bet. 11 men
and very few followers. But they would grow and grow, Even while they Co-exist
with Evil.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Does
the Mustard plant try to kill the other plants? No. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Does it try to be like the
other plants? No. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">It is unique, different, and it makes an impact.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">But
how about the dough and the leaven? I love this. Does the leaven turn the flour
into leaven? No. The flour stays flour the leaven, which is yeast (a fungus),
permeates and changes the whole lump of flour. It causes it to ferment and
chemical reactions happen. Kinda funny Jesus is comparing the church to a
fungus. But God invented fungus and yeast for a good purpose. Yeast also makes
beer happen! God wants a garden with His mustard plant in it. He wants flour of
the world permeated by the church!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">But that’s not all</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">! Look at v44
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">Mat 13:44 "The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">45 "Again, </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls, </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">46 who, on finding </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it.</span></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">There
is another impact. The Kingdom is a treasure in a field, a pearl of great
price. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The Kingdom has value for those who find it. It makes sense to sell
everything to buy the field. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The treasure is obviously more valuable than
anything this guy owns.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">BUT,
there’s another value here. There is value to the King. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">He finds his kingdom in
the field. He sees many pearls but finds the right one, the perfect one,
the one that has value to Him. And did Jesus pay a price for it? Did He? Did he
Buy the Field and Buy the Pearl? You bet He did. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Seeing the Kingdom as field of
wheat with a lot of weeds teaches one principle. But seeing the Value of the
Kingdom to the one who paid the greatest price teaches another.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Brothers
and Sisters in Christ, you are valuable to the King. <b>Jesus
Accepts you and He Accepts No Substitutes</b>! He doesn’t want to share you
with the weeds. He doesn’t want to share you with the rest of the garden or the
pearls. But, He doesn’t want you to make the mistake of thinking that you won’t
live in an evil world, and there won’t be trouble, and hunger and poverty and
persecution and tribulation there will be! There will be. But then end will
come.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><b>Which
brings us to the Third kind of Kingdom parable:<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><b>The
Judgment of the Kingdom and the Lost.</b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">Mat 13:47 "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was thrown into the sea and </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">gathered fish of every kind. </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">48 When it was full, men drew it ashore and sat down and </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">sorted the good into containers but threw away the bad. </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">49 So it will be at the end of </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">the age. The angels will come out and separate the evil from the righteous </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">50 and throw </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">them into the fiery furnace. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.</span></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><b></b>In v.47 Many fish are caught
and they are sorted out the bad from the good. </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">This
is similar to the Harvesting of the field with Good wheat and weeds. So there
is the idea of the Reality of the Kingdom and of Coexistence, But, there is
another idea going on in these stories.</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Remember how the people of Israel were
looking for another David; a King to throw off their oppressors. But Jesus is
becoming the suffering Messiah. He needs them to see good and evil will coexist 'til Judgment Day. And, it seems, the Day of Judgment is a good ways off. I
think it best if we take the same point of view. God will sort it out When He is ready. And He Accepts No Substitutes!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Jesus
uses these Stories - these parables – To unlock ancient mysteries. These are
truths that have been a part of God and His Reign as King forever. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xrgJIYv8uxE/VElZegIPhDI/AAAAAAAABwc/buvHkdxka28/s1600/churchill.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xrgJIYv8uxE/VElZegIPhDI/AAAAAAAABwc/buvHkdxka28/s1600/churchill.jpg" height="200" width="142" /></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Winston
Churchill had a lot of wonderful lines, and not just ‘cause he had a good writer,
he was smart. In speaking of Russia one time he said they are “a riddle,
wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma.” I always loved that. Well, Russia is
still that way, but they 'got nothing’ on God. God is the ORIGINAL Riddle,
wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma – But Jesus came to open the enigma,
unwrap the mystery and show us the riddle. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> And God has NEVER accepted
Substitutes. There were many peoples in the World, yet He made the Hebrew People.
There were many races in the world, He made the church. There are many
religions in the world, where people try to earn their way into God’s Good
pleasure. But,</span></div>
<br />
<br />
God Made a Way of Salvation. And no one can come to Him unless He
comes by The Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus is the Original Savior and God Accepts No
Substitutes!<o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Have
you come to God by Christ alone? There is No Substitute!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Clark Dunlaphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06887033027838106600noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6085936578987398813.post-10931995365522892172014-08-02T00:15:00.000-07:002014-08-02T00:15:54.803-07:00William Tyndale - Gave His Life For the Word of God<br />
<br />
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XhvFfanOli8/U9yOrataeYI/AAAAAAAABrA/d_oMWFnRyv0/s1600/tyndale+mon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XhvFfanOli8/U9yOrataeYI/AAAAAAAABrA/d_oMWFnRyv0/s1600/tyndale+mon.jpg" height="233" width="320" /></a>Driving the M4 toward Bristol, you’ll see a tall tower up on a ridge. The tower is called the Tyndale monument. On the monument is the statement that Wm Tyndale first translated the NT into English from the Greek. (insert marker here) (from the Greek-Wycliffe had done it from the Vulgate-not as accurate). He was martyred 10/6/1536.<br />
Born near Bristol around 1494, His family was from the valley of the Tyn. Hence “Tyndale”. He was registered at Oxford at 13, got his bachelors at 17. He went to Cambridge got his Masters at 20 in 1515. Think about this year for a second. It was 2 years before Martin Luther nailed his theses on the church door in Wittenburg, Germany. This is only 23 years after Columbus sailed. It’s the age of Da Vinci and Michelangelo, Its Renaissance and Reformation. It was also the age of the great philosopher and translator, Erasmus. He didn't study under Erasmus but he was the one who compiled the Greek new testament that was later used as the basis for the KJV. Tyndale studied all of Erasmus’ writings but especially the Greek New Testament.<br />
But remember; when it came to religion, there was only one church. <br />
I hear people say, we shouldn't have all these different churches. We Christians are all divided. Well if having one church leads to the corruption and the false doctrine of salvation that the Catholic church was guilty of in the middle ages, then I’m glad there are many different kinds of churches. In fact, I say the more the merrier! BUT, let’s try to love one another, and not tear each other down. I know men who are Bible church pastors, Methodists, and reformed Baptist, and Christian Missionary Alliance, and even Church of Christ folks, that I would stand shoulder to shoulder with, because I know they love the Lord and hold fast to sound doctrine. I also know of folks in all those groups that I would have to graciously decline to work with because there are problems with their doctrines and Bible beliefs. Unfortunately there are some Baptists that fall into that category, too.<br />
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-t6t10GtQvLY/U9yOqtQlKPI/AAAAAAAABqs/VYz98wftzMc/s1600/tyndale+mon+b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-t6t10GtQvLY/U9yOqtQlKPI/AAAAAAAABqs/VYz98wftzMc/s1600/tyndale+mon+b.jpg" height="207" width="320" /></a>But in Tyndale’s day, the RCC (Roman Catholic Church) had a monopoly. And neither they nor the government allowed people to start their own church. Tyndale and his colleagues began to discuss what was going on with Luther in Germany. And the reform work that Erasmus was talking about. They met at the White Horse, a pub in Cambridge, talking about the corruption in the RCC, and some folks didn't like that. In fact, people began to make accusations against them that were unfounded. Tyndale didn't mind being lied about but he didn't want to be classified as a troublemaker; he wanted to make a difference.<br />
So He left school and got a job as a tutor, Sir John Walsh was his employer. Sir John was close to King Henry and took part in the Kings Coronation. (He was the King’s champion, a ceremonial post sort of like an unofficial head of the Secret Service.) Tyndale was treated like a member of the family and met many great guests and got to discuss the issues of the day. Often Tyndale disagreed with the guests but he always humbly pointed them toward the answer found in scripture.<br />
Pretty soon he was invited to preach at churches all over the area. He started preaching out doors for the crowds. But that got him in trouble. A local priest branded him as a heretic, and threatened to expel those that went to hear him from the church. Remember, there’s only one church.<br />
He wrote around that time that while he was sowing in one field, the devil was working in another. He said, “what can I do? I can’t be everywhere at once. Oh if only Christians had the Bible in their own language.”<br />
He was brought up on charges, but nobody stood up to accuse him so he was dismissed. That was good but the priest got angrier. They got a theologian to come and try to fix him. The theologian was very impressed with Tyndale’s knowledge of scripture, but as he realized that the more Tyndale knew of scripture the further he got from the Catholic Church. So he said, it would be better for a person to be without God’s word than be without the pope. <br />
That horrified Tyndale, that this man would put the pope above the Bible. He said a famous statement at that time: “I defy the Pope, and all his laws; and if God spares my life, I will cause the boy that drives the plow in England to know more of the Scriptures than he (the pope) does!” He was determined to get the scriptures into people hands.<br />
<br />
As much as 85% of the KJV was copied straight from Tyndale. <br />
<br />
He went to London to visit with Bishop Tunstall who was known a great Greek scholar. He wanted to go to work for him to translate the Bible. But the Bishop was uncomfortable with the Bible in the people’s language. Isn't that odd? A bishop who didn't want people to read the Bible.<br />
He didn't know what to do but realized he couldn't translate the Bible in England. So he traveled to Germany and later France. This is still before Luther began his break from the church.<br />
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0tik80i1k4Y/U9yOqn_jGlI/AAAAAAAABqo/wW6ZmXBwEig/s1600/tyndale+mon+c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0tik80i1k4Y/U9yOqn_jGlI/AAAAAAAABqo/wW6ZmXBwEig/s1600/tyndale+mon+c.jpg" /></a>He hired a printer to begin to print his New Testament version. Matthew and Mark were printed, but one of the workers let it slip that they were printing a Bible in English. The authorities shut it down. But before they did Tyndale and his helper grabbed arm loads of printed sheets and had them sent out and smuggled into England.<br />
He found another printer, and in 1526 the first copies of the NT in English began to show up in England. They smuggled them inside bales of wool and sacks of grain. In London, Bishop Tunstall found out about it, condemned it, had copies publicly burned and warned booksellers not to carry it. 1 shilling and 8 pence would get you a bound copy of the NT. About half a week’s labor for the common man. Many, many copies made it to England. The more the King and the church opposed it, the more people wanted it. It got to the point where a person risked death if they were caught with a Bible.<br />
A new archbishop had a new plan. Buy them all up. They were able to buy a fresh load coming in, but what he didn't know was that the seller was sympathetic to Tyndale and he turned all the money over to Tyndale who then could pay for another large printing of the NT. Tyndale was wanted ‘dead or alive’. He also published a number of other books. He was the most popular writer in England. King Henry got a copy from Anne Boleyn and really liked it at first.<br />
Tyndale then decided he needed to get the OT (Old Testament) into the hands of the plowman, too. Problem: Nobody was teaching Hebrew at this time. There was a lot of anti-Jewish sentiment in Europe at this time and Jewish people who knew Hebrew who would teach it to gentiles were rare as were gentiles willing to work with a Jew.<br />
How did he learn it? Nobody knows. He was proficient in 8 languages so he might have taught himself.<br />
He fi<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">nished the Pentateuch (First 5 books of the OT) in 1529. But something happened. He was in a shipwreck off the coast of Holland. He lost his manuscripts, his money, and all copies of the Pentateuch. He was discouraged. But he ran into an old college buddy, Miles Coverdale. Coverdale encouraged him. In one year the Pentateuch was redone and published. He did Jonah and other books in 1531. Back in England, Sir Thomas More (<span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.399999618530273px;">an English lawyer, </span><a class="mw-redirect" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_philosopher" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.399999618530273px; text-decoration: none;" title="Social philosopher">philosopher</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.399999618530273px;">, author, </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Politician" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.399999618530273px; text-decoration: none;" title="Politician">statesman</a>, churchman,<span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.399999618530273px;"> </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Renaissance_humanism" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.399999618530273px; text-decoration: none;" title="Renaissance humanism">Renaissance humanist</a><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #252525;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.399999618530273px;"> and important Councillor to </span></span></span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_VIII_of_England" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.399999618530273px; text-decoration: none;" title="Henry VIII of England">Henry VIII</a>. Also<span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.399999618530273px;"> </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lord_Chancellor" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.399999618530273px; text-decoration: none;" title="Lord Chancellor">Lord Chancellor</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.399999618530273px;"> from 1529 to 1532)</span> had written against him. Tyndale replied to him in print and that was spread around England. Many friends were harassed and tortured. Merchants were ruined. King Henry petitioned Charles the 5th of Germany to hand over Tyndale. In early 1534 Thomas Poyntz took him in. He was a relative of the lady Tyndale had worked for many years ago, Mrs.Walsh.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">While with the Poyntz he completed a revision of the NT in 1534. But in 1535 somebody hired a friend of Tyndale's, a man named Phillips, to kidnap Tyndale. Tyndale was arrested and placed in the castle at Flanders in Belgium. He was there for 500 days, but during that time he wrote a book “Faith alone justifie</span>s before God.”<br />
Many people visited him. Many tried to get him to recant his beliefs to get forgiveness from the church. But his work continued even while in prison. There is a letter he wrote to the prison governor. He asked him to get him a warmer cap and coat, a piece of cloth for his legs. These were things that he owned that were taken away when he was imprisoned. He also asked for a candle. Then he said “above all…permit me to have my Hebrew Bible, Hebrew grammar, and Hebrew dictionary.” He was STILL working. His friend Coverdale had completed an OT translated from Latin not Hebrew. Matthew completed one too. Both had Tyndale’s NT, and much of his OT. They dedicated their Bibles to King Henry. By now the old Bishops had died and King Henry’s advisers said that this Bible was very accurate. SO, Henry said, every church in England should have one. This was the answer to Tyndale’s prayer.<br />
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vXkQuSUnyyo/U9yOqrJtFaI/AAAAAAAABqw/XsJ98UWnxPM/s1600/tyndale+mon+d.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vXkQuSUnyyo/U9yOqrJtFaI/AAAAAAAABqw/XsJ98UWnxPM/s1600/tyndale+mon+d.jpg" height="320" width="315" /></a>Tyndale only finished about half the OT when he died, but the Geneva Bible came along in 1560 relying heavily on Tyndale and somewhat on Coverdale and Matthew. Then in 1611, the KJV, the most published Bible in the world-and 80 to 85% of it was Tyndale’s.<br />
Yet Tyndale died in prison for his faith.<br />
<br />
And as those Bibles with Tyndale’s work spread all over England, things began to happen. First there was an English reformation where the church broke off from Rome. But it didn't reform very much so other groups came into being. They wanted to purify the church and make it holy again. They got the nickname puritans.<br />
They were not allowed to worship as they wished so they went to different places. Some came to America.<br />
Many died. But through God’s providence He brought pagan native Americans to help them survive. And yes, many bad things happened to the native Americans and to the settlers over the years. But many of these believers from England reached out to the Indians with the gospel. And many were saved.<br />
<br />
Why?<br />
Because Faith alone justifies-Faith in Christ and His work frees us from all the penalties of sin before God.<br />
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Do you have faith in God? Have you put your faith in Jesus Christ and His death for you on the cross? Have you turned from your sinful ways and knelt at the feet of the risen Christ?<br />
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Lessons<br />
Importance of Word of God in the hands of the people. You need the Bible to know God!<br />
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We must preach the Word of God. Proclaiming a It as believers. <br />
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We must believe in the sufficiency of the Word of God. It is enough. Traditions aren’t needed. Just preach and read the scriptures.<br />
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The Word must be our authority. Acts 5 …you decide, as for us we must obey God rather than man. The Word of God is higher than any earthly authority. We are to try every spirit.<br />
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We must embrace the Word of God ourselves. Many have debated scripture without embracing its truth.<br />
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Don’t be discouraged when bringing the word of God. Don’t let setbacks stop you.<br />
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And remember the greatest lesson of scripture was the title of one of Tyndale’s books: Faith alone justifies before God.<br />
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What kind of faith is this that people have spent their lives for? What kind of faith is it that people have died for? It’s the faith revealed to us in this book. <br />
Here it is in a nutshell: God almighty has revealed himself to us in Jesus Christ. And Jesus saves!<br />
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For more information:<br />
http://www.prca.org/books/portraits/tyndale.htm<br />
William Tyndale - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia<br />
www.williamtyndale.com<br />
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<br />Clark Dunlaphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06887033027838106600noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6085936578987398813.post-79049315683369046712014-06-14T11:42:00.003-07:002014-06-14T12:04:01.423-07:00Thanks Dad<div style="margin-bottom: 4.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 3pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Today, Jared
Moore wrote a tribute to his recently departed dad that was very good! It’s
here: <a href="http://sbcvoices.com/dad-if-i-could-talk-to-you-i-would-say/"><span style="color: windowtext;">http://sbcvoices.com/dad-if-i-could-talk-to-you-i-would-say/</span></a>. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">It struck me as
I read it how many of these things I could apply to my father and I was
chagrined that I had not thought of all these things. So I'm using some of his
headings and adding a couple myself, maybe they'll stir your own thoughts.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Now I know none
of our dads were perfect. Some of us had less functional dads than others; some
have no earthly father that they know. As sad as that is, I'm grateful for a
father that taught me a little about my heavenly Father. And for those with
horrible fathers, know that God is everything your earthly father wasn't.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7CKcAT9qcmQ/U5ySUkcOEBI/AAAAAAAABn0/-CO7QV2bjXA/s1600/Dad+army.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7CKcAT9qcmQ/U5ySUkcOEBI/AAAAAAAABn0/-CO7QV2bjXA/s1600/Dad+army.jpg" height="200" width="141" /></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">If he wasn't
faithful, know the Almighty is. If he wasn't generous, God has lavished His
grace upon us. If he wasn't there, then remember, God is our very present help.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<strong><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">But dad, if I could talk to you, I would say. . .</span></strong><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<strong><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Thank you for reading the Bible in front of me when I
was a young boy.</span></strong><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> I
don't remember it clearly, it’s a vague image of the family gathered in the
living room. But I know it happened. I have your Bible now and know it wasn't
unread.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<strong><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Thank you for dragging me to church.</span></strong><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> I didn't
often truly enjoy it. But I found that I was loved by folks, and looked at with
favor because of the kind of people you and mom are. More importantly, I heard
the gospel time after time. And God's word is surely a hammer that shatters the
rock hard heart.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 3pt;">
<strong><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Thank you for teaching me that you need Jesus.</span></strong><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> You
admitted to me your faults on occasion. I’m glad I don't have
perfection to try to live up to! Your hard-working, stoically suffering, high
integrity persona is hard enough. But I know, you knew, you needed Jesus.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<strong><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Thank you for helping others in private.</span></strong><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> I know you
were a faithful giver. I don't know what all you did for others. But I
inherited this someplace! I can't help but think that you were free with your
money as you were with the time you gave to others.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 3pt;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pVUAUCE-68A/U5yXFKL-DAI/AAAAAAAABoI/Ax-VqsNXEbU/s1600/dad+mom+paul.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pVUAUCE-68A/U5yXFKL-DAI/AAAAAAAABoI/Ax-VqsNXEbU/s1600/dad+mom+paul.jpg" height="200" width="143" /></a><strong><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Thank you for teaching me the importance of honesty
and integrity concerning vocation.</span></strong><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> You were a hard worker. You seemed
to enjoy it for crying out loud! You worked at Randolph AFB as I was growing up
and then you'd come home and work. I'm glad you liked to sit and watch football
and baseball; otherwise I'd feel guilty about sitting around as much as I do!
But also, you were an honest guy. Not just because you handled the church's
money and their 'books' with integrity, but you always expected me to tell the
truth!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Thank you for
serving your country</span></b><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">.</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> To know that
you were part of the military machine that brought an end to the holocaust, set
Europe free and ended the scourge of the Nazi's and others, makes me proud of
you. And I hope I too would rise to the occasion if it
was required of good men to take up arms.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Thank you for
demonstrating humility</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">. Both when you apologized to me once when
I was a kid - You weren't doing something right by the family but I didn't
really know what you were talking about - but I know you felt bad about it and
wanted us to know you did. But also when I stood behind you as a boy, when you
walked into your boss’s office to ask off time to take me to the doctor, when I
was having way too many doctor visits. I'll never forget that image. You were
there in suit and tie, standing at attention in front of your boss's desk,
telling him you needed to go a little early to accompany mom and me to my
specialist. And the way he looked at you. There was interest in your explanation
and what now seems to be a bit of deference on his part. I remember thinking at
the time that you were older than him, why was he the boss? But you seemed to
command respect and a certain gravitas there as well as at home.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">And while I’m not going to thank you for your
temper, I’m glad to know there were things that were important to you and you
backed them up.</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">
I know you wouldn’t abide back-talk, and now that I am grown, makes sense! I
know you didn’t want us back-talking or disrespecting mom, too. I’m glad you
backed her up as well. I remember you giving a certain uncle some significant
grief when he lit up a cigarette after you informed him that smoking was no
longer tolerated in our house. Dude! I thought you were going to hit him! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 3pt;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LMi33twCboo/U5yWiZDkTEI/AAAAAAAABoA/jY1DI4r5VyE/s1600/dad+mom+donna.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LMi33twCboo/U5yWiZDkTEI/AAAAAAAABoA/jY1DI4r5VyE/s1600/dad+mom+donna.png" height="200" width="126" /></a><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">And dad, I bet there are an awful lot of life
lessons I learned from you that I don’t even know I did.</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> But I will say,
I don’t know that my older brothers share all these views. I think you mellowed
with age. I think you were probably harder on them, less reasonable at times,
and I think I was probably a tad too much afraid of you growing up. So, I didn’t
want to my kids to be afraid of me. Maybe I could have used a bit more of that ‘fear’
factor, but so be it. I do know you were a bit ‘easy’ on your only daughter and
to a little boy that hardly seemed fair. But now that I am older I know you
were a lot easier on me, the baby of the family, than you were on my siblings.
And for that, I am glad!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 3pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">I love ya dad. I
wish you could hear this. And say hi to mom and my big brother Paul. But I
imagine the heavenly plane is so far beyond my existence it’s a faint memory to you<o:p></o:p></span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">.
So suffice it to say. I've said my thanks, expressed my heart, and I’ll see ya
someday, and oh what a day that will be.</span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 95%;"></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<o:p></o:p></div>
Clark Dunlaphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06887033027838106600noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6085936578987398813.post-8104509735746676192014-05-31T14:46:00.001-07:002014-05-31T22:07:37.241-07:00Death and Life in Christ: On the Loss of My Brother Paul<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">2Co
1:3</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord
Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; 4 Who comforts
us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any
trouble, by the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted of God. 5 For as
the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also abounds by
Christ.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">1Th
4:13</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> But I would
not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that
ye sorrow not, even as others who have no hope. 14 For if we believe Jesus died
and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.
15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive
and remain to the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. 16
For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of
the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise
first: 17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with
them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with
the Lord. 18 <b>Wherefore comfort one
another</b> with these words.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7Ym4Mr1OLc8/U4pLZVeTjkI/AAAAAAAABlw/wQzKuHpdsHE/s1600/Paul+and+boys.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7Ym4Mr1OLc8/U4pLZVeTjkI/AAAAAAAABlw/wQzKuHpdsHE/s1600/Paul+and+boys.jpg" height="187" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">On
Tuesday of this week, when Marney and I were driving home from Houston after
enjoying Memorial Day with our kids and grandkids, I received a phone call from
my brother John that our older brother Paul had died. He had just turned 72
years old.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">It
was a bit of a surprise. I knew he’d battled cancer for over a year. But I had
just learned on Sunday that He had become very ill in the last few weeks. And
within 48 hours of learning that, He passed on.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">All
of us here have lost loved ones. And I know you didn’t know my brother Paul,
but I just want to say a few things about Him and about death and the believer.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">We
just celebrated Memorial day, and my brother, both actually, were Navy
veterans. They served during the Viet Nam conflict. And I’m glad they both came
home safely.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">My
brother was also a master electrician, and late in life an interstate truckdriver.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">He
was also a graduate of Southwestern Seminary here in Fort Worth. His undergrad
was in History from Old Dominion University in Va. And for close to 20 years he
served in several churches in south and central Texas; including First Baptist
Canyon Lake, Tx. It was his pastor from those days who preached his funeral.
And I was glad also that I got to play a role in that.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">My
brother was a little over 12 years older than me. So I spent all my childhood
years looking up to him. I was 7 when I saw him going off to college. I was
about 12 when after coming home from the Navy he lived at home for a little
while and left early every morning for work. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Then,
he went to Seminary a little later in life, and I was going to Bible College in
the late 70s while he was in Seminary so we had something in common in those
days despite the difference of years<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Paul
Dunlap left behind a wife of 45 years, Ruth, who was a preacher’s daughter. Also two sons and a daughter, each of whom
have children of their own, all of whom loved their dad and grandfather.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-JvwtifaGqmQ/U4pLZEWhRTI/AAAAAAAABls/hJUQMb7eAaM/s1600/Paul+and+Clark.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-JvwtifaGqmQ/U4pLZEWhRTI/AAAAAAAABls/hJUQMb7eAaM/s1600/Paul+and+Clark.jpg" height="138" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Paul and Me</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">When
I look at his life, it wasn’t one of great material wealth. He never won the Nobel
Prize or earned a PhD. He never was famous or rubbed shoulders with the famous.
But who wouldn’t call 45 years of a good marriage a great success? Who wouldn’t
call three children, who all are born again believers, a great prize? Who
wouldn’t call a man with nine grandkids, all of whom love him and look up to
him, wealthy with the things that matter?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">And
yet we are saddened when they get to go on to their reward and hear Jesus say “Well
Done, good and faithful servant!” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Why
do we cry when the reality of their death strikes home?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">His
wife Ruth insisted that we have a memorial service that was a <b>celebration</b> of his life! And it was! I
never saw her cry, but I’m sure she did. In fact, it may have been after all
her family finally left and she was all alone Friday evening that she had a
real good cry! I don’t know.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">But
I know this. Would any of us want or loved ones who have gone on to heaven, to
leave the glory of God’s presence and come back? I don’t think so! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Sure
we hope to see them again! And we can!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Sure
we would like to hear their voices again. And we can!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Sure
we would like to feel their embrace.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">But
we serve the God of all Comfort! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Marney
was sharing with me Friday as we drove home from New Braunfels, the lesson she
learned so many years ago, when we were newlyweds and our best friends lost a
little baby. We were devastated. We were grieving and hurting. But we saw in
this young couple the comforting grace of the Holy Spirit. Yes they were
hurting and sad, but they were comforting us and telling us, the Lord had given
them His grace and He was comforting them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Skm4slmbu34/U4pLZLoXpcI/AAAAAAAABl4/1Msy5O0tby4/s1600/Paul+and+Phillip.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Skm4slmbu34/U4pLZLoXpcI/AAAAAAAABl4/1Msy5O0tby4/s1600/Paul+and+Phillip.jpg" height="200" width="112" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Paul with my Grandson Phillip</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Marney knew at that time, that when the
time comes for us to grieve the loss of a loved one, that the God of all
comfort can even comfort us.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">One
of the ways He comforts us is to remind us of two things. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">1)<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">For
the Believer, death is not forever! </span><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">1Ths 4:14</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> For if we believe that Jesus
died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with
him</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Death is not nothingness! Death
is not being swallowed up like a drop of water in some cosmic ocean of
existence. It is real, we will be aware of what is going on, and we will have
personal relationships. Not the least of which will be with our Lord and Savior
the Man – Jesus Christ!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">2)<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">And
secondly God has a plan for the life after we leave this world! He will come
get us. He will make a New Heaven and a New Earth. I think we will have work to
do. Did you know that Adam and Eve had responsibilities before the Fall? Having
a job to do was not part of God’s curse. Having to earn bread by the sweat of
the brow, maybe, but not the idea of being engaged in a worthwhile task! That
is a good thing?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> I
don’t know what the future holds for all of us, but I know who holds the
future!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> And
here’s the bottom line. You know how we can best honor our loved ones who have
gone on to be with Jesus Christ. I can
let others know how my brother came to be with Christ forever.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Because
at some point in his life, when he was just a youth, he realized He needed a
Savior. Why? Because he was a sinner and sin separates us from God. Until a
person understands that sin has offended a holy God and has brought God’s
judgment on them, they will not understand they need a Savior. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">But \knowing we are sinners, and
who can deny that? We find out we can have peace with God, through the Lord
Jesus Christ.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Jesus volunteered to come and
take our punishment!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">God had people sacrifice bulls
and goats in the Old Testament times as a sacrifice for sins. But it really
didn’t pay the price. The Blood of bulls and goats could not take away sin!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">But in the fullness of time,
Jesus came. Jesus said, I will be the perfect Lamb of God. I will fulfill the
law and therefor qualify to be the Lamb who CAN take away your sins.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">So Jesus gave the first Gospel
Invitation. He said: Come unto me, all who labor and are heavy laden, And I
will give you rest!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">What kind of labor was he talking
about? Having a job? Earning a living? No. He was talking about the labor of
trying to get into God’s heaven by doing good works!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Jesus just said, “Come to me.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Have you come to Christ? Do you
KNOW that you know that you know that your sins are forgiven? How can you go on
another minute without knowing?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Come to Christ Now!</span></div>
<br />
<br />
<o:p></o:p>Clark Dunlaphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06887033027838106600noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6085936578987398813.post-17075077512316507112014-04-12T14:11:00.000-07:002014-04-12T14:11:04.531-07:007 Reasons Jesus Came to Earth - The First Time<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 19px; line-height: 21.466665267944336px;"><b>Why Jesus came the 1st time:</b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 19px; line-height: 21.466665267944336px;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 19px; line-height: 21.466665267944336px;"><b>1. To Rule His People</b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 19px; line-height: 21.466665267944336px;"> Mat_2:6 And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 19px; line-height: 21.466665267944336px;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-size: 19px; line-height: 21.466665267944336px;">2. </span><span style="font-size: 19px; line-height: 21.466665267944336px;">To Fulfill the Law and do His Father’s will</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 19px; line-height: 21.466665267944336px;"> Mat_5:17 Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. Joh_6:38 For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 19px; line-height: 21.466665267944336px;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 19px; line-height: 21.466665267944336px;"><b>3. Not for the righteous but to call sinners to repent, to seek & save the lost</b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 19px; line-height: 21.466665267944336px;"> Mat 9:13 But go ye and learn what that means, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. Mat 18:11 For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost. Luk 19:10 For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost. Luk 9:56 For the Son of man is not come to destroy men's lives, but to save them. Joh 12:47 And if any man hear my words, and believe not, I judge him not: for I came not to judge the world, but to save the world. Mar 2:17 When Jesus heard it, he said to them, They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. Luk 5:32 I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 19px; line-height: 21.466665267944336px;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 19px; line-height: 21.466665267944336px;"><b>4. To bring division, not peace, between those who believe and reject</b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 19px; line-height: 21.466665267944336px;"> </span><span style="font-size: 19px; line-height: 21.466665267944336px;">Mat_10:34 Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword. Mat 10: 35 For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law. Luk_12:51 Suppose ye that I am come to give peace on earth? I tell you, Nay; but rather division: Luk_12:49 I am come to send fire on the earth; and what will I, if it be already kindled? Joh_9:39 And Jesus said, For judgment I am come into this world, that they which see not might see; and that they which see might be made blind.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 19px; line-height: 21.466665267944336px;"><b>5. To preach the good news and be a light</b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 19px; line-height: 21.466665267944336px;"> Mar 1:38 And he said unto them, Let us go into the next towns that I may preach there also: for there-fore came I forth. Luk 8:1 And it came to pass afterward, that he went throughout every city and village, preaching and showing the glad tidings of the kingdom of God… John 18:37, "Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou a king then? Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice." Joh 12:46 I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 19px; line-height: 21.466665267944336px;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 19px; line-height: 21.466665267944336px;"><b>6. To give abundant life</b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 19px; line-height: 21.466665267944336px;"> Joh 10:10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 19px; line-height: 21.466665267944336px;"><b>7. To give His life as a ransom and die on the cross</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 19px; line-height: 21.466665267944336px;"> Mat_20:28 Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many. Mar_10:45 For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many. Joh_12:27 Now is my soul troubled; and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour: but for this cause came I unto this hour. (Arrest and crucifixion)</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 19px; line-height: 21.466665267944336px;">All of these point to the ultimate purpose, the cross. He came to proclaim the good news, be a light, and give life abundant to those who would believe. He came in total obedience to give His life as a ransom. That means he paid a price. To whom? Not to Satan. He owed Satan nothing. All Satan claimed to have he got as a usurper. No, Jesus came to expiate and propitiate. Expiate means to remove sins and Propitiate means to satisfy the wrath of God. That is the One to whom He paid the price. God the Son, satisfying God the Father. God the Father so loved the world that He sent God the Son. God the Son so loved the Father that He came and died and when all things were accomplished (Jn 19:28), He stated "<i>tetelestai</i>." (JN 19:30) The purpose is accomplished, it is finished, the goal is achieved! </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 19px; line-height: 21.466665267944336px;">And He came to rule His people. And He shall reign forever and ever.</span></div>
Clark Dunlaphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06887033027838106600noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6085936578987398813.post-23702500943472441262014-03-18T09:38:00.001-07:002014-03-18T09:45:42.661-07:00Rethinking Atonement in Dangerous Ways<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #cd7e01; font-weight: normal; line-height: 1.25em; margin: 0px 0px 15px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
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<span style="line-height: 24px;"><span style="color: white; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">All through church history there have been various understandings of the sacrificial death of Jesus Christ, both within the church and without. But for many centuries, many scholars who hold a a high view of scripture have accepted the Bible's teachings on the more legal aspect of the death of God's Lamb as one that satisfies the Holy Wrath of God. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small; line-height: 24px;">This has at times been painted as a harsh view of an unloving God. This criticism isn't new. God was seen as harsh in the garden for not allowing Adam and Eve to eat of every tree. To withhold even one good thing from his people was cruel. And then when they did that One Thing, God drove them from the Garden and made them work and put warrior angels guarding the Garden... What a violent God!! </span><span style="font-size: small; line-height: 24px;">You might notice my sarcasm here. I think it is incredibly arrogant of humankind to judge God's actions, motives, or outcome. Of course, some would say they are not judging God but those who wrote about him so carelessly. They were so steeped in their cultural milieu they could not possibly write the truth. Now in our enlightened age we can sift through the Holy Writ and decipher for ourselves what is to our liking as progressive, educated, truly compassionate human beings; and thereby derive what God should be.</span><span style="font-size: small; line-height: 24px;">Hence this article from Pastor Chuck Queen. (This is only a snippet.)</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Rethinking the atonement</span></h2>
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<em style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">By Chuck Queen </em>Is it possible to understand the saving significance of Jesus’ death in credible, holistic and transformative ways?</div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.5em;">Anselm of Canterbury (1033-1109) was the first to expound the theory that Jesus’ death was necessary for the satisfaction of God’s honor. This evolved into the theory of penal substitutionary atonement, perhaps most elaborately developed by Princeton theologian Charles Hodge (1797-1878).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.5em;">This theory became so popular in Western Christianity that it came to be equated with “the gospel” preached in the Great Awakening, and in more recent times by renowned evangelist Billy Graham.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.5em;">Today, a growing number of evangelical and progressive Christians are questioning the truthfulness and viability of this theory. Why is this so?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.5em;">Two reasons are most often given by interpreters. First, it is suggested that this theory of the atonement makes God look small and petty. What kind of God requires the violent death of an innocent victim? And if God demands a violent atonement, then violence must in some sense be redemptive, which a growing number of Christians believe contradicts the good news of God’s nonviolent rule that Jesus proclaimed and embodied.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.5em;">It is argued that at its worst, substitutionary atonement makes God guilty of cosmic child abuse; at its best, it lacks coherence and common sense. Even Trinitarian formulations that emphasize the union between Father and Son cannot erase the fact that in all versions of substitutionary atonement the bottom line is that God must save us from God.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.5em;">Another reason this theory is being questioned today is because it reinforces the unhealthy notion that salvation is simply a legal, juridical transaction between the believer and God. According to most versions of substitutionary atonement, our guilt is imputed to Jesus, and his righteousness is imputed to us. As such, it does nothing to nurture authentic conversion and discipleship to Jesus.</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.5em;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.5em;">So how might we understand the saving significance of Jesus’ death in more credible, holistic and transformative ways?</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.5em;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.5em;">Read the rest here: http://www.abpnews.com/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=28460&Itemid=100200#.Uyhv-PldWSp</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14px;"> </span> I fear for the salvation of one who does not believe that Jesus paid the sin debt with his death. And for one who assumes, that he must be more loving and caring than God if in fact that is the case. What you are not is HOLY as God. And while I am very aware of the varied past of baptist believers, not just the last 40 years but 400, I am saddened that a Baptist, right here in the American South, would deny this aspect of redemption. Explore other concepts concerning the redemptive death of Christ? Certainly. Attribute Biblical thought strictly to an Anselmic 'straw-man' and then debunk it? Tragic.</div>
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"Violence must in some sense be redemptive." What a logical leap. Death is redemptive given the precise parameters and setting. But, hey lets call it 'violence' and so play on the popular horror of all things violent. (Maybe we can work in Columbine and Sandy Hook.)<br />
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"...it reinforces the unhealthy notion that salvation is simply a legal..." No it doesn't. One aspect of it is legal. Its not complicated, its varied and nuanced. There is plenty in the gospel story about the relationship, the oneness, the indwelling empowerment aspects of redemption. To see that an Old Testament model was fulfilled in the redemptive death of Christ, that propitiated, is a belief pre-Anselm.</div>
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There are other quotes I could deal with but I'll let you readers discover other faulty assumptions from his article.</div>
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If my reply takes on a bit of 'personal' flavor that is because Mr. Queen is leading people who claim to be believers in Christ, and I trust they are, but leading them away from the Jesus of scripture and I find that reprehensible. Even with all his compassionate and erudite language, rejection of the salvific death and payment of debt owed to God for sin is a tragedy.</div>
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The Bottom-line is, "God must save us from God." Who else possibly could? He is God, we are not. There is no merely human champion who can argue in God's court, fight in God's arena, out-compassion God in a situation where compassion would be the game changing attribute. Unless he is the human born, divine Son of God. Who is every bit as Holy and Loving as the Father who loved the world so much that He sent Him to die... In, Our, Place.</div>
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Clark Dunlap is pastor of First Baptist Smithfield, North Richland Hills, Tx. An Historic Southern Baptist Church. And Author of <i>The Faith Once Delivered to the Saints; Don't Just Survive, Thrive (An Exposition of 1st Peter)</i>, and other books available at Lulu.com.</div>
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<span style="color: #221e1f; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; line-height: 21px;">Chuck Queen is pastor of Immanuel Baptist Church in Frankfort, Ky., and author of </span><a href="http://nurturingfaith.info/being-a-progressive-christian/" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #cd7e01; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; line-height: 21px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank"><em style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Being a Progressive Christian (is not) for Dummies (nor for know-it-alls): An Evolution of Faith</em></a><span style="color: #221e1f; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; line-height: 21px;">.</span></div>
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Clark Dunlaphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06887033027838106600noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6085936578987398813.post-18670171960115164482014-03-14T13:00:00.000-07:002014-03-14T13:00:35.641-07:00So, Why Isn't the Church Reaching my Unsaved Friends?<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-QXiWgYHBYvo/UyNeqLJBwhI/AAAAAAAABik/y5qG2heCSv8/s1600/young-people.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-QXiWgYHBYvo/UyNeqLJBwhI/AAAAAAAABik/y5qG2heCSv8/s1600/young-people.jpg" height="132" width="200" /></a>Today I read a guest blog at http://www.ronedmondson.com/2014/03/<b>why-the-church-isnt-reaching-my-unchurched-friends</b>.html. It was a good, heartfelt, and pointed article. Right on target
in many ways. For example, "Fake" IS a real problem. Has been a real
problem for 2000 years. But we still need to address it and seek to change it.
She admitted that some of the problem was her 'college age' attitude. When I
was in college, I found a church (1972) but didn't fit in at all with the
campus ministries. (It was more me than them.) And, she admits, the problem is
people, both the churched and the unhurched, not how it looks or what it sounds
like.</div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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But I guess I have some questions:<o:p></o:p></div>
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How do you know, from visiting on Sundays whether the people
you see aren't the same Monday thru Saturday? <o:p></o:p></div>
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When you said, "We want to ask questions. Voice our
doubts. Explain our struggles. Confess our sins. Confide our fears." I
thought, So? Aren't there small groups for that? If you can't talk in their home
groups and/or Sunday School groups, there are plenty of churches where you can.
<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-M3_0gkFLCgo/UyNepfekv7I/AAAAAAAABiM/YNA2XcXS45Q/s1600/soccer-ball.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-M3_0gkFLCgo/UyNepfekv7I/AAAAAAAABiM/YNA2XcXS45Q/s1600/soccer-ball.gif" /></a>And doing stuff? Do none of these churches have outreach or
service oriented activities? I bet some do. <o:p></o:p></div>
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May I suggest a different reason your friends aren't doing
church or the church isn't reaching them? <o:p></o:p></div>
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Are you ready? <o:p></o:p></div>
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You aren't reaching them. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Before they are ready for church, they need to be reached by
you. And me. And every believer reading this. <o:p></o:p></div>
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The problem is not FAKE. The Problem is LOST. Or for some it
is is BACKSLID. (Old fashioned, I know, but I gotta be me. Authentic and all
that.) <o:p></o:p></div>
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"There is none that seeketh after God." We must be
the vessels God uses to pursue them. <o:p></o:p></div>
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And God does pursue. But He is not anxious, worried, or
wringing His hands. In fact, this is the God they don't seek: Rom 1:18 "the
wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and
unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; 19 Because that
which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto
them. 20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are
clearly seen, ... even his eternal power and Godhead; so they are without
excuse: <o:p></o:p></div>
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21 Because, ...they glorified him not as God, neither were
thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was
darkened. 22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, 23 And
changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to
corruptible man, and birds, and beasts, and creeping things. 24 Wherefore God
also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to
dishonour their own bodies between themselves:"<o:p></o:p></div>
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That was me, before Christ. I imagine it was you too, even
if it was a 5 year old version of all that. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Part of the problem with the message of the church now is
that we are less willing to speak the truth in love. (Sometimes we do speak it and the world screams "you intolerant bunch of haters." Guess
what, Jesus told us that would happen.) <o:p></o:p></div>
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The truth includes: there are "lost" people.
Sinners, objects of God's wrath. There is such a thing as sin. It is wrong. God
hates it. You can say you don't care what God thinks but you will answer to Him
someday. <o:p></o:p></div>
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But, and this is the glorious truth, God so loved He sent
His Son. And by turning from sin and selfishness, and surrender to Jesus Chris
we may be saved. We may be indwelled by God Almighty Himself. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Then, it doesn't matter how old the songs are, how the
minister's dress, what color the carpet is, how "real" people may
seem to you. You want to praise God for what He has done. If He says, don't
forsake fellow-shipping with the Saints, you want to do what He says. When He
says, let your light so shine that people may see your good works and glorify
God in Heaven, then you want to work for Him. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Its amazing what a saved perspective can do for you.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7ONaNlZmGi0/UyNepTZgd1I/AAAAAAAABiY/VYDSRTBs9sY/s1600/meme+wonka.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7ONaNlZmGi0/UyNepTZgd1I/AAAAAAAABiY/VYDSRTBs9sY/s1600/meme+wonka.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a>Then a few other things were posted about how 'authentic today's generation is and how put upon the millennials are etc. </div>
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So I posted this:</div>
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I guess I have a problem seeing the Millenials, Xers etc. as
more 'authenic' oriented or more 'put upon' and criticized than my generation.
Yes I'm at the tail end of the boomers. But, narrowing it down to my High
school college years. We are the ones who faced the military 'face to face'
over Viet Nam. Were shot at at Kent State. Ushered in free love and (gasp)
psychedlic rock. Drug use skyrocketed with my generation. We led a rebellion
and nobody even noticed! <o:p></o:p></div>
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We thought we INVENTED the whole idea that we wanted to get
away from the fake stuff of our parent's generation and get real. In fact I
think we coined the phrase "Get real." But then I realised, Every Generation wants authenticity! Nobody ever said, We're gonna be more fake and phony than our parents. As we get older, we may forget our ideals, but we didn't start out that way.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-T5lv43RQarg/UyNepp8Rf_I/AAAAAAAABiQ/GQLBoFfU5hA/s1600/nuclear.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-T5lv43RQarg/UyNepp8Rf_I/AAAAAAAABiQ/GQLBoFfU5hA/s1600/nuclear.jpg" height="103" width="200" /></a> So why aren't we reaching the millenials 'as a church.'? Because that's never been how we reached people. The people saved at large 'church events' without having had an individual planting the seed, are not the majority of the rank and file members of the Church Triumphant (in heaven) or the Church Militant (still here). Its made up of people who knew a believer, and were evangelised. Maybe they didn't become a Christian when they first heard, but the seed was planted and watered and some blessed soul got to reap the harvest.</div>
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Faking it and inauthenticity has been a problem forever. As
believers we DO need to address it. But acting like it's new or the 16 year
olds of the world invented it is really ridiculous. We should Be real to
people. And allow people to Be Real to us and still love and accept them. But
we also need to Be Real before God and not try to massage His word into
something acceptable to the wicked human heart.<o:p></o:p></div>
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The Gospel is offensive because it calls people Sinners. And even Authentic Millenials can recoil at the horrid thought that maybe they aren't as special and precious as our schools told them they were. Everyday. Ad Nauseum.</div>
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Clark Dunlaphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06887033027838106600noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6085936578987398813.post-11338051734735374842013-12-16T16:23:00.001-08:002013-12-16T16:35:58.382-08:00What's Your Best Method?I heard a story about a person criticizing a preacher years ago for his method of evangelism. When the preacher asked what style of evangelism they used the person was left stammering for an answer. Then the preacher said, "I prefer my style of doing evangelism to your style of not doing evangelism."<br />
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-24xR8Tc1nn0/Uq-QnMZxLII/AAAAAAAABe8/ABnrp3vbVgw/s1600/door-to-door2.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="145" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-24xR8Tc1nn0/Uq-QnMZxLII/AAAAAAAABe8/ABnrp3vbVgw/s200/door-to-door2.gif" width="200" /></a>So, what is your style of evangelism? Kinda forces you to choose after reading that story doesn't it?<br />
But seriously, what's your preferred approach? We know that we are to make disciples and preach the gospel "as we go." So how would you prefer? A door to door style hit and run expression of the gospel? A soapbox on a busy urban corner? Leaving a gospel tract on a plane or in a restaurant? Or maybe you just want to talk to children in Sunday School, or folks at a rescue mission. So what is it?<br />
It has been suggested for sometime that "Friendship Evangelism" is a more effective method. To do this though, you have to be a genuine friend. Not just a surface friend by asking "key" questions suggested by EE or FAITH evangelism programs. But the kind of friendship that earns the right to say something to someone when they are going through tough times. The kind of friendship that earns the right to be heard on weightier matters than what's the score of the game or what's happening on your favorite TV show.<br />
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2Xi7_ptHyl4/Uq-SBtJdbNI/AAAAAAAABfI/MJzk83fSOW4/s1600/sower+and+the+seed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2Xi7_ptHyl4/Uq-SBtJdbNI/AAAAAAAABfI/MJzk83fSOW4/s200/sower+and+the+seed.jpg" width="182" /></a>In fact one of the complaints I've heard from students of evangelistic programs is that they seem to suggest a utilitarian friendship, one that is friendly for a purpose. The purpose is noble, even great, to share the gospel. But people don't like to be 'utilized.' By used car salesmen or evangelists. It is no wonder that <a href="http://sbcvoices.com/postmodern-evangelism/">post-moderns view truth-claims as a method to control or abuse.</a><br />
Now, I always think sincerity trumps a utilitarian approach to anything. (Unless maybe you're an executioner.) And the idea of making friendships to be a genuine friend and perhaps have an opportunity to share the gospel at the right time is right.<br />
But, does it take God time? Is sincere friendship the power of God unto salvation? Well I think most would agree that both of these answers are "no."<br />
That being said it does appear, as in my life, God does 'take' time to pursue and reveal Himself, and to bring about regeneration and salvation thru the communication of the gospel.<br />
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EMsN1KXj1jA/Uq-UehobgGI/AAAAAAAABfQ/3g8Oa946dzE/s1600/friends+work.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="132" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EMsN1KXj1jA/Uq-UehobgGI/AAAAAAAABfQ/3g8Oa946dzE/s200/friends+work.jpg" width="200" /></a>How do we account for the effectiveness of friend sharing the gospel with a friend as opposed to a more confrontational style? I'm not sure I know the answer to this. But I suspect it may have something to do with the truth being communicated in love. God does seem to use the love of a caring friend. THis is not to say evangelists from Billy Graham to Whitefield didn't love the masses that gathered to hear them. I believe they loved the Lord and He gave them a love for the lost.<br />
Still, when you get to know someone and love them, even if they're difficult to love, it may be akin to preparing the soil for the seed.<br />
The problem with friendship evangelism is that almost any other kind is easier.<br />
Did Jesus call us to the easiest methods of sharing the gospel and making disciples?<br />
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<br />Clark Dunlaphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06887033027838106600noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6085936578987398813.post-56920980320194090682013-11-22T13:27:00.002-08:002013-11-27T12:01:35.484-08:00JFK and CSL Made Their MarksI remember that my parents did not vote for him. When I heard he had been shot I was only 9 years old and unsure how to respond. The general tone of my school was one of sadness and reflection. I didn't know how to feel. It was sad that a man had been shot. It was sad that so many people I knew were sad. But my parents really thought JFK was not good for America. So was it good he was gone? I didn't know.<br />
I also don't remember knowing he was a Catholic. Maybe I did. I don't remember knowing what any of our president's denomination was until JC, Jimmy Carter came along. He was a Baptist. That was nice I guess.<br />
But on this 50th anniversary of the assassination of JFK people are remembering its the 50th for other men as well. One writer looks at the proximity in death of Kennedy, Lewis and Huxley here: <a href="http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/comment/eclipsed-in-death-we-remember-jfk-but-what-about-aldous-huxley-or-cs-lewis-8957192.html">http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/comment/eclipsed-in-death-we-remember-jfk-but-what-about-aldous-huxley-or-cs-lewis-8957192.html</a>. Ed Stetzer writes of the greater impact of Lewis here: <a href="http://www.christianitytoday.com/edstetzer/2013/november/narnia-and-camelot-tribute-to-cs-lewis.html">http://www.christianitytoday.com/edstetzer/2013/november/narnia-and-camelot-tribute-to-cs-lewis.html</a><br />
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I remember browsing through a tiny bookstore at a Catholic Monastery near Pecos, NM. It was just a few miles down the road from Glorieta Baptist Encampment. I was close to my 19th birthday when I discovered these books. These Chronicles of Narnia. And the Perelandra trilogy. I hadn't seen these at the much larger Baptist Bookstore at the Camp, so I wondered... are these Catholic? Are they contraband? To be fair, I hand't been looking for these books, but I stumbled across them at a Benedictine Monastery of all things.<br />
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0owilbVaxOo/Uo_Luhzk1pI/AAAAAAAABeE/xAypftZXkNg/s1600/the-great-divorce-2-thumb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0owilbVaxOo/Uo_Luhzk1pI/AAAAAAAABeE/xAypftZXkNg/s200/the-great-divorce-2-thumb.jpg" width="126" /></a>Later I found out this was one of the least "Catholic" monasteries around.<br />
It was 1973 and I couldn't read them fast enough. CSL, Clive Staples Lewis, had been dead some 10 years now. He died the day JFK did. I was sad there would be no more tales like Narnia. That Summer I tried to wrap my brain around The Problem of Pain and the Great Divorce etc. They were hard, and profound, and I wanted to 'get' what he was saying. I had only been a Christian a year at this time, though raised with the Bible stories and the gospel being preached. I didn't 'get it' till I was almost 18 and now I was trying real hard to 'keep it.' It would be sometime before I understood He was "Keeping" me!<br />
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-M0_kEweAfAM/Uo_ME__w_6I/AAAAAAAABeM/TJFTcopEszk/s1600/CSL+last+battle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-M0_kEweAfAM/Uo_ME__w_6I/AAAAAAAABeM/TJFTcopEszk/s200/CSL+last+battle.jpg" width="115" /></a> Can I say, my life has been much more influenced by CSL than JFK? The stories of Narnia were life like in my mind and as I read them a few years later to my little girls. The concept Lewis dealt with in His other works caused me to think more deeply about things than I ever had.<br />
JFK was a smart man, a proud veteran, and a fairly centrist democrat. I think he would have been re-elected and become one of those presidents who goes on to be a statesman. But I don't know that he would ever have had the long term effect on folks that Lewis did. Because Lewis' effect's touch the eternal. And he taught us that Aslan is no tame Lion.Clark Dunlaphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06887033027838106600noreply@blogger.com0