CBR 7.21.2010

John 1:14 
¹⁴ And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.


Leviticus 26
LORD never forsakes himself.   Our lives can be measure by the care we give to our gardens, when out of whack our gardens look terrible, strangled by weeds (flowers are choked off and die); but when our gardens are tended they look nourished.   "I will be their God and they will be my people." (2 Cor. 6:16)


I Chronicles 17
God does not guarantee that all our prayers will be answered in our desired time.   God knows more about his plan and his kingdom then we could possibly know; when our prayers go against the will of God they are turned aside.  God turns down David's vision of building God a house.    The LORD planned to build himself a house to glorify himself to the joy of Israel, but the time was not yet ripe. The time would be ripe when David had subdued all the nations, and then Solomon could build the temple.    (Acts 7:50) Did not my hands make all these things.  


Ezekiel 21
Your blood will be in the midst of the LAND.   That means that in our life times we can hope of being joyful in our struggles.  The new way is no longer in the way of worldly wisdom, so we must turn from our hope in rebuilding the temple in Jerusalem but to put our hope on being built up in Christ.  


1 Thessalonians 3
We will suffer afflictions.  Now is the time to repent and turn our hearts to the LORD Jesus with all his saints.  (VOM)

CBR 7-20-2010

Leviticus 25: The sabbatical and the year of Jubilee

There is even rest for the land. Christ redeems the land not only the people. The passage deals with property rights, and slave issues. The main point is that "It is for me (The LORD) the people of Israel are servants." Christ has chosen a remnant from all of the land to carry his banner to glorify God, and take joy in him forever.

*Related Passages Dt 31:10

 

1 Chronicles 16:4-43 : Our Historical Walk and Our New Hope

 

When times are tough this passage shall be a rock against the mighty wicked waves of the world. When I was in Saturday School (yes I was raised Jewish) we would stand in a circle and cry out as loud as we could. We were attempting to bring the walls of the Synagogue down. We sang joy of our God. We were told to seek his presence continually. God has a plan, and has a way to send someone ahead to make sure his plan endures.

Even when Dathon (Numbers 16:1-40) says critical things:

¹² Then Moses summoned Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab. But they said, "We will not come! ¹³ Isn't it enough that you have brought us up out of a land flowing with milk and honey to kill us in the desert? And now you also want to lord it over us? ¹⁴ Moreover, you haven't brought us into a land flowing with milk and honey or given us an inheritance of fields and vineyards. Will you gouge out the eyes of ^[a] these men? No, we will not come!"

We can turn to Christ who will redeem those crazy loonies that are louder than the quite Christians.

*Related Passages: Dt 31:10 Pss 105-106; Numbers 16:1-40 (Especially vs. 12-15)Rom 15:9) (Rev 22:4)

 

 

 

CBR 7.16.2010

Scripture Memory
John 1:12-13 
¹² But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, ¹³ who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.


Proverbs 28
Jesus came to fulfill the law not to abolish it.  The law protects man from living a life of Chaotic Destruction.   Prayer must be done that is aligned with God, if our prayers are not aligned with God's will, the prayer will not be answered.  We can find a loophole in almost any law, as we grow in Christ we will be enabled to live more and more Christian Lives.  


There are no shortcuts that are worth it, somewhere the short cut will send us down the chute.  


1 Chronicles 14&15
God will gather his remnant from afar.   We can easily say that we are faithful but what happens when the oxen stumble? David was so eager to bring the arc to his city that in his zeal a shortcut with a devastating effect was taken! He should have moved the arc like God had said, in Exodus 25:12-15.   But this method designed by God would have taken a lot more time.  Instead he put the arc on a donkey cart, the donkey stumbled, and one of his men reached out, then was dead because he had touched one of God's divine things.   Numbers 4:15


God's army is a beauty to me, thinking of angels lightly brushing the tops of trees on their way to destroy the enemies of God's Children is delightful.  


Ezekiel 17&18
LORD God will replant the nation of Israel, entwined as a light against the darkness that faces us in opposition.   God promises to dry up the green tree and make the dry tree flourish.  The LORD is our security. Repent now and know me again! How does one repent and live righteously without Christ's enduring sacrifice?


Colossians 4 
Ongoing process of renewal.  I liked the description by James Fergussan that sees the old self as an old man, and the new self as a young man.   

CBR 7.14.2010

Church History in One Sentence (Maybe More Than Just One Sentence (Definitely Not Less)): Mr. Keble preached the Assize Sermon in the University Pulpit. It was published under the title of 'National Apostasy"; and so began the Tractarian Movement in Oxford, 1833. 

Leviticus 21

The LORD like a good father protects his Children from poisonous things.    Need for Christ is shown in v. 19. 

Impressions: 

 It may have been sufficient if the lord merely did this but much more was done. 

I Chronicles 12

Lord to Vassels if then statement and covenant relationship shown here.  

v. 8  Our calling is not one of boredom, but one of adventure and true hearted obedience.   Shama Israel, "For your God (actually) helps you!"  He is not like the other Gods who stay far away and laugh heartily at our weak ways.  "For Your GOD HELPS YOU"  God helps us find Joy in Israel.

Impressions:  

Next year in Israel is always the end we (Jews)  finish our passover cedar.  Chronicles was written for those living away from Israel in  exile.  It gave hope that one day we may bring an army strong enough to conquer the world's evil ways.  We ask that next year the LORD deposits us on the banks of Israel.  

Ezekiel 16

We are whores and sell out to shinny things inside the world.  

Colossians 2 

We are knit together through the love of Christ, we should abound in Good News, in Thanksgiving,  Shadows lurked before Christ, Christ has now come,  and only Christ stops the indulgence of the world.

Prayer: "LORD enable us to come to You, and seek to abide in you, and have your words abide in us all the time. Endow us with your spirit to stand against the apostasy that threatens to send good men to hell"  Provide us with the material to be a man of valor who represents God Well.  Keep me from the evil ways of the world that may look good and shinny but are just wretched things that take me away from the LORD''s path.  Make me quick to recognize the things that sanctify and the things that do not.

7.12.2010 Community Bible Reading

Church History in One Sentence (Maybe More Than Just One Sentence): 
David Brainerd in 1739, was called by the holy spirit to be a missionary to Native Americans in the United States.  He would be the influence and hero of the missionary field for men like William Carey and Henry Martyn. His biography was written by Jonathan Edwards. 
He was a man who lived a lot of his life inward... at least thats what I get from listening to the second chapter.  But I liked how he talks about his relationship with God, I need to apply my walk with God to my scripture.   He also speaks plainly about praying daily, "Spent much of the day in prayer."   


Scripture Memory
John 1:12-13 
¹² But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, ¹³ who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.


Leviticus 20:  The LORD speaks to me today!  He gives me guidance through the holy spirit.   Like a good father he teaches us the right and wrong way to conduct ourselves in a worship based community.   Are children valuable here?  Or were they saying if you give even the smallest amount to other Gods, than you are to be cut off from the people?  A note on Nakedness, what is to be seen and what is not to be seen, it affects the heart to see certain things and other things are holy under God.  The LORD alone sanctifies us:   Scarlet Letter a Crimson A.   


 We are to be witness's to the world, this can be done in two ways:  One telling others that God loves them but then being disconnected from the way of Christ, or B.  Walk with God, smile on others, left others up, show the love that God has for us, onto others; prayers for others, show that God loves his Children in such a way that there is an abundance of strong love.  I choose B.  Faith alone saves, but the faith that saves is never alone.


1 Chronicles 10:
When our LORD dies, we die.   Saul fell on his sword and then the rest of his household fall on their swords.   We are to be drawn into the LORD, if our LORD is pronounced dead, then are we dead?  The reason given for Saul's death was that he did not turn to the LORD for guidance he turned to a medium.   Let us be careful to be sons of God and follow our father's advice.   In God we serve all in humility.   Our lord is glorified when we are weak, because his glory is shown by carrying us through.  


Ezekiel 14
Saul turned to the IDOL of "Worldly Wisdom", thus he was cut off from God.  
"the punishment of the prophet (true or false)* and the punishment of the inquirer shall be alike."   The LORD makes a proclamation here.   He states in summary that he alone will make the land profitable or desolate.  He will deliver some out of the land while destroying the rest. He will send the four acts of judgement:  sword, famine,  wild beast, and pestilence to cut off from it man and beast! He is proclaiming that he will not allow moral pollution to go wild like weeds.  We are here to glorify God alone.  


*one definition of prophet that I liked was: 
((dispenser of material sense before the conscious facts of Spiritual Truth) One who goes forward with an opinion with out first going to the Bible to seek clarity))


Philippians 4
Be real in your walk with God.   Focus on behavior that is matching to the role we are, "Sons of Our LORD through Adoption" .   This does not mean that we act the brat, rather we act like noble men who are ready to serve like our LORD served us.   We out of love show the embracing power that is JESUS CHRIST.  
We should also keep our minds on good thoughts and not corrupt them with things that are rotten, this makes me ponder if some of the books in my collection are corrupting influences?  If they are corrupting should I get rid of them?  Also it is difficult for me not to want the applause of men, this is one of my idols that I need to rid myself of today?!
Prayer:  

Today  I ask that God show me the idols of my heart, and that I repent of these IDOLS.  Today I seek you first and foremost LORD in establishing harmony in our household.  

7/10/2010	Psalm 82	Psalm 83	Psalm 84	Psalm 84
7/11/2010	Psalm 82	Psalm 83	Psalm 84	Psalm 84
7/12/2010	Leviticus 20	1 Chronicles 10	Ezekiel 14	Philippians 4
7/13/2010	Leviticus 21	1 Chronicles 11	Ezekiel 15	Colossians 1
7/14/2010	Leviticus 22	1 Chronicles 12	Ezekiel 16	Colossians 2
7/15/2010	Leviticus 23	1 Chronicles 13	Ezekiel 17	Colossians 3
7/16/2010	Proverbs 28	1 Chronicles 14	Ezekiel 18	Colossians 4

CBR 7.7.2010

 John 1:10-11 
¹⁰ He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. ¹¹ He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. 

Leviticus 18

It was necessary for Christ to shed his blood for the sins of his people.  However, when he did that his people were absent, except for a small remnant of true believers.  Yet we did do all of the things God warned us not to do.   We were a cursed nation and needed a way for total repentance.   We needed a clean start.  God has given us this clean salvation through the LORD Jesus Christ. The world did not know him, yet we went looking for answers to our feebleness in the world.   He came to his own and his own people did not receive him.   Why did the people not receive God?  Why did we continue to sin?   Why do we, as Christians, think that the Jewish people do not see a need for the Messiah?

 1 Chronicles 7

God fulfilled the promise made to the people of Abraham.   He pointed to the stars and said, your household will be as plentiful as these stars.  So many tribes, and so many fallen men.   We are responsible to teach the statues of God so we can proclaim the righteousness of God.  He had made a strong army for his (God's) purposes in his kingdom. (Your kingdom come, your will be done.)  Yet, they went their own way in the world.   They looked towards the livestock of the world as riches, not the richness that is/was promised in the LORD.  When was the first Bar Mitzvah?  When did they begin to learn to read the Torah?  If the Chosen people were prosperous why were they not thankful to God?

Ezekiel 11

We are called to put our trust in the LORD, yet we fail to do that.  We look to a fallen world to find blessings.   We look to a fallen world to find signs.  We look to fallen world to find reassurance.  Our faith alone makes us well.   He was in the world, but we were blinded by the bling bling bling.   We did not revere his ways, we whored against him.  He came to his own and we made a golden calf.  What about the holocaust?  Does God answer our need of reassurance here in Ezekiel 11:15b-17?  How did seeing ourselves as the chosen people keep us far from God? How does it still keep us far from God? * The word chosen here can go for any group that takes pride in being the ones with the gifted adoption,  I do not mean merely Jewish People.   

Philippians 1

Paul wrote this while in Prison.  They could lock up his physical body but they could not lock up his spirit or his ability to lead the church away from the body.   His faith was still strong in the building up of the body of believers, even when he has no signs except a cage of solitude.  This shows how God can use all people to save the people of Abraham.  The chosen tribes looked at the situation in the world as the sign of God's providence. They gave up because their faith was feeble. God was in the world for he created it.  But the signs of the times were bright shinny things that made man fall deep into despair.   However, he, the LORD never gave up on the people he created in his image.  

7/5/2010	Leviticus 16	1 Chronicles 5	Ezekiel 9	Ephesians 5
7/6/2010	Leviticus 17	1 Chronicles 6	Ezekiel 10	Ephesians 6
7/7/2010	Leviticus 18	1 Chronicles 7	Ezekiel 11	Philippians 1
7/8/2010	Leviticus 19	1 Chronicles 8	Ezekiel 12	Philippians 2
7/9/2010	Proverbs 27	1 Chronicles 9	Ezekiel 13	Philippians 3
7/10/2010	Psalm 82	Psalm 83	Psalm 84	Psalm 84
7/11/2010	Psalm 82	Psalm 83	Psalm 84	Psalm 84

CBR 7.6.2010

Leviticus 17
"The sin offering was given exclusively for God's people, not generally for all the world."  (Lawson)
Is Christ the book of life?
Excommunication discussed! One would be cut off from the tribe.  Cut off.  Cut off.  You will be left alone in the field outside of the tribe.
Leviticus 17:14 "You shall not eat the blood of any creature, for the life of every creature is its blood."
Matthew 26^28"This is my blood of the^[a] covenant, which is poured out for many (notice not all) for the forgiveness of sins." I Chronicles 6
yesterday, I was having trouble with the list of names.   I thought lets cut to the meat, come on now, what does this have to do with God's story.  Then I met with my wife and she helped me see the truth with much more clarity.  Husbands when stuck go to your wives they have a perspective that you may not have, and will give you insight into the scripture you could never obtain elsewhere.
It's about the family, and the promise made to Abraham. Community is built properly within God.  God's will is what drives history.  The temple told of here.  Where the Ark of the covenant was to rest.   Shows the family of Levi who were to keep the temple as priests.  High priests came from the tribe of Aaron.  Cities of refuge mentioned, some I have heard before: Kedesh, Galilee, Golan, Tabor, Jericho.
Ezekiel 10
God will give his people every opportunity to repent and become one with him; however if they do not repent they will slowly be outside of God's presence.   Let us repent of our sinful ways, and our sinful attitudes daily, in prayer and supplication.  God is always in the midst of his people, but he can not be part of our sinful nature, for God is fully good and can not be amongst evil for that would be against his divine and holy nature. Forgive me for being unfocused but I was having a musical flash forward to the Moody Blues Knights in White Satin;

Nights in white satin, never reaching the end,

Letters I've written, never meaning to send.

Beauty I'd always missed with these eyes before.

Just what the truth is, I can't say anymore.

'Cos I love you, yes I love you, oh how I love you.

Gazing at people, some hand in hand,

Just what I'm going through they can't understand.

Some try to tell me, thoughts they cannot defend,

Just what you want to be, you will be in the end.

And I love you, yes I love you,

Oh how I love you, oh how I love you.

Nights in white satin, never reaching the end,

Letters I've written, never meaning to send.

Beauty I've always missed, with these eyes before.

Just what the truth is, I can't say anymore.

'Cos I love you, yes I love you,

Oh how I love you, oh how I love you.

'Cos I love you, yes I love you,

Oh how I love you, oh how I love you.

Breath deep 

The gathering gloom

Watch lights fade 

From every room

Bedsitter people 

Look back and lament

Another day's useless 

penny is spent

Impassioned lovers

Wrestle as one 

Lonely man cries for love

And has none

New mother picks up 

And suckles her son

Senior citizens 

Wish they were young

Cold hearted orb

That rules the night

Removes the colours

From our sight

Red is gray and 

Yellow white

But we decide

Which is right 

And 

Which is an Illusion

Moody Blues: Knights in White Satin

- 

 Ephesians 6

The Message: "This is no afternoon athletic contest that we'll walk away from and forget about in a couple of hours. This is for keeps, a life or death fight to the finish against the Devil and all his angels." "Keep each other's spirits p so that non one falls behind or drops out."
This is not a competition but a group leaning toward Christ, one for all and all for one, their are no unimportant people in a church, each one of us carries an ability to strengthen the whole body.
I love the way Paul ends his letter.  The message does a good job of restating it in common terms, one can feel the warmth Paul attempts to send even though he is writing this from a prison cell.
"Goodbye, friends.  Love mixed with faith be yours from God the father and from the Master, Jesus Christ.  Pure grace and noting but grace be with all who love our Master, Jesus Christ."

CBR 7.5.2010

Leviticus 16
This chapter deals with Worship:  the holy temple and the way for atonement.
Worship shall be holy set apart from our everyday affairs.  Blood is the way of atonement to take away the transgressions, of all of their sins.   Special clothes and special places of worship.   We need to dress differently  for our day with the LORD?  Priests were to be atoned for.  (This command is celebrated in the holiday Yom Kippur.)
1 Chronicles 5 
I don't get this I Chronicles Thing, the list of names are killing me.  So my wife and I looked them up together.  
5:18-22 
"There may be many gaps in Samuel and Kings which Chronicles has not filled." (Eerdman's Commentary) 
Ezekiel 9
War and violence are part of God's story.  I will bring their deeds upon their heads, God said.   He will not forget or forgive his people lightly.  For they are a nation that should have stayed true in the covenant to God but did not.  
Ephesians 5
3 But sexual immorality and all impurity or covetousness must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints. 4 Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving. 
We husbands need to stay true to our words, for these words of truth will wash our wife with renewal.   Also if we say we are not going to smoke than don't for no reason smoke, if we say we are not going to drink than don't drink, for you are harming your wife in your ways.  Wives though should not try to oppress their husbands because they respect their husbands.  That way they are both free to love the LORD our GOD who brought us out of Israel.  




John 1:10-11 
¹⁰ He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. ¹¹ He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him.