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.

CBR 7.13.2010

Church History in One Sentence (Maybe More Than Just One Sentence (Probably not Less)):  Thomas Kelley born today in 1769.  He was Ireland's Hymnal Writer.  

1. Praise the Savior, ye who know Him!
   Who can tell how much we owe Him?
   Gladly let us render to Him
     All we are and have.
2. Jesus is the name that charms us;
   He for conflicts fits and arms us;
   Nothing moves and nothing harms us
     When we trust in Him.
3. Trust in Him, ye saints, forever;
   He is faithful, changing never;
   Neither force nor guile can sever
     Those He loves from Him.
4. Keep us, Lord, oh, keep us cleaving
   To Thyself and still believing,
   Till the hour of Thy receiving
     The victorious Bride.
5. Then we shall be where we would be;
   Then we shall be what we should be;
   Things which are not now, nor could be,
     Then shall be our own.

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 21
The priests, the high priests especially  are called to be holy, separate from the people, upholding the holiness that is the temple of God.  Thank God Christ came so that all types of people can partake in the blessing of the LORD.   Before only those who had no blemish could partake.     Christ was perfect so the Liberator, could make total intercessions on our behalf.   The high priest represented the holiness of God, so the Liberating King had to be without visible flaw.  Jesus flies in the face of tradition: "He may not exhibit the usual tokens of grief, and may not defile himself with any dead body, the exceptions made for the ordinary priest being definitely withdrawn."   


Interesting Note:  Eunuchs were barred from the Congregation.   But Jesus speaks in Matthew 19: ¹⁰The disciples said to him, "If this is the situation between a husband and wife, it is better not to marry."
 ¹¹Jesus replied, "Not everyone can accept this word, but only those to whom it has been given. ¹²For some are eunuchs because they were born that way; others were made that way by men; and others have renounced marriage^[c]because of the kingdom of heaven. The one who can accept this should accept it."
Acts 8:26-2926 Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, “Rise and go toward the south [1] to the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” This is a desert place. 27 And he rose and went. And there was an Ethiopian, a eunuch, a court official of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was in charge of all her treasure. He had come to Jerusalem to worship 28 and was returning, seated in his chariot, and he was reading the prophet Isaiah. 29 And the Spirit said to Philip, “Go over and join this chariot.”  (The Ethiopian Church was started by a Eunuch, some one way outside the moral boundaries of the Congregation in the OT).  

1.  Also how did a Eunuch receive a Torah portion when he could not be part of a church?
2. What is the story about the Torah section, how did it come into the hands of an Ethiopian Eunuch?
3. It is important that the priest, pastor, and others involved in God's church present the solution for sin, the adoption of God's children into the fabric of Christ.

1 Chronicles 11
This is a pivotal chapter, often used in Emergent Pastor's Sermons.  Here we find David becoming Sovreign Lord over his people.  The people are subjugating themselves to be his vassal.  Because David was chosen by God to be the Lord of his people his kingdom spread.  "David's success's are due not him but to God's favor and presence in his life."  (Notes from ESV Study Bible)  David at this point is still humble and is good to his men.   Description of the "A-Team"  David's men of Valor.  Uriah is listed in the men of valor.   "David reckoned his success, not as from the mighty men that were with him, but from the might God, whose presence is all in all." Matthew Henry 362
God will give as a good father gives, he will also discipline like a good father disciplines.  


Ezekiel 15
And the word of God... it has power alone to save us to call us back to him.  David's success was only due to his good will with God, other wise 8"And I will make the land desolate, because they have acted faithlessly, declares the LORD God."(ESV)     Like a Good father God is there to reward his children, and to punish them when they need redirection.


Colossians Introduction:
Setting: Small Community Small Church
Key Characters:   Epaphras founded the churches of Colossae, Hierapolis, and Laodicia,  He described to Paul the condition of his church in Colossae, which moved Paul to write a letter to this congregation.  
Paul : writer of the letter to the Church of Colossae.  
There is a lot here and I need time to digest it all, so here are some questions to guide my understanding:
Do we really know who we belong to?   Do we know how to keep our eyes on beautiful things in him?  Do we get that to mix anything with Christ is to pollute the Gospel?  How do we stay faithful in the tumult that the devil has us envision every day, especially on the television set and in our media saturation?    Interesting that the VOICE New Testament uses Everyone to describe who the mystery is for, while the ESV states the Saints.   But both are in agreement with the mission statement: "Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom that we may present everyone mature in Christ."  The Christian is to stand mature in an immature world.   


We are adopted sons of Christ Hallelujah  


Prayer: "LORD enable us to come to You, and seek to abide in you, and have your words abide in us all the time."  

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
7/17/2010	Psalm 85	Psalm 86	Psalm 87	Psalm 87