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 7.19.2010

Memory Verse:
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 24:
(v 1-5)
There is a continual light before the LORD that light never goes out. The light glorifies our LORD, who is full of grace and truth.


 
 (v. 5-9)  
All God's required a sacrifice. But out LORD is different in that he requires a sacrifice of himself for the people he has created. He is enough to supply his own needs and those of his 12 tribes. Let us glorify in our glorious LIVING GOD.
Let us glorify that our God is not a terrible monster like the one described in the Apocryphal story of Bel and the Dragon. Also thank God that our people are not hungry like bad rulers, today markes Nero's reign of state sponsored terrorism. Our God requires our leaders to be under the LORDSHIP of our LORD JESUS Christ.

 
1 Timothy 3:2 ²Now the overseer (bishop) must be above reproach, the husband of but one wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, ³not given to drunkenness, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. ⁴He must manage his own family well and see that his children obey him with proper respect. ⁵(If anyone does not know how to manage his own family, how can he take care of God's church?) ⁶He must not be a recent convert, or he may become conceited and fall under the same judgment as the devil.


 
(V. 10-24)
Blaspheming the LORD is a serious offense to be carried out on young, old, strangers, insiders, Law of exact justice, not of revenge. Not private vengeance, but public justice. Also the members of the community prayed first before they conducted any of their business. They did not just act, but they sought the will of the LORD.

 
I Chronicles 15
David repented of his mistake and returned to God's way of conducting business. The whole tribe of Jerusalem celebrated.

 
Ezekiel 19 (Cartoons from kerrywaghorn.com)
V 1-9
Confidence outside of the LORD is no Confidence at all. Dark ways will be washed away by the glory of the Son and the Father, truth will shine.
V10-14
God desires men ready to follow his plans. A prowling lion will no longer be a terror in the land. Nations will capture the Lion in nets of righteousness. The Lion will lie in Babylonian dens as a rug to keep ones feet warm before the fire. Pride destroys nations. Had Zedekkiah submitted to the Babylonians, Jerusalem may have been saved. Had Jesus not died on the cross the promise of a New Jerusalem would not be assured.

 
1 Thessalonians 1 

 
All is well for we stand confirmed that Christ Works in you. You stand amongst Greek and Egyptian Idols, but still the Holy Spirit has put "steel in your convictions!"(The Message) Jesus will come again. Be servants and worshipers and Spread the gospel. Be servants through your love and a signal to others to repent from their Idols to a true God, before it is too late. There is grace and truth in our relationship with the LORD.

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

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