#apostle-paul — Public Fediverse posts

Christian men: Stop sleepwalking through mediocrity! Lessons from Apostle Paul 🔥—Damascus conversion, unbreakable contentment, finish the race strong. Surrender now or keep rotting. Read & repent! ⚔️ #ApostlePaul #ChristianMen #FinishTheRace

https://bdking71.wordpress.com/2026/03/22/lessons-from-the-life-of-apostle-paul-a-guide-for-modern-believers/?utm_source=mastodon&utm_medium=jetpack_social

We're celebrating the sixth anniversary of Steadfast (and thus @littlehillschurch) tonight. Please join Pastor Tim and the church family as we look at #1Timothy 1:17. https://youtube.com/live/_BG0pEsBGrw

#Christianity #ApostlePaul #Praise

Did the #ApostlePaul know about #JudasIscariot? The evidence suggests he didn't.

In #1Corinthians15, Paul says #Jesus appeared to "the Twelve" - but according to the #Gospels, #Judas was already dead. And that famous verse about Jesus being "betrayed"? The Greek word παραδίδωμι (paradidomi) doesn't actually mean betrayal.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uQfQVhzt9Jw

'Because of God, love wins': Gay priest gives powerful sermon about authenticity of LGBTQ love

https://web.brid.gy/r/https://www.upworthy.com/church-of-england-and-lgbtq

Per the #ApostlePaul’s letter 1 Corinthians 15:32 and #DaveMathewsBand after him:

“Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die.”

Long, but informative, especially about the Stanford connection. Evidence that cults still find fertile soil in California.
#PeterThiel #ApostlePaul #Revelation #rightwing #fear
https://www.wired.com/story/the-real-stakes-real-story-peter-thiels-antichrist-obsession/

Why Does #Paul Use So Many #Sports Metaphors?

#Jesus #Christianity #BibleStudy

Why does the #ApostlePaul talk so much about running races, boxing, and winning wreaths? In this episode, we explore Paul’s love of #athletic imagery—known as the #Agonmotif—and why it resonated so strongly in the #ancientworld. We’ll even see how early #Christians picked up on this theme—like the famous commemorative spoon that depicts Paul himself as an athlete

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OO7aKZn634M

✝️ Romans Series Intro - Part 2 - David Bercot
#Christianity #TheGospel #apostlePaul #NewTestament #Bible
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3l5vdJdnI1w

#CognitiveBiases in the #Bible (with Dr. Bart Ehrman)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YYfxczHZfgI&list=WL

"The authors of the #NewTestament experienced #cognitivebias like anyone else, and sometimes that shows in the text. Dr. Bart Ehrman joins me to discuss how #attributionbias, #fundamentalattributionerror, and #confirmationbias influenced the writings of the #apostlePaul, the Pastoral #epistles, the New Testament canon, and #biblical interpretation."

Cathedral of St Paul Wide Interior St Paul Minnesota

National Shrine of the Apostle Paul.

This is one of the most majestic pieces of architecture in Minnesota. The only places that can compare at all are The Minnesota State Capitol and St Mary's Basilica in Minneapolis.

https://fineartamerica.com/featured/cathedral-of-st-paul-wide-interior-st-paul-minnesota-wayne-moran.html

#Cathedral #architecture #StPaul #SaintPaul #Minnesota #NationalShrine #ApostlePaul #Paul #photography

#AYearForArt #buyintoArt #fineart #art #FillThatEmptyWall

The #ApostlePaul--Love or Hate Him-- Don't Miss This Interview with Robyn Faith Walsh!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W1ic2ZXnqVo
#bible #sundayschool #NT #churchhistory

Is the #NewTestament Actually Filled with #Forgeries?

https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5saWJzeW4uY29tLzQ0MTYxNS9yc3M/episode/ZTEzMzQyMjAtOWQzOC00ZjY3LTg0NWYtZDI0NWM3NjQ0NzA4?sa=X&ved=0CLkCEM-BB2oXChMIgPuoxO_hgwMVAAAAAB0AAAAAEAE

#christianity #gospels #apostlepaul #NT #apologetics #atheism #bartehrman #forgery #bible

THEY Rewrote the ENTIRE THING | #BartDEhrman

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IkYDi7pKCtE

#Bible #christianity #apostlePaul #BartEhrman #Myths #mythology #NT #biblical #BibleHistory #scribes #scholar #atheism

For the fourth Sunday of Advent, the second reading is on Romans 1:1-7. Watch YDS Profs. Harold Attridge and David Bartlett as they talk about Human Problem, Divine Solution in Romans at https://yalebiblestudy.org/courses/romans/lessons/big-human-problem-bigger-divine-solution-video/

#advent #biblestudy #romans #bible #theology #paul #apostlepaul

Prophecies over coming days

We can get pictures of what went on in the past by the many research papers, historical books and documentaries. Many empires have come and gone. Throughout the centuries many battles were fought. After World War I people even thought there would never come a war again.

Peace and progress?

What a shock the events of the 20th century turned out to be! The dream of progress and peace faded. Two terrible world wars, with millions of slain and untold damage and suffering, were followed by the development of the most frightfully destructive weapons ever invented. The varying solutions in which the “wise men” of the 19th century put their trust have all been exposed as false. More widespread education has not been followed by higher moral standards, but by a growth in dishonesty, greed, violence and crime. The Christian religion, far from converting the nations, is in decline all over the earth. Democracy in politics has not proved the magic cure for social evils that was expected. Finally – cruellest blow of all – science has proved a frighteningly double-edged weapon. Far from being an era of peace, this “civilised” age has become a time of strife and violence. No wonder the attitude of so many people is one of pessimistic resignation. There seems little any one can do.

Now what has Bible prophecy to say about all this?

It has a clear forecast of the “last days”, “the time of the end”, when the career of mankind in the earth will come to a critical point. It is not a picture of continuing progress and peace, but rather of world trouble and fear. The clearest and most striking example of this is found in what Jesus says to his disciples, when they asked him what would be the sign of his return to the earth and of “the end of the world”. He tells them first about the fate of the Jewish people:

“They (the Jews) shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles (the nations), until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled.” (Luke 21:24)

Now this is a brief description of what we have already considered in prophecy concerning Israel. The Jews were to be driven as captives into all nations; Jerusalem was to be subject to Gentile powers. Note that Jesus implies a limit to this:

“until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled”.

We have seen the beginning of this in our own days: Jerusalem is no longer dominated by “foreign” powers – it is under the control of Israel itself.

World distress and fear

So what he says next must also apply to the same days – the days of Israel’s restoration to their own land. This is what he foretells:

“And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; men’s hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after (for expectation of, R.V.) those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken.” (verses 25,26)

This is no picture of peace and progress. It is a world of distress and perplexity, of fear seizing men’s hearts as they contemplate the events taking place on “the inhabited earth” (as the word Jesus used literally means).

The Apostle Paul, writing about 35 years after the time of Jesus’ prophecy, has this to say about the character of the last days:

“In the last days there will come times of stress. For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, inhuman, implacable, slanderers, profligates, fierce, haters of good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, holding the form of religion but denying the power of it.” (2 Timothy 3:1-5, RSV)

This is an astonishing picture of a civilisation; mankind is throwing off all restraint and indulging its own desires, reckless of consequences. Its uncanny resemblance to the developments in our own world cannot be denied.

So this is the position: whereas the “wise men” of only 100 years ago were confidently anticipating an era of progress and peace for the nations of the world, the Bible, in the words of Jesus and Paul, was foretelling a world of distress, fear, and perplexity, an age of violence, self-indulgence and hatred. Our human philosophers were wrong; Jesus and Paul were right. But they spoke and wrote over 1,900 years ago! How could they have known? Only because neither of them spoke his own words, but the words of God Himself. It was God who knew, and inspired His Son and His apostle to reveal the character of the last days.

CONCLUSIONS

There are certain important conclusions to be drawn from our consideration of these Bible prophecies.

If the Bible has proved to be so right in its predictions about events in human history – the fates of Babylon, Egypt, and Israel, as well as the rise and fall of empires, and the state of the modern world – is it not just as likely to be right in its predictions of events which have not yet come to pass?

Take that image vision in Daniel, for instance. We have not so far commented upon the final development: the stone, “cut out of the mountain without hands”, smote the image on the feet, destroyed it, and then itself “became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth” (Daniel 2:35). Now the general sense of this is plain: a new element, not part of the image empires and kingdoms, destroys them and takes their place in the earth. And since “without hands” must mean “without human hands” the stone must represent no ordinary human power.

But Daniel tells us himself what it means:

“In the days of those kings (that is, the various kingdoms that followed the Roman Empire) shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed … it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever.” (verse 44)

The present governments and powers of the world are to be removed, in a sudden dramatic event, when God intervenes and sets up His own government. To avoid misunderstanding it should be said that it is not the populations of the earth who are to be destroyed: it is the power and authority of their human governments, to be replaced by the new kingdom of God. Many other prophecies tell us of the nature of this Kingdom; the uprightness of its rule, the truth of its teaching, and the peace it will at last bring to mankind through their recognition of “the God of heaven”. Read for instance Isaiah 2:1-4 for a clear and striking picture of the nations in that age to come.

But how exactly is this great change in the earth to be accomplished? The New Testament tells us. In fact Jesus himself tells us in that prophecy of times of trouble and fear for all nations. His next words are these:

“Then shall they see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.” (Luke 21:27)

He is saying that he will come back himself. The return of Christ to the earth is a frequent theme in the teachings of Jesus and the apostles in the New Testament. They agree completely with the prophets. Read Psalm 72 for a picture of his reign.

Now this surely is what should concern us: if the prophecies of the Bible about nations and empires have proved so true over a period of more than 2,000 years, are not those other things they predict also likely to come to pass? Is it not unreasonable to say:

“Well, I accept that the prophets were right in their predictions in these historical matters, but I can’t believe what they say about the future for us.”

Why not? They have given evidence that they were setting out not their own ideas, but the very purposes of God. Whatever else they say must surely claim from us all the most careful attention.

The vital element

But of course there is more. These remarkable prophecies are found in the Bible, and nowhere else in the world. There are no other writings, no other books, no other human pronouncements which can even begin to compare with the Bible. But the Bible tells us that Jesus was the Son of God; the things he said are preserved for us in the Gospels of the New Testament. Together with the teachings of his inspired apostles Peter, John and Paul, they reveal to us truths we cannot know otherwise. They warn us of the reality of death; they explain why the Gospel is “the good news”, “the power of God unto salvation” (Romans 1:16). They encourage us with the promise of a lasting life in the new order which Christ will establish when he comes. That is why we ought to be reading the Bible. It can make the vital difference to us between the hopelessness of death and the confident hope of everlasting life.

Careful reading of the Bible will convince us that God exists, that He is in control, and that He calls us to be disciples of His Son. The Bible is the book for us. We do well to pay attention to what it says.

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Preceding

God’s Self-Revelation

The Greatness of the eternal God

The real God

God as Father

Born of the Father

The Love of God

The Wrath of God

The New Testament and Judgement

To be prepared for the Day of Judgment

Living as a believer in Christ

A participation in the body of Christ

Do you believe what Christ’s Apostles taught?

Different wineskins

Bible Reading: is it worthwhile?

The importance of Reading the Scriptures

The Bible: is it contradictory?

One Bible, many Churches

The Development of Differences

Bible Teaching and Vital Doctrines to Discover

Examples of Living Faith

Avoiding friction and distraction in the body of Christ

A participation in the body of Christ

Brothers and sisters in Christ for you

The Christadelphians or “Brethren in Christ”

Video: Introducing the Christadelphian Community

Unlocking Bible Prophecy

Who has the power of prophecy?

Prophecy concerning Babylon and Israel

The most incredible feature of the prophecies

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Increase our zeal for the Holy scriptures

To be prepared and very well oiled

January’s issue of The Christadelphian

Memorizing wonderfully 20 Mountain and Kingdom of God

Next

The revival of Israel

Why is the nation of Israel being restored?

The Jews have fulfilled Bible Prophecy

Will There Ever be Peace on Earth?

Sign of the Times and the Last Days

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Additional reading

1. A look at On Science & Religion
2. Not about personal salvation but about a bigger Plan
3. God’s Plan, Purpose and teachings
4. Necessity of a revelation of creation 9 Searching the Scriptures
5. Messianic prophesies 2 Adversary – Root of the first prophecy
6. High time to show the way to peace
7. Devotees and spotters
8. Signs of the Last Days
9. Seeds and weeds for being the greatest nation
10. A New Reformation
11. Americans their stars, pretension, God, Allah and end of times signs #3 Cyberwars and prophesy
12. Need to reject an archaic, racist inspired interpretation of the Bible and animosity against other believers
13. Christians at War? Christians using violence?
14. Shariah and child abuse – Is there a connection?
15. The Rapture Wars
16. A Church without Faith!
17. Honest-hearted people are losing faith in humanity and humanity losing faith in God
18. Back from gone #4 Your inner feelings and actions
19. What I Hope For Is What You Hope For
20. Jesus … will come in the same way as you saw him go

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Related

1. On Expectations and Moral Standards
2. Where Does the Broader Society Get Its Standard for Correct Behavior?
3. “There Is Something Wrong”
4. Are we guilty? Self-definition & the matter of “right” and “wrong”.
5. He will show you a good standard of living! (Not as in where you live)
6. Nebuchadnezzar’s Metal Man
7. Nebuchadnezzar’s Dream

Rate this:

#19Century #20Century #ApostlePaul #Bible #BookOfDaniel #ChristianReligion #Crime #Dishonesty #Distress #DreamOfPeace #DreamOfProgress #Education #EndTime #EndTimes #EndTimeProphecies #Endtimes #FateOfBabylon #FateOfEgypt #FateOfIsrael #Greed #Jerusalem #LastDays #MoralStandardS_ #PresentAge #RestorationOfIsrael #RestorationOfJerusalem #ReturnOfChrist #Science #Sign #SignOfTheReturnOfChrist #SignsOfEndtimes #Strife #TimesOfTheGentiles #Violence #WorldWarI #WorldWarII #WorldWarS_

Living stones 4 Idols of wood and stone

Idols of wood and stone – warning from the law

When the children of Israel were led forth from Egypt, they left behind a land absolutely full of idols. Those who are said to know tell us that the Egyptians worshipped around 2,000 different gods. The Israelites saw the great judgements of the Lord which had been poured out upon these pagan deities in the form of ten awesome plagues (Exodus 12:12). Logically speaking, therefore, we might expect that they would have realised that the gods of Egypt – indeed of all Gentile nations – were nothing. Having seen all that had been done for them in the period leading up to, and during, the exodus, the Israelites would surely worship the mighty one of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob alone. In case the point had been missed, the law given through Moses at Sinai forbad the making of, and bowing down to, idols of any kind. Time and again the same point was made:

“Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth …” (20:4)

Sadly, we know that Israel broke this very simple law with astonishing regularity. They were already in the habit of worshipping Egyptian idols even before the exodus (see Ezekiel 20:8). This practice continued in the wilderness, when the molten calf was made. Other images were carried through the desert (Acts 7:43). Once they entered the land, after an initial period of faithfulness under Joshua and the next generation (Judges 2:7), God’s people descended into idolatry once more. These actions went on virtually unchecked, until they were carried away captive, Israel into Assyria and Judah into Babylon. There they would be absolutely surrounded by idolatry! And what were many of these idols made of? Wood and … stone:

“And the LORD shall scatter thee among all people, from the one end of the earth even unto the other; and there thou shalt serve other gods, which neither thou nor thy fathers have known, even wood and stone.” (Deuteronomy 28:64)

So when the Gentiles made themselves stone idols and bowed before them, these lifeless items were alive in the minds of those who worshipped them. It was as though the stone, which was meant to be a small representation of the pagan deity in question, possessed life: a “living stone”. How tragic that Israel fell into this same trap and followed their Gentile neighbours.

These things are not written so we can feel superior, patting ourselves on the back that we have never bowed down to idols made of wood and stone as the faithless Israelites did. They are “written for our learning” (Romans 15:4; 1 Corinthians 10:11). If we fail to see the dangers of the things of this world which threaten us today, then we are no different from Israel in the wilderness. Though we may not actually bow down before idols, the Apostle Paul identifies covetousness as idolatry in Colossians 3:5. Can any of us honestly say that we do not, at times, covet some of the things of this world?

The nation in the wilderness had a rock which had life-giving properties – the one from which water flowed (Exodus 17:6,7). That rock, in symbol, “was Christ” (1 Corinthians 10:4). He is our source of strength. Only in him, by God’s grace, are we alive. Only if he is our foundation can we withstand the trials and tribulations of this life. Only in him can we grow, spiritually.

What a challenge this is then for us. As Jesus is a living and life-giving stone, we are called upon to emulate his example. We must possess the strength of a stone, while manifesting the hope of life which is ours to those in the world. As “lively stones” we will show to others the attributes of our Lord and Master, the true “living stone”.

• Jonathan Cope for the Christadelphian Magazine

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Preceding articles

Living stones 1 A lifeless and a lively stone

Living stones 2 Attributes

Living stones 3 Jacob and a “living stone”

Memorizing wonderfully 8 The commandments

Memorizing wonderfully 10 Keeping the commandments 2

Memorizing wonderfully 12 Choose life

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Additional reading

1. Bible sayings about God
2. Two states of existence before God
3. Man enticed to long for more
4. On the Edge of Believing
5. The Best Bedtime Stories
6. Commemorating the escape from slavery
7. Marriage of Jesus 8 Wife of Yahweh
8. It takes guts to leave the ruts
9. To Soar In The Spirit You Have To Be Hard Core
10. Only six of ten commandments of God still important to British Christians

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Related articles

1. Idol worship?
2. High recognitions . . . Idol worshipers
3. Chopping Down Idols
4. Deconstructing the God of the gaps
5. Idols
6. Falling Idols
7. Crucifying our idols
8. Idols, Idols, Everywhere…
9. Will Jesus forgive me?
10. No One Lives Without Faith
11. The Catholic mass: How a simple memorial became a pompous, elaborate ritual
12. The Ancient Origins of Modern Holidays
13. Polytheist vs. [Neo]Pagan
14. Idolatry (by Katherine – How my heart speaks)
15. Idolatry (by They were strangers)
16. My Religion is Rooted, Literally.
17. Thankfulness vs. Idolatry
18. Idolatry: A Subtly Profound Idea
19. The Idolatry of Man and the Grace of God
20. honestly, it’s idolatry
21. Workplace IdolatryAm I A Sinner?Preaching Idolatry
22. Guilty of IdolatryThe Church And What It Has Become
23. The Days Are Now
24. Unity in ChristMy Living Stone

Rate this:

#ApostlePaul #ChildrenOfIsrael #EgyptianIdols #Egyptians #GentileNations #Gentiles #GodOfAbraham #GravenImages #Idolatry #Idols #Israelites #JoshuaMosesAssistantHighPriest_ #LivingStone #LivingStones #PaganDeities #PlaguesOfEgypt #Rock #RockChrist #Stone #theLaw #Wood

Today’s thought “Death by being taken captive” (May 15)

Today’s thought

“Death by being taken captive”

(May 15)

In the previous posting we looked at a “death” and spoke about Saul of Tarsus seeing the stoning of apostle Stephen.

At the beginning of this contemporary time table, we find several people who were willing to face death by stoning, like Stephen, or in the arena or at the stake, by hanging or burning, after being humiliated in front of many. The process of bearing witness was not intended to lead to the death of the witness, although it is known from ancient writers (e.g. Josephus) and from the New Testament that witnesses often died for their testimonies.

For Christians there is the archetypal martyr Jesus Christ, who was killed for the words he said and for the position he was taking in. That Nazarene Jewish teacher was not willing to give in to human philosophy and preferred only to keep the the words of his heavenly Father, the Only One True God. He also did not mind to give his body for the sins of many. He had to suffer greatly because of his religious but also political beliefs, preaching understanding between all people, but also preaching a kingdom that would be governing all over the world. He became admired and respected by billions of people who came to share those beliefs.

Several people found the sayings of that curious man, who could deliver miracles, very interesting, and thought it worth following him. But as soon that it seemed they had to do certain things, “doing works” and could not participate any more in folk traditions,  they choose to go back to their old way of living, enjoying life like it was.

Also the convert Saul saw that many, who first wanted to follow the teaching of Christ Jesus, felt attracted by very tempting doctrines of certain preachers. This did not prevent Paul from warning them. He wrote in his letter to the Colossians

8 Beware lest there be anyone of you taken captive through philosophical tevunah (wisdom) and empty deceit according to the kabbalah (oral tradition) of mere Bnei Adam, according to the ikkarim (basic principles) of the Olam Hazeh and not according to Moshiach; (Kehillah in Colossae 2:8 Orthodox Jewish Bible)

Today we still see a lot of people who are taken captive by philosophic arguments and empty deceit according to human tradition.
When Jesus was alive, he too wondered why so many kept going against the command of God because of their tradition. All those people who were showing off how much they loved God, and how much they could give to the synagogue, were “undressed” by the words of Christ who showed others the importance of those who honour God in small things and sometimes unseen or at the site (out of the way). He watched all those play-actors and remembered them of the prophet Isaiah who had the right words for them in his prophecy, declaring their worship which they offered to be in vain, because they taught, as law, mere human precepts.

3 But Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach, in reply to them, said, Why [do] also you transgress the mitzvat Hashem for the sake of your own masoros?

4 For Hashem has said, KABED ES AVICHA VES IMMECHA (honor your father and your mother, Shemot 20:12; Devarim 5:16), and MKALEL AVIV VIMMO MOT YUMAT (the one cursing his father and mother to die he must die, Shemot 21:17; Vayikra 20:9).

5 But you say, Whoever says to his abba or his em, whatever support you might have had from me, [it is] a gift [i.e., korban, dedicated to G-d].

6 By no means does [anyone who says this] honor his abba or em. And you nullify the Dvar Hashem on account of your masoros.

7 You tzevuim, well did Yeshayah give a dvar hanevuah concerning you, saying,

8 YAAN KI NIGASH HAAM HAZEH BEFIV UVISHFATAV KI-BDUNI VLIBO RICHAK MIMENI VATEHI YIRATAM OTI MITZVAT ANASHIM MELUMADAH (This people with their lips honor me, but their heart is far away from me,

9 and in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the mitzvot of [mere] men, Yeshayah 29:13.) (Mattityahu 15:3-9 Orthodox Jewish Bible)

In Roman times many statues where made of gods and people loved kneeling down in front of statues. In later years many Christians also started doing such things, bowing down in front of statues, paintings and burning incense or candles in front of these graven images or on graves. They, like many today, have forgotten that creating things to observe and keep do not make us more righteous – indeed they have the opposite effect – they can make us self-righteous.

Lots of people seem to forget the many verses in the Bible  which emphasise how we should be careful how to honour people and to whom we only may offer worship. The infallible Word of God is very clear on that, that there may only be worshipped One God of gods.

Not man’s words should be cherished, but the Words of God. Man has even to set those Words on their hearts and they should not be a futile thing for us, because we should know that the words of man perish, but God’s Word always shall stay alive and shall be the giver of life.

Man should know that the Word of God is like a rock. It is also perfect and in all its ways right.  It is given by some One of Whom we may be sure that He is really true and faithful, good and honest.

4 He is the Tzur, His po’al is tamim; for all His ways are mishpat; El Emunah and without avel (iniquity), tzaddik and yashar is He. (Devarim 32:4 Orthodox Jewish Bible)

7 Remember the yemot olam, consider shenot dor v’dor: ask Avicha, and he will show thee; thy zekenim, and they will tell thee. (Devarim 32:7 Orthodox Jewish Bible)

We have the Book of books which tells us about the days of the past. We should think about what happened so long ago. If we do not know it we should ask our ancestors or our spiritual leaders, so that they will tell.

Today we face the many countries, because there had come division between the haughty ones who wanted to build a tower high in the sky to defy God. But from all those people God choose one particular nation as His People, the Nation of God.

8 When HaElyon divided to the Goyim their nachalah, when He separated the Bnei Adam, He set the gevulot (borders) of the people according to the number of the Bnei Yisroel.

9 For Hashem’s chelek is His people; Ya’akov is the chevel (allotment) of His nachalah.

10 He found him in an eretz midbar, and in a barren and howling wilderness; He encircled him, He granted him discernment, He preserved him as the pupil of His eye. (Devarim 32:8-10 Orthodox Jewish Bible)

But though they knew they where the chosen ones, they more than once angered God.

18 Of the Tzur that fathered thee thou art unmindful, and hast forgotten El that formed thee.

19 And when Hashem saw it, He spurned them, because of the provoking of His banim, and of His banot.

20 And He said, I will hide My face from them, I will see what their end shall be; for they are a very perverse generation, banim in whom is no faithfulness.

21 They have moved Me to jealousy with that which is lo El (not G-d), they have provoked Me to anger with their vanities; and I will move them to jealousy with those which are lo Am (a nonpeople); I will provoke them to anger with a goy naval (foolish, senseless nation) [Ro 10:19].

22 For an eish is kindled in Mine anger, and shall burn unto the lowest Sheol, and shall devour Eretz and her increase, and set on fire the foundations of harim.

23 I will heap disasters upon them; I will spend Mine khitzim (arrows) upon them.

24 They shall be burned with hunger, and devoured with burning heat, and with bitter destruction; I will also send the teeth of beasts upon them, with the venom of serpents of the aphar (dust).

25 The cherev without, and terror within, shall destroy both the bochur and the betulah, the suckling also with the man of gray hairs.

26 I said, I will dash them in pieces, I would make the remembrance of them to cease from among men;

27 Were it not that I feared the wrath of the enemy, lest their adversaries should misinterpret, and lest they should say, Our hand is triumphant, and Hashem hath not done all this.

28 For they are a goy (nation) void of sense, neither is there any seichel in them.

29 O that they were wise, that they had seichel, that they would consider their acharit (latter end, future)!

  (Devarim 32:18-29 Orthodox Jewish Bible)

Those living in the 21st century should recognise how those Chosen Ones suffered more than once and how even certain people tried to destroy them totally, not taking into account that God always would be with them. Even a Holocaust made them not perish from the earth. Death may have come over them but lots of them kept going strong and after many wars always found the way back to the Most High Elohim.

But the patience of God came to a point where the goyim also where called to become part of those God was willing to accept in His Kingdom. Though each of those non-Jews shall have to decide themselves if they want to be part of that Kingdom and step over the “death of this world”.

For the period where God shall make an end to the power of the adversary of God, Jehovah God has given the world His only begotten son, Jeshua (Jesus Christ) the authority to judge the living and the dead. People will have to know that when they die it is too late to make a choice. Before that time they shall have to have made up their mind. When in their lifetime they kept preferring to love all those saints, martyrs, and many gods, the Only One True God shall in a certain way laugh at them, seeing that their power shall be gone and that they are all helpless.

36 For Hashem shall judge His people, and relent for His avadim, when He seeth that their power is gone, and there is none left, slave or free.

37 And He shall say, Where are their elohim, their tzur in whom they trusted,

38 Which did eat the fat of their zevakhim (sacrifices), and drank the yayin of their nesakhim (drink offerings)? Let them rise up and help you, and be your shelter. (Devarim 32:36-38 Orthodox Jewish Bible)

Yes we may not forget that there is only One Who Is The Supreme Being or I Am that Is, The One and Only One God! When taken by death, for many, it shall be too late, to see at last, that there is no other God! Then, when Jesus returns and shall come to judge them, they shall realise that it is Jehovah Who put people to death and Who let people live.

39 See now that I, even I, am He, and there is no elohim besides Me: I kill, and I make alive; I wound, and I heal; neither is there any that can deliver out of My hand.

40 For I lift up My hand to Shomayim, and say, Chai Anochi L’Olam (I live forever).

41 If I sharpen My glittering cherev, and Mine hand take hold on mishpat; I will render nakam (vengeance) to Mine enemies, and will reward them that hate Me.

42 I will make Mine khitzim (arrows) drunk with dahm, and My cherev shall devour basar; and that with the dahm of the slain and of the captives, from the head of leaders of the foe.

(Devarim 32:39-42 Orthodox Jewish Bible)

In our life we encounter many who try to make us afraid, want to hurt us or even threaten us with the worst. They should know that no one can save another person from the Power of God!

When we look at the past we can see that all the promises God made became a reality, except the few ones which still have to happen. But we may be sure also these things will happen!

26 For when we intentionally commit chet b’yad ramah [“wilful sin with a high hand of defiance” Bamidbar 15:30] after having received the full da’as of HaEmes, there remains no longer a korban for chattoteinu, (Yehudim in Moshiach 10:26 Orthodox Jewish Bible)

Therefore we should be very alert not to fall in the trap of the adversary of God, who every day tries to catch a lover of God, as an easy pray.

It may be a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God, but when falling in the hands of the worldly people, there shall be no place in His Kingdom.When reading the bible regularly one should come to understand that we should know the importance of God’s Word and the sent one from Him, in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

When having received Christ Jesus, we should walk in him, rooted and built up in him, and established in the faith, as we have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving. So let yourself be careful that no man comes to spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. Always be aware of the Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing.

2 For I want you to have da’as of how great a ma’avak (struggle) I have for you and the ones in Laodicea, and as many as have not seen me panim el panim (directly, in person),

2 That their levavot may be given chozek (strength), having been made an aguda of ahavah and all osher (wealth) of the full assurance of binah, resulting in the da’as of the raz of Hashem, namely Moshiach,

3 In whom is nistar (hidden) all the otzarot (treasures) of chochmah and da’as. [YESHAYAH 11:2; YIRMEYAH 23:5]

4 This I say so that no one may delude you with the sleight of hand of the ba’al melitzot (rhetorician).

5 For, though absent in basar, but present with you in the Ruach Hakodesh, with lev same’ach (glad heart) I am seeing your order and the firmness of your [Orthodox Jewish] emunah in Moshiach.

6 Therefore, as you became mekabel Moshiach and received Moshiach Adoneinu Yehoshua, so let your halichah be in Him,

7 Having been rooted and built up in Moshiach and being firmly founded in the emunah as you were given Messianic [orthodox] lernen [study], abounding in hodayah.

8 Beware lest there be anyone of you taken captive through philosophical tevunah (wisdom) and empty deceit according to the kabbalah (oral tradition) of mere Bnei Adam, according to the ikkarim (basic principles) of the Olam Hazeh and not according to Moshiach;

9 Because in Moshiach kol melo Elohim (all the plentitude of G-d) finds its bodily maon laShechinah (dwelling place for the Shechinah).

10 And you have been granted melo (plentitude) in Moshiach, who is the Rosh of all rule and authority.

11 In Moshiach also you were circumcised with a Bris Milah not made with human hands, a Bris Milah of the surgically removing of the body of the basar (old fallen and unregenerate nature) in the Bris Milah of Moshiach,

12 Having been buried in the Ohel of Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach’s tevilah with him, with whom also you were made to stand up spiritually in the Techiyah together through your emunah and bitachon in the ma’aseh of Hashem who made Moshiach stand up from the Mesim. (Kehillah in Colossae 2:1-12 Orthodox Jewish Bible)

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Preceding articles

Today’s thought “Ability to see that God is not dead” (May 12)

Today’s thought “Ability to circumcise your heart” (May 13)

Death

Why are you persecuting me?

May reading the Bible provoke us into action to set our feet on the narrow way

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Additional reading

1. Hello America and atheists
2. Solipsism
3. Blaming their circumstances for what they are
4. Truth never plays false roles of any kind, which is why people are so surprised when meeting it
5. The inspiring divine spark
6. Knowing where to go to
7. Eternity depends upon this short time on earth
8. Act as if everything you think, say and do determines your entire life
9. Foundation to go the distance
10. Not trying to make the heathen live like Jews #2
11. Preferring to be a Christian
12. Aim High: Examples of Godly Characters to follow
13. I Only hope we find GOD again before it is too late !
14. Not making yourselves abominable
15. Not following the tradition of man
16. Leaders in disguise

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Further reading

1. There Is No Dark, You Are Missing Out The Light!
2. When everything goes wrong…
3. Something Missing in Your Life?
4. Acts 7 – The Martyr
5. What happened to the 12 disciples of Jesus ? How did they die and where?
6. The Living Martyr
7. Faithful to the End
8. Memorial of St. Athanasius
9. Martyrdom and the French Revolution
10. 15 Martyr Saints Who Teach Us How to Carry The Cross With Jesus
11. My Lost Paradise…
12. Come and join us
13. Redeeming The Colosseum
14. The Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing
15. Deceit Fills Hearts That Are Plotting Evil
16. SOAP Journal – 15 May 2017 (Deuteronomy 13:6-9)
17. The Power of Truth
18. Pope Francis’ teachings on how to conquer hatred
19. Pope Francis: Russian Needs to Defend Christians
20. Will Christianity Perish in Its Birthplace?
21. Beware of Motivational Preachers
22. I’m not Brave
23. Living for God
24. Why Don’t We Care About the Slaughter of Christians?
25. And God Said, “Okay. My List Is Full. No More…”
26. Mornings at the Mission: The Patient Compassion of God
27. Choose Milk as the Lord is Gracious
28. Where To Draw The Line?
29. A day of reckoning

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Related articles

• The Only Requirement…
• Good Friday: Cleric urges Christians to emulate Christ’s life of sacrifice
• Turn the Other Cheek? Peace!
• For Getting to know Jesus
• Jewish and Christian traditions of elders
• Saul, Paul, Jackman and film

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The 1st Adam in the Hebrew Scriptures #5 Temptation, assault and curse

After the choice Adam and Eve made to go against the Will of God, eating of the fruit of the Tree of knowledge of good and evil, God came to deal with three parties in the fall of mankind: Adam, Eve and the serpent. An alleged fourth – the devil – is not mentioned in Genesis narrative. This for the simple reason the symbolic tempter (satan), the serpent, or the evil thoughts in Eve’s mind are the evil itself.

The most common presentation of Adam and Eve does not reflect clearly enough their theological significance, at least as seen in the New Testament. Too many people forget where the trouble started and do not come to see the essence of our suffering today being the cause of man its own choice. Eve decided herself, by her own choice to go against the wishes of God. She herself wanted to be like God. The apostle Paul, being a Jewish scholar knew very well the problem of evil and suffering. For him it was also clear what choice Adam and Eve had made and why.

For Paul the wrath on mankind was caused by the anger of God (Romans 5:9) It does not have to mean we are enemies of God, but Eve her action showed God how man doubted His position. For the opposing attitude of Eve God reckoned against the sinner. In the story of Adam and Eve in the Book of Genesis, we hear God giving a first commandment: not eating of the fruit of the tree of conscience (the Tree of knowledge of good and evil). He is aware that they could see death reigning in the world form Adam’s time to the time of Moses (Knox).

Romans 5: 14 1But death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over 2them also that sinned not after the like 3manner of the transgression of Adam, 4which was the figure of him that was to come.

In his letter to the Romans we get to hear that Adam foreshadows another person who had to come. The first Adam or the first man, corresponds in some degree to the man who was to come, and whose birth 2020 years ago we remember this year. That man being born was a gift to mankind, from God, which more powerfully affected mankind.

Romans 5: 15 1But yet the gift is not so as is the offense: for if through the offense of 2that one, many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many.

Adam and Eve committed an offence on which God had to react. He could directly destroy them and start all over  again by creating some new living beings in his likeness which would keep to His commandment. Moreover, the boon of God exceeds the fruit of Adam and Eve’s sin. On that contrast between the gift and the results of that one sin, we shall come back in later chapters.

By their act, going against God’s Will, and by wanting to be like God, their Maker gave them the opportunity to show how much they themselves could make of it all. God’s right to govern was doubted, so know they could come to govern themselves and could come to make something of the world. Because all the children of Adam and Eve came after their choice of adversary they all fell under the spell or curse God came to bring over them. Adam and Eve after eating of the Tree of knowledge came to know the difference between good and evil and became weaker than before, because they now had knowledge. We can not escape the relationship from the first human beings. For just because of their relation to Adam and Eve all men fall under the spell of God and have to bear the consequences of that rebellion of the first carnal man. Being the descendants of Adam and Eve we all became members of a sinful race and we all shall have to face death.

1 Corinthians 15: 21 1For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead.
22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be 1made alive.

In the letter to the Corinthians we are also told there is a solution. In those Greek Writings we find another confirmation of the same consequent: for Christ is to be considered as opposite to Adam, that as from one man Adam, sin came over all, so from one man Christ, life comes unto all: that is to say, that all the faithful, as they die, because by nature they were born of Adam, so because in Christ they are made the children of God by grace, they are quickened and restored to life by him. {annotation of the 1599 Geneva Patriot’s Edition}

The way the apostle Paul looks at the 1° and the 2° Adam places the Adam-story within a royal context, because the essence of the matter were Adam and Eve impeaching the Divine Creator. Them to query God His Most High position, is the biggest issue. This way a battle over kingship and its relation to the universe was initiated. The position of the one sent from God as a solution is too often missed by the majority of people, even by those who call themselves Christian.

In the Garden of Eden sin entered in the world of man. In a royal garden or orchard Jeshua (Jesus Christ) accepted the fact he must follow not his will but the Will of the Most High God, and should go to the stake. (Matthew 26:36-46)

In the Holy Scriptures a garden is used to express joy, peace and satisfaction.

Jeremiah 31: 12 Therefore they shall come, and rejoice in the height of Zion, and shall run to the bountifulness
of the Lord, even for the 1wheat and for the wine, and for the oil, and for the increase of sheep and bullocks: and their soul shall be as a watered garden, and they shall have no more sorrow.

Adam and Eve had no sorrow in the Garden of Eden. They had everything they needed. But God did wanted to teach them a lesson and did not want them in His Garden any more. Since Adam listened to his wife and ate from the tree whose fruit Jehovah God commanded him not to eat, the ground is cursed because of him.  So his deed became the cause of the earth coming in problems by man. It is often by the wrong actions of men that something bad happens in the world, for example mudslides because men took away all the trees.
All our life now we will have to struggle to scratch a living from it. God told man that it will grow thorns and thistles for us, though man will eat of its grains. This time not for nothing any more, like it was in the Royal Garden. From then onwards man had to make his own garden and work with his own hands for it. By the sweat of our brow, will we have food to eat until we die, i.e. return to the ground from which man were made. Because we shall have to be reminded that we were made from dust, and to dust we will return.
But woman certainly could not escape. For him and her there was first no pain, but knowing now good and bad they also came to know pain and sorrow. The pain of woman’s pregnancy was going to be sharpened, and in pain she will give birth. She still was going to be able to give children, but concerning having control over things it would be more difficult. God warned her that though she still will desire to control her husband, it will be him who is going to rule over her.

Genesis 3: 16  Unto the woman he said, I will greatly increase thy 1sorrows, and thy conceptions. In sorrow shalt thou bring forth children, and thy desire shall be subject to thine husband, and he shall rule over thee.
17  Also to Adam he said, Because thou hast obeyed the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, (whereof I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it) cursed is the earth for thy sake: in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life.
18 Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee, and thou shalt eat the herb of the field.
19 In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread till thou return to the earth: for out of it wast thou taken, because thou art dust, and to dust shalt thou return.
20 (And the man called his wife’s name Eve, because she was the mother of all living)
21 Unto Adam also and to his wife did the Lord God 1make coats of skins, and clothed them.
22  And the Lord God said, 1Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil. And now lest he put forth his hand, and 2take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live forever,

23 Therefore the Lord God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the earth, whence he was taken.
24 Thus he cast out the man, and at the East side of the garden of Eden he set the Cherubims, and the blade of a sword shaken, to keep the way of the tree of life.

Adam, Eve, but also we should see that the transgression of God’s commandment was the cause that both mankind and all other creatures were subject to the curse God spoke in that Kingdom of God, the Garden of Eden. Adam and Eve, fell from the estate of integrity in which God had created them and now had to build their own kingdom (a kingdom of man) in their own world.

Temptation was the occasion; it was not the cause. To be subjected to temptation is not sinful for the tempted. Embrace and acquiescence constitute sin, i.e. going in against the Will of God.
Eve succumbed to the ideas in her head. Her heart wanted to have so much as God. She herself made the choice to take the fruit and to eat it. She came to the point of overt disobedience to the divine prohibition. Adam trusted his partner and with her in the adventure, hoping also to get the knowledge of good and evil and wanting to become wise (Genesis 3:6 ASV)

The tempter had gained the trust of the first human beings. Eve had accepted as true what was a blasphemous assault upon the veracity of Good and came to regard the tree as desirable in the direction that contravened the divine prohibition. Eve served herself as carnal creature  rather than the Divine Creator.

The mannin her failure to recoil with revulsion from the temptation and the idea that she would not die (Genesis 3:4) is evidence that defection had already taken place and that she exemplified the invariable psychology of sin that overt action proceeds from the inward disposition of heart.

Proverbs 23: 7 For as though he thought it in his heart: so will he say unto thee, Eat and drink: but his heart is not
with thee.

Man loves to give the fault of their wrong doing to others or say it is not from them. But In the Messianic Scriptures the sent one from God clearly warns man that there is nothing outside man. Summoning the multitude rabbi Jeshua (Jesus Christ) addressed the crowd close to him and told them that we should worry about what comes out of man. It is that what is inside and comes outside that pollutes or defiles man. It is from inside, out of man’s heart that come evil thoughts and actions, like self-seeking, pride, jealousy or envying, slander, malice, double-dealing, lying, deceiving, misleading, betraying, sexual vice, adultery, fornication, theft or stealing, wickedness, murder, all things that make a person unclean.

Mark 7: 21 For from within, even out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders,
22 Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, uncleanness, a wicked eye, backbiting, pride, foolishness.
23 All these evil things come from within, and defile a man.

We may not be mistaken, it is all from within ourselves.  The satan or adversary comes from our inner thoughts which we allow to go wrong and where we give in. We can choose not to follow certain ideas, but when we chose to follow the wrong path then we sin. There may be manyfold temptation but it is how we react on them.Whenever you find yourself surrounded by various temptations do know that it all depends on your choice and on your faith which shall demand action (works of faith), leading to steadfastness, developing endurance. But to withstand such temptation man shall need now the courage to choose the right path and let patience finish its work that you may become fully developed and perfectly equipped, lacking in nothing or in no respect deficient. So when you are drawn away, enticed and baited by your own evil desire, like Eve was, let yourself not be beguiled and allured by your own evil desire and enticed by a bait. Remember that when passion or desire conceives and gives birth to sin, than when the bad act or sin runs its course and get fully matured it shall give birth to death. We may not be mislead and make no mistake about this.

James 1: 14 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away by his own concupiscence, and is enticed.
15 Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth 1sin, and sin when it is finished, bringeth forth death.
16 1Err not my dear brethren.

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* Bible quotes from 1599 Geneva Patriot’s Edition

Preceding articles

The 1st Adam in the Hebrew Scriptures #1 Beginning of everything

The 1st Adam in the Hebrew Scriptures #2 Beginning of mankind

The 1st Adam in the Hebrew Scriptures #3 With his partner

The 1st Adam in the Hebrew Scriptures #4 The Fall

The Seed Of The Woman Bruised

Jesus begotten Son of God #10 Coming down spirit or flesh seed of Eve

Sayings of Jesus, what to believe and being or not of the devil

Not about personal salvation but about a bigger Plan

A book of life and a man born more than two thousand years ago

When having found faith through the study of the Bible we do need to do works of faith

Next: The 1st Adam in the Hebrew Scriptures #6 Curse and solution

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Additional reading

1. Looking for a primary cause and a goal that can not offer philosophers existing beliefs
2. A multifold of elements in creation and a bad choice made
3. First mention of a solution against death 1 To divine, serpent, opposition, satan and adversary
4. First mention of a solution against death 2 Harm or no harm and naked truth
5. First mention of a solution against death 3 Tempter Satan and man’s problems
6. First mention of a solution against death 4 A seed for mankind
7. First mention of a solution against death 5 Evil its law of death
8. Necessity of a revelation of creation 1 Works of God and works of man
9. A promise given in the Garden of Eden
10. Set free from any form of mental torment or self-condemnation
11. No curtain placed over tomorrow
12. Around pre-existence of Christ
13. Satan the evil within
14. Additional comments to the 3rd Letter to the Romans
15. Luther’s misunderstanding
16. Solution for Willing hearts filled with gifts
17. Redemption #2 Biblical solution
18. When having found faith through the study of the Bible we do need to do works of faith

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Further reading of interest

1. Images of God 1: Big and Close
2. Genesis 3
3. Day 7: Adam and Eve’s Relationship
4. Creation and The Fall – A Dramatic Reading
5. Did He Really Say That?
6. What Happened in the Garden… Doesn’t Stay in the Garden
7. There’s a Serpent in Your Bible.
8. When Everything Went to Smash
9. What Satan Offered Adam And Eve…
10. Me-Centered More
11. Adam and Eve and Us: Part Two
12. Eve as a symbol for the Church
13. Where is your Garden of Eden?
14. Puzzling over Genesis and the Fall
15. Wednesday-(Created & Fallen) Devotion
16. The Existence Of The Snake
17. Friday-(Created & Fallen) Devotion
18. Recap: What Every Christian Should Know About Genesis 1-4
19. Gospel Theology (Pt. 3) – Original Sin
20. Adversary. Accuser. (Zechariah 3:1)
21. Occasions of sin
22. Watching Ourselves
23. The Life of a 21st Century Prophet: Introspection 
24. Scripture for Thursday, October 13 (10/13)
25. Temptation, Treadmills & Grace
26. Temptations
27. I Have a Confession To Make…
28. Hell
29. Believing Is Not Seeing
30. 1 Corinthians 9-16: I Struggle With These Chapters
31. Why Did God Flood The Earth If He Later Allowed The Same Thing To Happen Again?
32. A Deceitful Trick that Leads to Less
33. JES31 – He Comes Loking For Us
34. living in a messy world
35. The Apple of Discord — Thomas Hart Benton

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Related articles

• No Glasses for Moses
• Our Father’s House
• The Atonement of God by J.D. Myers
• Is Tim Kaine right about Genesis endorsing homosexual acts?
• Faith or Fear
• Questioning God
• Tim Kaine’s butchering of Genesis to justify the LGBT agenda is . . . quite something
• 10/3/16 OT
• VBS asks members ‘where are you?’
• Faith online

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Increase our zeal for the Holy scriptures

 We are aware how true Paul’s prediction has been throughout history: that

“all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, while evil people and imposters will go from bad to worse. But as for you (and us!) continue in what you have learned and firmly believed … how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred scriptures … breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness” (2 Timothy 3:12-14,16).

In this world we can see that many have become lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, traitors, heady, high-minded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God.

Not many do have any interest in the Word of God.

Our Saviour Jesus Christ, who has abolished death, came to make his heavenly Father better known. He has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.

2Ti 1:10 The Scriptures 1998+  (10)  but now revealed by the appearing of our Saviour יהושע  {Jeshua} Messiah, who indeed abolished death and brought life and incorruptibility to light through the Good News,

We should take his words brought to us by the apostles who wrote everything down and with the Old Testament should make our minds strong in the faith.
May we increase our zeal for the Holy scriptures and develop a greater “spirit … of power and love and self-control” as we complete our “training in righteousness”.

“… but denying its power”

(the Thought for the day by the Christadelphian for the Bible Readings on May 27)

Today we completed Paul’s second letter to his “son in the faith” Timothy. He deplores what he sees the future is going to hold for believers; a serious decline of faith and a Christ-like way of living. As Paul looks into the future “the Spirit” gives him a ‘picture’ of what is going to develop in “the last days” (3:1). Paul of course has no idea as to how far off this future time is. But the description of this ‘time’ that is revealed to him has a specific focus on the condition of believers: they

“will be lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness but denying its power” (verses 4,5).

The word “power” is the Greek word dunamis, it does not necessarily refer to something miraculous, earlier this month we saw Paul use it twice in his first chapter in writing to the Colossians,

“may you be strengthened with all power” (verse 11) “… I toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me” (verse 29).

Believers need real energy of mind – and the real pursuit of godliness generates such power – spiritual strength of mind. Paul told the Corinthians that the Lord said to him as he struggled with a divinely given “thorn in the flesh”,

“My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9).

Paul then adds,

“Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me”.

This is not power in the sense of miracle working, but inner strength developed through the reality of our relationship with our Lord and the Father. We read 2 days ago how Paul told Timothy,

“God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control” (1:7).

Back to chapter 3; we are aware how true Paul’s prediction has been throughout history that

“all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, while evil people and imposters will go from bad to worse. But as for you (and us!) continue in what you have learned and firmly believed … how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred scriptures … breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness” (verses 12-14,16).

May we increase our zeal for the Holy scriptures and develop a greater “spirit … of power and love and self-control” as we complete our “training in righteousness”.

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Related articles

• 1 Timothy 6:1-21 Godliness (jimerwin.com)
• 1 Timothy 4 (cutpaste.typepad.com) Paul is encouraging Timothy to remember what is most important. Within the group of Christ-followers Timothy was pastoring, there was obviously some people spreading some teachings that weren’t from God. Many were spending lots of time and energy studying and discussing things that didn’t really matter – genealogies, myths, old wives’ tales, etc. And most importantly, it was leading people astray from the gospel. The real value is in godliness.
• A Living Picture of Christ – Charles Spurgeon (hereisgoodnewsforyou.wordpress.com)
  It is when, by the power of the Holy Spirit, you are enabled to walk with Jesus in his very footsteps, that you are most happy, and most known to be the sons of God. Peter afar off is both unsafe and uneasy.
• Five Scriptures (planet.infowars.com)
  Amos 5:21-24
  21 The Lord says, “I hate your religious festivals; I cannot stand them! 22 When you bring me burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not accept them; I will not accept the animals you have fattened to bring me as offerings. 23 Stop your noisy songs; I do not
• Be Like Jesus! (heartfixxer.wordpress.com)
  as ambassadors of Jesus Christ, we are to be a living example of who he is. It is by this that seekers will begin to see and the lost will find salvation.
• Faith in Action ‘Assurances’ (mylordmyfriend.com)
  Get our minds ready: Develop a devotion and prayer life.
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  The Revelation of Jesus Christ: He is The Son of The living God, The Messiah, upon that confession we will build, our lives, our work, our families, our ministries. Matthew 16 verse 13 to 20.
• Jesus Is About To Come!! (gospelbondservant.com)
  It is all about Jesus and a personal intimate relationship with Him!! He wants Friendship and Love. When you can trust Jesus with your entire life, then you are ready to be with Him forever and ever!! And That’s It!!
• Living into tomorrow (genesisone.wordpress.com)
  Although we were in reality dead God made us alive in Christ. And, although we were dishonoured and powerless slaves, God has liberated us and raised us to a place of enormous honour and privilege in Christ – seating us ‘with Him in the heavenly realms.’ And although we each stood condemned God has laid upon Christ the sentence and punishment that was our due. What we were by nature has been replaced by who we are by God’s grace. We are a new creation!
• 2 Timothy 3 (cutpaste.typepad.com) A disciple of Christ is a disciplined follower of Christ.  Jesus called 12 men to Him and demonstrated what it meant to “disciple them.”  They ate together, travelled together,  laughed together, ministered together…they did life together!  When He was ascending back into heaven, after His resurrection He commissioned the disciples (and by the nature of discipleship, all disciples where were to follow) to go and make disciples of all nations.  That is where we find ourselves today – still commissioned to make disciples (disciplined followers of Christ) of all nations.
• Persevering Through Until the End (childofgodsgrace.wordpress.com)
  There is no room for laziness in the life of a Christian. A new believer is truthfully taught that “…it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9). But a believer can become idle if he erroneously believes God expects no fruit from a transformed life.

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Members of the ecclesia uniting and seeking God’s help in tribulation

Tuesday-night at the meeting of the Ecclesia Brussel–Leuven we read Romans 5 and 1 Corinthians 1+3, looking at the difficulties we have encountered the last few months and how we had to cope with it but also how we should continue our way.

Sometimes we do get to recognise we could not re-conciliate but have to turn over the page and leave those who did not want to be amicably connected with us on their own. Sometimes a community has the priority to protect its own flock and has to take measures which do not seem so pleasant for all people involved. When certain people prefer to stand on their own and are not willing to co-operate the community than has to decide to let them go their own way, but when they themselves did everything to blacken that community, they should not have to keep contact any more. As such we decided to leave the man from the North and his organisation far what they are, and shall concentrate ourselves on bringing people to Christ ourselves, without their help.

Jesus Christ is the man who opened the way to his Father. He is the One Mediator between God and man and is the cornerstone of the Church of God.

We do trust the Most High, Elohim Hashem Jehovah, Who shall call people and Who shall guide us and give us that what we need according to His time.

In Him we trust and give all our hope to build up His Church in Belgium and other parts in the world.

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  Alexander Michalak writes: My preliminary examination of several Second Temple texts, 1 Enoch, the Book of Jubilees, Joseph and Aseneth, Testament of Job, the First Epistle to the Corinthians, and the Testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs indicates that there is already at this time a connection between demons and the cult of foreign gods, although they are not always explicitly identified with one another. Sometimes the demonic spirits are said only to lead people astray, that is, to lead people toward Gentile worship and toward idolatry, whereas in other cases it is the demonic spirits who are the objects of worship, or the pagan gods themselves.
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  The Greek word that should have been translated to church was only used twice in the New Testament. It means “the Lord’s” and was used for the Lord’s day and the Lord’s supper. But this instance is ecclesia. It means “to call forth from out of”. Matthew says if you and the other person can’t work out your problems go get help. Go find a few more people to help because maybe they’ll understand a different perspective. If that doesn’t work go find the ones who have been called out of darkness (1 Peter). When you are in darkness you can’t see clearly and when you are “in the dark” you are ignorant which simply means you don’t know. So someone who has been called out can see clearly, or they are knowledgeable or “in the know” which is having “inside” information.
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  The gospel narrative then is largely concerned with Christ exposing the apostate Jewish leaders, and building up his apostles as “other husbandmen” to replace them. The parables recorded of the Kingdom of heaven throughout Matthew describe the kingdom of Israel in existence (Mat 11:12), under the governance of the prince of this world – the apostate Jewish leaders (John 12:31, 16:11, Eph 2:2, Luke 10:18, Mat 24:27), and then later to be replaced with the new heavens founded upon Christ as the Abrahamic seed stars are raised to the political heavens (Gen 15:5, Dan 12:2-3, Psa 19:4, 1 Cor 15:40-49, Apoc 4:1).
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  A people for his Name
  Christ is described as the second Adam as compared to the first Adam (1 Cor 15:45-47). Both of them the “son of God” (Luke 3:38), and both typically created the same way. The body of Christ is the Ecclesia εκκλησια (Eph 5:23, 30, Col 1:18,24), and it is being formed from the Abrahamic dust, the seed of Abraham according to the promises of old; compare Gen 2:7 with Gen 13:16, 28:14.
  +The mortal children of Israel are described as Elohim, mighty ones, or as we have in the AV “gods”. Elohim describes the the mental state of the person, not their physical nature. Ambassadors of the father, regardless of whether they are mortal people or immortal angels. If they are empowered by the will of the spirit, they are indeed mighty ones.

  When mortal Elohim, mighty ones, do not keep the commandments of Yahweh then they are not immune – by any means – to the consequences of their actions. They will “die like men”.

  Therefore we ought to take earnest heed to the things which we have heard.  We have all the scriptures… even the testimony of the Son, which brings with it great responsibility (Heb 2:1-3).  We comfort in that if we turn from wickedness we will be forgiven. Yet vigilant in the warning that turning to wickedness means rejection (Ezk 33:11-19).

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• church oh church1 (ozyikhiedwardblog.wordpress.com)
  why substitute “ecclesia” for “kyriakon”?to support the regular congregating of early Christians,who didn’t understand what Paul and Silas were doing!
  What did the New Covenant writers mean when they used the word “Ecclesia” to describe a Christian body of people?? We can safely denote that they intended to convey the original Greek meaning of the word:”A body of Christian called out of Roman and Judean systems of Government,to live under a seperate civil mentality,”a politically autonomous body of Christians,under no other King but Yeshua,under no other civil laws,than that of Yeshua.But some misguided folks misunderstood the missions of Paul, that was why these Christians ran into trouble with kings and rulers,were arrested,crucified,and martyred. They dropped Caesar as their King,and took up Christ. The writers of the New covenant didn’t substitute “kyriakon” with “Ecclesia” to mean entertainment every Sundays,and Tuesdays,and so on!
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  The church, the Ecclesia, is a body of people who are redeemed called out to represent GOD and HIS Authority which means they are called to carry our HIS Laws. We are granted the responsibility of not only this but we are accountable for these actions.
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  There might be people who do not like that others share the love of Christ with each other and do not mind being under Christ instead of being under one or the other organisation.
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  Coming together in each-others houses, forming housechurches as a church of disciples they also were an assembly of learners. We too so many years later should be like them a church of Christian disciples and an assembly of persons who believe the things of the Kingdom of God, and of the Name of the lord Jesus, and, thus believing, have been immersed into Christ and patiently continue in the faith and well doing of their vocation, reading, marking, learning and inwardly digesting all things revealed in the scriptures of truth.

 

Stepping Toes

In the readings of today we look at the brothers and sisters in Corinth some 2000 years ago.

In Belgium the community has been troubled by persons perhaps wanting to claim to have the right to make foundations and to direct the groups of people wanting to come together under the name of Christ.

Paul the Apostle, Russian icon from first quarter of 18th cen. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

We remember how the apostle Paul makes the argument that he has borne witness to the people of Corinth, he has shared the gospel, he has brought them to Christ and showed them the way but that he has to be sad because he only could see division between those who should be united as brethren and sisters in Christ.

The apostle Paul in his 5th letter to the Romans and his first three letters to the Corinths, also talks…

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