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#childrenofisrael — Public Fediverse posts

Live and recent posts from across the Fediverse tagged #childrenofisrael, aggregated by home.social.

  1. 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”.

    +

    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

    ++

    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

    +++

    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

  2. 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”.

    +

    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

    ++

    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

    +++

    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

  3. 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”.

    +

    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

    ++

    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

    +++

    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

  4. 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”.

    +

    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

    ++

    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

    +++

    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

  5. 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”.

    +

    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

    ++

    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

    +++

    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

  6. Counting sands and stars

    Sandy beach

    Those who go up in the mountains or just go out in the fields, now in Summer, may sit there at night and count the stars. Though both the stars in the sky and the particles of sand we may find on the beach are too numerous to count. However, there is a gigantic difference between the two.

    Sand: a naturally occurring granular material composed of finely divided rock and mineral particles. – Sand dunes in the Idehan Ubari, Libya.

    Grains of sand are tightly pressed and compacted one against the other to form a beach. Each star, on the other hand, is a world in itself. It can be separated from its nearest neighbour by trillions of miles.

    Moses tells God that the Jewish nation is too burdensome for him to carry alone. Why? Because they are comparable to the profusion of stars.

    Jehovah, the God of the believers used as slaves in Egypt were  multiplied by the Most High and had become like the stars of the heaven in number. (Deuteronomy 1:10)

    Deu 1:10-12 RNKJV  YHWH your Elohim hath multiplied you, and, behold, ye are this day as the stars of heaven for multitude.  (11)  (YHWH Elohim of your fathers make you a thousand times so many more as ye are, and bless you, as he hath promised you!)  (12)  How can I myself alone bear your cumbrance, and your burden, and your strife?

    For Moses there was a burden so heavy as to produce weariness not because they were with many, but more because there was so much division between them. For Moses there may have been a similar problem as what we see today. We can find many people who say they love God, but look at that God in different ways and have different ways to serve Him. Some their worship is not liked by others because it goes against the rules made by God Himself.

    In Christendom we may see several ‘planets’ or ‘stars’, find a massive quantity like Moses found one that he could not alone lead them. He wasn’t overwhelmed by the number of people. Rather, the  problem was qualitative.

    Moses implied that if the Jews were spiritually and emotionally unified – were proximate to each other, like sand – their large population would not require arduous leadership.

    However, when there is a nation of people, each a star in his own right and alienated from others around him, leading them becomes nightmarish.

    Jonathan Hughes, rabbi of Richmond United Synagogue calls unto his co-believers saying

    As this mournful time of the Jewish year approaches in the run-up to Tisha B’Av, we need to be reminded of the Jewish togetherness that must be etched into our hearts.

    One of the reasons we lost the Temple in Jerusa-lem is baseless hatred. Essentially, everyone was a ‘star’ in his own right, all the people light years away from each other.

    The Torah’s clarion call is, as the Beatles would say, ‘come together’.

    Indeed, the rabbis teach that every Jewish soul contains elements of every other Jewish soul that has been, is, or will be on this planet. We are one unit.

    Also for our Christian community we should think about that problem of unity and remember that, our success will hinge on how connected we feel to each other. Every Christian soul (a living being) should carry in him the link to the master teacher Jeshua and as such also should contain elements of every other Christian soul.

    A few months ago we already spoke about the problems of co-operating in Belgium of the different Christadelphian groups. We also had to lick our wounds of the 2013-2014 season. Such a small community, but like all other Christian communities, we did and do find human beings not able to work with each other or being afraid others would runaway with people from their group or would  gain more attendance. But we should not be worrying about loosing members, but should worry about getting people closer to God.

    It is also not the matter of being a star ourselves, being a gifted or highly celebrated person in the church to whom everybody looks up to, or having all the power. The power belongs to God. It’s about beginning a de-starification process and the forging of sand-like bonds of genuine fraternity. We are taking on the name of being “Brethren in Christ” and as such should be as brothers and sisters be associated for the common purpose or interest, such as to be united in Christ.

    Deu 11:13-17 RNKJV  And it shall come to pass, if ye shall hearken diligently unto my commandments which I command you this day, to love YHWH your Elohim, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul,  (14)  That I will give you the rain of your land in his due season, the first rain and the latter rain, that thou mayest gather in thy corn, and thy wine, and thine oil.  (15)  And I will send grass in thy fields for thy cattle, that thou mayest eat and be full.  (16)  Take heed to yourselves, that your heart be not deceived, and ye turn aside, and serve other elohim, and worship them;  (17)  And then YHWH’s wrath be kindled against you, and he shut up the heaven, that there be no rain, and that the land yield not her fruit; and lest ye perish quickly from off the good land which YHWH giveth you.

    Israel was called to remain faithful to Jehovah, and we as those who are called by Christ Jesus are now also part of that Israel also should be faithful to Him and should not make ourselves other gods or other idols we prefer following instead of the Most High. Jeshua is the cornerstone given by God the Almighty. Though certain people may want to be mighty and do want to have more power than others, we should give ourselves to Christ and be united under him, working all together, working the soil, for the One God. some may expect certain rewards by following certain man but it will be God Who will abundantly bless the people with tokens of His goodness.  A person rendering service to God with all his soul, would become an acceptable “living sacrifice” unto Him).

    Rom 12:1 RNKJV  I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of YHWH, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto YHWH, which is your reasonable service.

    It is  by the mercies of God, to present our bodies a living sacrifice, holy, well-pleasing to God, which is our spiritual worship and a service which we are willing to share with one another, not conformed to the fashion of this world, but being transformed by the renewal of our mind, that we may learn by experience what is the will of God, what is good, and wellpleasing, and perfect (Romans 12:2).

    There is the appeal for us to become co-workers, helping each other, not working against each other, or not considering each other rivals. As individual beings, planets or stars, we may be totally different, but together we are one part of the universe, just some small elements in the creation of God.

    In that universe, on this globe, living in this world, we should not be part of this world but should be in unity with Christ, all going for Christ. This going for Christ demands following his instructions to go out in this world, preaching the Good News of the coming Kingdom of God. We should try to enlighten others and to take the yoke from their shoudlers by helping them to find the right path to God.

    First of all we should first accept upon ourselves the yoke of heaven’s sovereignty, and afterwards accept upon ourselves the yoke of the commandments. Ceaseless we should strive to humbly accept God’s sovereignty. All that we do each day is then guided by the commitment made before at the end of the day.

    Soon having a new academic year, starting a new working season, we should take the sparkles of the Summer-months with us and bring the light of the stars into the ecclesia. Without the internal core the star cannot be bright, so we too do have to have a good core. Our nucleus should have a firm duramen full of bright fire of faith. The pith of our faith should be the Biblical knowledge and our thorough frequent Bible reading and sharing this faith and Bible knowledge with each other.

    We look forward to find more writers willing to write for our lifestyle magazines and bringing some interesting exhortations, which shall be able to inspire us to go further in space to go out of the darkness and see more light by even more stars which were first hidden.

    We do hope we can get some more people to come to read some of our Christadelphian thoughts, to come to our meetings, showing them some more light on dark paths, showing the way unto the path into the stars

    As Moses had to guide his people we also have to find guides to help us to recognise the most truthful Guide, the Bible. As brothers and sisters we should be standing ready  to pick up a star, to find something in which we are good and by which we can help others. Each of us has received some talents and those talents we should use for the best. Do not waste those talents, but use them to bring people closer to God.

    +

    Preceding posting:

    Belgian Christadelphians 2013 & 2014 in review

    A man from the North wanting to have control in Belgium

    Delay in publications because attack from outside

    Preparation for unity

    Trusting, Faith, Calling and Ascribing to Jehovah #14 Prayer #12 The other name

    ++

    Additional reading:

    1. Broeders in Christus 2013 & 2014 in review
    2. The Presence of God
    3. Hubble Peers into the Most Crowded Place in the Milky Way
    4. Reflect on how much idolizing happens
    5. Looking on what is going on and not being of it
    6. Marriage of Jesus 10 Old and New Covenant
    7. Preparation for unity
    8. First month of the year and predictions
    9. Days of Nisan, Pesach, Pasach, Pascha and Easter
    10. Festival of Freedom and persecutions
    11. 14 Nisan a day to remember #1 Inception
    12. 14 Nisan a day to remember #5 The Day to celebrate
    13. Certain people trying to stem freedom of speech
    14. No reconciliation possible
    15. Priority to form a loving brotherhood
    16. Not words of any organisation should bind you, but the Word of God
    17. Disciple of Christ counting lives and friends dear to them
    18. Born to Shine not to fear!
    19. All I want is peace!!!
    20. See God’s wonderworks and hear His Voice
    21. Looking for a shepherd for the sheep and goats
    22. Joining for a new year in the assurance to be bought with a price
    23. Different approach in organisation of services #3
    24. My blogs 2014 in review
    25. Dissolution of Bijbelvorsers (Bible scholars), Association for Bible study
    26. A new voice calling for peace
    27. Welcome to “From guestwriters”
    28. Guestwriters for you
    29. Stepping Toes 2014 in review
    30. Do you have a writer or presenter in you?

    +++

    Related articles

    Rate this:

    #AcademicYear #Beach #BibleKnowledge #BiblicalKnowledge #ChildrenOfIsrael #Christendom #Christian #CoWorkers #ComingCloserToGod #Cornerstone #FireOfFaith #Fraternity #GoingForChrist #GoodNews #HouseOfIsrael #HumanBeing #Israel #Jeshua #JewishNation #Jews #JonathanHughes #LifestyleMagazine #LoveGod #Moses #NationOfPeople #NewYear #Power #Preaching #SandGeologicalScience_ #SandPhysicalGeography_ #ServingGod #Sharing #SharingGospel #SovereigntyOfGod #StarProminentPerson_ #StarAstronomy_ #Summer #Summertime #TishaBAv #TorahSClarionCall #UnitedUnderChrist #UnityWithChrist #Universe #WellPleasingToGod #WorkingTogether #YokeOfCommandments #YokeOfTheWorld

  7. Counting sands and stars

    Sandy beach

    Those who go up in the mountains or just go out in the fields, now in Summer, may sit there at night and count the stars. Though both the stars in the sky and the particles of sand we may find on the beach are too numerous to count. However, there is a gigantic difference between the two.

    Sand: a naturally occurring granular material composed of finely divided rock and mineral particles. – Sand dunes in the Idehan Ubari, Libya.

    Grains of sand are tightly pressed and compacted one against the other to form a beach. Each star, on the other hand, is a world in itself. It can be separated from its nearest neighbour by trillions of miles.

    Moses tells God that the Jewish nation is too burdensome for him to carry alone. Why? Because they are comparable to the profusion of stars.

    Jehovah, the God of the believers used as slaves in Egypt were  multiplied by the Most High and had become like the stars of the heaven in number. (Deuteronomy 1:10)

    Deu 1:10-12 RNKJV  YHWH your Elohim hath multiplied you, and, behold, ye are this day as the stars of heaven for multitude.  (11)  (YHWH Elohim of your fathers make you a thousand times so many more as ye are, and bless you, as he hath promised you!)  (12)  How can I myself alone bear your cumbrance, and your burden, and your strife?

    For Moses there was a burden so heavy as to produce weariness not because they were with many, but more because there was so much division between them. For Moses there may have been a similar problem as what we see today. We can find many people who say they love God, but look at that God in different ways and have different ways to serve Him. Some their worship is not liked by others because it goes against the rules made by God Himself.

    In Christendom we may see several ‘planets’ or ‘stars’, find a massive quantity like Moses found one that he could not alone lead them. He wasn’t overwhelmed by the number of people. Rather, the  problem was qualitative.

    Moses implied that if the Jews were spiritually and emotionally unified – were proximate to each other, like sand – their large population would not require arduous leadership.

    However, when there is a nation of people, each a star in his own right and alienated from others around him, leading them becomes nightmarish.

    Jonathan Hughes, rabbi of Richmond United Synagogue calls unto his co-believers saying

    As this mournful time of the Jewish year approaches in the run-up to Tisha B’Av, we need to be reminded of the Jewish togetherness that must be etched into our hearts.

    One of the reasons we lost the Temple in Jerusa-lem is baseless hatred. Essentially, everyone was a ‘star’ in his own right, all the people light years away from each other.

    The Torah’s clarion call is, as the Beatles would say, ‘come together’.

    Indeed, the rabbis teach that every Jewish soul contains elements of every other Jewish soul that has been, is, or will be on this planet. We are one unit.

    Also for our Christian community we should think about that problem of unity and remember that, our success will hinge on how connected we feel to each other. Every Christian soul (a living being) should carry in him the link to the master teacher Jeshua and as such also should contain elements of every other Christian soul.

    A few months ago we already spoke about the problems of co-operating in Belgium of the different Christadelphian groups. We also had to lick our wounds of the 2013-2014 season. Such a small community, but like all other Christian communities, we did and do find human beings not able to work with each other or being afraid others would runaway with people from their group or would  gain more attendance. But we should not be worrying about loosing members, but should worry about getting people closer to God.

    It is also not the matter of being a star ourselves, being a gifted or highly celebrated person in the church to whom everybody looks up to, or having all the power. The power belongs to God. It’s about beginning a de-starification process and the forging of sand-like bonds of genuine fraternity. We are taking on the name of being “Brethren in Christ” and as such should be as brothers and sisters be associated for the common purpose or interest, such as to be united in Christ.

    Deu 11:13-17 RNKJV  And it shall come to pass, if ye shall hearken diligently unto my commandments which I command you this day, to love YHWH your Elohim, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul,  (14)  That I will give you the rain of your land in his due season, the first rain and the latter rain, that thou mayest gather in thy corn, and thy wine, and thine oil.  (15)  And I will send grass in thy fields for thy cattle, that thou mayest eat and be full.  (16)  Take heed to yourselves, that your heart be not deceived, and ye turn aside, and serve other elohim, and worship them;  (17)  And then YHWH’s wrath be kindled against you, and he shut up the heaven, that there be no rain, and that the land yield not her fruit; and lest ye perish quickly from off the good land which YHWH giveth you.

    Israel was called to remain faithful to Jehovah, and we as those who are called by Christ Jesus are now also part of that Israel also should be faithful to Him and should not make ourselves other gods or other idols we prefer following instead of the Most High. Jeshua is the cornerstone given by God the Almighty. Though certain people may want to be mighty and do want to have more power than others, we should give ourselves to Christ and be united under him, working all together, working the soil, for the One God. some may expect certain rewards by following certain man but it will be God Who will abundantly bless the people with tokens of His goodness.  A person rendering service to God with all his soul, would become an acceptable “living sacrifice” unto Him).

    Rom 12:1 RNKJV  I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of YHWH, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto YHWH, which is your reasonable service.

    It is  by the mercies of God, to present our bodies a living sacrifice, holy, well-pleasing to God, which is our spiritual worship and a service which we are willing to share with one another, not conformed to the fashion of this world, but being transformed by the renewal of our mind, that we may learn by experience what is the will of God, what is good, and wellpleasing, and perfect (Romans 12:2).

    There is the appeal for us to become co-workers, helping each other, not working against each other, or not considering each other rivals. As individual beings, planets or stars, we may be totally different, but together we are one part of the universe, just some small elements in the creation of God.

    In that universe, on this globe, living in this world, we should not be part of this world but should be in unity with Christ, all going for Christ. This going for Christ demands following his instructions to go out in this world, preaching the Good News of the coming Kingdom of God. We should try to enlighten others and to take the yoke from their shoudlers by helping them to find the right path to God.

    First of all we should first accept upon ourselves the yoke of heaven’s sovereignty, and afterwards accept upon ourselves the yoke of the commandments. Ceaseless we should strive to humbly accept God’s sovereignty. All that we do each day is then guided by the commitment made before at the end of the day.

    Soon having a new academic year, starting a new working season, we should take the sparkles of the Summer-months with us and bring the light of the stars into the ecclesia. Without the internal core the star cannot be bright, so we too do have to have a good core. Our nucleus should have a firm duramen full of bright fire of faith. The pith of our faith should be the Biblical knowledge and our thorough frequent Bible reading and sharing this faith and Bible knowledge with each other.

    We look forward to find more writers willing to write for our lifestyle magazines and bringing some interesting exhortations, which shall be able to inspire us to go further in space to go out of the darkness and see more light by even more stars which were first hidden.

    We do hope we can get some more people to come to read some of our Christadelphian thoughts, to come to our meetings, showing them some more light on dark paths, showing the way unto the path into the stars

    As Moses had to guide his people we also have to find guides to help us to recognise the most truthful Guide, the Bible. As brothers and sisters we should be standing ready  to pick up a star, to find something in which we are good and by which we can help others. Each of us has received some talents and those talents we should use for the best. Do not waste those talents, but use them to bring people closer to God.

    +

    Preceding posting:

    Belgian Christadelphians 2013 & 2014 in review

    A man from the North wanting to have control in Belgium

    Delay in publications because attack from outside

    Preparation for unity

    Trusting, Faith, Calling and Ascribing to Jehovah #14 Prayer #12 The other name

    ++

    Additional reading:

    1. Broeders in Christus 2013 & 2014 in review
    2. The Presence of God
    3. Hubble Peers into the Most Crowded Place in the Milky Way
    4. Reflect on how much idolizing happens
    5. Looking on what is going on and not being of it
    6. Marriage of Jesus 10 Old and New Covenant
    7. Preparation for unity
    8. First month of the year and predictions
    9. Days of Nisan, Pesach, Pasach, Pascha and Easter
    10. Festival of Freedom and persecutions
    11. 14 Nisan a day to remember #1 Inception
    12. 14 Nisan a day to remember #5 The Day to celebrate
    13. Certain people trying to stem freedom of speech
    14. No reconciliation possible
    15. Priority to form a loving brotherhood
    16. Not words of any organisation should bind you, but the Word of God
    17. Disciple of Christ counting lives and friends dear to them
    18. Born to Shine not to fear!
    19. All I want is peace!!!
    20. See God’s wonderworks and hear His Voice
    21. Looking for a shepherd for the sheep and goats
    22. Joining for a new year in the assurance to be bought with a price
    23. Different approach in organisation of services #3
    24. My blogs 2014 in review
    25. Dissolution of Bijbelvorsers (Bible scholars), Association for Bible study
    26. A new voice calling for peace
    27. Welcome to “From guestwriters”
    28. Guestwriters for you
    29. Stepping Toes 2014 in review
    30. Do you have a writer or presenter in you?

    +++

    Related articles

    Rate this:

    #AcademicYear #Beach #BibleKnowledge #BiblicalKnowledge #ChildrenOfIsrael #Christendom #Christian #CoWorkers #ComingCloserToGod #Cornerstone #FireOfFaith #Fraternity #GoingForChrist #GoodNews #HouseOfIsrael #HumanBeing #Israel #Jeshua #JewishNation #Jews #JonathanHughes #LifestyleMagazine #LoveGod #Moses #NationOfPeople #NewYear #Power #Preaching #SandGeologicalScience_ #SandPhysicalGeography_ #ServingGod #Sharing #SharingGospel #SovereigntyOfGod #StarProminentPerson_ #StarAstronomy_ #Summer #Summertime #TishaBAv #TorahSClarionCall #UnitedUnderChrist #UnityWithChrist #Universe #WellPleasingToGod #WorkingTogether #YokeOfCommandments #YokeOfTheWorld

  8. Counting sands and stars

    Sandy beach

    Those who go up in the mountains or just go out in the fields, now in Summer, may sit there at night and count the stars. Though both the stars in the sky and the particles of sand we may find on the beach are too numerous to count. However, there is a gigantic difference between the two.

    Sand: a naturally occurring granular material composed of finely divided rock and mineral particles. – Sand dunes in the Idehan Ubari, Libya.

    Grains of sand are tightly pressed and compacted one against the other to form a beach. Each star, on the other hand, is a world in itself. It can be separated from its nearest neighbour by trillions of miles.

    Moses tells God that the Jewish nation is too burdensome for him to carry alone. Why? Because they are comparable to the profusion of stars.

    Jehovah, the God of the believers used as slaves in Egypt were  multiplied by the Most High and had become like the stars of the heaven in number. (Deuteronomy 1:10)

    Deu 1:10-12 RNKJV  YHWH your Elohim hath multiplied you, and, behold, ye are this day as the stars of heaven for multitude.  (11)  (YHWH Elohim of your fathers make you a thousand times so many more as ye are, and bless you, as he hath promised you!)  (12)  How can I myself alone bear your cumbrance, and your burden, and your strife?

    For Moses there was a burden so heavy as to produce weariness not because they were with many, but more because there was so much division between them. For Moses there may have been a similar problem as what we see today. We can find many people who say they love God, but look at that God in different ways and have different ways to serve Him. Some their worship is not liked by others because it goes against the rules made by God Himself.

    In Christendom we may see several ‘planets’ or ‘stars’, find a massive quantity like Moses found one that he could not alone lead them. He wasn’t overwhelmed by the number of people. Rather, the  problem was qualitative.

    Moses implied that if the Jews were spiritually and emotionally unified – were proximate to each other, like sand – their large population would not require arduous leadership.

    However, when there is a nation of people, each a star in his own right and alienated from others around him, leading them becomes nightmarish.

    Jonathan Hughes, rabbi of Richmond United Synagogue calls unto his co-believers saying

    As this mournful time of the Jewish year approaches in the run-up to Tisha B’Av, we need to be reminded of the Jewish togetherness that must be etched into our hearts.

    One of the reasons we lost the Temple in Jerusa-lem is baseless hatred. Essentially, everyone was a ‘star’ in his own right, all the people light years away from each other.

    The Torah’s clarion call is, as the Beatles would say, ‘come together’.

    Indeed, the rabbis teach that every Jewish soul contains elements of every other Jewish soul that has been, is, or will be on this planet. We are one unit.

    Also for our Christian community we should think about that problem of unity and remember that, our success will hinge on how connected we feel to each other. Every Christian soul (a living being) should carry in him the link to the master teacher Jeshua and as such also should contain elements of every other Christian soul.

    A few months ago we already spoke about the problems of co-operating in Belgium of the different Christadelphian groups. We also had to lick our wounds of the 2013-2014 season. Such a small community, but like all other Christian communities, we did and do find human beings not able to work with each other or being afraid others would runaway with people from their group or would  gain more attendance. But we should not be worrying about loosing members, but should worry about getting people closer to God.

    It is also not the matter of being a star ourselves, being a gifted or highly celebrated person in the church to whom everybody looks up to, or having all the power. The power belongs to God. It’s about beginning a de-starification process and the forging of sand-like bonds of genuine fraternity. We are taking on the name of being “Brethren in Christ” and as such should be as brothers and sisters be associated for the common purpose or interest, such as to be united in Christ.

    Deu 11:13-17 RNKJV  And it shall come to pass, if ye shall hearken diligently unto my commandments which I command you this day, to love YHWH your Elohim, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul,  (14)  That I will give you the rain of your land in his due season, the first rain and the latter rain, that thou mayest gather in thy corn, and thy wine, and thine oil.  (15)  And I will send grass in thy fields for thy cattle, that thou mayest eat and be full.  (16)  Take heed to yourselves, that your heart be not deceived, and ye turn aside, and serve other elohim, and worship them;  (17)  And then YHWH’s wrath be kindled against you, and he shut up the heaven, that there be no rain, and that the land yield not her fruit; and lest ye perish quickly from off the good land which YHWH giveth you.

    Israel was called to remain faithful to Jehovah, and we as those who are called by Christ Jesus are now also part of that Israel also should be faithful to Him and should not make ourselves other gods or other idols we prefer following instead of the Most High. Jeshua is the cornerstone given by God the Almighty. Though certain people may want to be mighty and do want to have more power than others, we should give ourselves to Christ and be united under him, working all together, working the soil, for the One God. some may expect certain rewards by following certain man but it will be God Who will abundantly bless the people with tokens of His goodness.  A person rendering service to God with all his soul, would become an acceptable “living sacrifice” unto Him).

    Rom 12:1 RNKJV  I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of YHWH, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto YHWH, which is your reasonable service.

    It is  by the mercies of God, to present our bodies a living sacrifice, holy, well-pleasing to God, which is our spiritual worship and a service which we are willing to share with one another, not conformed to the fashion of this world, but being transformed by the renewal of our mind, that we may learn by experience what is the will of God, what is good, and wellpleasing, and perfect (Romans 12:2).

    There is the appeal for us to become co-workers, helping each other, not working against each other, or not considering each other rivals. As individual beings, planets or stars, we may be totally different, but together we are one part of the universe, just some small elements in the creation of God.

    In that universe, on this globe, living in this world, we should not be part of this world but should be in unity with Christ, all going for Christ. This going for Christ demands following his instructions to go out in this world, preaching the Good News of the coming Kingdom of God. We should try to enlighten others and to take the yoke from their shoudlers by helping them to find the right path to God.

    First of all we should first accept upon ourselves the yoke of heaven’s sovereignty, and afterwards accept upon ourselves the yoke of the commandments. Ceaseless we should strive to humbly accept God’s sovereignty. All that we do each day is then guided by the commitment made before at the end of the day.

    Soon having a new academic year, starting a new working season, we should take the sparkles of the Summer-months with us and bring the light of the stars into the ecclesia. Without the internal core the star cannot be bright, so we too do have to have a good core. Our nucleus should have a firm duramen full of bright fire of faith. The pith of our faith should be the Biblical knowledge and our thorough frequent Bible reading and sharing this faith and Bible knowledge with each other.

    We look forward to find more writers willing to write for our lifestyle magazines and bringing some interesting exhortations, which shall be able to inspire us to go further in space to go out of the darkness and see more light by even more stars which were first hidden.

    We do hope we can get some more people to come to read some of our Christadelphian thoughts, to come to our meetings, showing them some more light on dark paths, showing the way unto the path into the stars

    As Moses had to guide his people we also have to find guides to help us to recognise the most truthful Guide, the Bible. As brothers and sisters we should be standing ready  to pick up a star, to find something in which we are good and by which we can help others. Each of us has received some talents and those talents we should use for the best. Do not waste those talents, but use them to bring people closer to God.

    +

    Preceding posting:

    Belgian Christadelphians 2013 & 2014 in review

    A man from the North wanting to have control in Belgium

    Delay in publications because attack from outside

    Preparation for unity

    Trusting, Faith, Calling and Ascribing to Jehovah #14 Prayer #12 The other name

    ++

    Additional reading:

    1. Broeders in Christus 2013 & 2014 in review
    2. The Presence of God
    3. Hubble Peers into the Most Crowded Place in the Milky Way
    4. Reflect on how much idolizing happens
    5. Looking on what is going on and not being of it
    6. Marriage of Jesus 10 Old and New Covenant
    7. Preparation for unity
    8. First month of the year and predictions
    9. Days of Nisan, Pesach, Pasach, Pascha and Easter
    10. Festival of Freedom and persecutions
    11. 14 Nisan a day to remember #1 Inception
    12. 14 Nisan a day to remember #5 The Day to celebrate
    13. Certain people trying to stem freedom of speech
    14. No reconciliation possible
    15. Priority to form a loving brotherhood
    16. Not words of any organisation should bind you, but the Word of God
    17. Disciple of Christ counting lives and friends dear to them
    18. Born to Shine not to fear!
    19. All I want is peace!!!
    20. See God’s wonderworks and hear His Voice
    21. Looking for a shepherd for the sheep and goats
    22. Joining for a new year in the assurance to be bought with a price
    23. Different approach in organisation of services #3
    24. My blogs 2014 in review
    25. Dissolution of Bijbelvorsers (Bible scholars), Association for Bible study
    26. A new voice calling for peace
    27. Welcome to “From guestwriters”
    28. Guestwriters for you
    29. Stepping Toes 2014 in review
    30. Do you have a writer or presenter in you?

    +++

    Related articles

    Rate this:

    #AcademicYear #Beach #BibleKnowledge #BiblicalKnowledge #ChildrenOfIsrael #Christendom #Christian #CoWorkers #ComingCloserToGod #Cornerstone #FireOfFaith #Fraternity #GoingForChrist #GoodNews #HouseOfIsrael #HumanBeing #Israel #Jeshua #JewishNation #Jews #JonathanHughes #LifestyleMagazine #LoveGod #Moses #NationOfPeople #NewYear #Power #Preaching #SandGeologicalScience_ #SandPhysicalGeography_ #ServingGod #Sharing #SharingGospel #SovereigntyOfGod #StarProminentPerson_ #StarAstronomy_ #Summer #Summertime #TishaBAv #TorahSClarionCall #UnitedUnderChrist #UnityWithChrist #Universe #WellPleasingToGod #WorkingTogether #YokeOfCommandments #YokeOfTheWorld

  9. Counting sands and stars

    Sandy beach

    Those who go up in the mountains or just go out in the fields, now in Summer, may sit there at night and count the stars. Though both the stars in the sky and the particles of sand we may find on the beach are too numerous to count. However, there is a gigantic difference between the two.

    Sand: a naturally occurring granular material composed of finely divided rock and mineral particles. – Sand dunes in the Idehan Ubari, Libya.

    Grains of sand are tightly pressed and compacted one against the other to form a beach. Each star, on the other hand, is a world in itself. It can be separated from its nearest neighbour by trillions of miles.

    Moses tells God that the Jewish nation is too burdensome for him to carry alone. Why? Because they are comparable to the profusion of stars.

    Jehovah, the God of the believers used as slaves in Egypt were  multiplied by the Most High and had become like the stars of the heaven in number. (Deuteronomy 1:10)

    Deu 1:10-12 RNKJV  YHWH your Elohim hath multiplied you, and, behold, ye are this day as the stars of heaven for multitude.  (11)  (YHWH Elohim of your fathers make you a thousand times so many more as ye are, and bless you, as he hath promised you!)  (12)  How can I myself alone bear your cumbrance, and your burden, and your strife?

    For Moses there was a burden so heavy as to produce weariness not because they were with many, but more because there was so much division between them. For Moses there may have been a similar problem as what we see today. We can find many people who say they love God, but look at that God in different ways and have different ways to serve Him. Some their worship is not liked by others because it goes against the rules made by God Himself.

    In Christendom we may see several ‘planets’ or ‘stars’, find a massive quantity like Moses found one that he could not alone lead them. He wasn’t overwhelmed by the number of people. Rather, the  problem was qualitative.

    Moses implied that if the Jews were spiritually and emotionally unified – were proximate to each other, like sand – their large population would not require arduous leadership.

    However, when there is a nation of people, each a star in his own right and alienated from others around him, leading them becomes nightmarish.

    Jonathan Hughes, rabbi of Richmond United Synagogue calls unto his co-believers saying

    As this mournful time of the Jewish year approaches in the run-up to Tisha B’Av, we need to be reminded of the Jewish togetherness that must be etched into our hearts.

    One of the reasons we lost the Temple in Jerusa-lem is baseless hatred. Essentially, everyone was a ‘star’ in his own right, all the people light years away from each other.

    The Torah’s clarion call is, as the Beatles would say, ‘come together’.

    Indeed, the rabbis teach that every Jewish soul contains elements of every other Jewish soul that has been, is, or will be on this planet. We are one unit.

    Also for our Christian community we should think about that problem of unity and remember that, our success will hinge on how connected we feel to each other. Every Christian soul (a living being) should carry in him the link to the master teacher Jeshua and as such also should contain elements of every other Christian soul.

    A few months ago we already spoke about the problems of co-operating in Belgium of the different Christadelphian groups. We also had to lick our wounds of the 2013-2014 season. Such a small community, but like all other Christian communities, we did and do find human beings not able to work with each other or being afraid others would runaway with people from their group or would  gain more attendance. But we should not be worrying about loosing members, but should worry about getting people closer to God.

    It is also not the matter of being a star ourselves, being a gifted or highly celebrated person in the church to whom everybody looks up to, or having all the power. The power belongs to God. It’s about beginning a de-starification process and the forging of sand-like bonds of genuine fraternity. We are taking on the name of being “Brethren in Christ” and as such should be as brothers and sisters be associated for the common purpose or interest, such as to be united in Christ.

    Deu 11:13-17 RNKJV  And it shall come to pass, if ye shall hearken diligently unto my commandments which I command you this day, to love YHWH your Elohim, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul,  (14)  That I will give you the rain of your land in his due season, the first rain and the latter rain, that thou mayest gather in thy corn, and thy wine, and thine oil.  (15)  And I will send grass in thy fields for thy cattle, that thou mayest eat and be full.  (16)  Take heed to yourselves, that your heart be not deceived, and ye turn aside, and serve other elohim, and worship them;  (17)  And then YHWH’s wrath be kindled against you, and he shut up the heaven, that there be no rain, and that the land yield not her fruit; and lest ye perish quickly from off the good land which YHWH giveth you.

    Israel was called to remain faithful to Jehovah, and we as those who are called by Christ Jesus are now also part of that Israel also should be faithful to Him and should not make ourselves other gods or other idols we prefer following instead of the Most High. Jeshua is the cornerstone given by God the Almighty. Though certain people may want to be mighty and do want to have more power than others, we should give ourselves to Christ and be united under him, working all together, working the soil, for the One God. some may expect certain rewards by following certain man but it will be God Who will abundantly bless the people with tokens of His goodness.  A person rendering service to God with all his soul, would become an acceptable “living sacrifice” unto Him).

    Rom 12:1 RNKJV  I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of YHWH, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto YHWH, which is your reasonable service.

    It is  by the mercies of God, to present our bodies a living sacrifice, holy, well-pleasing to God, which is our spiritual worship and a service which we are willing to share with one another, not conformed to the fashion of this world, but being transformed by the renewal of our mind, that we may learn by experience what is the will of God, what is good, and wellpleasing, and perfect (Romans 12:2).

    There is the appeal for us to become co-workers, helping each other, not working against each other, or not considering each other rivals. As individual beings, planets or stars, we may be totally different, but together we are one part of the universe, just some small elements in the creation of God.

    In that universe, on this globe, living in this world, we should not be part of this world but should be in unity with Christ, all going for Christ. This going for Christ demands following his instructions to go out in this world, preaching the Good News of the coming Kingdom of God. We should try to enlighten others and to take the yoke from their shoudlers by helping them to find the right path to God.

    First of all we should first accept upon ourselves the yoke of heaven’s sovereignty, and afterwards accept upon ourselves the yoke of the commandments. Ceaseless we should strive to humbly accept God’s sovereignty. All that we do each day is then guided by the commitment made before at the end of the day.

    Soon having a new academic year, starting a new working season, we should take the sparkles of the Summer-months with us and bring the light of the stars into the ecclesia. Without the internal core the star cannot be bright, so we too do have to have a good core. Our nucleus should have a firm duramen full of bright fire of faith. The pith of our faith should be the Biblical knowledge and our thorough frequent Bible reading and sharing this faith and Bible knowledge with each other.

    We look forward to find more writers willing to write for our lifestyle magazines and bringing some interesting exhortations, which shall be able to inspire us to go further in space to go out of the darkness and see more light by even more stars which were first hidden.

    We do hope we can get some more people to come to read some of our Christadelphian thoughts, to come to our meetings, showing them some more light on dark paths, showing the way unto the path into the stars

    As Moses had to guide his people we also have to find guides to help us to recognise the most truthful Guide, the Bible. As brothers and sisters we should be standing ready  to pick up a star, to find something in which we are good and by which we can help others. Each of us has received some talents and those talents we should use for the best. Do not waste those talents, but use them to bring people closer to God.

    +

    Preceding posting:

    Belgian Christadelphians 2013 & 2014 in review

    A man from the North wanting to have control in Belgium

    Delay in publications because attack from outside

    Preparation for unity

    Trusting, Faith, Calling and Ascribing to Jehovah #14 Prayer #12 The other name

    ++

    Additional reading:

    1. Broeders in Christus 2013 & 2014 in review
    2. The Presence of God
    3. Hubble Peers into the Most Crowded Place in the Milky Way
    4. Reflect on how much idolizing happens
    5. Looking on what is going on and not being of it
    6. Marriage of Jesus 10 Old and New Covenant
    7. Preparation for unity
    8. First month of the year and predictions
    9. Days of Nisan, Pesach, Pasach, Pascha and Easter
    10. Festival of Freedom and persecutions
    11. 14 Nisan a day to remember #1 Inception
    12. 14 Nisan a day to remember #5 The Day to celebrate
    13. Certain people trying to stem freedom of speech
    14. No reconciliation possible
    15. Priority to form a loving brotherhood
    16. Not words of any organisation should bind you, but the Word of God
    17. Disciple of Christ counting lives and friends dear to them
    18. Born to Shine not to fear!
    19. All I want is peace!!!
    20. See God’s wonderworks and hear His Voice
    21. Looking for a shepherd for the sheep and goats
    22. Joining for a new year in the assurance to be bought with a price
    23. Different approach in organisation of services #3
    24. My blogs 2014 in review
    25. Dissolution of Bijbelvorsers (Bible scholars), Association for Bible study
    26. A new voice calling for peace
    27. Welcome to “From guestwriters”
    28. Guestwriters for you
    29. Stepping Toes 2014 in review
    30. Do you have a writer or presenter in you?

    +++

    Related articles

    Rate this:

    #AcademicYear #Beach #BibleKnowledge #BiblicalKnowledge #ChildrenOfIsrael #Christendom #Christian #CoWorkers #ComingCloserToGod #Cornerstone #FireOfFaith #Fraternity #GoingForChrist #GoodNews #HouseOfIsrael #HumanBeing #Israel #Jeshua #JewishNation #Jews #JonathanHughes #LifestyleMagazine #LoveGod #Moses #NationOfPeople #NewYear #Power #Preaching #SandGeologicalScience_ #SandPhysicalGeography_ #ServingGod #Sharing #SharingGospel #SovereigntyOfGod #StarProminentPerson_ #StarAstronomy_ #Summer #Summertime #TishaBAv #TorahSClarionCall #UnitedUnderChrist #UnityWithChrist #Universe #WellPleasingToGod #WorkingTogether #YokeOfCommandments #YokeOfTheWorld

  10. Counting sands and stars

    Sandy beach

    Those who go up in the mountains or just go out in the fields, now in Summer, may sit there at night and count the stars. Though both the stars in the sky and the particles of sand we may find on the beach are too numerous to count. However, there is a gigantic difference between the two.

    Sand: a naturally occurring granular material composed of finely divided rock and mineral particles. – Sand dunes in the Idehan Ubari, Libya.

    Grains of sand are tightly pressed and compacted one against the other to form a beach. Each star, on the other hand, is a world in itself. It can be separated from its nearest neighbour by trillions of miles.

    Moses tells God that the Jewish nation is too burdensome for him to carry alone. Why? Because they are comparable to the profusion of stars.

    Jehovah, the God of the believers used as slaves in Egypt were  multiplied by the Most High and had become like the stars of the heaven in number. (Deuteronomy 1:10)

    Deu 1:10-12 RNKJV  YHWH your Elohim hath multiplied you, and, behold, ye are this day as the stars of heaven for multitude.  (11)  (YHWH Elohim of your fathers make you a thousand times so many more as ye are, and bless you, as he hath promised you!)  (12)  How can I myself alone bear your cumbrance, and your burden, and your strife?

    For Moses there was a burden so heavy as to produce weariness not because they were with many, but more because there was so much division between them. For Moses there may have been a similar problem as what we see today. We can find many people who say they love God, but look at that God in different ways and have different ways to serve Him. Some their worship is not liked by others because it goes against the rules made by God Himself.

    In Christendom we may see several ‘planets’ or ‘stars’, find a massive quantity like Moses found one that he could not alone lead them. He wasn’t overwhelmed by the number of people. Rather, the  problem was qualitative.

    Moses implied that if the Jews were spiritually and emotionally unified – were proximate to each other, like sand – their large population would not require arduous leadership.

    However, when there is a nation of people, each a star in his own right and alienated from others around him, leading them becomes nightmarish.

    Jonathan Hughes, rabbi of Richmond United Synagogue calls unto his co-believers saying

    As this mournful time of the Jewish year approaches in the run-up to Tisha B’Av, we need to be reminded of the Jewish togetherness that must be etched into our hearts.

    One of the reasons we lost the Temple in Jerusa-lem is baseless hatred. Essentially, everyone was a ‘star’ in his own right, all the people light years away from each other.

    The Torah’s clarion call is, as the Beatles would say, ‘come together’.

    Indeed, the rabbis teach that every Jewish soul contains elements of every other Jewish soul that has been, is, or will be on this planet. We are one unit.

    Also for our Christian community we should think about that problem of unity and remember that, our success will hinge on how connected we feel to each other. Every Christian soul (a living being) should carry in him the link to the master teacher Jeshua and as such also should contain elements of every other Christian soul.

    A few months ago we already spoke about the problems of co-operating in Belgium of the different Christadelphian groups. We also had to lick our wounds of the 2013-2014 season. Such a small community, but like all other Christian communities, we did and do find human beings not able to work with each other or being afraid others would runaway with people from their group or would  gain more attendance. But we should not be worrying about loosing members, but should worry about getting people closer to God.

    It is also not the matter of being a star ourselves, being a gifted or highly celebrated person in the church to whom everybody looks up to, or having all the power. The power belongs to God. It’s about beginning a de-starification process and the forging of sand-like bonds of genuine fraternity. We are taking on the name of being “Brethren in Christ” and as such should be as brothers and sisters be associated for the common purpose or interest, such as to be united in Christ.

    Deu 11:13-17 RNKJV  And it shall come to pass, if ye shall hearken diligently unto my commandments which I command you this day, to love YHWH your Elohim, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul,  (14)  That I will give you the rain of your land in his due season, the first rain and the latter rain, that thou mayest gather in thy corn, and thy wine, and thine oil.  (15)  And I will send grass in thy fields for thy cattle, that thou mayest eat and be full.  (16)  Take heed to yourselves, that your heart be not deceived, and ye turn aside, and serve other elohim, and worship them;  (17)  And then YHWH’s wrath be kindled against you, and he shut up the heaven, that there be no rain, and that the land yield not her fruit; and lest ye perish quickly from off the good land which YHWH giveth you.

    Israel was called to remain faithful to Jehovah, and we as those who are called by Christ Jesus are now also part of that Israel also should be faithful to Him and should not make ourselves other gods or other idols we prefer following instead of the Most High. Jeshua is the cornerstone given by God the Almighty. Though certain people may want to be mighty and do want to have more power than others, we should give ourselves to Christ and be united under him, working all together, working the soil, for the One God. some may expect certain rewards by following certain man but it will be God Who will abundantly bless the people with tokens of His goodness.  A person rendering service to God with all his soul, would become an acceptable “living sacrifice” unto Him).

    Rom 12:1 RNKJV  I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of YHWH, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto YHWH, which is your reasonable service.

    It is  by the mercies of God, to present our bodies a living sacrifice, holy, well-pleasing to God, which is our spiritual worship and a service which we are willing to share with one another, not conformed to the fashion of this world, but being transformed by the renewal of our mind, that we may learn by experience what is the will of God, what is good, and wellpleasing, and perfect (Romans 12:2).

    There is the appeal for us to become co-workers, helping each other, not working against each other, or not considering each other rivals. As individual beings, planets or stars, we may be totally different, but together we are one part of the universe, just some small elements in the creation of God.

    In that universe, on this globe, living in this world, we should not be part of this world but should be in unity with Christ, all going for Christ. This going for Christ demands following his instructions to go out in this world, preaching the Good News of the coming Kingdom of God. We should try to enlighten others and to take the yoke from their shoudlers by helping them to find the right path to God.

    First of all we should first accept upon ourselves the yoke of heaven’s sovereignty, and afterwards accept upon ourselves the yoke of the commandments. Ceaseless we should strive to humbly accept God’s sovereignty. All that we do each day is then guided by the commitment made before at the end of the day.

    Soon having a new academic year, starting a new working season, we should take the sparkles of the Summer-months with us and bring the light of the stars into the ecclesia. Without the internal core the star cannot be bright, so we too do have to have a good core. Our nucleus should have a firm duramen full of bright fire of faith. The pith of our faith should be the Biblical knowledge and our thorough frequent Bible reading and sharing this faith and Bible knowledge with each other.

    We look forward to find more writers willing to write for our lifestyle magazines and bringing some interesting exhortations, which shall be able to inspire us to go further in space to go out of the darkness and see more light by even more stars which were first hidden.

    We do hope we can get some more people to come to read some of our Christadelphian thoughts, to come to our meetings, showing them some more light on dark paths, showing the way unto the path into the stars

    As Moses had to guide his people we also have to find guides to help us to recognise the most truthful Guide, the Bible. As brothers and sisters we should be standing ready  to pick up a star, to find something in which we are good and by which we can help others. Each of us has received some talents and those talents we should use for the best. Do not waste those talents, but use them to bring people closer to God.

    +

    Preceding posting:

    Belgian Christadelphians 2013 & 2014 in review

    A man from the North wanting to have control in Belgium

    Delay in publications because attack from outside

    Preparation for unity

    Trusting, Faith, Calling and Ascribing to Jehovah #14 Prayer #12 The other name

    ++

    Additional reading:

    1. Broeders in Christus 2013 & 2014 in review
    2. The Presence of God
    3. Hubble Peers into the Most Crowded Place in the Milky Way
    4. Reflect on how much idolizing happens
    5. Looking on what is going on and not being of it
    6. Marriage of Jesus 10 Old and New Covenant
    7. Preparation for unity
    8. First month of the year and predictions
    9. Days of Nisan, Pesach, Pasach, Pascha and Easter
    10. Festival of Freedom and persecutions
    11. 14 Nisan a day to remember #1 Inception
    12. 14 Nisan a day to remember #5 The Day to celebrate
    13. Certain people trying to stem freedom of speech
    14. No reconciliation possible
    15. Priority to form a loving brotherhood
    16. Not words of any organisation should bind you, but the Word of God
    17. Disciple of Christ counting lives and friends dear to them
    18. Born to Shine not to fear!
    19. All I want is peace!!!
    20. See God’s wonderworks and hear His Voice
    21. Looking for a shepherd for the sheep and goats
    22. Joining for a new year in the assurance to be bought with a price
    23. Different approach in organisation of services #3
    24. My blogs 2014 in review
    25. Dissolution of Bijbelvorsers (Bible scholars), Association for Bible study
    26. A new voice calling for peace
    27. Welcome to “From guestwriters”
    28. Guestwriters for you
    29. Stepping Toes 2014 in review
    30. Do you have a writer or presenter in you?

    +++

    Related articles

    Rate this:

    #AcademicYear #Beach #BibleKnowledge #BiblicalKnowledge #ChildrenOfIsrael #Christendom #Christian #CoWorkers #ComingCloserToGod #Cornerstone #FireOfFaith #Fraternity #GoingForChrist #GoodNews #HouseOfIsrael #HumanBeing #Israel #Jeshua #JewishNation #Jews #JonathanHughes #LifestyleMagazine #LoveGod #Moses #NationOfPeople #NewYear #Power #Preaching #SandGeologicalScience_ #SandPhysicalGeography_ #ServingGod #Sharing #SharingGospel #SovereigntyOfGod #StarProminentPerson_ #StarAstronomy_ #Summer #Summertime #TishaBAv #TorahSClarionCall #UnitedUnderChrist #UnityWithChrist #Universe #WellPleasingToGod #WorkingTogether #YokeOfCommandments #YokeOfTheWorld