Jeremy Riddle - Sweetly Broken
From the album Sweetly Broken
To the cross I look, to the cross I cling
Of its suffering I do drink
Of its work I do sing
For on it my Savior both bruised and crushed
Showed that God is love
And God is just
Chorus:
At the cross You beckon me
You draw me gently to my knees, and I am
Lost for words, so lost in love,
I’m sweetly broken, wholly surrendered
What a priceless gift, undeserved life
Have I been given
Through Christ crucified
You’ve called me out of death
You’ve called me into life
And I was under Your wrath
Now through the cross I’m reconciled
Chorus:
In awe of the cross I must confess
How wondrous Your redeeming love and
How great is Your faithfulness
Habit
I am your constant companion,
I am your greatest helper or your heaviest burden.
I will push you onward or drag you down to failure.
I am at your command.
Half of the tasks that you do you might just as well
turn over to me and I will do them quickly
and correctly.
I am your greatest helper or your heaviest burden.
I will push you onward or drag you down to failure.
I am at your command.
Half of the tasks that you do you might just as well
turn over to me and I will do them quickly
and correctly.
I am easily managed,
you must merely be firm with me.
Show me exactly how you want something done;
after a few lessons I will do it automatically.
I am the servant of all great people and
alas of all failures as well.
Those who are great I have made great
those who are failures I have made failures.
you must merely be firm with me.
Show me exactly how you want something done;
after a few lessons I will do it automatically.
I am the servant of all great people and
alas of all failures as well.
Those who are great I have made great
those who are failures I have made failures.
I am not a machine, but I work with all the precision
of a machine, plus the intelligence of a person.
Now you may run me for profit or
you may run me for ruin
It makes no difference to me
Take me, train me, be firm with me
and I will lay the world at your feet
Be easy with me and I will destroy you.
of a machine, plus the intelligence of a person.
Now you may run me for profit or
you may run me for ruin
It makes no difference to me
Take me, train me, be firm with me
and I will lay the world at your feet
Be easy with me and I will destroy you.
Who am I? I am called habit.
Family - Poem
My Mother sent me this:
F A M I L Y
I ran into a stranger as he passed by,
"Oh excuse me please" was my reply.
He said, "Please excuse me too;
I wasn't watching for you."
We were very polite, this stranger and I.
We went on our way and we said goodbye.
But at home a different story is told,
How we treat our loved ones, young and old.
Later that day, cooking the evening meal,
My son stood beside me very still.
When I turned, I nearly knocked him down.
"Move out of the way," I said with a frown.
He walked away, his little heart broken.
I didn't realize how harshly I'd spoken.
While I lay awake in bed,
God's still small voice came to me and said,
"While dealing with a stranger,
common courtesy you use,
but the family you love, you seem to abuse.
Go and look on the kitchen floor,
You'll find some flowers there by the door.
Those are the flowers he brought for you.
He picked them himself: pink, yellow and blue.
He stood very quietly not to spoil the surprise,
you never saw the tears that filled his little eyes."
By this time, I felt very small,
And now my tears began to fall.
I quietly went and knelt by his bed;
"Wake up, little one, wake up," I said.
"Are these the flowers you picked for me?"
He smiled, "I found 'em, out by the tree.
I picked 'em because they're pretty like you.
I knew you'd like 'em, especially the blue."
I said, "Son, I'm very sorry for the way I acted today;
I shouldn't have yelled at you that way."
He said, "Oh, Mom, that's okay.
I love you anyway."
I said, "Son, I love you too,
and I do like the flowers, especially the blue."
I ran into a stranger as he passed by,
"Oh excuse me please" was my reply.
He said, "Please excuse me too;
I wasn't watching for you."
We were very polite, this stranger and I.
We went on our way and we said goodbye.
But at home a different story is told,
How we treat our loved ones, young and old.
Later that day, cooking the evening meal,
My son stood beside me very still.
When I turned, I nearly knocked him down.
"Move out of the way," I said with a frown.
He walked away, his little heart broken.
I didn't realize how harshly I'd spoken.
While I lay awake in bed,
God's still small voice came to me and said,
"While dealing with a stranger,
common courtesy you use,
but the family you love, you seem to abuse.
Go and look on the kitchen floor,
You'll find some flowers there by the door.
Those are the flowers he brought for you.
He picked them himself: pink, yellow and blue.
He stood very quietly not to spoil the surprise,
you never saw the tears that filled his little eyes."
By this time, I felt very small,
And now my tears began to fall.
I quietly went and knelt by his bed;
"Wake up, little one, wake up," I said.
"Are these the flowers you picked for me?"
He smiled, "I found 'em, out by the tree.
I picked 'em because they're pretty like you.
I knew you'd like 'em, especially the blue."
I said, "Son, I'm very sorry for the way I acted today;
I shouldn't have yelled at you that way."
He said, "Oh, Mom, that's okay.
I love you anyway."
I said, "Son, I love you too,
and I do like the flowers, especially the blue."
Psalm 5
Psalm 5:1-3
1Give ear to my words, O lord,
consider my sighing.
2Listen to my cry for help,
my King and my God,
for to you I pray.
3In the morning, O Lord, you hear my voice;
in the morning I lay my requests before,
you
and wait in expectation.
Fruits of a Good Conscience
Reading more about the conscience from Dr. Stanley's website, http://www.intouch.org/, I came across this and thought it was very good. I never really thought about the benefits of a good conscience in this way.
How does a good conscience help you on a daily basis?
1. You have courage.
- No matter what hardships and difficulties you face, you have confidence that you acted in the right manner.
2. You have peace.
- You can remain calm and quiet and let the attack rage around you.
3. You have no fear.
- Because you've acted rightly, you have the Father on your side.
After reading this I was thinking about work and so forth. At work I am trying to do the best I can. However things are being piled on and piled on and in trying to get to all of them the workmanship and attention to detail is sliding. I know I am trying and want to do my best so I am comforted in this. I did not have this peace yesterday when I realized I could have and should have done a better job with handling a particular client and task. I was not prepared and had let the work of the day really drag me down to where I just didn't care I was not organized or ready for a phone call I made to a person very high in our company. After the call I felt beat up because of the poor job I did. I can blame it on the workload, however, I don't think this is where the blame should fall. I will take the blame for not dropping my other things and doing this one task as good as I could have. I see that I need to make it clear to my boss there is too much stuff on my plate and what falls off, I am sorry for, however I can't compromise the thoroughness of my current work.
In this storm I will remain calm because I am doing the best I can and I have a clear conscience about what I am doing. I found this peace and courage when I traveled to Ohio this last week. Being around my friends and family I was not fearful of how they were judging me, talking about me or how they felt about me. I knew I loved them and wanted the best for them. I was not there to throw the gospel at them or judge them or anything like that. I wanted to simply be with them and enjoy our time together, hoping I could be a witness in some way as well. So with a clean conscience about why I was there I felt courage, peace and fearlessness.
Fruits of a good conscience? I think these are what Dr. Stanley mentions above and that is courage, peace and fearlessness. I want this in all aspects of my life and this I pray for in the name of Jesus Christ.
A clean conscience is such a WONDERFUL thing. :)
How does a good conscience help you on a daily basis?
1. You have courage.
- No matter what hardships and difficulties you face, you have confidence that you acted in the right manner.
2. You have peace.
- You can remain calm and quiet and let the attack rage around you.
3. You have no fear.
- Because you've acted rightly, you have the Father on your side.
After reading this I was thinking about work and so forth. At work I am trying to do the best I can. However things are being piled on and piled on and in trying to get to all of them the workmanship and attention to detail is sliding. I know I am trying and want to do my best so I am comforted in this. I did not have this peace yesterday when I realized I could have and should have done a better job with handling a particular client and task. I was not prepared and had let the work of the day really drag me down to where I just didn't care I was not organized or ready for a phone call I made to a person very high in our company. After the call I felt beat up because of the poor job I did. I can blame it on the workload, however, I don't think this is where the blame should fall. I will take the blame for not dropping my other things and doing this one task as good as I could have. I see that I need to make it clear to my boss there is too much stuff on my plate and what falls off, I am sorry for, however I can't compromise the thoroughness of my current work.
In this storm I will remain calm because I am doing the best I can and I have a clear conscience about what I am doing. I found this peace and courage when I traveled to Ohio this last week. Being around my friends and family I was not fearful of how they were judging me, talking about me or how they felt about me. I knew I loved them and wanted the best for them. I was not there to throw the gospel at them or judge them or anything like that. I wanted to simply be with them and enjoy our time together, hoping I could be a witness in some way as well. So with a clean conscience about why I was there I felt courage, peace and fearlessness.
Fruits of a good conscience? I think these are what Dr. Stanley mentions above and that is courage, peace and fearlessness. I want this in all aspects of my life and this I pray for in the name of Jesus Christ.
A clean conscience is such a WONDERFUL thing. :)
More on "Law"
I have been thinking of this scripture and did not know were to find it until I called my friend. He told me where it was, if I would have kept reading Romans, as I am currently doing, I would have run in to it.
Romans 7:15 I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do.
Paul said this? WOW! Again, if you wrote over half of the New Testament you had to be pretty close with God and to say this? What hope do we have? Encouraging or discouraging?
Here is a few paragraphs from which Paul speaks about the above:
Romans 7:14-25 14 We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin. 15 I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. 16 And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. 17 As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. 18 I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. 19 For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do, - this I keep on doing. 20 Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.
21 So I find this law at work; When I want to do good evil is right there with me. 22 For in my inner being I delight in God's law; 23 but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members. 24 What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? 25 Thanks be to God - through Jesus Christ our Lord!
So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God's law, but in the sinful nature a slave to the law of sin.
My bible called Quest Study Bible (NIV) has commentary on the side. This commentary usually starts out in a question and I am going to put the questions it asks pertaining to these scriptures below:
- Isn't this a cop-out? (Romans 7:17,20)
- If I'm a slave to God's law, why don't I always obey it? (Romans 7:21-25)
What do I have to say about all this? More will come later because I do not fully grasp or understand it. I like to write this in the blog because it helps me to remember what I am reading and keeps everything better organized then I do. I can easily go back look up a topic and add comments on what I feel or think. Please feel free to add your thoughts or comments and we'll study together. As Proverbs 27:17 says "As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."
Talk to you all soon.
Romans 7:15 I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do.
Paul said this? WOW! Again, if you wrote over half of the New Testament you had to be pretty close with God and to say this? What hope do we have? Encouraging or discouraging?
Here is a few paragraphs from which Paul speaks about the above:
Romans 7:14-25 14 We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin. 15 I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. 16 And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. 17 As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. 18 I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. 19 For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do, - this I keep on doing. 20 Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.
21 So I find this law at work; When I want to do good evil is right there with me. 22 For in my inner being I delight in God's law; 23 but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members. 24 What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? 25 Thanks be to God - through Jesus Christ our Lord!
So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God's law, but in the sinful nature a slave to the law of sin.
My bible called Quest Study Bible (NIV) has commentary on the side. This commentary usually starts out in a question and I am going to put the questions it asks pertaining to these scriptures below:
- Isn't this a cop-out? (Romans 7:17,20)
- If I'm a slave to God's law, why don't I always obey it? (Romans 7:21-25)
What do I have to say about all this? More will come later because I do not fully grasp or understand it. I like to write this in the blog because it helps me to remember what I am reading and keeps everything better organized then I do. I can easily go back look up a topic and add comments on what I feel or think. Please feel free to add your thoughts or comments and we'll study together. As Proverbs 27:17 says "As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."
Talk to you all soon.
The Law cont'd.....
I arrived at work, quickly prayed and asked for God to show what He would like me to write about. I asked for something to take home with me, something for this blog, some way that He would speak to me, anything really, I just wanted to hear from him, I wanted to be encouraged.
So, here is what He showed me...
For the Blog:
Galatians 5:4 You who are trying to be justified by law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace. 5But by faith we eagerly await through the Spirit the righteousness for which we hope. 6For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.
Yesterday I wrote about what I was reading in Romans pertaining to the law. This scripture goes along with it. Romans 2:25-27 talked a little about circumcision and the law. Becoming circumcised in the physical sense is an act of religion. What does being circumcised in the physical sense mean? Nothing (my view, not everyone's). We have a relationship with our Father. The above scripture says this, if you are trying to be justified by law you missed it! Romans already talked about this in 3:20 "Therefore, no one will be declared righteous in His sight by observing the law" and Romans 3:23 "for all have fallen short of the glory of God." So Galatians 5:4 is saying just that, if you are trying to become righteous by observing the law, by being a good person, by thinking "well I am not as bad as .................", I have a good heart and good intentions, well you missed it. Believe that you are a sinner but believe and have faith that what Jesus Christ did he did for you!!! :) There is where lies your joy, your righteousness, your fulfillment in life, your EVERYTHING, and most importantly your salvation. Praise God.
So I kept reading and came across this, For Me:
Galatians 5:10 I am confident in the Lord that you will take no other view. The one who is throwing you into confusion will pay the penalty, whoever he may be.
and
Galatians 5:13 You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love.
In Christ we are FREE! Not subject to our sinful nature, not subject to anyone or anything outside of Christ. I am free to live the life he has called me to. In Him I can do all things and His plans for my and my life exceed anything I could ever imagine. FREEDOM in Christ!!!
So, here is what He showed me...
For the Blog:
Galatians 5:4 You who are trying to be justified by law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace. 5But by faith we eagerly await through the Spirit the righteousness for which we hope. 6For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.
Yesterday I wrote about what I was reading in Romans pertaining to the law. This scripture goes along with it. Romans 2:25-27 talked a little about circumcision and the law. Becoming circumcised in the physical sense is an act of religion. What does being circumcised in the physical sense mean? Nothing (my view, not everyone's). We have a relationship with our Father. The above scripture says this, if you are trying to be justified by law you missed it! Romans already talked about this in 3:20 "Therefore, no one will be declared righteous in His sight by observing the law" and Romans 3:23 "for all have fallen short of the glory of God." So Galatians 5:4 is saying just that, if you are trying to become righteous by observing the law, by being a good person, by thinking "well I am not as bad as .................", I have a good heart and good intentions, well you missed it. Believe that you are a sinner but believe and have faith that what Jesus Christ did he did for you!!! :) There is where lies your joy, your righteousness, your fulfillment in life, your EVERYTHING, and most importantly your salvation. Praise God.
So I kept reading and came across this, For Me:
Galatians 5:10 I am confident in the Lord that you will take no other view. The one who is throwing you into confusion will pay the penalty, whoever he may be.
and
Galatians 5:13 You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love.
In Christ we are FREE! Not subject to our sinful nature, not subject to anyone or anything outside of Christ. I am free to live the life he has called me to. In Him I can do all things and His plans for my and my life exceed anything I could ever imagine. FREEDOM in Christ!!!
The Law
The Law...
Romans 2:12 All who sin apart from the law will also perish apart for the law, and all who sin under the law will be judged by the law. 13For it is not those who hear the law who are righteous in God's sight, but it is those who obey the law who will be declared righteous. 14(Indeed, when Gentiles, who do not have the law, do by nature things required by the law, they are a law for themselves, even though they do not have the law, 15since they show that the requirements of the law are written on their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness, and their thoughts now accusing, now even defending them.)
Romans 2:17 Now you, if you call yourself a Jew; if you rely on the law and brag about your relationship to God; 18if you know his will and approve of what is superior because you are instructed by the law; 19if you are convinced that you are a guide for the blind, a light for those who are in the dark, 20an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of infants, because you have in the law the embodiment of knowledge and truth— 21you, then, who teach others, do you not teach yourself? You who preach against stealing, do you steal? 22You who say that people should not commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples? 23You who brag about the law, do you dishonor God by breaking the law? 24As it is written: "God's name is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you."
25Circumcision has value if you observe the law, but if you break the law, you have become as though you had not been circumcised. 26If those who are not circumcised keep the law's requirements, will they not be regarded as though they were circumcised? 27The one who is not circumcised physically and yet obeys the law will condemn you who, even though you have the written code and circumcision, are a lawbreaker.
Romans 3:19 Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world held accountable to God. 20Therefore no one will be declared righteous in His sight by observing the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of sin.
Why will no one be declared righteous in His sight by observing the law? Read Romans 3:10-18, also read Romans 3:23 (below), "all fall short". But Romans 2:13 says "For it is not those who hear the law who are righteous in God's sight, but it is those who obey the law who will be declared righteous." The law...see Exodus 20, the law is the ten commandments given to Moses. Now if you follow those perfectly you can confess Romans 2:13 and that you obeyed the law and in turn will be declared righteous by God!!! But if you have not kept those laws, if you have ever broken one commandment you are a law breaker and will be judged as one. This is why Romans 3:20 says "no one will be declared righteous in His sight by observing the law". So what now....keep reading it gets better. :)
Romans 3:21 But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. 22This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. 23There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24and are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.
Romans 3:27 Where, then, is boasting? It is excluded. On what principle? On that of observing the law? No, but on that of faith. 28For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from observing the law. 29Is God the God of Jews only? Is He not the God of Gentiles too? Yes, of Gentiles too, 30 since there is only one God, who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through that same faith. 31 Do we, then, nullify the law by this faith? Not at all! Rather, we uphold the law.
Romans 4:16 Therefore, the promise comes by faith, so that it may be by grace and may be guaranteed to all Abraham's offspring - not only to those who are of the law but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham.
Romans 2:12 All who sin apart from the law will also perish apart for the law, and all who sin under the law will be judged by the law. 13For it is not those who hear the law who are righteous in God's sight, but it is those who obey the law who will be declared righteous. 14(Indeed, when Gentiles, who do not have the law, do by nature things required by the law, they are a law for themselves, even though they do not have the law, 15since they show that the requirements of the law are written on their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness, and their thoughts now accusing, now even defending them.)
Romans 2:17 Now you, if you call yourself a Jew; if you rely on the law and brag about your relationship to God; 18if you know his will and approve of what is superior because you are instructed by the law; 19if you are convinced that you are a guide for the blind, a light for those who are in the dark, 20an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of infants, because you have in the law the embodiment of knowledge and truth— 21you, then, who teach others, do you not teach yourself? You who preach against stealing, do you steal? 22You who say that people should not commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples? 23You who brag about the law, do you dishonor God by breaking the law? 24As it is written: "God's name is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you."
25Circumcision has value if you observe the law, but if you break the law, you have become as though you had not been circumcised. 26If those who are not circumcised keep the law's requirements, will they not be regarded as though they were circumcised? 27The one who is not circumcised physically and yet obeys the law will condemn you who, even though you have the written code and circumcision, are a lawbreaker.
Romans 3:19 Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world held accountable to God. 20Therefore no one will be declared righteous in His sight by observing the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of sin.
Why will no one be declared righteous in His sight by observing the law? Read Romans 3:10-18, also read Romans 3:23 (below), "all fall short". But Romans 2:13 says "For it is not those who hear the law who are righteous in God's sight, but it is those who obey the law who will be declared righteous." The law...see Exodus 20, the law is the ten commandments given to Moses. Now if you follow those perfectly you can confess Romans 2:13 and that you obeyed the law and in turn will be declared righteous by God!!! But if you have not kept those laws, if you have ever broken one commandment you are a law breaker and will be judged as one. This is why Romans 3:20 says "no one will be declared righteous in His sight by observing the law". So what now....keep reading it gets better. :)
Romans 3:21 But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. 22This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. 23There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24and are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.
Romans 3:27 Where, then, is boasting? It is excluded. On what principle? On that of observing the law? No, but on that of faith. 28For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from observing the law. 29Is God the God of Jews only? Is He not the God of Gentiles too? Yes, of Gentiles too, 30 since there is only one God, who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through that same faith. 31 Do we, then, nullify the law by this faith? Not at all! Rather, we uphold the law.
Romans 4:16 Therefore, the promise comes by faith, so that it may be by grace and may be guaranteed to all Abraham's offspring - not only to those who are of the law but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham.
Blessed
"Blessed are they
whose transgressions are forgiven,
whose sins are covered,
Blessed is the man
whose sin the Lord will never count against him."
whose transgressions are forgiven,
whose sins are covered,
Blessed is the man
whose sin the Lord will never count against him."
- Romans 4:7-8
Guilty Conscience - Moses
Looking for scripture pertaining to a "Guilty Conscience" last night I was lead to Exodus and Acts and what I found was very interesting.
Exodus 2:11-12 One day, after Moses had grown up, he went out to where his own people were and watched them at their hard labor. He saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew, one of his own people. Glancing this way and that and seeing no one, he killed the Egyptian and hid him in the sand.
The topical index refers to commentary written about the noted scripture. So as I read the commentary:
Was Moses' action justifiable? (2:12)
No. Not even Moses, who became the giver of the law, was justified in murdering one of his captors. The phrase glancing this way and that and the fact that he hid the corpse in the sand suggest that Moses knew killing the Egyptian was wrong (although compare with Acts 7:23-39).
This is where it started getting really interesting....
Acts 7:23-29 "When Moses was forty years old, he decided to visit his fellow Israelites. He saw one of them being mistreated by an Egyptian, so he went to his defense and avenged him by killing the Egyptian. Moses thought that his own people would realize that God was using him to rescue them, but they did not. The next day Moses came upon two Israelites who were fighting. He tried to reconcile them by saying, 'Men, you are brothers; why do you want to hurt each other?' But the man who was mistreating the other pushed Moses aside and said, 'Who made you ruler and judge over us? do you want to kill me as you killed the Egyptian yesterday?' When Moses heard this, he fled to Midian, where he settled as a foreigner and had two sons."
The commentary asks "Was Moses action justifiable?" Moses thought his actions were justifiable, it says in Acts 7:25 Moses thought that his own people would realize that God was using him to rescue them. Interesting.... so is the fact that it seems like Moses knew his call when he was forty years old, when he killed the Egyptian, yet after he fled to Midian God did not call him back to fulfill his calling until he was eighty, Exodus 7:7.
Many thoughts on all of this....
Exodus 2:11-12 One day, after Moses had grown up, he went out to where his own people were and watched them at their hard labor. He saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew, one of his own people. Glancing this way and that and seeing no one, he killed the Egyptian and hid him in the sand.
The topical index refers to commentary written about the noted scripture. So as I read the commentary:
Was Moses' action justifiable? (2:12)
No. Not even Moses, who became the giver of the law, was justified in murdering one of his captors. The phrase glancing this way and that and the fact that he hid the corpse in the sand suggest that Moses knew killing the Egyptian was wrong (although compare with Acts 7:23-39).
This is where it started getting really interesting....
Acts 7:23-29 "When Moses was forty years old, he decided to visit his fellow Israelites. He saw one of them being mistreated by an Egyptian, so he went to his defense and avenged him by killing the Egyptian. Moses thought that his own people would realize that God was using him to rescue them, but they did not. The next day Moses came upon two Israelites who were fighting. He tried to reconcile them by saying, 'Men, you are brothers; why do you want to hurt each other?' But the man who was mistreating the other pushed Moses aside and said, 'Who made you ruler and judge over us? do you want to kill me as you killed the Egyptian yesterday?' When Moses heard this, he fled to Midian, where he settled as a foreigner and had two sons."
The commentary asks "Was Moses action justifiable?" Moses thought his actions were justifiable, it says in Acts 7:25 Moses thought that his own people would realize that God was using him to rescue them. Interesting.... so is the fact that it seems like Moses knew his call when he was forty years old, when he killed the Egyptian, yet after he fled to Midian God did not call him back to fulfill his calling until he was eighty, Exodus 7:7.
Many thoughts on all of this....
Once Slaves to Something Else
The above image is referenced from Strong's Concordance I got from the http://www.blueletterbible.org/ website.The word kyrieuo is Greek for Dominion. In reading Romans 6 this morning I came across this passage:
Romans6:9 For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him."
This is the NIV translation and the KJV translation is as follows:
Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him.
So what does this mean?
Romans 6 explains.
1What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? 2By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? 3Or don't you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.
5If we have been united with him like this in his death, we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection. 6For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin - 7because anyone who has died has been freed from sin.
What does he mean by "anyone who has died"? Read John 3:1-21 where Jesus explains this to Nicodemus.
8Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. 9For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him. 10The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God.
11In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. 12 Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires, 13Do not offer the parts of your body to sin, as instruments of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God, as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer the parts of your body to him as instruments of righteousness. 14For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under the law, but under grace.
The title of this blog is "Once Slaves to Something Else" and we were once slaves to sin and to death. No more!
Slaves to Something Better
Romans 6:20-23(NIV)
When you were slaves to sin, you were free from the contol of righteousness. What benefit did you reap at that time from the things you are now ashamed of? Those things result in death! But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves to God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
King James Version uses the word servant instead of slave. Using www.blueletterbible.org I used the commentary and looked up the word for servant, here is what I found:
Word: Servant
Greek Transliteration: duoloo
Outline of Biblical Usage: 1) to make a slave of, reduce to bondage
2) metaph. give myself wholly to one's needs and service, make myself a bondman to him
Other scriptures using the same word (Remember the the word search was done with the KJV and the scripture is from the NIV):
Acts 7:6 God spoke to him in this way: 'Your descendants will be strangers in a country not their own, and they will be enslaved and mistreated four hundred years.
Romans 6:18 You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness.
Romans 6:22 But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves to God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life.
1Corinthians 7:15 But if the unbeliever leaves, let him do so. A believing man or woman is not bound in such circumstances; God has called us to live in peace.
1Corinthians 9:19 Though I am free and belong to no man, I make myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible.
Galatians 4:3 So also, when we were children, we were in slavery under the basic principles of the world.
Titus 2:3 Likewise, teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers or addicted to much wine, but to teach what is good.
2Peter 2:19 They promise them freedom, while they themselves are slaves of depravity—for a man is a slave to whatever has mastered him.
I am not the best person and fail so often. I have hurt those closest to me and done harm to many yet He still loves me and forgives me if I ask of Him. I try to do better, I am learning and walking everyday. I fall, He pulls me up; I wonder from His path, yet He guides me back to it. I choose to walk, the best I can, according to His word leaning on him for all strength and guidance. I know I can't do anything myself so, I am His servant.
When you were slaves to sin, you were free from the contol of righteousness. What benefit did you reap at that time from the things you are now ashamed of? Those things result in death! But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves to God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
King James Version uses the word servant instead of slave. Using www.blueletterbible.org I used the commentary and looked up the word for servant, here is what I found:
Word: Servant
Greek Transliteration: duoloo
Outline of Biblical Usage: 1) to make a slave of, reduce to bondage
2) metaph. give myself wholly to one's needs and service, make myself a bondman to him
Other scriptures using the same word (Remember the the word search was done with the KJV and the scripture is from the NIV):
Acts 7:6 God spoke to him in this way: 'Your descendants will be strangers in a country not their own, and they will be enslaved and mistreated four hundred years.
Romans 6:18 You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness.
Romans 6:22 But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves to God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life.
1Corinthians 7:15 But if the unbeliever leaves, let him do so. A believing man or woman is not bound in such circumstances; God has called us to live in peace.
1Corinthians 9:19 Though I am free and belong to no man, I make myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible.
Galatians 4:3 So also, when we were children, we were in slavery under the basic principles of the world.
Titus 2:3 Likewise, teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers or addicted to much wine, but to teach what is good.
2Peter 2:19 They promise them freedom, while they themselves are slaves of depravity—for a man is a slave to whatever has mastered him.
I am not the best person and fail so often. I have hurt those closest to me and done harm to many yet He still loves me and forgives me if I ask of Him. I try to do better, I am learning and walking everyday. I fall, He pulls me up; I wonder from His path, yet He guides me back to it. I choose to walk, the best I can, according to His word leaning on him for all strength and guidance. I know I can't do anything myself so, I am His servant.
Lessons from K-9 University
It was one of those days and started as soon as I rolled out of bed, I was an extreme grump. I could feel it, I knew it and I would not let myself get out of it. Everything that was said to me I barked at, not giving time to understand or even think before lashing out. So as I lay on the couch, watching the U.S Open tennis finals at my girlfriends parents, trying to provide some warmth and sensitivity to a girlfriend that was probably at her wits end putting up with my attitude that day, I started feeling at ease. It was her, me, and my arch nemesis Pepe! He is not really my arch nemesis but the frustration I feel tends to get redirected his way. There are things I don't like in his behavior, one being his territorialism and how he bites and growls at strangers if they get to close. Another thing that bothers me is when he grabs his rawhide chew, jumps up on the sofa completely in your space and then if you move or touch him he starts to growl or snap at you like you are the one who got in the way. So here was my battle....Pepe, along with his favorite rawhide chew jumps up on the cover directly in front of me. Now in the past I would put my hand in the cover and start messing with him. I used the cover for protection because it would protect my hand when he tried to bite. In doing this I would always get mad at him because he would actually bite and growl like a crazy dog bringing my blood pressure to a boiling point. It was never a good outcome. However today I was able to fight back the temptation of messing with Pepe, and I will tell you this was not an easy fight for me. So I lay back content, feeling pretty good I did not give in to the temptation, and watching the Open. End of story? No, but I it could have been.
A little later as Pepe sat there chewing his rawhide Frances told me to put my hand under the cover and play with him, she said he would play back. I knew this would not be the case and even more so I knew what my reaction would be if he tried to bite me rather than play with me. I felt my heart rate rise at the thought of being bit and growled at yet I went for it anyway. I slid my hand under the blanket and Pepe tensed. I knew to stop. He started that low growl and my heart rate raised. I moved in closer and his growling increased, I told myself not to not go any further yet the adrenaline told me otherwise. The fight that could have been avoided I gave in to. I grabbed at his nose, with my blood pressure shooting up and adrenaline taking over, he instantly bit, this time, and the first time ever he got a good bite on my finger. Rage at this 20 lb. dog flooded my veins and the chain of events that followed were not played out real well......(disclaimer: the dog was not hurt in any way).
Now with Pepe on the floor and me looking at my finger, with heart rate through the roof, I laid back down trying to absorb what just happened and what went wrong in the whole situation. I thought to myself "why didn't I avoid the whole conflict?", I mean, I knew what was going to happen, I knew what my reaction was going to be and I even spoke it out before commiting the act. If you see a hornets nest, if you know it is a hornets nest, yet you go over and stick your hand in it, do you think you are not going to get stung? After you do are you going to be mad at God or someone else for you sticking your hand in the hornets nest? If I knew the outcome why would I continue? GREAT question, I sat there and thought the same thing. I was ashamed of my reaction and ashamed more in the fact I knew the outcome yet I proceeded to do what I knew I shouldn't. As I lay on the couch, trying to keep my heart from jumping out of my chest, I thought about my walk with our Lord and Savior. I asked myself the question "Why do I do things I know I am not strong enough to handle or I know are going to cause me to stumble, why don't I just avoid them?" I pray for God to point these things out and to give me strength to avoid them. I know the temptations will come yet it is my choice to honor them or not.
So I got down on the floor and apologized to my little friend Pepe. I told him I was sorry and that I should not have done what I did. I confessed to him that I knew what was going to happen and I should have just left him alone to enjoy his chew toy. I apologized out loud so he may hear and his owner as well. I humbled myself before the litte guy and my apology was fully accepted. I know this because he wagged his tail and laid down at my hand so I could scratch his behind. :)
More lessons to come from K-9 U!
Goals - Biblical or Not?
In reading an article by Charles Stanley called "Goals - Biblical or Not" I came across this scripture - Proverbs 21:5 "The plans of the diligent lead to profit as surely as haste leads to poverty". I looked up the meaning of haste and hasten in The American Century Dictionary:
haste - urgency of movement or action; excessive hurry. Make haste, hurry; be quick
hasten - bring about sooner
So what does this mean?, it honestly was not the definition I expected. I don't know what I expected to find when I looked up the word haste but this was not it. Why does an urgency of movement or action bring about poverty? Why does being quick or trying to bring about something sooner bring poverty?
Could it be because we are putting our emotions first rather then God's will?
I played chess for the first time a few weeks ago and saw I had checkmate, or so I thought. Immediately I got excited and started talking a little junk letting the other person know I had him and there wasn't anything he could do. He moved. I smiled, yet with a slight twinge because this move was unexpected, yet I still felt he was in the bag. I stared at the board for a minute losing confidence and then I saw it again, CHECKMATE!...........or so I thought. He moved, and again it put me in quite the predictiment. Again I smiled with fear now setting in. I hastily moved hopeing for the best, wanting to get the king and get out. He took my castle. I move. He takes my knight. I move. He takes my bishop, then my queen, he proceeds to take every chess piece of mine with the exception of one pawn and my king standing there naked facing an army of well crafted battle ready chess pieces....well....you probably know what happens next. After this bruttle slaying and humbling experience he looked at me and asked me what I learned about life? This game was very much like how I go about my life.
Goals and priorities..........to be continued.
haste - urgency of movement or action; excessive hurry. Make haste, hurry; be quick
hasten - bring about sooner
So what does this mean?, it honestly was not the definition I expected. I don't know what I expected to find when I looked up the word haste but this was not it. Why does an urgency of movement or action bring about poverty? Why does being quick or trying to bring about something sooner bring poverty?
Could it be because we are putting our emotions first rather then God's will?
I played chess for the first time a few weeks ago and saw I had checkmate, or so I thought. Immediately I got excited and started talking a little junk letting the other person know I had him and there wasn't anything he could do. He moved. I smiled, yet with a slight twinge because this move was unexpected, yet I still felt he was in the bag. I stared at the board for a minute losing confidence and then I saw it again, CHECKMATE!...........or so I thought. He moved, and again it put me in quite the predictiment. Again I smiled with fear now setting in. I hastily moved hopeing for the best, wanting to get the king and get out. He took my castle. I move. He takes my knight. I move. He takes my bishop, then my queen, he proceeds to take every chess piece of mine with the exception of one pawn and my king standing there naked facing an army of well crafted battle ready chess pieces....well....you probably know what happens next. After this bruttle slaying and humbling experience he looked at me and asked me what I learned about life? This game was very much like how I go about my life.
Goals and priorities..........to be continued.
The Blood!
Leviticus 17:11
For the life of a creature is in the blood, and I have given it to you to mke atonement for yourselves on the altar: it is the blood that makes atonement for one's life.
The Old Testament tells of a time when the people would sacrafice animals to come in communion with God. These times forshadow what God did for us when he sent His Son for us!
1Peter 1:18,19
For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect.
Romans 3:21-25
But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood.
Romans 5:9
Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God's wrath through him!
Ephesians 2:13
But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ.
Probably one of the more well known verses wraps this up in a nutshell.
John 3:16-18
"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son."
For the life of a creature is in the blood, and I have given it to you to mke atonement for yourselves on the altar: it is the blood that makes atonement for one's life.
The Old Testament tells of a time when the people would sacrafice animals to come in communion with God. These times forshadow what God did for us when he sent His Son for us!
1Peter 1:18,19
For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect.
Romans 3:21-25
But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood.
Romans 5:9
Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God's wrath through him!
Ephesians 2:13
But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ.
Probably one of the more well known verses wraps this up in a nutshell.
John 3:16-18
"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son."
Made Righteous
Genesis 15:1-6
God's Covenant With Abram
1 After this, the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision: "Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your very great reward."
2 But Abram said, "O Sovereign LORD, what can you give me since I remain childless and the one who will inherit my estate is Eliezer of Damascus?" 3 And Abram said, "You have given me no children; so a servant in my household will be my heir."
4 Then the word of the LORD came to him: "This man will not be your heir, but a son coming from your own body will be your heir." 5 He took him outside and said, "Look up at the heavens and count the stars—if indeed you can count them." Then he said to him, "So shall your offspring be."
6 Abram believed the LORD, and he credited it to him as righteousness.
Romans 4:16-25
16Therefore, the promise comes by faith, so that it may be by grace and may be guaranteed to all Abraham's offspring—not only to those who are of the law but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham. He is the father of us all. 17As it is written: "I have made you a father of many nations." He is our father in the sight of God, in whom he believed—the God who gives life to the dead and calls things that are not as though they were.
18Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him, "So shall your offspring be." 19Without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead—since he was about a hundred years old—and that Sarah's womb was also dead. 20Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, 21being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised. 22This is why "it was credited to him as righteousness." 23The words "it was credited to him" were written not for him alone, 24but also for us, to whom God will credit righteousness—for us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. 25He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification.
Definition of Righteousness in "Quest Study Bible"
Righteousness - The fulfillment of the demands of a relationship. God brings believers into a right relation with him, erasing their guilt and crediting righteousness to them (Romans 3:21-22), helping them to be devoted to the service of what God says is right (Romans 6:11-13).
Romans 3:21-22
Righteousness Through Faith
21But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. 22This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, 23for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. 25God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood. He did this to demonstrate his justice, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished—
Romans 6:11-13
11In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. 12Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. 13Do not offer the parts of your body to sin, as instruments of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God, as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer the parts of your body to him as instruments of righteousness.
**Note: when you see a "therefore" look and see what is there for.
God's Covenant With Abram
1 After this, the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision: "Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your very great reward."
2 But Abram said, "O Sovereign LORD, what can you give me since I remain childless and the one who will inherit my estate is Eliezer of Damascus?" 3 And Abram said, "You have given me no children; so a servant in my household will be my heir."
4 Then the word of the LORD came to him: "This man will not be your heir, but a son coming from your own body will be your heir." 5 He took him outside and said, "Look up at the heavens and count the stars—if indeed you can count them." Then he said to him, "So shall your offspring be."
6 Abram believed the LORD, and he credited it to him as righteousness.
Romans 4:16-25
16Therefore, the promise comes by faith, so that it may be by grace and may be guaranteed to all Abraham's offspring—not only to those who are of the law but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham. He is the father of us all. 17As it is written: "I have made you a father of many nations." He is our father in the sight of God, in whom he believed—the God who gives life to the dead and calls things that are not as though they were.
18Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him, "So shall your offspring be." 19Without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead—since he was about a hundred years old—and that Sarah's womb was also dead. 20Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, 21being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised. 22This is why "it was credited to him as righteousness." 23The words "it was credited to him" were written not for him alone, 24but also for us, to whom God will credit righteousness—for us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. 25He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification.
Definition of Righteousness in "Quest Study Bible"
Righteousness - The fulfillment of the demands of a relationship. God brings believers into a right relation with him, erasing their guilt and crediting righteousness to them (Romans 3:21-22), helping them to be devoted to the service of what God says is right (Romans 6:11-13).
Romans 3:21-22
Righteousness Through Faith
21But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. 22This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, 23for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. 25God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood. He did this to demonstrate his justice, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished—
Romans 6:11-13
11In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. 12Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. 13Do not offer the parts of your body to sin, as instruments of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God, as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer the parts of your body to him as instruments of righteousness.
**Note: when you see a "therefore" look and see what is there for.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)