Wed 21 Apr 2010
What do the miracles of Jesus teach about the Kingdom?
In the Old Testament there was great anticipation that God would create a new means through which He would rule the world by His people Israel. The understanding of what this new society would be called was the Kingdom of Heaven or the Kingdom of God. One of the ways the people of God (Israel) would know of the inauguration of this Kingdom would be that the Great Inaugurator (the Messiah) would perform miraculous signs. Jesus taught “new and different concepts concerning the principles of His kingdom, things completely opposite from those taught by the religious leaders of the day and even opposite from what many of the common people thought and believed” (Stallings, Lecture 4-1, p. 1).
There are three aspects of the Kingdom to which these signs point. The repentance message from John caused the people to be on the look-out for this Kingdom because he said it was at hand. Shortly after he identified Jesus as this King he was cast into prison by Herod which probably created doubts in his mind. Had he heard God? John sent messengers to Jesus to clear up these doubts asking, “Are you the One or should we look for another.” Jesus referred them to what Isaiah the prophet said in Isaiah 35:5-6 would happen at this coming Kingdom. Jesus tells them, “The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them” (Matt. 11:5).
Secondly, the scope of the Kingdom was determined by these miracles. They could be categorized into three main areas as to how the Kingdom related to individuals, to the world and to the future. Miracles of healing performed on people showed His compassion for the individual. This not only demonstrated His sovereignty over disease, but also over the power it had in the minds of people. Jesus released these sheep from what bound them. The miracles performed over elements proved He was sovereign over the world (Mark 4:39). Drane gives interesting insight into Jewish thought concerning the Kingdom and the future. He says,
“It is interesting that the future dimension of Jesus’ teaching about the new society is also preserved in the miracles. In Jewish thought the future kingdom of God was often pictured as a meal, and Jesus himself described it in terms of a banquet” (Drane, p. 144-145).
By feeding the 5,000 and the 4,000 Jesus demonstrated Himself as their Divine provider and Shepherd to keep them in the future.
Finally, Christ’s miracles presented a challenge to those who heard Him to receive His Kingship. This required unconditional faith in Him as Lord and Sovereign over all circumstances. Jesus asked the people to believe in an unconditional acceptance of God’s rule, and this is what the Kingdom was all about.
Posted by Jay_Axt on Wed 21 Apr 2010 2:26:16 pm | no comments
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Sun 28 Mar 2010
Roman Riots concerning Chrestus
In the Roman writings of 49 AD, not even twenty years after Jesus died, the Roman historian Suetonius wrote of several riots in Rome concerning a certain person named “Chrestus.” Sounds conspicuously close to Christ, doesn’t it? Check out Acts 17:6 of Thessalonica in the Roman Empire. Isn’t it amazing that history confirms the Bible? “He is risen! He is risen, indeed!”
Posted by Jay_Axt on Sun 28 Mar 2010 10:29:52 am | no comments
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Sat 23 Jan 2010
fishing tactic
I've seen signs for "Fishing Permitted - Catch and Release." How about a word with signs following, "Fishing Encouraged - Disciple and Release"
Posted by Jay_Axt on Sat 23 Jan 2010 2:49:07 pm | 7 comments
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Fri 6 Nov 2009
Cell Phones vs. The Holy Bible
The Cell Phone vs. The Holy Bible (The Word of G-d) Ever wonder what would happen if we treated our Bibles like we treat our Cell Phones??? What if we always carried it around in our purses or our pockets? What if we flipped through it several times a day, every day? What if we always turned back to go get it if we forgot it? What if we used it to receive messages from the text? What if we always treated it like we couldn't live without it? What if we gave it to kids as gifts? What if we always used it when we traveled? What if we always used it in case of emergency? This is something to make you go....hmm...'Where is my Bible???' Oh, and one more thing. Unlike our Cell Phones, we don't have to ever worry about our Bibles being disconnected because Yeshua HaMassiach (Jesus Christ) already paid the bill. (PAID IN FULL!!!) Makes you STOP! and THINK! ~~~ 'Where are our priorities???' And NO dropped calls, ever!!! PRAISE G-D FOREVER!!!
Posted by Jay_Axt on Fri 6 Nov 2009 1:42:11 pm | 2 comments
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Sun 6 Sep 2009
"Jesus Prayed"
After Christ performed works of miraculous power He often retreated to be alone with His Father. Matthew 14:23 and Mark 6:46 says that after Jesus fed the 5,000 He retreated to the mountain to pray alone. Luke 5:16 says about Jesus that “he withdrew himself into the wilderness, and prayed,” and also Luke 6:11 says that Jesus “went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God.” The relationship that our Savior had with His Father was one of complete dependency. It was a forever unified relationship in what Dr. Wesley Pinkham describes as a “closed circle of knowing” (Pinkham, Spirit Formed Preaching lecture, May 15, 2009).
Not much is written in scripture about the inner-workings of the prayer life of Jesus. Richard Foster in his fine work, Celebration of Discipline: The Path to Spiritual Growth humbly points out,
It was liberating to me to understand that prayer involved a learning process. I was set free to question, to experiment, even to fail, for I knew I was learning. For years I had prayed for many things and with great intensity, but with only marginal success. But then I saw that I might possibly be doing some things wrong and could learn differently. I took the Gospels and cut out every reference to prayer and pasted them onto sheets of paper. When I could read Jesus’ teaching on prayer at one sitting, I was shocked. Either the excuses and rationalizations for unanswered prayer I had been taught were wrong, or Jesus’ words were wrong (Foster, p. 36-37).
No one ever asked Jesus, “Jesus teach us to study the scriptures like You do.” One may think of the Word which was made flesh as the embodiment of the expression of God. The request that was made of His disciples was, “Lord, teach us to pray” (Luke 11:1).
One thing is certain: there was a unified relationship that Jesus had with His Father that is unparalleled in this world, and yet this is the prayer that Jesus prayed for all believers in John 17:20-23,
Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; that they all may be one; as thou, Father, [art] in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.
There was authentic community within the Godhead before creation which was manifested in the Person of Jesus on earth. Gene Edwards says of this relationship that it was, “Life given, love exchanged. That is the Christian life before creation” (Edwards, p. 33). Christ invites all into this type of being with the Father, which is only possible through the Holy Spirit. “The relationship of the Father and Son, whatever else it is, is centered each beholding the other. The Father is ever before the face of the Son. The Son ever beholds the face of his Father. The center of their fellowship is beholding” (Edwards, p. 34). This type of beholding prayer is what is needed for believers. Only then will Christ be formed in the church as Paul said to the churches of Galatia (Gal. 4:19).
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Edwards, Gene. The Secret To The Christian Life. Jacksonville, FL: Seedsowers Publishing
Foster, Richard J. Celebration of Discipline: A Path to Spiritual Growth. New York: HarperCollins Publishers, 1978. ISBN 0-06-062839-1
Wesley Pinkham. “Spirit Formed Preaching,” The King’s Seminary (lecture presented for
Modular course at the Van Nuys Campus, Van Nuys, California, May 13, 2009), The King’s College and Seminary, Van Nuys, CA
Posted by Jay_Axt on Sun 6 Sep 2009 12:47:21 pm | no comments
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Mon 31 Aug 2009
"The Taring of the Wheat?"
The parable of the wheat and the tares is an eschatological parable that has critical implications for the church today. In Matthew 13:24-30 Jesus gives a poignant description about the kingdom of heaven and what it is like. Christ gives several elements in this parable to describe what the kingdom is like: a man (householder) and his field, wheat that the man sowed, some tares that an enemy sowed, servants, reapers and a barn. Then in verses 36 through 43 Jesus gives its interpretation so there is no guesses as to what He means.
The understanding of the tares is very interesting. Brad Young describes them as a false type of wheat:
“This pseudowheat of Jesus’ parable was well known and considered a great nuisance. A farmer faced a serious crisis when he discovered tares growing in his wheat. Jesus’ illustration depicts a true-to-life situation. Occasionally someone would sow bad seed in his adversary’s field in order to cause his misfortune” (Young, p. 291).
J. Dwight Pentecost gives more detailed and interesting information about the wheat and the tares. J. Dwight Pentecost gives a more detailed description of their physical makeup:
“According to the common view, these Tares represent what is botanically known as the “bearded Darnel” (Lolium temulentum), a poisonous rye-grass, very common in the East, “entirely like wheat until the ear appears,” or else (according to some), the “creeping wheat” or “couch-grass: (Triticum repens), of which the roots creep underground and become intertwined with those of the wheat. But the Parable gains in meaning if we bear in mind that, according to ancient Jewish (and indeed, modern Eastern) ideas, the Tares were not of different seed, but degenerate kind of wheat. Whether legend or symbol, Rabbinism has it that even the ground had been guilty of fornication before the judgment of the Flood, so that when wheat was sown tares sprang up. The Jewish hearers of Jesus would, therefore, think of these tares as degenerate kind of wheat, originally sprung up at the time of the Flood, through the corruptness of the earth, but now, alas! So common in their fields; wholly indistinguishable from the wheat, till the fruit appeared: noxious, poisonous, and requiring to be separated from the wheat, if the later was not to become useless” (Pentecost, p. 216).
One can see the practicalities of what Jesus was talking both then and in the future. The church today has within her those who are no different from the others. Their roots are so intertwined with the true church that it is not possible with the naked eye to discern the difference. They look the same, act the same, and have similar qualities. The difference is there is no fruit and even are poisonous to eat.
Christ will take care of the separation at the harvest of the wheat by His harvesters, the angels, but the question is how long will the church rely on their own methods for separating themselves from the tares? Did not even Jesus say, “Let both grow together until the harvest” (Matt. 13:30)? The church as Christ’s body must minister His life to those who are the posers. Even though their roots may grow together, the element of the life of Christ must permeate the tares’ roots and not let their roots choke out life within the true wheat. This must be accomplished through prayer and faith knowing that, “because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world” (1 John 4:4).
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Pentecost, J. Dwight, The Words and Works of Jesus Christ. (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1981), 216; quoted in J.W. Shepherd, The Christ of the Gospels (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1946), 201.
Young, Brad H. The Parables: Jewish Tradition and Christian Interpretation. Peabody, MA: Henrickson Publishers, 1988.
Posted by Jay_Axt on Mon 31 Aug 2009 7:06:03 pm | no comments
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Sun 30 Aug 2009
"THE PRAYER LIFE OF JESUS"
The most powerful and regal man to ever walk the earth based His entire existence on the principle of humility and postured Himself as a conduit through which power flowed from His Father by the Holy Spirit. Jesus Christ’s existence consisted of sustained relational prayer for life and power. Men have indeed desired the power in which Jesus Christ walked, but have neglected the means through which the power flowed. He understood that prayer was the vehicle through which a relationship of connection, knowing and life took place by the power of the Holy Spirit. The Apostle Paul says that Jesus in Philippians 2:6-8 (KJV),
… being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.
This death was the principle means of Christ’s life. He always took the road of submission, and prayer was the posture in which His heart received the Father’s love; this was death to the self-nature. Even Jesus, the “only begotten Son” (John 3:16) of the Father chose to live by the Father’s power, and not of His own accord.
What is prayer? This question must be answered before the prayer life of Jesus can be analyzed. Jewish and Middle Eastern Christians define prayer in a much different manner than the Western culture does. Jesus lived in the Middle East, and spoke several different languages including Aramaic, Greek and Hebrew. Aramaic was the language with which Jesus most likely communicated. Rocco Errico points out,
It is very difficult, when going form one language to another, to retain the full impact and meaning of the original word. Something is always lost through translation. The task is even more difficult when it involves such vastly different cultures as our Western culture and that of the Middle East. … The word for prayer in Aramaic is SLOTHA. It comes from the root word SLA, which literally means, “to set a trap.” In the East, when men went hunting, they would get a box, some bait, and a string. They’d tie the string to the box-trap, set up the trap, and then hide behind a rock or some other adequate shelter, still holding the string, and wait patiently for the animal they desired to trap. And when the animal came, they’d pull the string and catch the prey. So “prayer,” then, literally means, “to set your mind like a trap and wait patiently to catch the thoughts of God”; that is, to trap inner guidance and impulses (Errico, p. 9-10).
It is easy to see that much of Christ’s prayer to His Father consisted of silence and hearing what His Father said. John 8:28b says, “I do nothing of myself; but as my Father hath taught me, I speak these things.” John 14:24 says, “He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father's which sent me.” Jesus’ need to hear the words of His Father was critical for Him to communicate because He neither did nor said anything that was not from the Father. Trueblood points out, “Prayer seems to have been with him always, so that He could move easily from direct communication with God to direct communication with men. In this sense it is probable that His life of prayer was unbroken, always just under the surface of events”(Trueblood, p. 27).
The Bible is the primary source of the life of Jesus, and specifically the Gospels. The method behind the Man can only be glimpsed as the pages of scripture crack open “the door of the sheep” (John 10:7). In fact there is not so much a method as there is a pattern or custom that is observable. It is known that Jesus observed certain customs just as when He went to the synagogue in Nazareth (Luke 4:16). A custom or pattern can be seen in scripture regarding Christ’s life of continual prayer. This is how He developed the relationship that He and His Father had throughout eternity. “For many people, prayer is an enigma. It is not surprising that Jesus’ disciples asked him to teach them how to pray” (Young, p.1). No one ever asked Jesus to teach them about His uncanny methodology in expositing the scriptures, even though it amazed all who heard because of the authority with which He taught (see Matt. 7:29). There was a difference in His life and in the lives of the other rabbis or religious leaders of His day. Even Nicodemus, a Pharisee and ruler of the Jews (John 3:1) said to Jesus, “Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him” (John 3:2).
In trying to get a grasp on the nature of prayer and specifically the prayer life of Jesus Richard Foster in his inquisitive book Celebration of Discipline makes the astounding statement,
It was liberating to me to understand that prayer involved a learning process. I was set free to question, to experiment, even to fail, for I knew I was learning. For years I had prayed for many things and with great intensity, but with only marginal success. But then I saw that I might possibly be doing some things wrong and could learn differently. I took the Gospels and cut out every reference to prayer and pasted them onto sheets of paper. When I could read Jesus’ teaching on prayer at one sitting, I was shocked. Either the excuses and rationalizations for unanswered prayer I had been taught were wrong, or Jesus’ words were wrong (Foster, p. 36-37).
As followers of the Lord Jesus one would also do well to note what His position in prayer was, and what His purpose in prayer was. Christ’s pattern in prayer can be seen in the way He prioritized His life. We see Jesus rising early to be alone to pray. Mark 1:35 says, “And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed.” Jesus led a very busy and full life. Prayer was important enough to carve out the first part of the day in order to spend uninterrupted time with His Source: the Father. This was necessary not only for power, but also for good communication and a strong relationship. Jesus says of the Father, “for I do always those things that please him” (John 8:29). Brenda Poinsett writes, “We Christians might not need so many group meetings to keep us going if more of us practiced withdrawal” (Poinsett, p. 23). There was certainly a refreshing that revitalized Jesus as He withdrew to be with His Father.
James Thomson in his book The Praying Christ gives further insight into Jesus’ prayer life,
“There is what has been called, ‘an inner canon of Scripture’ for our Lord in the Hebrew Bible. This inner canon seems to have included two of the Old Testament books in which the urgency for waiting upon the Lord comes most frequently to expression, namely, the Psalms and Isaiah. It also included Hosea, where the phrase occurs once. This inevitably means that Jesus must often had the Old Testament ideal before Him as He read the ancient Jewish Scriptures and as He prayed. Indeed, it would become a powerfully formative influence in His own prayer life as He grew up from boyhood, through adolescence, into manhood. In fact, the phrase may be taken as the quintessential expression of His prayer life” (Thomson, p.134).
The position which Christ took in prayer can also be observed as His attitude. As was stated earlier Philippians 2:5-8 says,
Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.
Christ was the greatest servant ever to walk the earth. Matthew 20:28 (ESV) says of Christ, “even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." He served others He came to save. One of the ways He served was intercession. Dr. Abena Fosua expounds on Jesus ministry,
“Intercession for the entire nation of Israel was one of the functions of the high priest. This is another reason why the John 17 prayer is frequently called the ‘High Priestly Prayer.’ After the Resurrection, early Christian thought transferred the priest’s intercessory role to both Christ and the Holy Spirit (see Romans 8:26-27; Hebrews 4:14-15; 7:24-25). Early Christian literature also spoke of intercession as a continuing ministry of Christ in our lives (Romans 8:34)” (Fosua, p. 80).
Now as the High Priest He takes on His intercessory role from heaven. J. Dwight Pentecost has an unusual and insightful perspective regarding Jesus’ role on earth:
“We also notice that when Christ during His ministry went into a strange synagogue He was greeted as a rabbi and welcomed in that assembly. A rabbi was normally designated by the color of the tassels or ribbons sewn onto his robe. It may be that Christ wore the robe of a rabbi. Such a robe would have entitled Him to respect and honor. In Israel only the priest was held in higher esteem that the rabbi. All the Jews knew of the Old Testament was taught by the rabbis. It was such a garment as this that Christ laid aside in order to wrap a towel around His waist. A towel was the sign of a servant” (Pentecost, p. 428).
One may not consider this an important piece of information about the prayer life of Jesus, but this defined Who He was in the eyes of His Apostles. He was noted among many as the “Rabbi” or one who teaches, but now He had laid aside His rabbinic tassels and had taken the position of a servant to do the menial chore of washing dusty, dirty feet. One wonders if this was in preparation for Him to move into His role as Great High Priest as is stated in Hebrews 4:14, “Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession.” A serving High Priest redefined all that Christ’s disciple’s understood about their idea of position and place.
The purpose that Jesus had for prayer went far beyond study of Torah because prayer as Christ demonstrated went far beyond opening the pages of holy writ and looking into the mysteries of God. Prayer was His means of communion with His Father. This developed His personal relationship with Him in which He furthered His unbroken relationship which He had in eternity. This communion is what sustained Him throughout all His days. His very life depended upon this communion. Jesus prayed for this type of relationship to be experienced by not only His own disciples when He was on earth, but also for everyone who would believe at their testimony. John 17:20-23,
I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me.
This unity is the prayer of Jesus for all those who would believe in Him through the testimony of His disciples. This is a powerful extension because Christ’s prayer would extend through out time unto the end of the world. In Christ now we have a Great High Priest who has passed into heaven as was Christ’s pattern in prayer, as was His position in prayer, and as was His purpose in prayer.
In conclusion, the prayer life of Jesus was meant to be a shared, relational experience for all believers. This relationship cultivated in prayer presses one into Christ’s answer of His High Priestly prayer of John 17:20-21, “Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; That they all may be one; as thou, Father, [art] in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.” In church history there is even a prayer called the Jesus Prayer in early church history. “The prayer of Jesus is said like this: Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me a sinner” (Brianchaninov, p. 2). This simple prayer was said over and over again out loud at first, then silently and continually throughout the day until the pray-er would become one with the prayer. In the little book On The Prayer Of Jesus, we read of St. Ignatius, Bishop of Antioch, who had been taught this prayer by none other than the Apostle John:
The life of St. Ignatius the God-bearer, Bishop of Antioch, who was crowned in Rome with a martyr’s death under the emperor Trajan, we read the following: “When they were taking him to be devoured by wild beasts and he had the name of Jesus constantly on his lips, the pagans asked him why he unceasingly remembered that name. The Saint replied that he had the name of Jesus Christ written in his heart and that he confessed with his mouth Him Whom he always carried in his heart. After the Saint had been eaten by the wild beasts, by the will of God among his bones his heart was preserved intact. The infidels found it, and then remembered what St. Ignatius had said. So they cut that heart into two halves, wishing to know whether what they had been told was true. Inside, on the two halves of the heart that had been cut open, they found an inscription in gold letters: Jesus Christ. Thus St. Ignatius was in name and in fact a God-bearer, always carrying our God in his heart, written by the reflection (or meditation) of his mind as with a reed.”
St. Ignatius was a disciple of the holy Apostle and Evangelist John the Divine, and was privileged in his childhood to see the Lord Jesus Christ personally. He was that blessed child of whom it is said in the Gospel that the Lord placed him among the Apostles who had been arguing about priority, took him in His arms and said: Truly I tell you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the Kingdom of Heaven (Brianchaninov, p. 4-5).
The prayer life of Jesus was truly life that He lived. He meant this life to be lived by all. The community of faith has lost the connection of life that Jesus experienced in prayer and as His disciples observed. Luke 18:7-8 says, “And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them? I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?” As is clearly seen the same faith is not demonstrated in the American church. The church must have a paradigm shift when it comes to the understanding of prayer. The prayer of Christ; the prayer of the early church demonstrated a reality of faith that needs to be recaptured so that the prayer for unity of the Lord Jesus in John 17 will be fulfilled so He will return. Even so come Lord Jesus!
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Brianchaninov, Ignatius. On The Prayer Of Jesus: From the Ascetic Essays of Bishop Ignatius Brianchaninov. Translated by Father Lazarus. London: Robert Stockwell LTD., 1952.
Errico, Rocco A. The Ancient Aramaic Prayer of Jesus: The Lord’s Prayer. Los Angeles, CA: Science of Mind Communications, 1978.
Foster, Richard J. Celebration of Discipline: A Path to Spiritual Growth. New York, NY: HarperCollins Publishers, 1978. ISBN 0-06-062839-1.
Fosua, Abena Safiyah. Jesus and Prayer. Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press, 2002. ISBN 0-687-09071-7.
Pentecost, J. Dwight, The Words and Works of Jesus Christ: A Study of the Life of Christ. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1981.
Poinsett, Brenda. When Jesus Prayed. Nashville, TN: Broadman Press, 1981.
Thomson, James G. The Praying Christ, Jesus’ Doctrine and Practice of Prayer. Grand Rapids, MI: Wm.B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1959.
Trueblood, Elton. The Lord’s Prayers. New York: Harper & Row Publishers, 1965.
Young, Brad. The Jewish Background to the Lord’s Prayer. Austin, TX: Center For Judaic-Christian Studies, 1984.
Posted by Jay_Axt on Sun 30 Aug 2009 8:22:47 am | no comments
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Sat 15 Aug 2009
Relational Equity
Relational Equity
A story recorded in the Talmud in Jewish historic literature paints a unique picture of what relational equity is in terms of how it coincides with one’s relationship to the Lord. “The profile of one outstanding figure of Jewish history from this period suggests close links with Jesus and his Jewish theology Choni the Circle drawer in talmudic legend displayed outrageous daring toward God when he prayed for rain” (Young, p. 61). Young goes on to quote from the Mishna,
Once they asked Choni the Circle drawer, “Pray that rain may fall.” He
answered them, “Go out and take inside the Passover ovens so that they
may not be softened.” He prayed, but the rain did not fall. What did he do?
He drew a circle and stood within it. He spoke before him, “O Lord of the
Universe, your children have turned their faces to me, because I am like a
son of the house before you. I swear by your great name that I will not
move from here until you have shown mercy upon your children.” Rain
started to sprinkle. He said, “Not for such rain have I prayed, but for rain
that will fill the cisterns, pits, and caverns.” It began to rain of goodwill,
blessing, and graciousness.” Then it rained in moderation [and continued]
until the Israelites went up form Jerusalem to the Temple Mount because
of the rain. They went and asked him, “In the same way you prayed for
rain to come, so pray that it may go away!”(Young, p. 61).
Choni was a son of the house. He had relational equity built up. He spent much time in persistent prayer to God and that time had been noticed by God and others as well.
Another great example of someone with relational equity through prayer is Elijah. James shows in James 5:16b-18, “The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months. And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit.” There was a special mark that Elijah had on his life that caused the LORD to listen to him, and he was a man with a nature like the rest of fallen man.
Finally, the ultimate example of relational equity was the Lord Jesus. Jesus was a Jewish Rabbi who spent many hours in prayer to His Father. His disciples were even taken by the fact that they did not have this same type of relationship and subsequently their prayer life lacked the same clout as Jesus. This clout was the relational equity. His disciples looked on while Christ prayed, then asked after He finished, “Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples” (Luke 11:1). The special relationship that Jesus had with the Father was maintained in prayer, and the ministry He had was by the power of the Spirit (Luke 4:14). Ministry today should observe these examples of tenacity and develop the relational equity that invigorated these as well.
Young, Brad H. The Parables: Jewish Tradition and Christian Interpretation. Peabody, MA: Hindrckson, 1998. ISBN 978-1-59856-303-0.
Posted by Jay_Axt on Sat 15 Aug 2009 12:50:02 pm | no comments
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Sun 26 Jul 2009
The Resume of Jesus Christ
The Resume of Jesus Christ
Address: Ephesians 1:20
Phone: Romans 10:13
Website: The Bible. Keywords: Christ, Lord, Savior and Jesus
My name is Jesus -The Christ. Many call me Lord! I've sent you my resume' because I'm seeking the top management position in your heart. Please consider my accomplishments as set forth in my resume'.
Qualifications
- I founded the earth and established the heavens, (See Proverbs 3:19)
- I formed man from the dust of the ground, (See Genesis 2:7)
- I breathed into man the breath of life, (See Genesis 2:7)
- I redeemed man from the curse of the law, (See Galatians 3:13)
- The blessings of the Abrahamic Covenant comes upon your life through me, (See Galatians 3:14)
Occupational Background
- I've only had one employer, (See Luke 2:49).
- I've never been tardy, absent, disobedient, slothful or disrespectful.
- My employer has nothing but rave reviews for me, (See Matthew 3:15-17)
Skills Work Experiences
- Some of my skills and work experiences include: empowering the poor to be poor no more, healing the brokenhearted, setting the captives free, healing the sick, restoring sight to the blind and setting at liberty them that are bruised, (See Luke 4:18).
- I am a Wonderful Counselor, (See Isaiah 9:6). People who listen to me shall dwell safely and shall not fear evil, (See Proverbs 1:33).
- Most importantly, I have the authority, ability and power to cleanse you of your sins, (See I John 1:7-9)
Educational Background
- I encompass the entire breadth and length of knowledge, wisdom and understanding, (See Proverbs 2:6).
- In me are hid all of the treasures of wisdom and knowledge, (See Colossians 2:3).
- My Word is so powerful; it has been described as being a lamp unto your feet and a lamp unto your path, (See Psalms 119:105).
- I can even tell you all of the secrets of your heart, (See Psalms 44:21).
Major Accomplishments
- I was an active participant in the greatest Summit Meeting of all times, (See Genesis 1:26).
- I laid down my life so that you may live, (See II Corinthians 5:15).
- I defeated the archenemy of God and mankind and made a show of them openly, (See Colossians 2:15).
- I've miraculously fed the poor, healed the sick and raised the dead!
- There are many more major accomplishments, too many to mention here. You can read them on my website, which is located at: www dot - the BIBLE. You don't need an Internet connection or computer to access my website.
REFERENCES
- Believers and followers worldwide will testify to my divine healings, salvation, deliverance, miracles, restoration and supernatural guidance
In Summation
Now that you've read my resume', I'm confident that I'm the only candidate uniquely qualified to fill this vital position in your heart. In summation, I will properly direct your paths, (See Proverbs 3:5-6), and lead you into everlasting life, (See John 6:47). When can I start? Time is of the essence. (See Hebrews 3:15).
Send this resume' to everyone you know; you never know who may have an opening! Thanks for your help and may God bless you!
Posted by Jay_Axt on Sun 26 Jul 2009 4:15:33 pm | 1 comments
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Fri 19 Jun 2009
Amazing Einstein Quote!
Join with me in praying that all Israel will be saved (Romans 11:25-27).
Albert Einstein (1879-1955) Physicist and Professor, Princeton University
“As a child I received instruction both in the Bible and in the
Talmud. I am a Jew, but I am enthralled by the luminous figure of the
Nazarene....No one can read the Gospels without feeling the actual
presence of Jesus. His personality pulsates in every word. No myth is
filled with such life.
Jesus is too colossal for the pen of phrase-mongers, however artful.
No man can dispose of Christianity with a bon mot.”
"What Life Means to Einstein," The Saturday Evening Post, October 26, 1929.
Posted by Jay_Axt on Fri 19 Jun 2009 5:46:42 pm | no comments
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Wed 17 Jun 2009
Fire and Light
Jesus is the Light of the world, and the Holy Spirit is the fire of God. Where there is fire there is light.
Posted by Jay_Axt on Wed 17 Jun 2009 9:59:19 pm | no comments
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Sun 10 May 2009
W.O.R.D. "Keeping the Commandments"
W – Word
O – Observation
R – Revelation
D – Devotion
W – Leviticus 22:31-33 “Therefore shall ye keep my commandments, and do them: I [am] the LORD. Neither shall ye profane my holy name; but I will be hallowed among the children of Israel: I [am] the LORD which hallow you, That brought you out of the land of Egypt, to be your God: I [am] the LORD.”
O – One of the most important and identifying beliefs of the Hebrew people had been the call of God on their lives to keep His commandments. The Orthodox Jews today still hold to the fact that God is the same, and holds to holiness for the most part in the same manner He did in the Old Testament. Jews all over the world today still keep the same schedule of reading the Torah or books of Moses. They believe God is unchanging and keeping His law still holds today as it did in Moses day. Wow, that sounds very familiar, doesn’t it? The New Testament passage of Hebrews 13:18 tells us, “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.” Holiness is and always will be God’s standard.
Here in this passage God places His mark upon them as He did throughout scripture that keeping His commandments makes them uniquely qualified to bear His holy name. “Holy” is another word for separating or setting apart. In other words God is setting Israel aside to be completely different for Himself because He is completely different. A good description of God that has been used is the term “Holy Other.” He is other than who we are. He is completely righteous, not because He follows a certain set of rules or laws, but because He is the standard to which the rules or laws are pointing. His command to Israel was to “keep my commandments, and do them” because this was the measure of separateness to the rest of the world that they were the people of this specific God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
The scripture also reveals to us in Jeremiah 11:3-5 something similar, “And say thou unto them, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel; Cursed [be] the man that obeyeth not the words of this covenant, Which I commanded your fathers in the day [that] I brought them forth out of the land of Egypt, from the iron furnace, saying, Obey my voice, and do them, according to all which I command you: so shall ye be my people, and I will be your God: That I may perform the oath which I have sworn unto your fathers, to give them a land flowing with milk and honey, as [it is] this day. Then answered I, and said, So be it, O LORD.”
The qualifying requirement here is obedience to God’s voice, which was the same as obedience to the commandments that God spoke as the Israelites came out of Egypt. He told them this so that they would be His people and He would be their God. Jeremiah writes something that is typical for God to say about obedience in that it would bring about blessing that He wanted to give them.
In these two passages we see that keeping the word of God, not only made the people holy, but also would lead them into blessing. Keeping His word was God’s merciful gift to protect and preserve them as well as proclaim His name.
R – As I read this I’m convicted that my actions do not always line up with my “faith.” With the first commandment, “Thou shalt have no other gods before me” I feel I have not obeyed to the fullest. With all the legal bills we’re incurring in the custody battles we are facing, along with school bills, mortgage, a slumping economy, etc. it’s easier to fall into fear and panic than into obedience and holiness.
One of the ways that I can magnify Him and be called by His name as these passages indicate is to obey His word and watch His deliverance. I say my security is only the Lord, and man I sure want it to be. I cannot take matters into my own hands by worrying because that does not produce life. Jesus in Matthew 6:27 (NKJV) says, “Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?”
The tithe is His. It always has been His. By faith I will keep tithing because this proves the Lord at His command (Mal. 3:10). Stretching my faith is uncomfortable at first because my faith muscles are being used differently. In using this muscle He validates calling me by His name. It’s obedience. His name is a strong tower. He has made me righteous by the blood of Christ and I will run into that strong tower and be safe. I will obey His word and His commands because in that way I will show that I am His.
W – Father, teach me to walk by faith in obedience so I can prove Your faithfulness to all the world. Help me to testify of Your holiness of which You have called me to. Teach me to be disciplined in my actions so that I can bring glory to Your Son; in Jesus’ name I pray; Amen, Amen.
Posted by Jay_Axt on Sun 10 May 2009 10:47:21 pm | no comments
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Tue 5 May 2009
W.O.R.D. "Honor"
W – Word
O – Observation
R – Revelation
D – Devotion
W – John 5:22-23 “For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son: That all [men] should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him.”
O – After hearing that Jesus healed a man on the Sabbath and that He said that His Father was God, the Jews wanted to kill Him. This poor man had been lame in his feet for thirty-eight years and they wanted to kill Jesus because they felt one of their rules had been violated. This is legalism at its worst!
Jesus in these verses here reveals another layer of His character, specifically regarding judgment and honor. In many passages of the Old Testament we see God depicted as an exacting Deity meting out retribution on wickedness and also on those who come against His people. The law was a measure which demanded perfection, but was impossible to keep. IMPOSSIBLE; NO WAY! These Jews that were doing all the questioning were turning what originally was meant to protect and preserve into a club with which to beat the hearers into submission. This was not for submission to God and His holiness, but they wanted Jesus to submit to their own liberal spin of what they wanted God to be. They were not about life; they were about control.
The Jews were bent out of shape because Jesus actually healed on the Sabbath. The nerve. I mean, how dare He actually bring forth life in a person on such a solemn occasion. After all no life should ever come from any godly person on the Sabbath; only rest, right?
So here are these Jews who are self-appointed arbiters of truth that were concerned about “God’s judgment” and Jesus springs a startling truth on them: the Father does not judge, but has given that to Him as God’s Son. This totally fires them up, and then to throw gasoline on the fire He introduces them to the finer points of rage by saying in essence that they should honor Him! Can you imagine? Jesus tells them if they do not honor Him, then they don’t honor Father God. Whoa!
R – This tells me a lot about how God feels concerning the attribute of honor. Along with the fact that God hates manipulation of His word for controlling others, He also puts a premium on honoring authority. In His great commission Jesus said, “all authority is given unto me in heaven and earth” so He is the ultimate authority here on earth. I believe that the natural in many ways mirrors the spiritual, and God has set authority up for us to honor and heed. 1 Timothy 5:17 says, “Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honour, especially they who labour in the word and doctrine.” Our elders of Harvest Hill Church include Pastor Nelson and Charlie, and should be honored as God has given them to our body. Hebrews 13:17 says, “Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that [is] unprofitable for you.” They have a big responsibility before the Lord.
The next time a decision that is made, and maybe we don’t necessarily agree with it just know that our responsibility before the Lord is to honor our elders and to submit as to the Lord because they have to be held accountable to God for our congregation. We should never try to manipulate a situation or as the Jews did try to exercise control out of selfishness, pride or even jealousy.
D – Father, please help my heart to always remain pure before You as I submit and lean on our eldership for wisdom and leadership. I want to honor them as You would have me to honor them with my loyalty and service. Thank You Lord for Harvest Hill Church. Use our body to bring people into the fullness of the Spirit with wisdom and bring revelation to us all in the knowledge of Christ. Cause not only their eyes, but also cause the eyes of our understanding to be enlightened, and that we all would know what is the hope of His calling in the name of the Lord Jesus I pray; Amen, Amen.
Posted by Jay_Axt on Tue 5 May 2009 9:47:26 pm | no comments
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Thu 23 Apr 2009
W.O.R.D. "Salt In Yourselves"
W – Word
O – Observation
R – Revelation
D – Devotion
W – Mark 9:33-50 “And they departed thence, and passed through Galilee; and he would not that any man should know [it]. For he taught his disciples, and said unto them, The Son of man is delivered into the hands of men, and they shall kill him; and after that he is killed, he shall rise the third day. But they understood not that saying, and were afraid to ask him. And he came to Capernaum: and being in the house he asked them, What was it that ye disputed among yourselves by the way? But they held their peace: for by the way they had disputed among themselves, who [should be] the greatest. And he sat down, and called the twelve, and saith unto them, If any man desire to be first, [the same] shall be last of all, and servant of all. And he took a child, and set him in the midst of them: and when he had taken him in his arms, he said unto them, Whosoever shall receive one of such children in my name, receiveth me: and whosoever shall receive me, receiveth not me, but him that sent me. And John answered him, saying, Master, we saw one casting out devils in thy name, and he followeth not us: and we forbad him, because he followeth not us. But Jesus said, Forbid him not: for there is no man which shall do a miracle in my name, that can lightly speak evil of me. For he that is not against us is on our part. For whosoever shall give you a cup of water to drink in my name, because ye belong to Christ, verily I say unto you, he shall not lose his reward. And whosoever shall offend one of [these] little ones that believe in me, it is better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he were cast into the sea. And if thy hand offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter into life maimed, than having two hands to go into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched: Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. And if thy foot offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter halt into life, than having two feet to be cast into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched: Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out: it is better for thee to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye, than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire: Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. For every one shall be salted with fire, and every sacrifice shall be salted with salt. Salt [is] good: but if the salt have lost his saltness, wherewith will ye season it? Have salt in yourselves, and have peace one with another.”
O – The context that Jesus makes this statement began with Him warning His disciples of pride because of wanting to appear great before men, and then comparing a little child who trusts in the Lord with Himself. You see, Jesus was a child Himself. He was the only begotten Son of the Father. We know this because He tells these disciples that receiving a child that believes in Him is really receiving the Father. Jesus was a man who always reflected to others the exact representation of the Father (Hebrews 1:3). He took the low road instead of the grandiose King’s highway. He could have, but it was not time.
He goes on to relate the dangers of offending or making one of these children that believe in Him to stumble. It is so interesting to me that He at this time talks about things that offend or cause us to stumble whether it be your eyes or your feet. Our Lord is making the comparison as such because we as believers in Christ are little children, only we have the option of following the desires of the flesh instead of following Him. Does that not seem odd to you? We determine whether or not we are going to fall for our flesh or go for His grace.
The stakes get higher than just falling, though. Jesus talks about taking drastic measures with yourself to ensure life and not eternal death. He warns six times in these seven verses that hell is everlasting and fire never ceases. You think Jesus meant what He said? Through faith we are children of the Father. Through faith we trust in Jesus as our only substitute for our death on the cross. No wonder His disciples were afraid to ask Him about dying and raising the third day. His death on the cross paid for our penalty for sin, but our death comes as a result of death to our decision to make one of God’s children to stumble - including ourselves! Pride keeps us from coming to Him. It is our stumbling block and offence.
Notice Jesus says that “everyone will be salted with fire, and every sacrifice shall be salted with salt.” This is not everlasting fire, though. This is a fire of seasoning as one is seasoned with salt. He also says that “every sacrifice shall be salted with salt.” We as living sacrifices are not only cured as salt cures meat, but we are also flavored with the flavor of Jesus. Ever had beef jerky? It’s salty isn’t it? I don’t know about you, but my mouth is watering just thinking about it. That salt not only cures the beef jerky, but makes it taste really good!
R – I really am hit by this word because I see the seriousness with which the Lord looks at sin. There is such a white-hot smolder that He has toward what makes His children stumble that His warning shouts aloud to all who will hear. We have a choice to trust in His faithfulness and live eternally with Him or we can allow pride to keep us from throwing ourselves whole-heartedly into His arms for mercy. Who is going to be Lord of your life – self or Jesus? Would you really let your own lusts and pride keep you from coming to Him for a cool drink of His Spirit?
The Lord is jealous over us because that is His name (Exodus 34:14). He does not want any competing lovers for our affection. If we will humble ourselves and become His little child in heart, then He will lift us up.
D – Father, teach me to humble myself as a child. Give me compassion for those who do not have You as their Father because hell is real. Teach me by Your Spirit to emulate Jesus in all I do, say, ask and think in Jesus’ name; Amen, Amen.
Posted by Jay_Axt on Thu 23 Apr 2009 4:37:36 pm | no comments
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Fri 10 Apr 2009
W.O.R.D. "His Resurrection; Our Life"
W – Romans 5:6-10 “For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified by
his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.”
O – The book of Romans which is the crown jewel of Christian doctrine, gives us a glimpse of just how little man has in himself apart from Christ to stand uprightly before God. Just look at the descriptions Paul uses for man. He says we were “without strength”, “ungodly”, “sinners”, and “enemies.” This is just within five verses. We are
pretty bad hombres, huh? The gap has been extended so we could never make the leap to come back into friendship with God. It is so far in fact that even for one sin that gulf is stretched to infinity. With sin comes brokenness, and we’ve all been broken.
Paul talks of Christ and His sacrifice for us so that we could be reconciled to Him. Reconciliation is what a book keeper does to accounts to check for accuracy. Our account has been depleted of what filled it originally. When we were born our account had already been burglarized even before we had a chance to protect our assets. You
see our account was in the trust of one that chose to break the line of continuous flow with the Source of all its assets. Neither you nor I had a say in the matter. The account could never balance again on its own because of lack of funds with no incoming supply. The devil came and deceived Eve at Adam’s neglect by something similar to a ponzi scheme made famous by what Bernie Madoff did. This scheme however was on a spiritual scale.
Only God could do something to fix the problem. By sending His Son Jesus to die our gap was bridged. Only the death of One who was like us in all points as we are yet without sin (Hebrews 4:15) could make an extension to bridge the infinite gap. So Paul tells us that we were reconciled by His death. This made the playing field even. In
other words Christ’s death made it now possible to have a reconciled account. But God did not stop there. He did not just want our account to be balanced by His death. He wanted us to have His assets in our account. That’s why Paul goes on to tell us, “we shall be saved by His life.” Our broken life was exchanged by the full, whole life
of Christ.
What a deal! I love what Olen Griffing says, “Everything has been done to procure our salvation. I could almost say that everyone in the world is already saved … if they’ll believe.” There is absolutely nothing we could ever do to merit eternal life with God. It is only by His grace.
R – In this time of remembering and reflecting on the death, burial and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ let us consider that “Christ our Passover” (1 Cor. 5:7) did die as the Lamb of God to reconcile us to God, but then He rose again to save us by His life. It’s so cool that the Jewish holiday of Passover began Wednesday April 8 this year
2009. Christ died at the same time the paschal lamb was being slaughtered. We know that it’s not about bunnies or eggs or anything like that pagan tradition, but I can’t see God being threatened by a bunny either. We were saved by grace through His resurrected life. Why do we hold to senseless traditions? Maybe it’s because we are
“with out strength”, “ungodly”, “sinners”, and “enemies” of God. Maybe it was because God wanted to demonstrate His goodness and all-sufficient grace that none other but Him could procure our salvation.
In this time when Christ’s Resurrection is at the forefront of the church’s agenda and focus, let us be thankful for His choosing. If you know Christ today rejoice and pursue His upward call for your life because you are not your own (1 Cor. 6:19). If you are not sure and have an urge in your heart to get right with the Lord, then simply ask Christ to come into your life. Jesus says today , “Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me” (Rev. 3:20). He is waiting because His death has reconciled you to Him, but now He wants to give you His life so that you can be saved.
D – Lord, let us in this resurrection season walk in Your life which You have purchased for us with Your blood. Thank You for Your grace, Lord Jesus.
Posted by Jay_Axt on Fri 10 Apr 2009 9:05:08 am | no comments
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Fri 20 Mar 2009
W.O.R.D. "Life in the Spirit"
W – Word
O – Observation
R – Revelation
D – Devotion
W – 1 Co. 15:45-48 "And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam [was made] a quickening spirit. Howbeit that [was] not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual. The first man [is] of the earth, earthy: the second man [is] the Lord from heaven. As [is] the earthy, such [are] they also that are earthy: and as [is] the heavenly, such [are] they also that are heavenly."
O – 1 Corinthians chapter 15 refers to the second coming of Jesus Christ. Here in these verses Paul is comparing the two natures within man with Adam and the Lord Jesus Christ. Verse 44 (not listed) compares two bodies that are sown (what they are at this present time) as being natural and spiritual. We're dealing with two different natures that are contained within the same being - natural and spiritual. However, this word “living” in Greek is zao which we know is derived from zoe meaning “the life of God.” When Adam had the breath of God blown into his nostrils he was the recipient of the Spirit of God. This was involuntary on Adams part. God gave him His life. So Adam was now able to feel, discern and choose. It was God’s plan, but Adam’s soul was not yet submitted to God’s Lordship. This would need to come out of a desire to love God more than self.
So the soul has great ability as Adam had great ability. Imagine having the responsibility to name all the animals and govern God’s creation! This was all done when there was no sin in the world (Gen. 2:20). Tremendous ability! The way that I see it, the untainted soul from sin has the innate, God-given ability to govern and lead as God intended.
Adam was made a living soul and Jesus was made a life-giving spirit. 1 Thessalonians 5:23 says, “… [I pray God] your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Notice the scripture here did not say anything about the flesh because the flesh cannot please God (Rom. 8:8). The spirit and the flesh are both contained in the body as also is the soul. I believe the soul was originally a neutral entity that could give itself voluntarily as a servant to either the spirit or the flesh. Romans 6:16 says, “Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?” Of course now our world has to deal with the sin issue so anything proceeding from an unyielded soul is unredeemed.
We know that before we have faith in the finished work of Jesus Christ as the only means of salvation our spirit is dead (Gal. 3:22-23; Rom. 8:10). If we respond to the Father’s drawing, then we will be born again (John 6:44). So when we are born naturally, we are born dead. To say it another way we are born into Adam. His original nature is the nature of the soul and not the spirit. What do we have to do to inherit that nature? Absolutely nothing. It's ours. This is the doctrine of original sin. Adam sinned, and subsequently everyone born after him is born into Adam. That's why we must be born again (John 3:3-5). We are born naturally with a dead spirit, but after faith in Christ our spirit is made alive.
This is interesting language Paul uses in this passage because he makes a comparison between two Adams. The first Adam was made a living soul, but Christ Jesus a quickening or life giving spirit. We can look at our soul as our mind, intellect, creativity, emotions and will. It is interesting that of all the translations of scripture have that the last Adam, Jesus Christ, made a life giving spirit, lower case “s.” Only the New Living Translation capitalizes Spirit. Do you think that makes a difference? The Greek word for spirit is pneuma and is not capitalized. Does this change the meaning in any way? Food for thought, huh?
R – This passage is hard to grab a hold of. What it does is make me see the potential in man if he submits himself to the Lord. We can only be as good as our source. If we have not taken Christ’s invitation to join Him in relationship, then we are neglecting to acknowledge Him as our Source, thus we become our own end.
Did Jesus have a separate soul from His Father? He must have because He said in the garden of Gethsemane, "not my will, but thine, be done" Luke 22:42. The will is part of the soul. Does Jesus have a separate spirit? If He does is that Spirit holy? Is He the Holy Spirit since He was made a life giving spirit? Another interesting question, huh?
We’ve been looking at the person of the Holy Spirit in several of our Sunday morning services this year. Pastor Nelson said the Holy Spirit has to do with government in our lives more than if a person speaks with tongues or not. I agree whole-heartedly with that. Government indicates authority and authority implies rulership or lordship; in other words a Sovereign Lord.
The last words of Jesus to His disciples He spent talking about the Kingdom of God in Acts 1:3. In fact Jesus spoke to them through the Holy Spirit in Acts 1:2 about the coming baptism – Holy Spirit baptism. We can see from the text in 1 Corinthians 15:45-48 that the things related to Jesus Christ, “the last Adam,” has to do with spiritual or Kingdom issues and not natural issues. However, everything that occurs in the natural does have a spiritual or Kingdom outcome. Our yieldedness must be to our spirit as believers in Christ so that the fruit coming forth in our lives is fruit of the Spirit and not the works of the flesh.
D – Father, please help us to walk by Your Spirit and not in our flesh. We must be led by You in our every step. Help us not to put our own selfish interest because selfishness cannot please You. Quicken us Lord in Jesus name I pray; Amen, Amen.
Posted by Jay_Axt on Fri 20 Mar 2009 9:59:15 pm | no comments
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Tue 10 Mar 2009
W.O.R.D. "Charge!!!"
W - Word
O - Observation
R - Revelation
D - Devotion
Charge!!!
W – 1 Chronicles 22:11-13 "Now, my son, the LORD be with thee; and prosper thou, and build the house of the LORD thy God, as he hath said of thee. Only the LORD give thee wisdom and understanding, and give thee charge concerning Israel, that thou mayest keep the law of the LORD thy God. Then shalt thou prosper, if thou takest heed to fulfil the statutes and judgments which the LORD charged Moses with concerning Israel: be strong, and of good courage; dread not, nor be dismayed."
1 Chronicles 28:9 "And thou, Solomon my son, know thou the God of thy father, and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind: for the LORD searcheth all hearts, and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts: if thou seek him, he will be found of thee; but if thou forsake him, he will cast thee off for ever."
2 Chronicles 1:7-12 "In that night did God appear unto Solomon, and said unto him, Ask what I shall give thee. And Solomon said unto God, Thou hast shewed great mercy unto David my father, and hast made me to reign in his stead. Now, O LORD God, let thy promise unto David my father be established: for thou hast made me king over a people like the dust of the earth in multitude. Give me now wisdom and knowledge, that I may go out and come in before this people: for who can judge this thy people, [that is so] great? And God said to Solomon, Because this was in thine heart, and thou hast not asked riches, wealth, or honour, nor the life of thine enemies, neither yet hast asked long life; but hast asked wisdom and knowledge for thyself, that thou mayest judge my people, over whom I have made thee king: Wisdom and knowledge [is] granted unto thee; and I will give thee riches, and wealth, and honour, such as none of the kings have had that [have been] before thee, neither shall there any after thee have the like."
1 Kings 11:4-10 "For it came to pass, when Solomon was old, [that] his wives turned away his heart after other gods: and his heart was not perfect with the LORD his God, as [was] the heart of David his father. For Solomon went after Ashtoreth the goddess of the Zidonians, and after Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites. And Solomon did evil in the sight of the LORD, and went not fully after the LORD, as [did] David his father. Then did Solomon build an high place for Chemosh, the abomination of Moab, in the hill that [is] before Jerusalem, and for Molech, the abomination of the children of Ammon. And likewise did he for all his strange wives, which burnt incense and acrificed unto their gods. And the LORD was angry with Solomon, because his heart was turned from the LORD God of Israel, which had appeared unto him twice, And had commanded him concerning this thing, that he should not go after other gods: but he kept not that which the LORD commanded."
O – In 1 Chronicles 22 we see king David charging his son Solomon to always keep the law of the Lord. Most all of us have heard of the wisdom of Solomon, however, it is seldom told that how king David his father first spoke of this to his son. Not only did he tell him of the benefits of keeping the law, but also warned him of the consequences for forsaking them (1 Chronicles 28:9). We can see that Solomon took this advice to heart because he knew what to ask for when the Lord came to him (2 Chronicles 1:7-12). However, the influences of a spouse (spouses) are powerful. This proved to be his downfall.
R – We as parents need to be aware of the influences of our words to our kids. The words of fathers are so influential and impact even when we do not realize it. I’m sure David knew that his words were going to affect Solomon because he was assuming the throne, however, after years the gravity of his words were weakened by the influence of his wives. We as parents, both fathers and mothers, not only have the responsibility of speaking words of direction to our children, but also to model integrity to them in our lives. Kids watch us. We must, we must, we must show our kids the importance of the word of God in our lives. They need to be able to see us fathers leading in devotions, teaching scriptures in practical ways and helping them to develop Godly habits of prayer.
Kids want whatever they are used to. If kids are always fed sugar, then guess what? They are going to want sugar. Babies do not know any better until the "knowledge" comes of what "could be."
The influence of the world will be there because the "god of this world" (2 Co. 4:4) is active and wants to deceive our kids into thinking of going along with the current of society will not harm them. That’s why we are given the armor of God as believers in Christ (Eph. 6:10-17). We must teach the scriptures to our kids because just as David recognized this to be the key to success in Solomon’s life we must as well be men and women after this same pattern. If we as parents are not students of God's word, become one! There is no time to waste. The sword of the Spirit in Ephesians 6:17 is the utterance of God, which is the same as when Jesus said to the devil, "
Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God" (Matt. 4:4). This utterance or "rhema" is always going to reflect scripture. This is the sword of the Spirit. Jesus reflected the scripture back to the devil when he was in hand to hand combat with him. Jesus' line of defence was the power of God's written word made alive at an opportune moment. The word brings the eternal into the now. This is an "I AM" moment.
David was training Solomon to revere and keep the word of God so that it would go well with him. We would do well to heed his example. In the end Solomon's wives influenced him more, and he turned his heart from the living God. The New Testament gives great advice, "Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall. Wherefore, my dearly beloved, flee from idolatry" (1 Co. 10:13-14).
D - Father, help us to revere Your word as we make walk out our destiny You have for us. Let us train our children to always know and keep Your word for Your word is life. Teach us to number our days and to be influenced by scripture, that the world will not influence us in the name of the Lord Jesus I pray; Amen, Amen.
Posted by Jay_Axt on Tue 10 Mar 2009 6:22:47 pm | no comments
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Wed 11 Feb 2009
W.O.R.D. "Family Altar"
W – Word
O – Observation
R – Revelation
D – Devotion
W – Psalm 84:3 “Yea, the sparrow hath found an house, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young, [even] thine altars, O LORD of hosts, my King, and my God.”
O – Psalm 84 is one of my favorite Psalms in the psalter. This is a Psalm that speaks of the courts of the LORD as being better than anywhere in this world. This third verse really grabbed my attention this morning. It stood out to me that birds are mentioned as being those that discovered where God makes His abode. Birds? I ask myself, “Why would the psalmist mention birds in connection to God’s dwelling place?” Quite frankly I do not think I’ve ever noticed this before. Does it seem odd to you or am I the only one? Granted, this does not stand up there with the mystery of the Trinity or anything, but it’s in the Bible so it must have importance.
I started looking at the different meanings of the words and what I found was very significant to me. Both the sparrow and the swallow found a home in the house of God, but the swallow found a place to build her nest in order to lay her young at the altar of the Lord. That reminds me of what Abraham did with Isaac. “Sparrow” comes from the root word that means to depart or to go early, and “swallow” comes from the root word which means free-flowing and is also translated “pure” as in Exodus 30:23 where this speaks of “pure myrrh.” Myrrh is a precious bitter spice used as an anticeptic for embalming the dead. This was given as one of the gifts of the wise men from the east to Jesus at His birth. “East” in Greek is “Anatole.” Hey, I work at the Anatole! This is interesting! This is all so connected.
R – I find immediate application in that my daughter, whose name is Katelynn also means “pure.” My precious little girl (she’s 13, but she’ll always be little to me) also is as pure myrrh, a gift given to Christ. I have to lay my young down on the altar if I want to build my home in the house of God. The place of closeness and intimacy with the Father is also a place of sacrifice as on the altar. Right now I involved in legal disputes with my ex-wife regarding our children. I know where the better place would be for them, but if I want to live in God’s house and dwell in His courts I have to lay them on the altar.
Later in this same Psalm verse 11 says, “For the LORD God [is] a sun and shield: the LORD will give grace and glory: no good [thing] will he withhold from them that walk uprightly.” I am praying for justice and truth to hold up in all these legal proceedings. I just pray that my walk would be pleasing to the Lord and that He would not allow my children to be withheld from me any more.
D – Father, I want to build my home in the house of God. I will lay my children on the altar. They are Yours. I pray that You would give me grace and glory in these times. Help me to always walk uprightly. I pray in the name of the Lord Jesus; Amen, Amen.
Posted by Jay_Axt on Wed 11 Feb 2009 12:18:46 pm | no comments
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Mon 9 Feb 2009
W.O.R.D. "Revival of Sin?"
W – Word
O – Observation
R – Revelation
D – Devotion
W – Romans 7:9 “For I was alive without the law once: but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died.”
O – Much has been written on Romans 7. This is the chapter seems to be going in circles about sin and one’s inability to overcome it. Paul seems to throw his hands up in a hopeless lunge and ask in verse 24, “O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?” He then quickly answers himself in the next verse by stating, “I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.”
Paul is referring to a state that he once was in that tended to life. In other words before he had an understanding of what the Jewish law required his conscience was fine. For the sake of this text standing by itself we can see that Paul gives us an indication that there was life before the knowledge of the law because “he was alive without [or apart from] the law.”
The law did something else, too – it made sin come alive. Yuk! He tells us that “sin revived” which from the Greek word ä-nä-zä'-ō. This basically means to live again, recover life or gain strength. When sin gained strength he died. Pronunciation
R – I was at home yesterday and I walked out of our closet and this verse flashed across the screen in my head, except it was just “sin revived, and I died.” I wasn’t sure where I had seen that before, but I was sure it was a verse or part of a verse. Again it flashed across my mind, “sin revived, and I died.” So I said, “Yes, Lord” and went to my concordance. Man, I’m thinking, “When was sin ever alive? Was sin ever alive in me?” It must have been. Could it be alive in me now? You know if something is re-vived it had to have been alive once. The wages of sin is death (Rom. 6:23), right? Can a believer still have sin alive in them?
It hit me. Paul was talking about himself when he said “the commandment came, [and] I died.” I interpret that to mean when I put myself up against what is right in the sight of God apart from God Himself, then all I get is a righteous belief system without love because God is love. This righteous standard is a good thing; a proper thing, but what it does apart from the infusion of the Divine Love Himself is set up an impossibility of achievement. Sin reviving in me is something that should never even remotely be attainable. I am a new creature in Christ, but I can choose for myself to measure according to God’s righteousness apart from His love. When that happens I become legalistic and rigid. I try to fulfill the scripture for myself instead of for us corporately, “For he hath made him [to be] sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him” (2 Cor. 5:21 ). Isaiah 64:6 says, “all our righteousnesses [are] as filthy rags.” I take His “we” and turn it selfishly to “me.” There’s no love when I have no one with which to share it. Sin revived and I died.
My only hope is God’s grace. My only salvation is God’s love. My only righteousness is God Himself. “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me” (Phil. 4:13).
D – Father, I know revival is only in You and Your love. Apart from You I can do nothing. Help me to stay in Your life; in Your love in Christ’s name I pray; Amen, Amen.
Posted by Jay_Axt on Mon 9 Feb 2009 9:34:35 pm | no comments
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Tue 27 Jan 2009
C.S. Lewis sermon "The Weight of Glory."
"it would seem that our Lord finds our desires, not too strong, but too weak. We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased."
Posted by Jay_Axt on Tue 27 Jan 2009 4:45:45 pm | no comments
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Mon 26 Jan 2009
John Piper "Desiring God" pp. 81-82
"Worshiping in spirit is the opposite of worshiping in merely external ways. It is the opposite of empty formalism and traditionalism. Worshiping in truth is the opposite of worship based on an inadequate view of God. Worship must have heart and worship must engage emotions and thought.
"Truth without emotion produces dead orthodoxy and a church full (or half full) of artificial admirers (like people who write generic anniversary cards for a living). On the other hand, emotion without truth produces empty frenzy and cultivates shallow people who refuse the discipline of rigorous thought. But true worship comes from people who are deeply emotional and who love deep and sound doctrine. Strong affections for God rooted in truth are the bone and marrow of biblical worship."
Posted by Jay_Axt on Mon 26 Jan 2009 5:35:07 pm | no comments
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Sat 24 Jan 2009
Deep quote of the day: John Piper "Desiring God"
"God would be unrighteous (just as we would) if He valued anything more than what is supremely valuable. But He Himself is supremely valuable. If He did not take infinite delight in the worth of His own glory, He would be unrighteous. For it is right to take delight in a person in proportion to the excellence of that person’s glory."
Posted by Jay_Axt on Sat 24 Jan 2009 2:06:38 pm | no comments
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Thu 22 Jan 2009
W.O.R.D. "Revive Us, O Lord"
W – Word
O – Observation
R – Revelation
D – Devotion
Psalm 85:6 “Wilt thou not revive us again: that thy people may rejoice in thee?”
2 Chronicles 7:14 "If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land."
Acts 3:19 "Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord;"
O – These three passages are descriptive of the heart of God for mankind – His heart for revival. The Psalm is generally thought to have been written concerning the Israelites who came out of Babylonian captivity; the passage in 2 Chronicles about the dedication of the temple of Solomon; and the passage in Acts to the Jews who crucified the Lord Jesus Christ and as a result 5000 men were saved. All three have a common theme: revival. These passages show us that revival is predicated on turning or repenting, and in each case these people were the Lord's. Granted the New Testament passage in Acts is written to Jewish people, but even then the Jews are God's natural people being of the seed of Abraham. Tell me, did not Christ die for the world to be saved? 1 Timothy 1:15 says “This [is] a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief”, and we all know John 3:16.
R – Revival is what is needed in America today. Revival is what is needed in the church today. The people of God must, and I repeat MUST return and call for God to have mercy on us. The time for playing is over. We cannot afford to have church for church's sake. We have been called by the name of the Lord and we must call for His Spirit to sanctify His people.
We have lost the fear of the Lord. Psalm 85:9 says that "salvation is near them that fear Him; that glory may dwell in our land." We've lost the glory of God because we've lost the fear of God. The glory of God is what is seen or what is visible. Jesus manifested His glory at the wedding feast of Cana when He turned the water into wine (John 2:11). This is something seen with the eye that brings people to faith in the Lord Jesus because it tells us that His disciples believed on Him when this happened.
Our country does not need the Lord anymore! We've placed our trust in the machinations or scheming of man to deliver us from all discomfort. Malachi 2:1-2 says, "And now, O ye priests, this commandment [is] for you. If ye will not hear, and if ye will not lay [it] to heart, to give glory unto my name, saith the LORD of hosts, I will even send a curse upon you, and I will curse your blessings: yea, I have cursed them already, because ye do not lay [it] to heart." Listen, we are the priests of the Lord (1 Peter 2:5-9), and our blessings have become cursed. They have become gods because we ascribe them time and authority over our lives. Things like T.V., computers, internet, food which are neutral tools to be used for his purpose, and even ungodly diversions like cigarettes, alcohol, pornography, etc. have replaced our first love. Is Christ truly our first love? Church WAKE UP! Yes, I say, we truly need the Lord.
God has called us to be a holy people and we have been lulled to sleep. God is sovereign and this election and inauguration has not taken Him by surprise. Remember, God is the one who set Barack Hussein Obama in place (Romans 13:1). We need to pray for him because he is of God. It is time to awake out of our sleep. Paul tells the church to awake in Ephesians 5:14, “Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.” The church must have the Lord to live through us in holiness so that even if the world hates us (and we know it will according to John 15:18-19 ) they will glorify God in the day of visitation (1 Peter 2:12). Come on, church get up! The time for sleeping is over! If the greatest revivalist in American history Charles Finney spent his entire ministry preaching to the church to repent and be saved, and the book of Revelation in the first three chapters instructs five of the seven churches to repent should we consider ourselves above reproach? Reflect on Acts 3:19 "Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord;"
D – O Lord, let us return to You, our first love. Revive us with Your love. Let us do the first works as You instructed the church in Ephesus in Revelation to do. Please forgive us for prayerlessness and apathy, and move us to action by Your Spirit in Jesus’ name; Amen, Amen.
Posted by Jay_Axt on Thu 22 Jan 2009 8:58:08 am | no comments
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Mon 12 Jan 2009
Let the impact of this sink in
"I consider that the chief dangers which confront the coming century will be religion without the Holy Ghost, Christianity without Christ, forgiveness without repentance, salvation without regeneration, politics without God, and heaven without hell.”
William Booth (founder of The Salvation Army)
Posted by Jay_Axt on Mon 12 Jan 2009 7:40:23 pm | 1 comments
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Mon 12 Jan 2009
Revelation Question
There are 7 churches mentioned in Revelation. 5 of the churches are told to repent (Ephesus, Pergamos, Thyatira, Sardis, and Laodocia), and 2 of the churches are not (Smyrna and Philadelphia), but all of the churches are given the option to "overcome." My question to you: Do you think it is possible to repent and not overcome or overcome and not repent?
Posted by Jay_Axt on Mon 12 Jan 2009 6:57:17 pm | 1 comments
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