I am convinced that Christian Education's worst enemy is the Church of Christ. It's members do not understand its importance. Congregations and individuals get upset if the school does anything they do not like withdraw their support and send their children to state schools. They believe state schools provide their children a much better environment than Christian schools. I am not sure if anyone can be more wrong.
For Christian Education to survive long term Christians MUST do three things. They must provide funds; they must provide students; they must provide qualified faculty and staff. There is one more. They must understand Christian Education Institutions are not churches. Women will be department heads and will speak in assemblies even if they are called chapel. Providers of Christian Education must do certain things to main their license to educate students. Members of the church that Jesus established on Pentecost must support them at all times in the afore mentioned ways. Otherwise Christian Education will disappear much like MBC is doing and that benefits no one. For whatever reason students did not select MBC and for whatever reason congregations and individuals did not support MBC financially the church is weaker for its closing and members of the church are responsible. It is a sad time for Christian Education. Hopefully Christians will wake up before we lose all our institutions.
A suggestion could be to have four Christian Universities distributed geographically. Instead of competing they could combine their resources whether it be money or faculty. All four could be viable but for the attitude of members of the church. With divisions between instrumental and non instrumental, with even more divisions within the non-instrumental as I mentioned earlier the worst enemy Christian Education has are members of the church Jesus established on Pentecost. I wonder if that is forgivable.
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
MBC Closing
Working Through the Problem(s)
Hi Ken,
I apologize for the length of this email
I read your article in the Oct-Dec 09 edition of the MM and I share some of your concerns.
You mentioned that you thought instrumental issues had been resolved. They probably had been 50 years ago. One preacher told me we have the right position the wrong argument. That wrong argument is failing. On the subject of unity with instrumental groups I have said for years we are either already unified or we can never be. We are either both the church Jesus established on Pentecost or one of us is or neither of us is. The latter two obviously prohibit unity under the name of Jesus.
Some of the discussion centers on the importance of what is done in our assemblies. No place in the New Testament do we read where the "good guys" are told to separate from the "bad guys" so that their Sunday worship would be acceptable. In fact nowhere are we told to worship and nowhere are the activities described or defined as worship activities. That appears to be man's term. And possibly can be traced to a desire of the clergy to maintain their place as intermediary between God and laypeople. After all most of our assemblies are sit and listen with little active participation.
That Jesus did not instruct separation of the churches in Asia suggests who is sitting next to us on Sunday has no affect on you or me. Being in an assembly where instruments are played has no affect on the individuals not in agreement with the instruments being played. If anything could affect the "good guys" surely Jesus would have encouraged them to separate from the "bad guys." He did not which tells us nothing should be permitted to divide the church. When congregations split neither side is right. By our love for each other the people will know we are followers of Jesus. But we prefer to permit the world to enter eternity lost while we argue over meaningless differences, meaningless because the activity is not worship.
I have asked several preachers including some of the authors of articles of Gospel Advocate with no responses. I can only believe that like me, they have no idea either. Old habits are some of the reasons for the decline of the church of Christ. Young people today want answers and we are not providing any.
The Church of Christ habitually calls what we do on Sundays and Wednesdays, in fact every assembly, worship. We have even identified five acts of worship: praying, singing, preaching, giving, and the Lord's Supper. Not finding any reference to these practices as "items of worship" in the Bible I have to consider the term originated by man.
Members of the Church of Christ claim commands, examples and necessary inferences for what we do but considering these items to be worship confuses people because there are none. To say praying for ourselves, singing to each other, giving to ourselves for our comfort, listening to preaching are items of worship and primarily nonparticipatory at that being sit and listen is difficult for people to comprehend them to be worship. We conduct memorial services for the deceased all the time and hardly call it worship so calling the Lord's Supper worship is a stretch. All can be edifying but worship?
Nowhere are we commanded to worship which is good because worship cannot be commanded. Even the creator of the universe cannot command worship. Worship comes from within. In John chapter 4 Jesus was assuming or taking for granted his followers would worship and Paul told us along with the church in Rome when. As a side note the author of Hebrews tells us the purpose of our assemblies and he or she does not mention worship.
My questions include: Why do we call these items worship? How are they worshiping? How is giving to ourselves considered comparable to Paul's instructions for the collection for the poor saints in Jerusalem?
Maybe if we understood our assemblies maybe we could have less conflict.
Concerning examples for what we do.
We talk about commands, examples, and necessary inferences. Have you ever wondered if that was the way Jesus thought?
The manner in which Israel was to prepare the lamb and eat the Passover is clearly described in Exodus 12 but in Matthew the manner in which Jesus and His Disciples ate the Passover meal reads more like a meal in a restaurant.
How about not following an example?
In Moses' retelling of the events recorded in Exodus he repeats the punishment for sexual immorality?
In Deuteronomy 22:22-29 God told the people the punishment to be meted out on a woman and or a man for sexual immorality.
In the New Testament we have the story about Mary being found to be pregnant and we are told because he was a just or righteous man Joseph was unwilling to put her to shame. Joseph was going to divorce her quietly instead of following the Law.
In Genesis that God blessed the seventh day and made it Holy and he rested. We don't hear any more about it until Israel had left Egypt and was at Mt Sinai and God provided food on the sixth day so no work would be done on the seventh day. Notice gathering food was among the work not to be performed. When it was included in the Law no work was to be done by neither man nor beast nor visitors (women were probably allowed to cook and fetch water and pickup after their man etc). Jesus said the Sabbath was made for man's benefit and appears to have done what the Israelites were forbidden to do and that was to gather food on the Sabbath.
How do we know which commands, examples, and necessary inferences are applicable to us. How did the Israelites? Have we taken conveniences and personal preferences from the first century and made them law in the 21st century?
We shun brothers and sisters who disagree with us and if we are wrong in our shunning what will be our outcome?
Fifty years ago preachers believed in the all sufficiency of Scripture. I can explain some of the problems the church Jesus established on Pentecost is experiencing are the result of forty years of unsupervised youth ministers and parents and elders delegating the responsibility to those men who at the time needed instruction and guidance themselves.
But how do we explain those parents and elders? Go back another fifty years to a time when the church was experiencing growth? What happened to the children of those leaders of the church? Apparently they failed to pass along their view of the scriptures.
If a man is to get credit for having obedient children he must accept the blame for children who are not obedient. That suggests how one's children turn out is under the control of the parents. Parents must understand their responsibilities. Until the bible is back in the family and the family is back in the fold the church will continue to struggle.
One solution is Christian education. Sometime I will explain how the worst enemy Christian education has is the Church of Christ.
Again, if you are still reading this email, I apologize for its length and thank you for your time.
Thanks, John Jenkins
865-803-8179 cell
Gatlinburg, TN
Email: jrjenki@gmail.com
Website: http://www.greenbriersolutions.com
Blog: http://littlepigeon.blogspot.com/
If it's true that we are here to help others, then what exactly are the others here for?
Fruit of the Spirit?
Friday, November 20, 2009
Hope is . . .
a wellfounded and confident belief that a specific vision (goal, desire, or promise) will be achieved or fulfilled within a specified amount of time.
Ten simple but effective principles that will help you to pray with power - John Hagee
1. Pray in Jesus' name. The Bible says, "And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything in My name, I will do it" (John 14:13-14). To pray in Jesus name does not mean that you tack His holy name in your wish list. It means that your prayers are consistent with what Jesus Himself would pray about a particular situation.
2. Pray according to the Word and the will of God. "Now this is confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask any thing according to His will, He hears us" (1 John 5:14). The Word and the will of God are synonymous. To pray for anything not promised in the Word of God is a waste of time, but not pray for what we know is God's desire is a surefire winner!
3. "Pray without ceasing" (1 Thess.5:16). Set aside a few minutes for concentrated prayer every day. Be very still, and get quiet before the Lord. Don't worry if you don't receive instant answers. Remember that Daniel prayed for twenty-one days for an answer to his prayer. Finally, an angel of the Lord appeared to Daniel and said, "We heard you praying the first day, but I was intercepted by the prince of Persia" (paraphrase of Dan. 10:13). Can you imagine that? One of Satan's archangels tried to prevent the angel of the Lord from bringing the answer to Daniel's prayer. But Daniel won the battle on his knees. What Daniel did on earth in prayer determined what happened in the heavenly realms, and eventually the answer came. So don't get discouraged. Pray until you get the answer. This is what you call "praying through."
4. Pray audibly, using simple, natural words. You don't have to impress God with your vocabulary or your spirituality. Do not feel that you must use religious phrases. Talk to God in your own language. He understands it.
5. Do not spend so much time asking God for the things, but, instead, confess that God's blessings are being poured out upon you. For most of your prayer, give thanks to God for the answer that you know, in faith, is coming.
6. Practice the attitude of putting everything in God's hands. Ask for the faith to do your best and to leave the results in the hands of a loving God. The Bible says, "casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you" (1 Pet. 5:7).
7. Pray for people you dislike or who have mistreated you. Resentment blocks spiritual power because it separates us from God.
8. Practice the presence of God. You must put yourself in an atmosphere that allows you to focus on Him. The importance of experiencing God's presence cannot be overemphasized. The Bible says, "…for in him we live and move and have our being" (Acts 17:28). After he rediscovered God, Tolstoy expressed this fact in an unforgettable phrase: "To know god is to live."
9. Agree with another believer for the answer to your prayer. Find another believer and ask that person to join you in prayer for God's answer. The Bible says, "Again I say to you that if two of you agree on the earth concerning anything that they shall ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in My name, there I am in the midst of them" (Matt. 18:19-20).
10. Pray in faith, believing. Many people say, "My faith is weak." When I hear that statement, I remind them that it doesn't take great faith to believe in a God who never fails. The Bible commands, "Have faith in God" (Mark 11:22). The scripture also says, "If you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you" (Matt. 17:20). Believe that God is hearing and answering your prayer, even as you speak it.
God's Word makes it very clear: prayerlessness is sin. Samuel said, "…far be it from me that I should sin against the Lord in ceasing to pray for you" (Sam. 12:23). At pivotal moments in your life, prayer should be your first choice, not your last chance. Remember, as powerful as God is, He does not answer prayer until you pray.
Abraham and the people of Nineveh
Several places in the New Testament we read where Abraham believed God and God counted it to him as righteousness. We can also find in the Old Testament where the people of Nineveh believed God with no reference to it counting as righteousness. What do you suppose the different response is due to?
Genesis 15:4-6
And behold, the word of the Lord came to him: "This man shall not be your heir; your very own son shall be your heir." [5] And he brought him outside and said, "Look toward heaven, and number the stars, if you are able to number them." Then he said to him, "So shall your offspring be." [6] And he believed the Lord, and he counted it to him as righteousness.
Jonah 3:1-5
Then the word of the Lord came to Jonah the second time, saying, [2] "Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and call out against it the message that I tell you." [3] So Jonah arose and went to Nineveh, according to the word of the Lord. Now Nineveh was an exceedingly great city, three days' journey in breadth. [4] Jonah began to go into the city, going a day's journey. And he called out, "Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown!" [5] And the people of Nineveh believed God. They called for a fast and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them to the least of them.
Thanks, John Jenkins
865-803-8179 cell
Gatlinburg, TN
Email: jrjenki@gmail.com
Website: http://www.greenbriersolutions.com
Blog: http://littlepigeon.blogspot.com/
If it's true that we are here to help others, then what exactly are the others here for?
Monday, November 16, 2009
The Question of Authority
Why should a person who has no religious beliefs look to the Bible for answers to questions they do not have? We start in a place the non-believer is not aware exists. The all encompassing authority of the Bible? Words spoken and written by the creator of everything seen and unseen. Why should anyone believe that? Folks who accept the Bible as from the Creator have to put themselves into a position where the unbelievers ask questions. Why do you do that? Why don't you do this? Why should they look at the Bible as "Gods' Word?" Sitting in our buildings listening to people say things we already agree with doesn't seem to do much for the folks who do not believe what we believe.
Faith? Saved through and are we in?
The source I rely on for word definitions in Hebrew and Greek is Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible. Apparently James Strong had a strong opinion of his thoroughness. That said, James Strong thought Paul used the same word in all his letters that the KJV translators translated "faith." James (Strong) and James' (the king) together they must be correct.
Strong identifies the word as pistis; persuasion, i.e. credence; mor. conviction (of religious truth, or the truthfulness of God or a religious teacher) espec. reliance upon Christ for salvation; abstr. constancy in such profession; by extens. The system of religious) Gospel) truth itself: assurance, belief, believe, faith, fidelity.
The writer of Hebrews defines faith as the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.
Combining that definition with Strong's definitions our assurance of things hoped for, our conviction of things not seen comes from a conviction of a religious truth or the truthfulness of God and reliance upon Christ for salvation.
In 2 Corinthians Paul told the folks to examine themselves to see if they are in the faith. How do we reconcile the Hebrews writer's definition with something we can be in or was Paul telling the folks to examine themselves to see if they had a valid reason for such assurance and conviction.
I often hear questions of saved by faith. I am unable to find 'saved by faith.' I do find the phrase "saved through faith" in Ephesians 2:8 which, at least to me, is a major difference. Do you know where the term saved by faith comes from?
Sunday, November 15, 2009
Gospel Advocate, November 2009, The All-Sufficiency of Scripture.
Thanks, John Jenkins
865-803-8179 cell
Gatlinburg, TN
Email: jrjenki@gmail.com
Website: http://www.greenbriersolutions.com
Blog: http://littlepigeon.blogspot.com/
To vacillate or not to vacillate, that is the question . . . or is it?
Saturday, November 14, 2009
Christians Under Persecution?
Interesting but why are people condemning homosexuals on company time? We should be doing our best for the employer. We can only imagine how Christians in Rome preached the gospel at their workplace. I can see the christians in Corinth espousing their new beliefs on the job.
As a society do we want Hindus, Moonies, Muslims, 7th Day Adventists, Jehovah Witnesses, Catholics, Methodists, Jews etc proselyting on company time? Do we want government employees elected or hired interpreting the Constitution through glasses colored by their specific religious beliefs? Or do we want them to bring ethics, morals, honesty into the workplace and into the running of our government?
I believe I have mentioned before that Christians have lost the moral high ground because of our secret use of pornography (research suggests a fair number of us (male and female) who claim Christianity view pornography regularly) our acceptance of immoral behavior on our televisions and movies as well as the idolization of the celebrity participants, and our lack of objection to unmarried heterosexuals cohabiting and receiving the associated tax benefits. When a couple cohabits (lives in sin) for a number of years the government as well as Christians consider them to be married. We have tolerated divorce for any reason and in our effort to be "Christian" tolerate and accept those so divorced into our midst with little objection. On the other hand if they were to play a piano on Sunday morning we would be unable to hold in our vociferous objections.
According to the sample verses below we should batten down the hatches and get ready to be blessed and to rejoice. Hallelujah! Amen!
Matthew 5:10-12
"Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
[11] "Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. [12] Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
John 15:20-21
Remember the word that I said to you: 'A servant is not greater than his master.' If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours. [21] But all these things they will do to you on account of my name, because they do not know him who sent me.
2 Tim. 3:12-13
Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, [13] while evil people and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived.
We have had it pretty good for a long time. But it may be time to pay the piper for our concentration on getting Sunday morning right and letting the world go to . . .
Friday, November 13, 2009
If We Knew
On occasion we hear the question" "If we knew Jesus was coming back tomorrow what would we do?" The question is moot because if we "knew" Jesus was coming back tomorrow, "faith" would have been done away with thus our fate would have been sealed. The answer is we would do what we do today. If we knew our house was going to be destroyed tomorrow we would make plans to have everything important to us removed. Since we do not "know" neither do we have "faith" that Jesus is coming back tomorrow and it is possible we should live our lives as if he were returning tomorrow.
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
What is Your Dream? - George Barna
Each of you must ask yourself: What is your dream for your church? Is it to be a place where leaders can lead people to victory? A church where people share the gospel in strategic and life-changing ways? A congregation that is deeply supportive of each other and where people's relationships with God and family are intimate? A ministry in which the structure that is developed is secondary to the ministry that it facilitates? A sanctuary for the family where parents and kids receive the love, training and resources they need to cultivate Christian maturity? A place where God is worshiped with integrity and sincerity? A spiritual center where learning about the Christian faith is paramount and people are completely devoted to applying the spiritual insights they glean? A community whose heart goes out to the needy and whose time and resources are committed to serving the poor and disadvantaged? What is your dream?
Monday, November 9, 2009
Benjamin Franklin to Ezra Stiles, President of Yale
Benjamin Franklin's Call for Daily Prayer
Apostle's Creed as Revised by Benjamin Franklin
"I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of Heaven and earth; and in Jesus Christ, his son, our Lord. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the forgiveness of sins, and the life everlasting."
Lord's Prayer - Benjamin Franklin Revision
May thy laws be obeyed on earth as perfectly as they are in Heaven.
Provide for us this day as "Thou has daily done.
Forgive us our trespasses and enable us likewise to forgive those that offend us.
Keep us out of temptation, and deliver us from evil.
Thursday, November 5, 2009
Letter from Thomas Jefferson to Thomas Jefferson Smith
Faith Apart from Works?
The Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible, the KJV New Testament, in all cases in James the word translated "faith" is defined as: (conviction of a religious truth or the truthfulness of God or a religious teacher especially reliance upon Christ for salvation: assurance, belief, believe, fidelity – 4102)
James 2:20
Do you want to be shown you foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless?
Apparently one cannot have the reliance upon Christ for salvation without doing something in response to Jesus instructions.
God is Love
1 John 3:16-17
By this we know (love in affection and benevolence, charity - 26), that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. [17] But if anyone has the world's goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God's (love in affection and benevolence, charity - 26) abide in him?
Beloved, let us (love in a social and moral sense - 25) one another, for (love in affection and benevolence, charity - 26) is from God, and whoever (loves in a social and moral sense - 25) has been born of God and knows God. [8] Anyone who does not (love in a social and moral sense - 25) does not know God, because God is (love in affection and benevolence, charity - 26). [9] In this the (love in affection and benevolence, charity - 26) of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. [10] In this is (love in affection and benevolence, charity - 26), not that we have (loved in a social and moral sense - 25) God but that he (loved in a social and moral sense - 25) us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. [11] Beloved, if God so (loved in a social and moral sense - 25) us, we also ought to (love in a social and moral sense - 25) one another. [12] No one has ever seen God; if we (love in affection and benevolence, charity - 26) one another, God abides in us and his (love in a social and moral sense - 25) is perfected in us.
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
A Mother's Prayer for her Marine
| God, Father of Freedom, look after that boy of mine, wherever he may be. Walk in upon him. Keep his mind stayed on Thee. Talk with him during the silent watches of the night, and spur him to bravery whenever called upon to face the cruel foe. Transfer my prayer to his heart, that he may know the lingering love I have bequeathed to him as an everlasting gift. |
| Keep my boy contented and inspired by the never-dying faith in his mother's God. He is my gift to freedom. May that freedom forever remain untarnished, God. Through the lonely and confusing hours of training and combat, and throughout all the long days of a hopeful victory, keep his spirit high and his purpose unwavering. Make him a proud pal to all with whom he comes in contact and make his influence a noonday light wherever his duty takes him. Satisfy the hunger of his soul with the knowledge of this daily prayer of mine. |
| To my country, and to world freedom, O Heavenly Father, have I bequeathed this boy of mine. He is my choicest treasure. Take care of him, God. Keep him in health and sustain him under every possible circumstance of events. Warm him anew under his shelter and under the stars. Touch him with my smile of cheer and comfort and my full confidence in his every brave pursuit. |
| Silent and alone, I pray, God, but I am only one of millions of mothers, whose prayers stream day and night to You. This is our Gethsemane. Lead us victoriously through it, God. And lead that boy of mine through his. Fail him not...and may he not fail You, his country, nor his mother. Thank you, God. |
| AMEN. |
A Wife's Prayer for her Marine
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| Dear Heavenly Father, |
| Now the evening shadows gather, the lonely night is here. |
| This day which has been so empty is almost gone. |
| Oh Dear God, be with my husband who is so far from home. |
| Help him when the thoughts of his loved ones bring the awful heartache on. |
| Lord, let him know that with Your ever-lasting love, You are right beside him With Your loving mercy from above. |
| Help him with his heartache, with the closeness of a friend, a smile of understanding. |
| It will lift the burden from his heart. |
| Let him also be a blessing to one who needs him. |
| Let him feel the prayers of his loved ones whose thoughts are always with him. |
| And, Dear God, when the tide has turned against him, His whole world seems upside down, Let him see things more clearly. |
| Show him how to love Thee more dearly. |
| Let his faith in Thee stay unbroken. |
| Inspire him with new courage every day so that he will soon be with us. |
| Make him strong to run the race. |
| AMEN. |
A Rifleman's Prayer
| Dear God, my Father, through Thy Son Hear the prayer of a warrior son. | Give my eyes a vision keen | To see the thing that must be seen. A steady hand I ask of Thee | The feel of wind on land or sea. Let me not ever careless be | Of life or limb or liberty. For Justice sake a quiet heart | And grace and strength to do my part. To God and Country, Home and Corps | Let me be faithful evermore. AMEN. | |
The Soldier's Prayer
| "I want you to close your eyes and picture in your mind the soldier at Valley Forge as he holds his musket in his bloody hands. He stands barefoot in the snow, starved from lack of food, wounded from months of battle and emotionally scarred from the eternity away from his family, surrounded by nothing but death and carnage of war. He stands though, with fire in his eyes and victory on his breath. He looks at us now in anger and disgust and tells us this ... I gave you a birthright of freedom, born in the Constitution and now your children graduate too illiterate to read it. I fought barefoot in the snow to give you the freedom to vote and you stay home because it rains. I left my family destitute to give you the freedom of speech and you remain silent on critical issues because it might be bad for business. I orphaned my children to give you a government to serve you and it has stolen democracy from the people. It's the soldier, not the reporter who gives you freedom of the press. It's the soldier, not the poet who gives you freedom of speech. It's the soldier, not the campus organizer who allows you to demonstrate. It's the soldier who salutes the flag, serves the flag, whose coffin is draped with the flag that allows the protester to burn the flag! Father of us all, hold our troops in your loving hands. Protect them as they protect us. Bless them and their families for the selfless acts they perform for us in our time of need." When you read this please stop for a moment and say a prayer for our troops in Afghanistan, Iraq and all over the world.
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Marine's Prayer
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| Almighty Father, whose command is over all and whose love never fails, make me aware of Thy presence and obedient to Thy will. Keep me true to my best self, guarding me against dishonesty in purpose and deed and helping me to live so that I can face my fellow Marines, my loved ones and Thee without shame or fear. Protect my family. Give me the will to do the work of a Marine and to accept my share of responsibilities with vigor and enthusiasm. Grant me the courage to be proficient in my daily performance. Keep me loyal and faithful to my superiors and to the duties my country and the Marine Corps have entrusted to me. Make me considerate of those committed to my leadership. Help me to wear my uniform with dignity, and let it remind me daily of the traditions which I must uphold. |
| If I am inclined to doubt, steady my faith; if I am tempted, make me strong to resist; if I should miss the mark, give me courage to try again. |
| Guide me with the light of truth and grant me wisdom by which I may understand the answer to my prayer. whose command is over all and whose love never fails, make me aware of Thy presence and obedient to Thy will. Keep me true to my best self, guarding me against dishonesty in purpose and deed and helping me to live so that I can face my fellow Marines, my loved ones and Thee without shame or fear. Protect my family. Give me the will to do the work of a Marine and to accept my share of responsibilities with vigor and enthusiasm. |
| If I am inclined to doubt, steady my faith; if I am tempted, make me strong to resist; if I should miss the mark, give me courage to try again. |
| Guide me with the light of truth and grant me wisdom by which I may understand the answer to my prayer. |
| AMEN. |
Midshipman's Prayer
| Almighty Father, whose way is in the sea, whose paths are in the great waters, whose command is over all and whose love never faileth; let me be aware of Thy presence and obedient to Thy will. Keep me true to my best self, guarding me against dishonesty in purpose and in deed, and helping me so to live that I can stand unashamed and unafraid before my shipmates, my loved ones, and thee. Protect those in whose love I live. Give me the will to do my best and to accept my share of responsibilities with a strong heart and a cheerful mind. Make me considerate of those entrusted to my leadership and faithful to the duties my country has entrusted in me. Let my uniform remind me daily of the traditions of the service of which I am a part. If I am inclined to doubt, steady my faith; if I am tempted, make me strong to resist; if I should miss the mark, give me courage to try again. Guide me with the light of truth and keep before me the life of Him by whose example and help I trust to obtain the answer to my prayer, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. |
Love?
1 John 2:15
[15] Do not (love in a social or moral sense -25) the world or the things in the world. If anyone (love in a social or moral sense - 25) the world, the (love i.e. affection or benevolence - 26) of the Father is not in him.
1 Corinthians 13
[1] If I speak in the tongues (a language naturally unacquired – 1100) of men and of angels, but have not (love in a social or moral sense – 25, Christian love; the highest level of concern and interest), I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. [2] And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith (conviction of a religious truth or the truthfulness of God – 4102), so as to remove mountains, but have not (love in a social or moral sense - 25, Christian love; the highest level of concern and interest), I am nothing. [3] If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not (love in a social or moral sense - 25, Christian love; the highest level of concern and interest), I gain nothing.
[4] (Love in a social or moral sense - 25, Christian love; the highest level of concern and interest) is patient (with long enduring temper – 3116) and kind; (love in a social or moral sense - 25, Christian love; the highest level of concern and interest) does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant [5] or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; [6] it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. [7] … bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
[8] (Love in a social or moral sense - 25, Christian love; the highest level of concern and interest) never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away. [9] For we know in part and we prophesy in part, [10] but when the perfect (complete - 5046) comes, the partial will pass away. [11] When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways. [12] For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known.
[13] So now (faith conviction of a religious truth or the truthfulness of God – 4102), (hope to anticipate, usually with pleasure, expectation or confidence - 1680), and (love in a social or moral sense - 25, Christian love; the highest level of concern and interest) abide, these three; but the greatest of these is (love in a social or moral sense - 25, Christian love; the highest level of concern and interest).
I also did one on grace. While the blog entry is much longer these paragraphs convey the general idea.
According to Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible, in the KJV Old Testament, the word translated "grace" with one exception is defined as: kindness or favor - 2580. The one exception is Ezra 9:8, where the word is the defined as entreaty, favor, or supplication – 8467.
Also according to Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible in the KJV New Testament the word translated "grace" with one exception is defined as: "graciousness of manner or act, abstract or concrete, figuratively: spiritual, especially the divine influence on the heart and its reflection in the life - 5485." The one exception is James 1:11 where the word is defined as: good, suitableness, i.e. gracefulness - 2143.
While reading the Bible when we come upon the word "grace" we can think "favor or kindness of the Lord." Then ask if the term is referring to something specific or something symbolic.
Thanks, John Jenkins
865-803-8179 cell
Gatlinburg, TN
Email: jrjenki@gmail.com
Website: http://www.greenbriersolutions.com
Blog: http://littlepigeon.blogspot.com/
"We are more and more into communications and less and less into communication."
Studs Terkel
Love Not the World
1 John 2:15
Do not (love in a social or moral sense -25) the world or the things in the world. If anyone (love in a social or moral sense - 25) the world, the (love i.e. affection or benevolence - 26) of the Father is not in him.
Monday, November 2, 2009
Grace: What is It?
When we ask for a definition of "grace" we get an acronym or cliché. "Grace" appears to be indefinable. While the word has a definite meaning it is used some times to refer to something specific sometimes symbolic. If a dozen people were to be asked for a definition of grace a dozen replies with no two alike would be the result.
According to Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible, in the KJV Old Testament, the word translated "grace" with one exception is defined as: kindness or favor - 2580. The one exception is Ezra 9:8, where the word is the defined as entreaty, favor, or supplication – 8467.
In Genesis 6:8
"Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord"
means Noah found favor or kindness in the eyes of the Lord. God did not have to provide a way for Noah and others to be rescued but because of his kindness, because he is kind, he did.
Also according to Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible in the KJV New Testament the word translated "grace" with one exception is defined as: "graciousness of manner or act, abstract or concrete, figuratively: spiritual, especially the divine influence on the heart and its reflection in the life - 5485." The one exception is James 1:11 where the word is defined as: good, suitableness, i.e. gracefulness - 2143.
Concerning Paul's "thorn in the flesh" as mentioned in 2 Corinthians 12:8-9
"Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. [9] But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me'"
the word translated means that as with Noah, Paul had found favor or kindness it the eyes of the Lord and that was sufficient.
Paul told Titus in Titus 2:11-14
For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, [12] training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, [13] waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, [14] who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.
Paul uses the same word he used when writing to the church in Corinth. Paul is saying that favor or kindness in the eyes of the Lord has appeared. Is it possible that Jesus is God's favor or kindness?
Paul wrote to the church in Ephesus, Ephesians 2:4-9:
But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, [5] even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ— by grace you have been saved— [6] and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, [7] so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. [8] For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, [9] not a result of works, so that no one may boast.
It is the same word Paul used in his letters to the church in Corinth and to Titus. And as with Noah and Paul, Christians in Ephesus and by application all Christians have found favor or kindness in the eyes of the Lord resulting in our having the possibility of being saved. God did not have to reconcile us to himself but because of his favor or kindness he did, through Jesus.
While reading the Bible when we come upon the word "grace" we can think "favor or kindness of the Lord." Then ask if the term is referring to some thing specific or something symbolic.
Sunday, November 1, 2009
First Corinthians Thirteen
[4] (Love in a social or moral sense - 25, Christian love; the highest level of concern and interest) is patient (with long enduring temper – 3116) and kind; (love in a social or moral sense - 25, Christian love; the highest level of concern and interest) does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant [5] or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; [6] it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. [7] … bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
[8] (Love in a social or moral sense - 25, Christian love; the highest level of concern and interest) never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away. [9] For we know in part and we prophesy in part, [10] but when the perfect (complete - 5046) comes, the partial will pass away. [11] When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways. [12] For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known.
[13] So now faith (conviction of a religious truth or the truthfulness of God – 4102), hope, and (love in a social or moral sense - 25, Christian love; the highest level of concern and interest) abide, these three; but the greatest of these is (love in a social or moral sense - 25, Christian love; the highest level of concern and interest).