There were almost 400 or more rules given to the Israelites to bring to their understanding the meaning of the ‘Ten Commandments’ of God. In most of these instructions the explanation seemed to us to be common sense. The thing we must remember is that the Israelite people had lived their whole lives as slaves in Egypt. All rulings and control over their actions were taken over by their slave-keepers, the people of Egypt. This was in part what God was doing for them, He was attempting to cover any and all circumstances they might run across.
In many of these rules we also see where God was showing them a type of the Christ to come. They were shadows of what was to come in Jesus. For example if we look at Exodus 21:1-6 the Israelites were given rules in dealing with servants and that they were to serve their masters for six years and in the seventh year be set free from their service. If they were married prior to becoming a servant then their spouse and children were also to be set free. However, if they married a spouse after they became a servant and then were to be allowed to be free when the Seventh year arrived, they could stay in their masters serve if they proclaimed they loved their spouse and children and wished to stay with them.
If the servant wished to stay, he would have his ear lobe pierced at the doorpost with an awl and thereby show everyone they stayed of their own accord. A servant could prove his love for his wife by having his ear pierced. So by his wounds the love for his wife was shown, just as by Jesus wounds in His hands and feet, He showed the world His love for His bride the Church.
Also if we look at the situation of Jesus coming to Martha and Mary’s house in Luke 10:38-42, we see the importance of being a servant and being willing to learn and be filled by the master. It is only after a person is filled by the Master, Jesus, that living waters can flow out from them and lead others to Christ. Martha wanted to do as we do, and serve Christ in all we do, but forget to stop trying to serve long enough to be filled with the Holy Spirit and make ourselves able to pour out the Spirit on others. Mary was willing to sit at Jesus’ feet and be filled while Martha was consumed with providing for the needs of others. Martha had become so consumed by her desires that she became mad at the perceived wrong done to her to the point she blamed not only Mary but Jesus as well.
Martha said, “Lord, dost thou not CARE that Mary has left me to serve everyone alone?” Martha was blaming Jesus for allowing Mary to leave it all for Martha to do alone. There was no requirement for Martha to provide for the visitor’s needs. She was concerned with the fleshly things while Jesus said that Mary chose what was better by feeding her soul and not her flesh.
As a servant of Christ we should be willing to be filled by the Holy Spirit so we have the living waters flowing out of us to turn the world to Christ. We should be willing to, as Jesus did, serve the world for Christ for the time allotted to each of us, and be willing to sacrifice our own freedom to follow the flesh and be free, just to be the sacrifice the world needs to see Jesus in us.
Friday, January 24, 2014
Thursday, January 23, 2014
Casting Pearls- Are there false teachers or false followers?
There are many different divisions in both the Churches and the Scriptures of God. It is estimated that a new version of the Bible is brought out about every six months. As of the last count, there are over 3000 different denominations of the Christian Church. All of this is prophesied to come about by Jesus and was already a problem in the time of Paul in the Early Church.
If we look in 1st Corinthians 1:11-15 the same problem was beginning in the Church in Corinth. Some of the people had begun to say they were right in the way they believed since they were followers of different ones, like Apollos, or Cephas(peter), or Paul. Paul warns them that he has received reports of them being divided in their following of Jesus and claiming they were followers of different ones who in and of themselves were believers in Jesus, but none of them was greater than another.
It is the same today with people who follow the teachings of DL Moody, or Oswald Chambers, or even Billy Graham. None of these men are any better than the others. They were all men and sinful in their nature. As Paul said in 1st Corinthians 1:13, was Dr. Moody Crucified for you? Were you baptized in the name of Billy Graham? Is Christ divided so?It is not important who our teachers are, it is only important that we believe correctly in Jesus and what the Scriptures say about Him.
If we don’t believe in the Scriptures, then how then can we believe in Jesus’ Crucifixion, or Resurrection, Much less His Salvation. It is pivotal to our belief in Jesus that we are able to believe in The Word of God. If we continue on in this vein of thought, we must beware of those who will teach us falsely in the Word’s of God.
In the Bible book of 2nd Peter 3:17 we are warned that we should know the Bible so we can know when we are being led astray by the ‘wicked’. The word here refers to a candle wick that is twisted to be used in a candle. Just like a wick, many verses in the Bible are ‘Twisted’ from their original meanings to be made to represent the false teachings of those who would lead the very elect astray. The term here is also used to refer to witchcraft.
We are told in the next verse 2nd Peter 3:18 that knowledge of the Scriptures will help us to grow in the Grace of the Knowledge of Jesus Christ our Lord. We should beware in these days following to closely any one man as no man is good, no not one. The only one who was ever Good in all ways and lived a sinless life, was Crucified for our sins, was buried in a borrowed tomb, and rose again on the third day to show His triumph over death and the cross. Again, as God has over and over again, He took what the Devil meant for evil and used it for good, to make a way to heaven for all mankind.
Now this in no way means to imply that any of the ministers mentioned here are false prophets or misleading people. The people themselves are making these men mislead them from following the teachings of Jesus and the Word of God. The men themselves have done nothing wrong. When the world begins to follow the man instead of God, it makes the problem only true faith in God can solve.
If we look in 1st Corinthians 1:11-15 the same problem was beginning in the Church in Corinth. Some of the people had begun to say they were right in the way they believed since they were followers of different ones, like Apollos, or Cephas(peter), or Paul. Paul warns them that he has received reports of them being divided in their following of Jesus and claiming they were followers of different ones who in and of themselves were believers in Jesus, but none of them was greater than another.
It is the same today with people who follow the teachings of DL Moody, or Oswald Chambers, or even Billy Graham. None of these men are any better than the others. They were all men and sinful in their nature. As Paul said in 1st Corinthians 1:13, was Dr. Moody Crucified for you? Were you baptized in the name of Billy Graham? Is Christ divided so?It is not important who our teachers are, it is only important that we believe correctly in Jesus and what the Scriptures say about Him.
If we don’t believe in the Scriptures, then how then can we believe in Jesus’ Crucifixion, or Resurrection, Much less His Salvation. It is pivotal to our belief in Jesus that we are able to believe in The Word of God. If we continue on in this vein of thought, we must beware of those who will teach us falsely in the Word’s of God.
In the Bible book of 2nd Peter 3:17 we are warned that we should know the Bible so we can know when we are being led astray by the ‘wicked’. The word here refers to a candle wick that is twisted to be used in a candle. Just like a wick, many verses in the Bible are ‘Twisted’ from their original meanings to be made to represent the false teachings of those who would lead the very elect astray. The term here is also used to refer to witchcraft.
We are told in the next verse 2nd Peter 3:18 that knowledge of the Scriptures will help us to grow in the Grace of the Knowledge of Jesus Christ our Lord. We should beware in these days following to closely any one man as no man is good, no not one. The only one who was ever Good in all ways and lived a sinless life, was Crucified for our sins, was buried in a borrowed tomb, and rose again on the third day to show His triumph over death and the cross. Again, as God has over and over again, He took what the Devil meant for evil and used it for good, to make a way to heaven for all mankind.
Now this in no way means to imply that any of the ministers mentioned here are false prophets or misleading people. The people themselves are making these men mislead them from following the teachings of Jesus and the Word of God. The men themselves have done nothing wrong. When the world begins to follow the man instead of God, it makes the problem only true faith in God can solve.
Saturday, January 18, 2014
Casting Pearls- Do you think you are worthy of God's Love?
In the Bible story of the Israelites and Moses in the biblical book of Exodus in the Old Testament, the Israelites were taken out of the only life they had ever known, SLAVERY, to become a nation of their own, In total and complete control of themselves. This is why The Lord saw fit to give them the law. Ten commandments plus about four hundred rules that explained the different Commandments of God. These rules were important for the people of Israel since they had been told how to live and what to do by their slave masters before.
The original people of Israel that came out of Egypt were punished by God for making the golden calf to worship at the base of Mount Sinai while waiting for the Ten Commandments of God. They were made to wander in the wilderness for forty more years, the amount of time for a generation to live and die, before being allowed to enter the promised land. The only people who were alive at the time the Ten Commandments were given to the People of Israel were Joshua and Caleb, the only spies that entered the Promised Land previously and believed the Lord that the people of Israel could actually take over the land.
The Christians of the world are just like the Israelites. They take forty years to make what should have been a seven day journey. It has become a regular thing for people to take forty years or better for us to learn the little lessons The Lord is attempting to teach us. We spend each day focusing on how things affect ourselves instead of how what we do affects others.
Put your hand in front of your face, you will not see the things that are happening in the area behind or around your hand. As long as you focus only on what you wish to see, or just what is right in front of your face, you will be blinded to the things happening in the world around you. This is how the Devil works. He gets you focused on what is in front of you, uses your own desire to make yourself of chief importance he then takes things in the world around you and molds them to his plan while you are not watching. You could see it if the things of importance to only you were not what is directly in front of you blocking your view of what is around you.
If we look at some of the songs we sing in Church and Church groups on a regular basis, we see the words of things we say we should do but never really do. In the song “I Surrender All” we see the words ‘ All to Jesus, I Surrender, All to Him I freely give’. Do we really give ALL to Jesus, or freely give Him ALL things? How often do we say it but still don’t do it ourselves? We are great at telling others what to do but terrible at doing them ourselves. Before those who may know me say what about you, let me say when you point at someone, you have three more fingers pointing back at yourself. When I tell you these things I am preaching three times as much to myself as I am to you.
How often do we let the little annoyances and problems of this life to prevent us from giving our ALL to the ministry of telling the world about Jesus. The Gospel means, “the Good News”, and we need to spread the good news of Jesus Saving Grace to the world. John 3:16 says that “God so loved the WORLD” and by the word WORLD the verse means mankind. Don’t you think you are worthy of the love God is Giving to You?
The original people of Israel that came out of Egypt were punished by God for making the golden calf to worship at the base of Mount Sinai while waiting for the Ten Commandments of God. They were made to wander in the wilderness for forty more years, the amount of time for a generation to live and die, before being allowed to enter the promised land. The only people who were alive at the time the Ten Commandments were given to the People of Israel were Joshua and Caleb, the only spies that entered the Promised Land previously and believed the Lord that the people of Israel could actually take over the land.
The Christians of the world are just like the Israelites. They take forty years to make what should have been a seven day journey. It has become a regular thing for people to take forty years or better for us to learn the little lessons The Lord is attempting to teach us. We spend each day focusing on how things affect ourselves instead of how what we do affects others.
Put your hand in front of your face, you will not see the things that are happening in the area behind or around your hand. As long as you focus only on what you wish to see, or just what is right in front of your face, you will be blinded to the things happening in the world around you. This is how the Devil works. He gets you focused on what is in front of you, uses your own desire to make yourself of chief importance he then takes things in the world around you and molds them to his plan while you are not watching. You could see it if the things of importance to only you were not what is directly in front of you blocking your view of what is around you.
If we look at some of the songs we sing in Church and Church groups on a regular basis, we see the words of things we say we should do but never really do. In the song “I Surrender All” we see the words ‘ All to Jesus, I Surrender, All to Him I freely give’. Do we really give ALL to Jesus, or freely give Him ALL things? How often do we say it but still don’t do it ourselves? We are great at telling others what to do but terrible at doing them ourselves. Before those who may know me say what about you, let me say when you point at someone, you have three more fingers pointing back at yourself. When I tell you these things I am preaching three times as much to myself as I am to you.
How often do we let the little annoyances and problems of this life to prevent us from giving our ALL to the ministry of telling the world about Jesus. The Gospel means, “the Good News”, and we need to spread the good news of Jesus Saving Grace to the world. John 3:16 says that “God so loved the WORLD” and by the word WORLD the verse means mankind. Don’t you think you are worthy of the love God is Giving to You?
Thursday, January 2, 2014
Casting Pearls- Are we almost at Amegeddon?
There is a complete disregard by the current government about the situation of the common man. What we need in this country is MORE of GOD not less. The claim of the separation of church and state is all based on a letter written by Thomas Jefferson to The Delaware Baptist Association that in its contents were Jefferson’s comments that there should be a separation, or wall, between the church and the state, Or government. this is totally taken out of context by those who wish to keep God from influencing our laws.
The current government supports abortion and homosexuality both of which are an abomination to God. Abortion is just like was practiced by ancient societies that sacrificed their children to the god of fire Maloch, now people don’t sacrifice to Maloch any more but they are sacrificing to their own loose and free lifestyle and the convenience of their future.
Homosexuality is said to be an abomination in God’s word, we need to let people know that are in that lifestyle that we hate the sin, not them. We would help them and love and accept them but not their lifestyle. The problem is that they have been told by our society that whatever they do is fine with them and the government will prosecute anyone that says they can’t. I say, if you prosecute God any more than you already have, do not bother crying out to Him when you are being destroyed. You can see from what has happened to Phil Robertson of Duck Dynasty what happens to people who honestly voice their opinions. The Bill of Rights and the rest of this countries constitution are now just for show the government and the leadership no longer feel bound by them.
It is only a matter of time before God removes His hand of protection from the USA and we are attacked from someone else. The prophesies from both the Old and New Testament are coming true or already have. It is coming up on the final performance, so to speak. As Christians we shouldn’t be afraid of the coming end, it will only find us going to where we wish to be if they kill us.
The greatest fear I have is that the pendulum has swung so far to the left that when it begins to correct and move to the right, we will find ourselves in a country that will take away more of our rights with the false claim that they are defending our freedoms. you might say why are you afraid? You want a change from the evil you see all around you. My fear is not for me, but for the ones left behind to face what is to come. I hope and pray that my son is not one of those left behind at the rapture and I will do all I can up until then to prevent that from happening.
The current government supports abortion and homosexuality both of which are an abomination to God. Abortion is just like was practiced by ancient societies that sacrificed their children to the god of fire Maloch, now people don’t sacrifice to Maloch any more but they are sacrificing to their own loose and free lifestyle and the convenience of their future.
Homosexuality is said to be an abomination in God’s word, we need to let people know that are in that lifestyle that we hate the sin, not them. We would help them and love and accept them but not their lifestyle. The problem is that they have been told by our society that whatever they do is fine with them and the government will prosecute anyone that says they can’t. I say, if you prosecute God any more than you already have, do not bother crying out to Him when you are being destroyed. You can see from what has happened to Phil Robertson of Duck Dynasty what happens to people who honestly voice their opinions. The Bill of Rights and the rest of this countries constitution are now just for show the government and the leadership no longer feel bound by them.
It is only a matter of time before God removes His hand of protection from the USA and we are attacked from someone else. The prophesies from both the Old and New Testament are coming true or already have. It is coming up on the final performance, so to speak. As Christians we shouldn’t be afraid of the coming end, it will only find us going to where we wish to be if they kill us.
The greatest fear I have is that the pendulum has swung so far to the left that when it begins to correct and move to the right, we will find ourselves in a country that will take away more of our rights with the false claim that they are defending our freedoms. you might say why are you afraid? You want a change from the evil you see all around you. My fear is not for me, but for the ones left behind to face what is to come. I hope and pray that my son is not one of those left behind at the rapture and I will do all I can up until then to prevent that from happening.
Monday, December 30, 2013
Casting Pearls- Allah or God The Creator, You decide.
The whole world would have us believing that the Allah of the Muslim religion is the same as the Christian God. Nothing could be farther from the truth. The translation of Allah is loosely ‘the god’ and in no way is the same as the Christian God of Creation. Allah is ‘the god of the moon’, the Christian God’s creation. If you don’t believe it, then look it up! The Christian’s in this world are being mislead.
As in the past, in Elijah’s time as when he went up against the followers of Baal, Satan wishes to mislead people into following the Creation, instead of The Creator. The Muslim’s have already been doing this for generations but now the Christian Church is being mislead as well. They have been told over and over again that the God we worship is the same god that the other religion's worship.
First, The ‘god’ they worship is the god of this world, not the God who Created this world. And Second, as Christian’s we should not have a religion, but instead have a relationship with the Creator of the Universe. If you were to let someone inside you to have complete control over you and your actions, would you not like to have a relationship with them? A really close relationship with them.
The word Baal is translated ‘The Lord’ and that is what they were worshipping. God The Creator was angry over the way the priests of Baal and the King Ahab and his wife Jezebel had led so many astray from the true God and his following. Just as it was in Elijah’s day, we are seeing it happening now.
Just recently, The Pope, leader of the largest denomination in the christian churches, called for all denominations to put aside their differences and join together and become one church. He also called for the church to be more ‘inclusive’ of those groups, like the homosexuals, who do not live by the beliefs held by those who believe in the Bible, The Word of God.
Basically, The Pope both called for the church to do away with it’s worship practices, and to include the ones God The Creator had called an abomination in His Sight. God did not use the word abomination about many things, but the few things He felt very strongly about. in the over 788,000 words in the Bible, Abomination is only used 166 times and often is depicting the same thing when mentioned. This is less than 3 thousandths of the entire scriptures so these times must have been important.
Both of these things had been spoken of by Jesus and others in their prophecies of the End Times and the things to come. We were to experience a time likeunto that of the times of Noah. When men were lovers of self and only made passing acknowledgment of God. The world is now in that way. The Southern United States, where I live, Is one of the last places where the true Christian Faith is practiced. In the rest of this nation and in the rest of the world the majority of people are secular or only give passing acknowledgment of God in their lives. We are living in dangerous times.
As in the past, in Elijah’s time as when he went up against the followers of Baal, Satan wishes to mislead people into following the Creation, instead of The Creator. The Muslim’s have already been doing this for generations but now the Christian Church is being mislead as well. They have been told over and over again that the God we worship is the same god that the other religion's worship.
First, The ‘god’ they worship is the god of this world, not the God who Created this world. And Second, as Christian’s we should not have a religion, but instead have a relationship with the Creator of the Universe. If you were to let someone inside you to have complete control over you and your actions, would you not like to have a relationship with them? A really close relationship with them.
The word Baal is translated ‘The Lord’ and that is what they were worshipping. God The Creator was angry over the way the priests of Baal and the King Ahab and his wife Jezebel had led so many astray from the true God and his following. Just as it was in Elijah’s day, we are seeing it happening now.
Just recently, The Pope, leader of the largest denomination in the christian churches, called for all denominations to put aside their differences and join together and become one church. He also called for the church to be more ‘inclusive’ of those groups, like the homosexuals, who do not live by the beliefs held by those who believe in the Bible, The Word of God.
Basically, The Pope both called for the church to do away with it’s worship practices, and to include the ones God The Creator had called an abomination in His Sight. God did not use the word abomination about many things, but the few things He felt very strongly about. in the over 788,000 words in the Bible, Abomination is only used 166 times and often is depicting the same thing when mentioned. This is less than 3 thousandths of the entire scriptures so these times must have been important.
Both of these things had been spoken of by Jesus and others in their prophecies of the End Times and the things to come. We were to experience a time likeunto that of the times of Noah. When men were lovers of self and only made passing acknowledgment of God. The world is now in that way. The Southern United States, where I live, Is one of the last places where the true Christian Faith is practiced. In the rest of this nation and in the rest of the world the majority of people are secular or only give passing acknowledgment of God in their lives. We are living in dangerous times.
Saturday, December 28, 2013
Casting Pearls- Who needs a inoculation?
In a recent devotional from Billy Graham ministries I read something that provoked thought within me. It said that it would be wonderful if there was a shot we could give people in their arm that would make them nicer and do away with the problems that face this world, it would make them have contentment instead of being greedy and selfish make them love on another rather than hate, it would make them tell truth instead of lie.
This led me to think of the one thing that can change someone’s heart from evil to good, that is the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. Most Christians receive the Holy Spirit when they are saved kind-of like an inoculation like the ones you received as a child, or for some as an adult. Just like that we all were well protected from the evil of the world when we received the inoculation, but over time the strength of the protection has lessened and the world has helped, like a stream on a rock, it has slowly worn our protection down. Many of us are now not much different from the world around us that we say is so evil.
If we were to stand back and look at ourselves as through another’s eyes, what would we see? Would it be someone who is a good example of what is a good Christian, or is it someone who is a poor example of what a Christian really should be. The world wants us to become closer to the evil that it is instead of the goodness that the Holy Spirit exudes. The reason is that the world wants this is that it wishes to keep us from bringing others to Christ. As a poor example of a Christian, others will say why become a Christian? If there is no difference in our lives other than we are not allowed to have the “fun” that they do, why do they want to change.
Many of us, myself included, are guilty of allowing the world to infiltrate the loving, giving, caring person we are really and letting the world take over our witness of who and what we are. One of the best quotes i have ever heard is “you are the only Bible some people will ever see”. It is sobering to think that others lives are in your hands. The Lord has other ways to reach the people that you refuse to witness too, but your bad witness can cause someone who is on the edge to back away instead of believe in Christ and invite Him into their hearts.
Now should you be someone who is on fire to spread his name all the time? Yes you should! God needs fervent and committed followers who are willing to give up the things of this world just to get the things of the world to come. We all need to be closer in our walk with the Lord, not because he needs us, but because we need Him to
strengthen us. You and I can do nothing to spread God’s Gospel without Him, but we cannot be stopped if God is the one in control. Ultimately God is the one in control and the one who can guide our steps.
So the question is; do you think your inoculation is alright or do you think you need a booster? Has your witness gotten stronger or has it gotten weaker over time? Do you regularly build up your faith with reading God’s word or do you leave the Bible on a shelf and only take it down to look something up or even worse to boost a leg on a table? Another thing we must think of, is that if someone was to look at our checkbook what would they see is important to us? Where does the majority of the money we have go to. We are fighting a mind set that has been set up by the world we live in. I just now had to change what I was writing to read ‘the money we have’ instead of ‘our money’ because it is not our money any more than this is our life we are living. EVERYTHING belongs to God. He created it and us He merely lets us have it for a time to use. We must try to change our mindset to make the things no longer important and make God important instead.
This led me to think of the one thing that can change someone’s heart from evil to good, that is the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. Most Christians receive the Holy Spirit when they are saved kind-of like an inoculation like the ones you received as a child, or for some as an adult. Just like that we all were well protected from the evil of the world when we received the inoculation, but over time the strength of the protection has lessened and the world has helped, like a stream on a rock, it has slowly worn our protection down. Many of us are now not much different from the world around us that we say is so evil.
If we were to stand back and look at ourselves as through another’s eyes, what would we see? Would it be someone who is a good example of what is a good Christian, or is it someone who is a poor example of what a Christian really should be. The world wants us to become closer to the evil that it is instead of the goodness that the Holy Spirit exudes. The reason is that the world wants this is that it wishes to keep us from bringing others to Christ. As a poor example of a Christian, others will say why become a Christian? If there is no difference in our lives other than we are not allowed to have the “fun” that they do, why do they want to change.
Many of us, myself included, are guilty of allowing the world to infiltrate the loving, giving, caring person we are really and letting the world take over our witness of who and what we are. One of the best quotes i have ever heard is “you are the only Bible some people will ever see”. It is sobering to think that others lives are in your hands. The Lord has other ways to reach the people that you refuse to witness too, but your bad witness can cause someone who is on the edge to back away instead of believe in Christ and invite Him into their hearts.
Now should you be someone who is on fire to spread his name all the time? Yes you should! God needs fervent and committed followers who are willing to give up the things of this world just to get the things of the world to come. We all need to be closer in our walk with the Lord, not because he needs us, but because we need Him to
strengthen us. You and I can do nothing to spread God’s Gospel without Him, but we cannot be stopped if God is the one in control. Ultimately God is the one in control and the one who can guide our steps.
So the question is; do you think your inoculation is alright or do you think you need a booster? Has your witness gotten stronger or has it gotten weaker over time? Do you regularly build up your faith with reading God’s word or do you leave the Bible on a shelf and only take it down to look something up or even worse to boost a leg on a table? Another thing we must think of, is that if someone was to look at our checkbook what would they see is important to us? Where does the majority of the money we have go to. We are fighting a mind set that has been set up by the world we live in. I just now had to change what I was writing to read ‘the money we have’ instead of ‘our money’ because it is not our money any more than this is our life we are living. EVERYTHING belongs to God. He created it and us He merely lets us have it for a time to use. We must try to change our mindset to make the things no longer important and make God important instead.
Wednesday, December 25, 2013
Casting Pearls- Are you Merry This Christmas?
Everybody tells other people ‘Merry’ Christmas’ but how many people know exactly what is meant by the words they say. The meaning of Christmas is pretty much self explanatory but I’ll explain it anyway. Christ-mas is actually a two part word, it is about why the day is special, it is when we celebrate the birth of Christ. and the second part of the word is mas which is short for mass or church service.
The part that is confusing to some is the word Merry. There have been many explanations, including that it is meant to represent the mother of Christ, Mary. The most common explanation is that Merry means Joyful or Happy. It means so much more though. If we understand the Old English meaning of Merry it becomes much more evident.
In the Old English it was used to represent both Happy or Joyful, and also to represent Mighty or Strong. It is most commonly seen used that way in the song ‘God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen’ in which it refers to the Mighty or Very Influential Gentlemen. The world today has tried to change the meaning to be more acceptable to the current definition by placing a comma between Merry and Gentlemen. You will not find this in the older versions of the song.
The other thing about Christmas is the short way it is said, Xmas. Many people believe it is only a short way to say it and leave Christ out of Christmas. Most people do not understand that the Greek word for Christ is Χριστός and the letter X is a short way to say Χριστός. Saying Xmas is not leaving Christ out, it is only a short way of saying Christ in Greek and was started by the Roman Catholics when they began to use English commonly and were still using Greek for some of their Bible editions. They Simply used the X to hold the place of Christ in some words that were still written in the Greek and the X was an abbreviation for the greek word for Christ, just like JC is commonly used for abbreviating Jesus Christ today.
The part that is confusing to some is the word Merry. There have been many explanations, including that it is meant to represent the mother of Christ, Mary. The most common explanation is that Merry means Joyful or Happy. It means so much more though. If we understand the Old English meaning of Merry it becomes much more evident.
In the Old English it was used to represent both Happy or Joyful, and also to represent Mighty or Strong. It is most commonly seen used that way in the song ‘God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen’ in which it refers to the Mighty or Very Influential Gentlemen. The world today has tried to change the meaning to be more acceptable to the current definition by placing a comma between Merry and Gentlemen. You will not find this in the older versions of the song.
The other thing about Christmas is the short way it is said, Xmas. Many people believe it is only a short way to say it and leave Christ out of Christmas. Most people do not understand that the Greek word for Christ is Χριστός and the letter X is a short way to say Χριστός. Saying Xmas is not leaving Christ out, it is only a short way of saying Christ in Greek and was started by the Roman Catholics when they began to use English commonly and were still using Greek for some of their Bible editions. They Simply used the X to hold the place of Christ in some words that were still written in the Greek and the X was an abbreviation for the greek word for Christ, just like JC is commonly used for abbreviating Jesus Christ today.
Tuesday, December 24, 2013
Casting Pearls- You think it a strange way to save the world?
Many of the people we so believe in and trust to do what is right may over time begin to doubt the truths they have been told. Even the truths told to them by God Himself! The story told us in the Bible of John the Baptist is one. In it John the Baptist is the forerunner for the Messiah and even declared himself that Jesus was the Messiah of the Jewish people. He knew all these things to be true and even saw the Holy Spirit descending from the Heavens like a dove to land on Jesus and anoint Him to be God’s Messiah and Son. Despite all this John the Baptist, when he was in prison and awaiting sentencing by King Herod, after hearing of the exploits of Jesus, and of His supernatural abilities, began to doubt that Jesus was really the Messiah and sent some of his followers to ask Jesus if He was really the one or if they should look for another. John felt as though he had done so much for God, he announced the coming of the Messiah and got many to repent, he got many ready for the Messiah to come, he even presented to the world his cousin as the Messiah and baptized Him. With all the powers at Jesus disposal, could not some small amount be spared to deliver him from the prison he was in?
Then we must look at Moses. Moses had been allowed to speak directly with God and even look at God’s back as he went on by. Yet when faced with the unbelief of the Children of Israel, he became angry and struck the rock to bring forth water rather than speak to it as God had instructed. He doubted in doing it God’s way and instead did it his way and struck the rock. For this he was punished and not allowed to enter with the Children of Israel into the Promised land. So often we become angry at others who openly defy the teachings of God to the point that it causes us to sin. We are no better than Moses was in our walk, that is why God had to send Jesus to save us from ourselves.
The ultimate problem is our sinful nature. We see others having fun in this world and want to join in with the fun even though it goes against the teachings and commands of God. If we look throughout the Bible will will find over and over men and women who follow God, and fall away from following when things get tough and they have doubts. I’m sure that Joseph must have been one of these people given all that he had to face.
Joseph was faced with being betrothed to a woman who was pregnant with a child without him having touched her. He had to take on her shame at the premarital pregnancy and the people of the surrounding area believing him and Mary to have been involved physically prior to marriage. He had to then provide for this woman and her pregnancy throughout her pregnancy without touching this woman, who was supposed to be his wife. He had to attempt to lead them both to Bethlehem for the census and taxing of his family. He had to look for a room for them to sleep in and then to find a place for her to have the baby. All this based on the one time an angel had spoken to him in a dream. All this culminated in a song that told what Joseph must have been thinking when Jesus was born.
The song is titled “A Strange Way To Save The World” and that is just what Joseph must have been thinking when Jesus was born. It goes like this in the chorus, “Why me, I’m just a simple man of trade, Why Him, with all the rulers in the world, Why here, inside this stable filled with hay, Why her, she’s just an ordinary girl, Now I’m not one to second guess what angel’s have to say, but this is such a strange way to save the world”
Attached please find a link to the fore mentioned song by 4Him. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fEN3wNWM1eE
Then we must look at Moses. Moses had been allowed to speak directly with God and even look at God’s back as he went on by. Yet when faced with the unbelief of the Children of Israel, he became angry and struck the rock to bring forth water rather than speak to it as God had instructed. He doubted in doing it God’s way and instead did it his way and struck the rock. For this he was punished and not allowed to enter with the Children of Israel into the Promised land. So often we become angry at others who openly defy the teachings of God to the point that it causes us to sin. We are no better than Moses was in our walk, that is why God had to send Jesus to save us from ourselves.
The ultimate problem is our sinful nature. We see others having fun in this world and want to join in with the fun even though it goes against the teachings and commands of God. If we look throughout the Bible will will find over and over men and women who follow God, and fall away from following when things get tough and they have doubts. I’m sure that Joseph must have been one of these people given all that he had to face.
Joseph was faced with being betrothed to a woman who was pregnant with a child without him having touched her. He had to take on her shame at the premarital pregnancy and the people of the surrounding area believing him and Mary to have been involved physically prior to marriage. He had to then provide for this woman and her pregnancy throughout her pregnancy without touching this woman, who was supposed to be his wife. He had to attempt to lead them both to Bethlehem for the census and taxing of his family. He had to look for a room for them to sleep in and then to find a place for her to have the baby. All this based on the one time an angel had spoken to him in a dream. All this culminated in a song that told what Joseph must have been thinking when Jesus was born.
The song is titled “A Strange Way To Save The World” and that is just what Joseph must have been thinking when Jesus was born. It goes like this in the chorus, “Why me, I’m just a simple man of trade, Why Him, with all the rulers in the world, Why here, inside this stable filled with hay, Why her, she’s just an ordinary girl, Now I’m not one to second guess what angel’s have to say, but this is such a strange way to save the world”
Attached please find a link to the fore mentioned song by 4Him. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fEN3wNWM1eE
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