WEEKLY BIBLE STUDY

[Cinga]

I have a long day tomorrow, so putting this up tonight...

 

Oct 31

 

This is what we know by Scripture to be Jesus first Miracle however you will soon see that may not be the case. But I’m going to do one of our quick jumps forward here to the very last verse in this Book, John 21:25

“Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written.”

So in this, we learn there is much, much more we do not know about the Miracles Jesus worked during His time among us. But this also helps us to understand the different approaches taken in each of the 4 Gospels. In John and you will see in Mark as well, they pick right up at Jesus Ministry while Luke and Matthew will cover His birth and childhood to an extent.

My comments are in italics

 

On the third day a wedding took place at Cana in Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there, ² and Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding. ³ When the wine was gone, Jesus’ mother said to him, “They have no more wine.” – We’re not told whose wedding this is, but it is a big one as we will see, and possibly a relative of Mary since she is here, and Jesus and His disciples are invited as well. I think Mary statement of running out of wine might also add to the thought that it is a relative, as it would not be of a concern to a mere guest.

⁴ “Woman, why do you involve me?” Jesus replied. “My hour has not yet come.” – This may seem like an admonishment of His mother but keep reading.

 

⁵ His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.”

Two things big about this statement Mary made. First, that she knew the servants would do as she instructed which is pretty bold of a carpenter’s (Joseph) wife. This lends credibility to the thought that it was a family member wedding.

For the other I’m going to make the argument that in fact that while Jesus adores His mother, He was also in fact a very obedient child. So by what is Written while it may be the first Miracle, Mary’s Faith and knowledge in the ability of her Son is amazing already by this small statement.

 

⁶ Nearby stood six stone water jars, the kind used by the Jews for ceremonial washing, each holding from twenty to thirty gallons.– Even if we take the low end of this and go with 20 gallons per jar, this will total about 540 LITERS making this a very large wedding feast indeed!

 

⁷ Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the jars with water”; so they filled them to the brim. – Here once again we see the obedience of the servants to the command (?) of Mary.

 

⁸ Then he told them, “Now draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet.” – Similar to modern day wedding planners the master of the banquet would have been responsible for most of the festivities. In movies, we like a big production of miracles like a flair of the hands, or abracadabra but this is not a movie.

 

They did so, ⁹ and the master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine. He did not realize where it had come from, though the servants who had drawn the water knew. Then he called the bridegroom aside ¹⁰ and said, “Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink; but you have saved the best till now.” – Ever wonder why champagne and toast come early during a reception? But this also answers some critics who argue that ancient wine was merely grape juice. But He also put on no show of the Miracle at all. In the future we will see Jesus pray for what He ask, and He will even tell us it’s to show others how to ask ourselves, but here we see His own Faith that God the Father will grant what He ask, even in this when it is unspoken!

 

¹¹ What Jesus did here in Cana of Galilee was the first of the signs through which he revealed his glory; and his disciples believed in him. – To this point the disciples had John the Baptist word for who Christ was and knew He was a great Rabbi (teacher) but now the begin the bear witness to the Miracles of the Lord.

 

¹² After this he went down to Capernaum with his mother and brothers and his disciples. There they stayed for a few days. – You caught that right? Jesus had brothers and yes, if we check the Concordance, the original Greek used was “Adolphus” meaning brother, or like brother. We’ll learn as we continue our study that yes, Mary was a virgin when conceived by the Holy Spirit, but she was also to be married to Joseph who would come to know her as his wife.

 

May the Lord Bless you and yours in the coming week!

[TtownBillsFan]

On 10/14/2021 at 10:53 AM, Fansince88 said:

Scripture simply says in Romans 10:9 If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. It is as simple as that. I call you brother! 

LOL, thank you, Brother.  I'm a Godly man.  And a massive sinner.  I pray, daily, for my salvation, as I know I need it!!!  That's the funny thing about people that don't know Christians:  I think they think we're holier-than-though types.  I know I'm not!  I'm one of the worst, and pray, multiple times a day (while driving, when I wake up, before I go to bed, anytime that I have a minute where I don't know what else to do).  If anything, I'm more lost than most.  But I pray, probably, more than most, as I know I need it.

[Cinga]

5 hours ago, TtownBillsFan said:

LOL, thank you, Brother.  I'm a Godly man.  And a massive sinner.  I pray, daily, for my salvation, as I know I need it!!!  That's the funny thing about people that don't know Christians:  I think they think we're holier-than-though types.  I know I'm not!  I'm one of the worst, and pray, multiple times a day (while driving, when I wake up, before I go to bed, anytime that I have a minute where I don't know what else to do).  If anything, I'm more lost than most.  But I pray, probably, more than most, as I know I need it.

 

Well said! 

One of the biggest things I take issue with is when Christians tell others the Jews, or the Romans crucified Christ. No..... I DID! With every one of my sins and transgressions, I swung the whip, and I drove the nails! I stood the cross up with Him on it, and I pierced His side with the spear!

Am I personalizing it? Yup, I sure am because that is what Christian Faith should be all about... A personal one on one relationship with our Lord and understanding that even if it was only me, He still would have gone through those horrors because of His Love for me.

I think churches as a whole mean well, but too often add their own doctrine to His Word and with it seems to sanitize the crucifixion somewhat if we blame it on others. This is also one of the main reasons I study, and try to teach Scripture Word for Word because it helps us get the entire meaning, instead of a sanitized one from out pastor/priest. And no, I'm not belittling their teaching at all. I just know that often they try too hard to make their lesson easy to understand for a big congregation and often the lesson is lost because of that.

[Fansince88]

10 hours ago, TtownBillsFan said:

LOL, thank you, Brother.  I'm a Godly man.  And a massive sinner.  I pray, daily, for my salvation, as I know I need it!!!  That's the funny thing about people that don't know Christians:  I think they think we're holier-than-though types.  I know I'm not!  I'm one of the worst, and pray, multiple times a day (while driving, when I wake up, before I go to bed, anytime that I have a minute where I don't know what else to do).  If anything, I'm more lost than most.  But I pray, probably, more than most, as I know I need it.

Believe it the first time brother! We need to realize when we confess the Bible says he throws our sins as far as the east is from the west. John 3:30 is my life verse and says “He must increase, but I must decrease.” true translation of this scripture should say As I allow Him to increase in me by the law of His love I will equally decrease. Our struggle is that we feel we need to struggle. Let God change you where you need to be changes. I got a few things to do and I will be back with a thought for you and anyone that may need it. Check back tonight. 

[Fansince88]

Matthew 18:12-14  “What do you think? If a man owns a hundred sheep, and one of them wanders away, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go to look for the one that wandered off?  And if he finds it, truly I tell you, he is happier about that one sheep than about the ninety-nine that did not wander off.  In the same way your Father in heaven is not willing that any of these little ones should perish.

 

This evening I was sitting at my computer praying about the above conversation and thinking about the LOVE of God. The Father, or should I say, my Father loves like a love that can never be duplicated. While my wife and I were sitting and letting ourselves be taken away in worship this song came on with this story. Enjoy! 

 

[Cinga]

Tomorrow lesson may be late. Have a power outage and they don't expect to have it fixed until pretty late tonight, tomorrow morning and I really need my desktop to finish it.

[Cinga]

Nov 7

Especially as we’ve had a break for a few weeks, I would encourage you once again to go back and review the lesson from Oct 10 which ended Genesis 1 but also our lesson from The Rich Man and Lazarus. Remember in that story, we were reminded we all have the word of the Prophets and Moses and I encourage you to use it. I’ve actually been a little remiss in the lessons of Genesis so far, thinking I was covering the meaningful original Hebrew in key parts but I missed a huge one so far. That is the original in Genesis for “God” which is Elohim, the plural of Devine One or YHWH in original, Yahweh in modern Hebrew which God’s name . Then go back to the beginning of our study of John, and we see that Jesus was there in the Beginning, so yes, it would be the plural!

So as part of your own study, I would advise the use of a concordance or study program or even website (Bible Hub is pretty good and free) to help you to look up some of those things that the Lord moves you to study more.

As we go into Chapter 2 I want you to be aware there is a theory out there that Chapter 1 was God first Creation, and Chapter 2 a second. I’m not addressing this theory directly, except to say it is utter bullsh1t. What we do in Chapter 2 is instead take a deeper look at parts of the first days of Creation

My comments are in italics

Gen 2

Thus the heavens and the earth were completed in all their vast array. – The use of the original tsbaah  or sebaam which is army or host of angels. A we study on, we will learn that yes, angels were a part of Creation as well.

 

² By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work. ³ Then God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done. – Rested is the key word here, Sabbath in the original meaning to desist exertion, literally rest. But as discussed before, God of course didn’t really need to rest, but it establishes a precedent for mankind to come. Made it Holy, sanctified it, made it sacred to put an emphasis on our need for rest.

 

⁴ This is the account of the heavens and the earth when they were created, when the Lord God made the earth and the heavens. – yes, this is plural heavens. We will come to see the sky as the first heaven, then the visible universe which we refer to as space as the second, then finally the place I want to be, the Abode of God as the third Heaven. But this is also the first time we see God referenced as “Lord” which is the translation of the Singular YHWH (ancient Hebrew had no vowels) or Yahweh.

 

⁵ Now no shrub had yet appeared on the earth and no plant had yet sprung up, for the Lord God had not sent rain on the earth and there was no one to work the ground – 2 things here, rain would in fact not come for some time yet as we will see but notice no one to work the ground. I hope by now you realize all of this was done for you! All of it! The heavens and the earth was Created because God was soon going to create His Masterpiece, YOU!

 

⁶ but streams came up from the earth and watered the whole surface of the ground.  – Streams/springs word is ade which translates to mist or vapor. Now get this a minute…. There was no rain and wouldn’t be any such thing for a few hundred years in fact. So how did things on the ground get watered? Well, a natural sprinkler system of course! Remember we learned that God separated the waters, so above the sky (not in the sky like clouds are) and below the sky. Then he caused dry ground to rise. So what happened to that water when the ground appeared? Some of course formed seas above the ground, but other formed seas below ground, let’s call them “fountains of the deep” which will make more sense later. But imagine more normal temperature Old Faithful’s all over helping to water the lawn and forests.

 

⁷ Then the Lord God formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of spirit, and the man became a living being. – Here we go…. Singular for Yahweh; man I think most know translate to Adam; formed, yatsar by divine creation, shaped, molded, dust of the earth something He already had, so this was to be a part of the whole of Creation. The breath, breath of God, breath of life. Life, there are 2 types of living in the Bible, vegetation life, and life that is active, lively, breaths or moves. Being = nepesh, meaning literally a living breathing soul or creature.
So this verse could say “Yahweh molded Adam from the dust of His Creation and gave him the breath of life making him a living soul.”

 

I’m going to leave it at this for the week as it is already a tremendous amount to absorb, and I pray all of you do a little digging into it yourselves.

May you and yours have a Blessed week!

[Cinga]

Nov 14

 

In this next part of John, we experience the Passover or Pesach Season in Israel. In modern day Judaism it is a weeklong festival that culminated in a Passover meal or Seder. It’s extremely important in Jewish tradition dating back to the Exodus of the Hebrews from slavery and indentured servitude in Egypt. As Moses tried to get Pharoh to release them, 10 Plagues were visited on Egypt with the final one bringing the death of the first son of all families by and angel of death. So, the angel the homes of the Hebrews, they were instructed to paint the lintels of their doors with untainted lambs blood. When the death angel saw this, he was to PASS OVER that home, leaving the people inside alone.

My comments are in italics

 

¹³ When it was almost time for the Jewish Passover, Jesus went up to Jerusalem. ¹⁴ In the temple courts he found people selling cattle, sheep and doves, and others sitting at tables exchanging money. – The Temple of Herod during Jesus time was a huge structure with an outer wall that was also a complex of offices and hallways. Inside of those walls was an outer courtyard with the Main Temple at the center of that. Just inside the “Beautiful Gate” of this sanctuary was the Women’s court, with the Men’s Court further inside. Beyond that, to the heart of the Temple was the main sanctuary with the “Holy of Holies” at its center. It was in the Holy of Holies that only a sanctified High Priest could enter and actually meet with the Shekinah Glory of God if/when He visited. Devoted Jews often visited the Temple during Passover.

We’ve already discussed that in the Old Testament, the atonement of sins required an unblemished blood sacrifice. The animals written of here were literally for people to purchase so they could then hand over to the priest of the Temple to be sacrificed for them. Tradition was to use what you could afford which is why there was such a wide variety of animals, and the historian Josephus wrote at the time that upwards of 200 thousand sacrifices were made here, or other synagogues around Israel.

 

¹⁵ So he made a whip out of cords, and drove all from the temple courts, both sheep and cattle; - The indignation the Lord felt here is almost tangible and I admit I would crumble if He showed me this kind of RIGHTIOUS anger. This may have been a more normal thing if it were outside of the Temple, but the fact it was going on inside was a money maker for the corrupt priests of the day. While they may not have made the sales directly, they profited from “renting” space and tables for this occur and some Biblical Scholars think they were also involved in a sort of recycling scheme, where the same animals were used over again to sell to others.

 

he scattered the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables. – These money changers were exactly that. As people came in from surrounding areas they would exchange their currency for the local currency, at a profit of course.

 

¹⁶ To those who sold doves he said, “Get these out of here! Stop turning my Father’s house into a market!” – He is literally charging that the Temple has been turned into a shopping mall.

 

¹⁷ His disciples remembered that it is written: “Zeal for your house will consume me.” – Remember our Aug 22 lesson when I mentioned that sometimes it seems while we read something our mind doesn’t grasp it’s meaning, or the Holy Spirit gives you it’s meaning sometime later. You’ll find in our studies this was common among the disciples as well. They were well versed in the word of the Prophets, but at times things Jesus told them didn't register until later.

 

¹⁸ The Jews then responded to him, “What sign can you show us to prove your authority to do all this?” – As we do another jump back in time, this one to Aug 15 I’m going to cut and paste this one. – “You see as man we think logically as in “show me and I’ll believe you”. But God doesn’t work that way, He tells us to believe and then He will show us. Our very nature has us always searching for something more out there.”  - I can’t emphasis this enough in that as we have learned, we have the word of the prophets and we have Christ Risen, what more “proof does mankind need?

 

¹⁹ Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days.” ²⁰ They replied, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and you are going to raise it in three days?” ²¹ But the temple he had spoken of was his body. ²² After he was raised from the dead, his disciples recalled what he had said. Then they believed the scripture and the words that Jesus had spoken.  – The important thing to take in here is that these are priests of the Temple but because of their corruption don’t see and understand not only what Jesus said, but who He is.

²³ Now while he was in Jerusalem at the Passover Festival, many people saw the signs he was performing and believed in his name. ²⁴ But Jesus would not entrust himself to them, for he knew all people. ²⁵ He did not need any testimony about mankind, for he knew what was in each person.

 

In this last section we see a couple things. First that many are already witnessing Jesus’ miracles and Wisdom and believing who He is even as the priest of that time do not. Next is rather profound in that He didn’t tell them who He was, knowing the hearts of ALL PEOPLE. Yes, He knew My heart 2000 years ago but He still chose to die for me as my unblemished Sacrifice.

May you and yours have a Blessed Week!

[Cinga]

Nov 21

We’re back to Genesis this week as we try to wrap up Chapter 2

My comments are in italics

 

⁸ Now the Lord God had planted a garden in the east, in Eden; and there he put the man he had formed.  ⁹ The Lord God made all kinds of trees grow out of the ground—trees that were pleasing to the eye and good for food. In the middle of the garden were the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. – Yahweh the singular. Garden is gan, which can also mean enclosure and it seems it was full of only trees, es which also means plants; that were not only beautiful, but all grew food. Keys in this is the trees of Knowledge, ha-da-at which can also mean understanding or discernment; and Life, ha-hay-yim, which can also mean flowing (water) or sustenance. Keep this in mind as we continue, as God seems to have placed before Adam here a choice between knowledge, and immortality; between good and evil. It was not intended in the beginning for Adam (man) to die but the choice was given to him.

 

¹⁰ A river watering the garden flowed from Eden; from there it was separated into four headwaters. ¹¹ The name of the first is the Pishon; it winds through the entire land of Havilah, where there is gold. ¹² (The gold of that land is good; aromatic resinand onyx are also there.) ¹³ The name of the second river is the Gihon; it winds through the entire land of Cush.   ^–  Much speculation over the rivers locations I’m not going in to and you will see a couple are familiar, however Pishon or pison simply means full, or fast flowing, bouncing. The aromatic resin is bdellium a gum resin. Gihon means bursting forth and remember, there is no rain, vegetation is watered more by a natural sprinkler system so of course it also stands to reason that some of this water must also be released from below ground perhaps as this river.

 

¹⁴ The name of the third river is the Tigris; it runs along the east side of Ashur. And the fourth river is the Euphrates. – Euphrates to break or rush forth. Tigris is the modern of Hiddekel or great river which of course we are aware of in modern times.

 

¹⁵ The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it. ¹⁶ And the Lord God commanded the man, “You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; - Do you gather this? ANYTHING from the Garden could be eaten, there is no such thing as poisonous plants and foods yet or God would not have commanded this

 

¹⁷ but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die.” –  The profound implication of this is I think will show soon in our studies

 

¹⁸ The Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.” – While we all know the story of Adam and Eve, look next what comes first.

 

¹⁹ Now the Lord God had formed out of the ground all the wild animals and all the birds in the sky. He brought them to the man to see what he would name them; and whatever the man called each living creature, that was its name. ²⁰ So the man gave names to all the livestock, the birds in the sky and all the wild animals. – This is amazing in itself, that Adam named all the animals and birds, but did you get the part of how they got to Adam so he could name them? Yahweh, Abba, Father, Jehovah, the Creator of everything! In what I think is the first act of service, brought then to Adam Himself to be named. God the Son would come to know later as Jesus walked the Garden with Adam and the animals of Creation were not afraid of Adam!

 

But for Adamno suitable helper was found. – Sometimes I think the term here, “helper” is misunderstood to mean a woman should be subservient. This shows us how important it is to take it all in context so we better understand what we are being told here. Suitable is key, kenegdow meaning in front of, parallel, corresponding. But Adam isn’t really alone-alone, he has God, the angels, and all the beasts of Creation right? What is meant here however is someone of EQUAL moral and intellect. Let’s say an equal counterpart.

 

²¹ So the Lord God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep; and while he was sleeping, he took one of the man’s ribs and then closed up the place with flesh. ²² Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man. – I know, some people point to this verse to try and claim the falsity of Creation, after all, men and women both have the same number of ribs, right? But look at it this way… If something terrible happened and I lost a finger, does that also mean all my children and their children would be born without a finger? Nonsense, right? Likewise with Adam, while God took a rib, apparently with anesthesia and surgery from him to Create woman from, that does not mean his male children would be born with one less rib.

 

²³ The man said,

“This is now bone of my bones
    and flesh of my flesh;
she shall be called ‘woman,’
    for she was taken out of man.”

 

²⁴ That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is united to his wife, and they become one flesh. – This simple verse is going to be repeated throughout the Word in reference to marriage. The original wedabaq was to cleave, literally meaning to join or stick together. So woman was created from man, but then becomes joined back together once again. Remember

 

²⁵ Adam and his wife were both naked, and they felt no shame. -

We are still at a point in Creation where there is no sin or death, all things are even good to eat, and as we will find later around the time of Noah, every creature is actually vegan which as previously mentioned is where the popular Genesis diet comes from. There is also obviously, no embarrassment in being naked. And remember too, at the end of the sixth day in Gen 1:31 God looks back at Creation and says it is “very good”. In that I think by now we know enough about Him to say by this measure all of Creation was perfect in His eyes which also makes Adam and Eve literally perfect humans that at this point, without sin and death, might live forever as the are.

 

May you and yours have a Blessed week!

[Fansince88]

I am thankful for this Chapter in John. Just before Jesus sacrificed Himself he looked down through the ages and prayed for you and me!!! Happy Thanksgiving all!! 

John 17:1‭-‬26 

Jesus spoke these words, lifted up His eyes to heaven, and said: “Father, the hour has come. Glorify Your Son, that Your Son also may glorify You, as You have given Him authority over all flesh, that He should give eternal life to as many as You have given Him. And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent. I have glorified You on the earth. I have finished the work which You have given Me to do. And now, O Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was. “I have manifested Your name to the men whom You have given Me out of the world. They were Yours, You gave them to Me, and they have kept Your word. Now they have known that all things which You have given Me are from You. For I have given to them the words which You have given Me; and they have received them, and have known surely that I came forth from You; and they have believed that You sent Me. “I pray for them. I do not pray for the world but for those whom You have given Me, for they are Yours. And all Mine are Yours, and Yours are Mine, and I am glorified in them. Now I am no longer in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to You. Holy Father, keep through Your name those whom You have given Me, that they may be one as We are. While I was with them in the world, I kept them in Your name. Those whom You gave Me I have kept; and none of them is lost except the son of perdition, that the Scripture might be fulfilled. But now I come to You, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have My joy fulfilled in themselves. I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth. As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world. And for their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they also may be sanctified by the truth. “I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me. And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one: I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me. “Father, I desire that they also whom You gave Me may be with Me where I am, that they may behold My glory which You have given Me; for You loved Me before the foundation of the world. O righteous Father! The world has not known You, but I have known You; and these have known that You sent Me. And I have declared to them Your name, and will declare it, that the love with which You loved Me may be in them, and I in them.”
 

 

[Cinga]

On 11/25/2021 at 8:04 AM, Fansince88 said:

They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.

There is so much to like about the verses you shared, but i admit to being very partial to this one because in it I know my future is with Him in His Kingdom!

[Cinga]

Nov 28

Before we begin John 3, I want to wish everyone a great and joyful Holiday Season. Sometimes we get so wrapped up in the things of the world of today, we don’t take the time to think of all the things we have to be grateful for. So, my prayer is that all of you take time over this busy season to be thankful for all the things you have of this world, but even more important, the salvation that brings you so much more in the next.

My comments are in italics

 

Now there was a Pharisee, a man named Nicodemus who was a member of the Jewish ruling council. ² He came to Jesus at night and said, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the signs you are doing if God were not with him.” – Nothing else can be emphasized other than what you read here, but note that Nicodemus came to see Jesus at night, so it seems he felt perhaps he had to sneak away from the rest of the Pharisees?

 

³ Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, - Or This is God’s truth I tell you…

 

no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.” – born again, or some older versions are renewed from above.

 

⁴ “How can someone be born when they are old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely they cannot enter a second time into their mother’s womb to be born!”

⁵ Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. – Back in Sept we covered John the Baptist who was baptizing with water, which is a public proclamation of Faith, and symbolic of washing way of sins to the flesh. Born of the Spirit is new to us for now, the original being pneumatos, or wind, spirit or BREATH. For a refresher, go back to our lesson Nov 7 and look to Gen 2:7 when the Lord breathed the breath of life into Adam.

 

⁶ Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. – There are different opinions on this but I think when Jesus mentions flesh here, He is also using water as an analogy for it. So being born of water and Spirit can be flesh (natural birth) and Spirit (spiritual birth). See our lesson from Oct 10 where we discussed the triune nature of man (body, spirit, soul) and this is just confirmation of 2 of them.

 

⁷ You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’ ⁸ The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.” – Interesting use of the Greek pneuma here referencing both wind and spirit while also drawing a comparison between them. But as you cannot see the wind, you cannot see a person spirit.

 

I’m going to leave it here for the week and pray that you and yours have a Blessed week

[Fansince88]

This song came to my mind today out of the blue. 

[Cinga]

3 hours ago, Fansince88 said:

This song came to my mind today out of the blue. 

 

That was my wife favorite song of all time, and one I had looped to play as she went Home... 

 

Thank you for sharing it!

[Fansince88]

13 minutes ago, Cinga said:

 

That was my wife favorite song of all time, and one I had looped to play as she went Home... 

 

Thank you for sharing it!

I can never get  past "Looked in my face, wiped the tears from my eyes With forgiveness in His voice, he said son I still love you! I cant get by that huge phrase. That God, MY Father would forgive me. when i am singing this I cant get that phrase out. It overwhelms me! his forgiveness is so overwhelming! Its because it is from His love. His perfect Love! Brother! You are doing just what you are supposed to be doing right now. 

[Cinga]

12 hours ago, Fansince88 said:

I can never get  past "Looked in my face, wiped the tears from my eyes With forgiveness in His voice, he said son I still love you! I cant get by that huge phrase. That God, MY Father would forgive me. when i am singing this I cant get that phrase out. It overwhelms me! his forgiveness is so overwhelming! Its because it is from His love. His perfect Love! Brother! You are doing just what you are supposed to be doing right now. 

 

I know, almost the perfect song of God's Love and Forgiveness. The night before she passed, I had the pastor over and I played that song for Cindy as I told her I would be okay, she could go home now. As she passed I was holding her hands and told her it was time for me to hand the to Jesus. 

I'll never forget the look of such peace on her face and I felt Jesus presence as I released her hands, knowing Jesus had taken them.

[devnull]

The Lord helps those who help themselves

 

https://www.thedailybeast.com/joel-osteens-lakewood-church-confirms-plumber-found-thousands-in-cash-envelopes-in-toilet-wall

[Fansince88]

6 hours ago, devnull said:

The Lord helps those who help themselves

 

https://www.thedailybeast.com/joel-osteens-lakewood-church-confirms-plumber-found-thousands-in-cash-envelopes-in-toilet-wall

Not a big or little fan of that church. That said, 600K stolen? My wife used to count the money at the church we went to 11 years ago. 600 a week was a large amount at times. Weekly the money went into the bank. Every church I have been involved with weekly deposits are made. That all said, 600K!!! I would assume that was 1 week. Wow.

[Cinga]

21 hours ago, Fansince88 said:

Not a big or little fan of that church. That said, 600K stolen? My wife used to count the money at the church we went to 11 years ago. 600 a week was a large amount at times. Weekly the money went into the bank. Every church I have been involved with weekly deposits are made. That all said, 600K!!! I would assume that was 1 week. Wow.

 

Makes you wonder what those mega-churches do with all of that money doesn't it? If you take 1000 churches like yours, the outreach and impact of what they do with that 600 each is tremendously more than that mega does with the same total amount. I'm not insinuating every mega is like that, but.......

[Fansince88]

2 hours ago, Cinga said:

 

Makes you wonder what those mega-churches do with all of that money doesn't it? If you take 1000 churches like yours, the outreach and impact of what they do with that 600 each is tremendously more than that mega does with the same total amount. I'm not insinuating every mega is like that, but.......

I was called away from the institutional church about 10 years ago. I often ask if that 600 dollars is of any value in the hands of the institution. Building maintenance and payroll eats all of that up. Mega or miniature if it isnt doing the will of God only it is just mans recreation of his perfect plan.