tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-78542223933703666142024-03-21T13:56:46.970-07:00Rock & Tree Ministries Violettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13966979502832728188noreply@blogger.comBlogger28125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7854222393370366614.post-43345471662421592222016-07-21T09:26:00.001-07:002016-07-21T09:26:51.318-07:00 In the World, but not of the World<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU9YPsRDSnnIylImHGHTE068lLx5b7m6s7T1D7FHuYL_y-T0C04M7R-34RUtGEHHJie_XR3W363iZ-CmUUgvZWZdNSJ6LACmmi22rFe_RASrzizGWDOOtqOoSmRcNQLlisKfCppVFPk7CM/s1600/464788075_7b7833717c_b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU9YPsRDSnnIylImHGHTE068lLx5b7m6s7T1D7FHuYL_y-T0C04M7R-34RUtGEHHJie_XR3W363iZ-CmUUgvZWZdNSJ6LACmmi22rFe_RASrzizGWDOOtqOoSmRcNQLlisKfCppVFPk7CM/s320/464788075_7b7833717c_b.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/208/464788075_7b7833717c_b.jpg" target="_blank">Photo Credit</a></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Our world is such a persuasive place. Everywhere we turn, something or someone is
trying to convince us, sell us something, change our opinion, or get us to join
them. It can be overwhelming to think
for yourself and shut all the battling opinions out. It is even more difficult to seek silence and
listen to the Holy Spirit speak truth to power.
It is so easy to let the noise overcome us and be brainwashed by the
screaming voice of the world. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We must remember to guard our hearts and minds against
the ungodly influences of the world. We
must live in the world, but not be of the world. We must participate in community, be guiding
lights in the world, be advocates, protectors, protesters, empathizers, and defenders; but
God should always be our guideline, our moral compass, and our biggest
influence. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">It is not God’s desire for us to be hermits who are
oblivious to what is going on. Knowledge
is power. Yeshua (Jesus) told us in
Matthew 10:16, “</span><span style="background: rgb(253, 254, 255); color: #001320; line-height: 115%;">"I am
sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and
as innocent as doves.</span>” We are
know the street, but not be in the street!<span style="line-height: 115%;"> We are to be social activist,
spiritual leaders, economic powers, and simply extraordinary people to be around. People should be drawn to the light within us
and we should always walk among all people, regardless of their cultural or socioeconomic
lot in life, so that light can be seen.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Romans 12:2 which tell us, “<span style="background: #FDFEFF; color: #001320;">Do not conform to the pattern of this
world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able
to test and approve what God's will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will.</span>” Conformity to the world deteriorates the soul. Death is its only reward. Our minds must be locked on God so that we
can discern the will of God in our lives.
This will prevent confusion and feeling hopelessly lost. For our purpose on this earth is to live an
abundant life that is obedient to the will of God.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background: rgb(253, 254, 255); color: #001320; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Love hard and live free! </span></span></div>
Violettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13966979502832728188noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7854222393370366614.post-14545383175015152972016-05-18T09:15:00.000-07:002016-05-18T09:15:55.966-07:00Oh Mama! <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAbcIfDHvE53T7ka9mfw6-27nTet0TpCyuetAeTyYAmEKSMEJHY6FF-Zoeufj6faLXf6XqkN7TUuMKIOEIQIpyqcekSwDiSVfmrtmxhqe-asodp5G2hm4KNsfUTWsjFQ15kTxE996qcxcZ/s1600/IMG_20160322_000610.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAbcIfDHvE53T7ka9mfw6-27nTet0TpCyuetAeTyYAmEKSMEJHY6FF-Zoeufj6faLXf6XqkN7TUuMKIOEIQIpyqcekSwDiSVfmrtmxhqe-asodp5G2hm4KNsfUTWsjFQ15kTxE996qcxcZ/s200/IMG_20160322_000610.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The human body is such a fragile thing. It doesn’t seem like it when everything works as it should or until you are faced with
the idea of your life being changed forever. It can be taken for granted that we will always see or walk or dance or be able to take care of ourselves. <o:p></o:p></span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Youth
makes us feel invincible. Middle age makes us feel confident and
comfortable. Then there is the winter of life when deep reflection takes
place.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Where do the years go?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">My mother injured herself this week and it dawned on me
that she is elderly now. She’s a
beautiful woman whose face looks a decade and a half younger than she her
seventy four years. I call her vampire because she looks exactly the same in
all of her pictures. There is a family
picture circa 1978-1980 where her looks are indistinguishable from today! My mom truly proves that black don’t
crack. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">She is always out and about doing activities
from art to exercise, from church to babysitting. She loves shopping, and is always involved in family business. Because she is always so busy, I never
stopped to realize that she is getting up in age. When I saw her unable to help herself, I
wondered, how did mom get old that quickly?
When the paramedics rushed her to the hospital, the worst possible scenarios
entered my mind. My heart almost
stopped. I don’t know what I would do if
my mother was no longer a part of this world.
She is the rock of my family. She
is love personified. Not only does she
depend on us, we all depend on her. I
can’t even conceive of a world existing without her. I praise God that she was released from the
hospital. Now, we have to keep watch
over her and make sure that she does not injure herself again, and that we keep
her in our prayers and support her as she faces impending surgeries.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Times like this I have to take a deep breath and trust
that God knows what is best for us all and that everything will work according
to God’s purpose. That is the only peace
that I can stomach at the moment. I pray
that God will heal my mother completely and grant her many healthy happy years
to come. I look to </span><span style="line-height: 18.4px;">Jeremiah</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> 17:14 which says, “Heal me, LORD, and I will be
healed; save me and I will be saved, for you are the one I praise.” I ask that God heal her and save her in every
possible way a person can be saved. I also look to Psalms 30:2 which says, “O Lord my
God, I cried to You for help, and You healed me.” Lord I cry to you for help at this moment and
I ask that you hear me and heal my mother. For your son
Yeshua said to the ailing woman, “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in
peace.” (Luke 8:48). I ask that the Lord
extend the same proclamation to my mother. We all have faith that there is nothing </span><span style="line-height: 18.4px;">impossible</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> with God. Now is the time to utilize this faith and keep our outlook </span><span style="line-height: 18.4px;">completely</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span><span style="line-height: 18.4px;">positive</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">. I do not know what the future may hold, but I know that God will get us
through it. Faith, hope, love, I’m
depending on all three of these to help God’s spirit to move. Keep us in prayer and </span><span style="line-height: 18.4px;">remember</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> to love hard and live free!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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Violettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13966979502832728188noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7854222393370366614.post-12891769990658745302016-03-09T08:23:00.000-08:002016-03-09T18:01:53.738-08:00Heal the World! <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">We look around the world and see all
the suffering, pain, joblessness, broken hearts, violence, abuse, neglect,
injustice, racism, sexism, perversion, and frustration. We ask, why God? Why do you allow so much ugliness to exist? Why does a good God allow so much evil to
prevail? Why don’t you intervene and
help us? Why do you leave us to our own
understandings, misguided plans, and flawed thinking? Why God? Why?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> The apostle Paul answered this
question perfectly in Romans 1. Paul explains
how we have abandoned God so God has given us over to ourselves. Paul explains how we traded creation for
creator, how we put our perversions over what is natural, how we not only revel
in dysfunction, we teach others to be dysfunctional as well. Romans 1:<span class="vv"><span style="background: white;">28</span>-31 says,</span><span style="background: white;"> “And
since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased
mind and to things that should not be done.<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span>They
were filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, covetousness, malice. Full of
envy, murder, strife, deceit, craftiness, they are gossips,<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span>slanderers, God-haters, insolent,
haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, rebellious towards parents,<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>foolish, faithless, heartless,
ruthless.” <o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="background: white; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The sad truth is, it is us who have corrupted
the world and it is us who have the ability to set things right by turning back
to God. God has given us all choices and
unfortunately our choices can affect the lives of others. We all are a part of the circle of life. We can do good or evil. We can help or
hurt. We can uplift of tear down. Everything we do affects those around us. EVERYTHING! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Evil can pour over into a good life and
leave destruction in its wake. Good can
bring light into a life of darkness and change the path of the hopeless to the
hopeful. Our actions matter. Our words matter. Our thoughts matter. If we want our world to be a better place, we
have to become better people. We’re in
this together. The unity of humanity is
our saving grace. God commissioned us to
love one another. It is impossible to
love God if we can’t love each other. </span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">1 John <a href="http://biblehub.com/1_john/4-20.htm"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">20</span></a>-21 says, “If someone
says, "I love God," and hates his brother, he is a liar; for the one
who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not
seen. And this commandment we have from Him, that the one who loves God
should love his brother also.”<span style="background: white;"> It is impossible to please God if we live
destructive, unproductive, maladjusted lives.
It is not God’s desire for us to suffer.
Contrary to false religion that teaches that there is nothing good about
this life, God wants us to be happy while we’re still on this earth! Jesus said in John 10:10, </span>“The thief
comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and
have it abundantly.” God sent Jesus to
teach us that God wants us to have an abundant life, a happy life, a good
life. We must take responsibility
for ourselves and live in a way that is pleasing to God. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">God is not hard to please.
We make it hard. It takes less
energy to be happy than it does to be sad.
It takes less effort to be kind than it does to be hateful. It’s easier to forgive than to hold a
grudge. God did not make us to torture
us. Every temptation, struggle, or
weakness we have can be overcome. We are
not deficient creatures. We are
beautifully and wonderfully made; mini-gods created in the image of God! Psalms 82: 6 says, “I said, "You are
gods, and all of you are sons of the Most High.” We are intelligent spiritual beings blessed
with freewill. We are the masters of our
own fates.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">We must remember that God is not some tyrant that makes us
compete to get to heaven or live in fear of hell every moment of every
day. To please God means to love God
truly and to love people. It means to
wake up each day in gratitude for life.
It means to forgive, nurture, and grow in God’s divine goodness each
day. It means that the fruit of our
faith should be nourishment to all around us.
We are imperfect, but we should always strive for perfection. Be holy because God is holy. Be forgiving because God is forgiving. Love each other like God loves us. Leave the judging to God and only give
meaningful correction. When we are weak,
we must lean on the one who is able to keep us from falling. We are never ever alone!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">This is our world to heal!
Let’s love God, love hard, and live free! Be a blessing!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Learn more
about Violette at <a href="http://www.violettemeier.com/">www.violettemeier.com</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Souces: </div>
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<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/"><span style="color: black;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16px; white-space: nowrap;">https://www.</span><b style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16px; white-space: nowrap;">bible</b><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16px; white-space: nowrap;">gateway.com</span></span></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16px; white-space: nowrap;"><a href="http://bible.oremus.org/">bible.oremus.org</a></span></div>
Violettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13966979502832728188noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7854222393370366614.post-29389976381369899632016-02-01T09:30:00.002-08:002016-02-03T14:39:28.229-08:00I Can't Help Myself! <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoCfPnm4fVfLvqVkvC13zry5dvFweSHAe6GL6Xl-ePRXBfUDn64cEyLkdJEzHkwtFj1X7DAdyz3cyPNSIbC1YbbHnmi_tj_07sNoX9k-lnGUA3Gr9SlIelplcZ5W9f8mJgrang-Iem1XsL/s1600/3985490626_4ece1bf58a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoCfPnm4fVfLvqVkvC13zry5dvFweSHAe6GL6Xl-ePRXBfUDn64cEyLkdJEzHkwtFj1X7DAdyz3cyPNSIbC1YbbHnmi_tj_07sNoX9k-lnGUA3Gr9SlIelplcZ5W9f8mJgrang-Iem1XsL/s320/3985490626_4ece1bf58a.jpg" width="320"></a></div>
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Photo Credit: <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/lel4nd/">Leland Francisco</a></div>
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Sometimes, no matter how hard we try, we fail
ourselves. We give into our base natures
and temptations. We fall into the wanton
arms of the forbidden and many times take deep pleasure in its embrace. We find ourselves like Paul who says in Romans
7:15, “<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #010000;">I do not understand
my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate</span>.” With each
kiss, sniff, swallow, spoonful, or violent outburst, our sins wrap more and
more chains around our bodies. Our eyes
become dimmer to the light and we begin to relish the darkness. We seek the very things that are eating us
from the inside out like a copious cancer.<o:p></o:p></div>
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At times, our sins are looming over us screaming like
banshees making our heads thunder with every thought of our indiscretions. Guilt suffocates us until we are aching and
begging not to draw breath. Our
weaknesses can sometimes overthrow us.
Our addictions to food, drugs, sex, drama, or whatever vice that we secretly
savor cripple us from walking in our divine purpose. At these times, it is important to humble ourselves
before God and ask for our hearts to be made right. Jesus tells us in Mark 14:38 and Matt. 26:41
that the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak so we must plead for
forgiveness and be truthful about our short comings. </div>
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<span style="line-height: 22.4px;">God does not desire for us to walk around being bruised and beaten by guilt nor does God want us to give into things that will eventually destroy us. God is a God of second, third, and fiftieth chances! God wants us to grow stronger and to be better people. We were created to be more than conquerors. True repentance and transformation is the way to conquer the things that make us weak. </span>When we are able to face the mirror and look
at ourselves in our true imperfect glory, this is when God gives us the ability
to do better. This is the first step to
transformation. It is the first step to conquering the sins that enthrall us. If we come to God and ask for a clean heart
and a right spirit, God will not deny our request. We will be strengthened by the Holy Spirit so
that we will be able to walk away from the negative things that call to our vulnerable
flesh. </div>
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When I am overcome by my weaknesses, I find strength in
Psalm 51. It is a prayer of pure humility
and an earnest pleading for forgiveness and redemption. There is no greater prayer that a repentant
heart can utter. Psalm 51 helps me to
center myself and to really prostrate my heart before God. I realize that during praying this prayer
that I am loved unconditionally and that no sin is too great to not be forgiven. I also realize that I have power over sin,
that I am the master of my own fate, and that I have to want God to help change
my heart. I hope this prayer will help you find peace for your souls. Remember to love hard and live free! <o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="color: #010000; font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 13.5pt;">Psalm
51<br>
</span><sup><span style="color: #777777; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">1</span></sup><span style="color: #010000; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> Have
mercy on me, O God,<br>
according to your steadfast love;<br>
according to your abundant mercy<br>
blot out my transgressions.<br>
</span><sup><span style="color: #777777; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">2</span></sup><span style="color: #010000; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> Wash
me thoroughly from my iniquity,<br>
and cleanse me from my sin.<br>
</span><sup><span style="color: #777777; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">3</span></sup><span style="color: #010000; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> For
I know my transgressions,<br>
and my sin is ever before me.<br>
</span><sup><span style="color: #777777; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">4</span></sup><span style="color: #010000; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> Against
you, you alone, have I sinned,<br>
and done what is evil in your sight,<br>
so that you are justified in your sentence<br>
and blameless when you pass judgement.<br>
</span><sup><span style="color: #777777; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">5</span></sup><span style="color: #010000; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> Indeed,
I was born guilty,<br>
a sinner when my mother conceived me.<br>
</span><sup><span style="color: #777777; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">6</span></sup><span style="color: #010000; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> You
desire truth in the inward being; <br>
therefore teach me wisdom in my secret heart.<br>
</span><sup><span style="color: #777777; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">7</span></sup><span style="color: #010000; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> Purge
me with hyssop, and I shall be clean;<br>
wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.<br>
</span><sup><span style="color: #777777; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">8</span></sup><span style="color: #010000; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> Let
me hear joy and gladness;<br>
let the bones that you have crushed rejoice.<br>
</span><sup><span style="color: #777777; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">9</span></sup><span style="color: #010000; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> Hide
your face from my sins,<br>
and blot out all my iniquities.<br>
</span><sup><span style="color: #777777; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">10</span></sup><span style="color: #010000; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> Create
in me a clean heart, O God,<br>
and put a new and right<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null"><sup><span style="color: #0000bb;">*</span></sup></a> spirit
within me.<br>
</span><sup><span style="color: #777777; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">11</span></sup><span style="color: #010000; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> Do
not cast me away from your presence,<br>
and do not take your holy spirit from me.<br>
</span><sup><span style="color: #777777; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">12</span></sup><span style="color: #010000; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> Restore
to me the joy of your salvation,<br>
and sustain in me a willing<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null"><sup><span style="color: #0000bb;">*</span></sup></a> spirit.<br>
</span><sup><span style="color: #777777; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">13</span></sup><span style="color: #010000; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> Then
I will teach transgressors your ways,<br>
and sinners will return to you.<br>
</span><sup><span style="color: #777777; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">14</span></sup><span style="color: #010000; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> Deliver
me from bloodshed, O God,<br>
O God of my salvation,<br>
and my tongue will sing aloud of your deliverance.<br>
</span><sup><span style="color: #777777; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">15</span></sup><span style="color: #010000; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> O Lord,
open my lips,<br>
and my mouth will declare your praise.<br>
</span><sup><span style="color: #777777; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">16</span></sup><span style="color: #010000; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> For
you have no delight in sacrifice;<br>
if I were to give a burnt-offering, you would not be pleased.<br>
</span><sup><span style="color: #777777; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">17</span></sup><span style="color: #010000; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> The
sacrifice acceptable to God<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null"><sup><span style="color: #0000bb;">*</span></sup></a> is
a broken spirit;<br>
a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not
despise.<br>
</span><sup><span style="color: #777777; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">18</span></sup><span style="color: #010000; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> Do
good to Zion in your good pleasure;<br>
rebuild the walls of Jerusalem,<br>
</span><sup><span style="color: #777777; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">19</span></sup><span style="color: #010000; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> then
you will delight in right sacrifices,<br>
in burnt-offerings and whole burnt-offerings;<br>
then bulls will be offered on your altar. </span>(NRSV) http://bible.oremus.org/<o:p></o:p></div>
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For more about Violette L. Meier, visit <a href="http://www.violettemeier.com/">www.violettemeier.com</a><br>
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Violettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13966979502832728188noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7854222393370366614.post-58712695342668810852016-01-04T07:43:00.002-08:002016-01-15T11:23:38.584-08:00Happy To Be Debt Free! <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinJKJq1PUT60P_EVNwH22yzj3wtq9AGtVDtAu0My47XBqfe11_P0yHiQGmHsPMx_xtmiPulIS9r1wcKvLDPCjllzSl34OaC8YmVfilm0hudhMaXUuuE3lZ4V46ZmQ75sF8xY4E2OGuf-he/s1600/stock-photo-71852809-body-oil.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinJKJq1PUT60P_EVNwH22yzj3wtq9AGtVDtAu0My47XBqfe11_P0yHiQGmHsPMx_xtmiPulIS9r1wcKvLDPCjllzSl34OaC8YmVfilm0hudhMaXUuuE3lZ4V46ZmQ75sF8xY4E2OGuf-he/s1600/stock-photo-71852809-body-oil.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Sometimes in life we are backed into a corner. Every bill is due. Creditors are snapping at
our heels. The repo man is circling our
block. The bank is threatening to take
our home. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Maybe our problems aren’t financial. We are emotionally or physically overwhelmed
or have a spiritual deficit. Happiness is always out of reach. Whatever it
is, it seems that we do not have enough to keep the stresses of life at
bay. When these moments come, we must
learn to use what we have, and have faith that God will make ends meet.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">When we read about a widow in 2 Kings 4:1-7 who goes to
the prophet Elisha in desperation because a creditor is </span><span style="line-height: 18.4px;">threatening</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> to enslave
her children because of her late husband’s debt, we see a woman who knows the
power of God. Instead of hustling on the
street; instead of borrowing from Peter to pay Paul; instead of selling her
sons, instead of stealing or killing, she took her problem to God and consulted
the prophet Elisha. Elisha asked her
what she had of value in her home. She
had nothing to her name but a jar of oil. The prophet tells her to go ask her neighbors
for empty jars and go lock herself and her boys into her house. Without protest, questions, doubt, or
hesitation, the lady did as she is told and the jar of oil multiplied until it
filled up every borrowed jar. She sold the oil and paid her debt. Faith and
obedience brought her from ducking and dodging to debt free!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">When life has us teetering on the edge of a cliff, we
must know that we serve a God who is able to set our feet upon stable
ground. We have to learn to use what
little we have and trust God that it will be enough. Jesus told us not to worry because if God
takes care of birds and flowers God will certainly take care of us. If we seek God first, all things will be
provided for. It doesn’t matter if we
can’t see it or feel it at the time. All
we have to do is believe that God can and will fill our jars, increase our oil,
multiply our possessions so we will always make due. Keep the faith and continue to be fruitful and productive.
Strive perpetually. Have a healthy happy blessed new year! <o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="color: #3a5a87; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">To learn more about Violette, visit <a href="http://www.violettemeier.com/">www.violettemeier.com</a>. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Violettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13966979502832728188noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7854222393370366614.post-68972673663672855532015-12-09T12:57:00.000-08:002016-01-15T11:23:49.172-08:00God Ain't Listenin'! <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghqjYy6HyZY8j122ZyxNsclQRL_Doy8WUarD8HVSbLVy11N4Al9JBorq7HlJgneSaiZdGB2XqCKEa1Ir5o7pvwWlpZ1grJ-rNSDjPjUgn24dd8UZxIaRLR2iF7sBCKx5HhnyAI_-s91czM/s1600/x9QBG.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghqjYy6HyZY8j122ZyxNsclQRL_Doy8WUarD8HVSbLVy11N4Al9JBorq7HlJgneSaiZdGB2XqCKEa1Ir5o7pvwWlpZ1grJ-rNSDjPjUgn24dd8UZxIaRLR2iF7sBCKx5HhnyAI_-s91czM/s1600/x9QBG.gif" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">There are times when God seems completely silent. We feel abandoned. Our prayers go
unanswered. Confusion and indecision encompasses
us. Doubt and despair fills us. We
scream, “Speak Lord!” and there is still silence. We feel so far from God that our very faith
seems foolish.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">We must learn to accept silence at times. In a word of noise, that is difficult to do,
but sometimes God works in silence.
Sometimes silence is God’s verdict, and we refuse to accept that the
answer is simply no.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">When Jesus trembled with fear in the garden of Gethsemane,
he knew that his life was coming to the end.
He was depressed and frightened. The
realization that he was going to be tortured and killed filled him with
dread. Jesus asked God to change his
fate. God was silent. Jesus asked again
to be delivered from mortal torment. Face to the ground, prostrate before the
throne of God, eyes filled with tears, sweat drenching his body, Jesus asked
that his bitter cup be taken away. God
again did not answer. Jesus prayed
thrice and thrice the result was the same.
God did not answer because God’s decision was final. Jesus was to be the great sacrifice. Crucifixion was a certainty. There was no way
around this. Jesus did not curse the
Father, but Jesus accepted his fate and said he would obey God’s will not his
own. (See Matt. 26:36-46)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">When God does not answer, it does not mean that God does
not hear. Sometimes God’s will is not
our own. When this occurs, we must accept
the will of God and let the cards fall where they may. This is hard to swallow for many, but life is
not all about what we want. We have to
realize that the will of God, the greater good, consequences for our actions,
and life choices can outweigh what we think we may deserve. Therefore, we must
remember to keep the faith when we can clearly hear the voice of God and also keep
the faith when we think our prayers are falling on deaf ears. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">God is always with us and always will be. Learn to let
God’s will be done <span style="background: #FDFEFF; color: #001320;">because “we
know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have
been called according to his purpose.</span>” (Rom. 8:28)</span> <o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">May the peace of the Christ, the comfort of the Holy
Spirit, and the grace of God always rest upon you. Be blessed and remember to
love hard and live free!<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="color: #3a5a87; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">To learn more about Violette, visit <a href="http://www.violettemeier.com/">www.violettemeier.com</a>. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
Violettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13966979502832728188noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7854222393370366614.post-49651509123508120522015-10-30T06:58:00.000-07:002016-01-15T11:24:00.781-08:00Walk In Your Truth<div class="MsoNormal">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiZniRN9EREXX_wCn49IFhsgdK2UPuY89q32rv6h9bU2m4QzyDH7jZrzwlAAT_dtgL-nNFiqeP4XhyphenhyphenuGjtqAGUxcGYceHEvyoYqIKvnXcF5VHzjY_eSGDICQLSWOmUiP7J_gA3CS_pvZt_/s1600/walking_animation_test_by_jc1810brokenlight-d4jrhtn.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="208" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiZniRN9EREXX_wCn49IFhsgdK2UPuY89q32rv6h9bU2m4QzyDH7jZrzwlAAT_dtgL-nNFiqeP4XhyphenhyphenuGjtqAGUxcGYceHEvyoYqIKvnXcF5VHzjY_eSGDICQLSWOmUiP7J_gA3CS_pvZt_/s320/walking_animation_test_by_jc1810brokenlight-d4jrhtn.gif" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Don’t allow people to dictate your life. As long as you are living according to the
Word of God, you are just fine.
Sometimes people like to criticize your personal beliefs, the way you
worship, or your worldview. If the light
of God shines through you and it is evident by the way you live your life, the
opinions of others are irrelevant. If
you love God with all your heart, mind, and soul, and love others as yourself,
you are doing the will of God. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Yeshua (Jesus)</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> said all of the commandments are built upon these two things. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The world will always find something to criticize. Keep in mind that Yeshua (Jesus) was accused
of having a demon (<span style="background: #FDFEFF; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Matt. 12:24</span>, <span style="background: white; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">John 7:20, </span>John 8:48-19<span style="background: #FDFEFF; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">)</span>,
being crazy (Mark 3:20, <span style="background: white; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">John 10:19-20)<b>, </b>and<b> </b></span>being a glutton and a drunkard (<span style="background: #FDFEFF; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Matthew 11:19</span>). The religious leaders of the day called him
blasphemous (John 10:33). </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Yeshua (Jesus)</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> didn’t
worry about the doctrines of the day or what was popular. A matter of fact, I would steer away from
what the masses think is popular because </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Yeshua (Jesus)</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> warned that broad is the entrance
and wide path that leads to damnation (<span style="background: #FDFEFF; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Matthew 7:13</span>).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So walk proudly in communion with God. You are unique and so is your relationship
with God. God created you as you are. As
long as you are living in harmony with the Holy Spirit, love hard and live
free! </span><o:p></o:p><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
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<span style="color: #3a5a87; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">To learn more about Violette, visit <a href="http://www.violettemeier.com/">www.violettemeier.com</a>. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
Violettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13966979502832728188noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7854222393370366614.post-4323633549008098722015-02-15T14:27:00.000-08:002016-01-15T11:24:14.539-08:00Sex is a Gift! <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBy-2h7BnpzIQvuHIiisnGYudtqAWmIRbe43aSq3Q8svCGCpPTYVOa-4jWI1Q5w4QQ4LRuzuL-pOuW4-p9Q2e8WVrRc4DuZ9VvcioVwSjT8hmWBHAW3FC0x-W2v-dwBNhiURm3rBmFaQbs/s1600/be57aba3ba508680ff5f0fb1db97fc21.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBy-2h7BnpzIQvuHIiisnGYudtqAWmIRbe43aSq3Q8svCGCpPTYVOa-4jWI1Q5w4QQ4LRuzuL-pOuW4-p9Q2e8WVrRc4DuZ9VvcioVwSjT8hmWBHAW3FC0x-W2v-dwBNhiURm3rBmFaQbs/s1600/be57aba3ba508680ff5f0fb1db97fc21.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #010000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 107%;">How fair and pleasant you are,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #010000; line-height: 107%;"><span style="background: white;"> O loved one, delectable maiden!</span></span><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background: white; color: #010000;"> </span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="background: white; color: #010000; line-height: 107%;">You are stately</span><span class="apple-converted-space" style="color: #010000; line-height: 107%;"> </span><span style="color: #010000; line-height: 107%;">as a palm tree,</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background: white;"> and your breasts are like its clusters.<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background: white;">I say I will climb the palm tree</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background: white;"> and lay hold of its branches.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background: white;">O may your breasts be like clusters of the vine,</span></span></div>
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and the scent of your breath like apples,<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></div>
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<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">and your kisses</span><span class="apple-converted-space" style="background-color: transparent;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent;">like the best wine</span></div>
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that goes down<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>smoothly,</div>
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gliding over lips and teeth.<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></div>
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Song of Songs 7:6-9</div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Love and sex are gifts from God. Sex is sacred, and a form of praise when a man takes his wife in his arms, and experiences carnal pleasures. Desire, lust, yearning, and red hot desire burns within us all. Butterflies, goose bumps, steamy hot perspiration all prepares us for the ultimate expression of human intimacy. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Sex was created to be shared within the confines of committed love. There is nothing dirty, abnormal, or disgraceful about finding joy in sensuality. Men and women were made to become one flesh. We are puzzle pieces that fit together perfectly. A matter of fact, sex is the first commandment that God gave to humanity. God said, “Be fruitful and multiply” (Gen.1:28), and God wasn’t talking about farming. The only way to procreate is to have sex. The first man and woman were naked and unashamed because they were pure and free. They enjoyed one another in every fleshy sense because everything God created was good. The writer of Proverbs 5:19 tells husbands, “…May her breasts satisfy you at all times; may you be intoxicated by the ways of her love.” In Song of Songs 1:2 the maiden says of her lover, “Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth! For your love is better than wine.” Sex is meant to be thoroughly enjoyed by men and women alike.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Society has perverted the beauty of sex, and turned it into something naughty and taboo. Puritanical ideals have made sex a hellish act full of shame and sin. Hedonistic ideas have turned sex into pornographic smut that destroys intimacy and corrupts the spirit. Both ways are out of balance. In all things, there must be balance. God is a God of balance. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Sex is a smoldering fire that must be contained within the confines of a committed relationship. If it burns free, it can burn down your whole house. If it is suffocated, the flame can die, leaving you cold and callous. Keep it in its proper place and your heart and bed will be warm for a lifetime. Enjoy each other. Have a wonderful Valentine’s Day Weekend.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="color: #3a5a87; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">To learn more about Violette, visit <a href="http://www.violettemeier.com/">www.violettemeier.com</a>. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Violettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13966979502832728188noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7854222393370366614.post-87763223376748609962015-02-03T13:59:00.000-08:002016-01-15T11:24:28.932-08:00Humble Yourself or Get Humbled<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn29H99ilXm8iJ8fNOkOcnJpKEHQWSgluDC1JlkSpaJMy3mSDULs0H5UJLKu77XXjHQ0cC3png0WJrbygmg7ys4jixQPntWGuURSJlu-fn3lJKsVqcmTfa9-QTtzFFfnhPJ-Zf9BjOhi9a/s1600/images+(1).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn29H99ilXm8iJ8fNOkOcnJpKEHQWSgluDC1JlkSpaJMy3mSDULs0H5UJLKu77XXjHQ0cC3png0WJrbygmg7ys4jixQPntWGuURSJlu-fn3lJKsVqcmTfa9-QTtzFFfnhPJ-Zf9BjOhi9a/s1600/images+(1).jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Humility is something that is very foreign to some of us. In an individualistic society, we are bombarded with self-promotion. Everything centers on personal happiness, selfishness, material gain, physical vanity, overweening egos, instant gratification, dog eat dog mindsets, religious and cultural bigotry, and everything me me me me me. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Sometimes we are knocked off of our pedestals because we have naively exulted ourselves higher than the God of Heaven. If we refuse to humble ourselves, God will humble us.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Look at the story of Nebuchadnezzar in Daniel chapter 4. He is the mightiest king on the earth, and his arrogance is astounding. He gives all the credit to his success to himself. Nebuchadnezzar does not acknowledge God nor man. He isn’t at all grateful for the God that created him, the people who helped him stretch his kingdom to the ends of the earth, his mother that bore him or his father that seared him, the army that fought for him, or the architects that built his great city. He is power drunk with himself, and God humbles him by taking all of his good fortune away. Nebuchadnezzar went insane for seven years. He grazed the grass like an animal. He was made to crawl like a lowly beast because of all the years he made himself higher than all those around him. When he came to his senses, he humbled himself and gave praise to God, and all of his good fortune was returned to him. Nebuchadnezzar became a better man than he was before.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Life has a way of humbling us if we refuse to humble ourselves. Sometimes the horrible circumstances we find ourselves in, are of our own doing. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Always live an existence of gratitude. Give glory to God. Be appreciative of all those who have helped along the way. Be a help to others. Let humanity exalt us for our great works so that we don’t have to exalt ourselves. In humility, love hard and live free.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="color: #3a5a87; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">To learn more about Violette, visit <a href="http://www.violettemeier.com/">www.violettemeier.com</a>. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Violettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13966979502832728188noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7854222393370366614.post-29827665285869165972015-01-29T07:04:00.000-08:002016-01-15T11:24:43.036-08:00Ride or Die<h2 style="line-height: 16.8pt;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYF7XHxfLkwePRSTgooTHBMK16g5c1Yt0zruUJSZm6_49TFm9t6DBAY8zGpHBgvBC7Irn7-HtT2iQFIHMTHcXiAsBRwJV_HCn0egY0qYP4LX18vUW2UuLcpWBat1WLkE3kUlyhYOBdfsNC/s1600/Ride+or+Die-0A.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black;"><img border="0" height="184" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYF7XHxfLkwePRSTgooTHBMK16g5c1Yt0zruUJSZm6_49TFm9t6DBAY8zGpHBgvBC7Irn7-HtT2iQFIHMTHcXiAsBRwJV_HCn0egY0qYP4LX18vUW2UuLcpWBat1WLkE3kUlyhYOBdfsNC/s1600/Ride+or+Die-0A.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal;">The choice to serve God should never be dependent upon what God will or won’t do for us. We have to decide in our hearts to be all in or all out. We have to be ride or die for God. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal;">The story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego always remind me of what true faith looks like. When being faced with certain death for not bowing to a false god, the three men replied to the King of Babylon’s threat in Daniel 3: 17-18, “If our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the furnace of blazing fire and out of your hand, O king, let him deliver us. But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods and we will not worship the golden statue that you have set up.” For certain, whether they lived or died, they would not bow down. They made it perfectly clear that they would never conform; that they were not interested in lives as sycophants. Death would be better for them than being followers of foolery.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal;">We have to be willing to die for our beliefs; to trust God even when things seem to be to our detriment. We have to be able to stand for what is right, what is sacred, what is in line with God’s purpose for us even when it goes against what the world says or our personal agendas. Of course this is hard, but we must have faith that God is on our side no matter what circumstance we find ourselves in. It is important to know that God does not bend to our will; but, we are to bend to God’s, and trust that God will not put us in a situation that does not benefit God’s divine purpose. For we must realize, God’s plan will ultimately better all humanity by bringing us all within God’s loving presence and everlasting peace. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">So stand firm. Don’t be lukewarm. Have no fear of the mortal but the Great Immortal! Walk in faith knowing that God will never leave you nor forsake you. Love hard and live free! </span><o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="color: #3a5a87; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">To learn more about Violette, visit <a href="http://www.violettemeier.com/">www.violettemeier.com</a>. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Violettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13966979502832728188noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7854222393370366614.post-80339657898490453162015-01-23T09:42:00.000-08:002016-01-15T11:24:51.229-08:00Mercy (love) v. Sacrifice <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-_bIpr4HPNWXVP32iyQLqChmM6bvm-jgBhFYeLHEmTEpl_IvmXwBZEVKjRyBG6Cg9QGerM0o6F1FX0wiAU0HzuLxQFthxhsqobAbI7j6GULqSthL-idtrZ_1-F059EaeYFG3GPOBjyvNA/s1600/Mercy-Necklace-440x248.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-_bIpr4HPNWXVP32iyQLqChmM6bvm-jgBhFYeLHEmTEpl_IvmXwBZEVKjRyBG6Cg9QGerM0o6F1FX0wiAU0HzuLxQFthxhsqobAbI7j6GULqSthL-idtrZ_1-F059EaeYFG3GPOBjyvNA/s1600/Mercy-Necklace-440x248.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">This morning, while doing my morning prayer and reading, I stumbled upon Hosea 6:6 and the spirit of the Lord came upon me. The verse read, “For I desire mercy (steadfast love) not sacrifice, and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings.” Suddenly I became painfully aware of what is most important to God. It is simply to love one another and getting to know God on a personal level. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Many times we try to get close to God by sacrificial offerings. We sacrifice money (tithing); we sacrifice time (volunteering/church); and we sacrifice food (fasting), yet with all of these sacrifices we forget to be truly loving and merciful towards one another. We sometimes forget what it means to be good to our spouses, effective parents to our children; loyal and understanding friends, helpful neighbors, and compassionate strangers. We forget to ask the Holy Spirit to give us wisdom, knowledge, and understanding of God’s will because we are so busy bending the world to our own will. Sometimes we are so busy sacrificing that we fail to be in relationship with the God we are supposed to be sacrificing for.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Sacrifices are necessary and God appreciates them, but that it is not the point of it all. The point of it all is to seek God, to know God, and to let God’s light shine through us by the love we show to others.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #3a5a87; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">To learn more about Violette, visit <a href="http://www.violettemeier.com/">www.violettemeier.com</a>. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Violettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13966979502832728188noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7854222393370366614.post-78781408854065129712014-05-13T10:46:00.001-07:002016-01-15T11:25:00.785-08:00On Activism and Judgement When reading the story of Jesus and the woman at the well, I am always moved by Jesus' silent activism and his ability to leave judgment to God. Jesus shows through his actions how he does not agree with his societal norms like women being second class citizens or cultural bias. Jesus sits at a well in public and begins speaking with a woman. In those days, that was unlawful. Not only was she a woman, she was a Samaritan woman. Jews and Samaritans weren't supposed to interact with each other. Yet, Jesus threw all of those manmade rules out of the window and asked a nice woman for a drink of water. During conversation, it is revealed that this woman was not only a Samaritan woman, she was a worldly woman. She had 5 ex-husbands and was living with a new man. Yet, Jesus did not judge her but gave her the gospel and she took it to her town and told her people about him. Through her testimony, many came to Christ.<br />
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We should learn to be like Jesus. Be advocates of action. Help transform the world by actions not just words. Jesus asked no one if it was okay to talk to a woman like an equal. He just did it because he knew that God made both man and woman in God's image. When we see injustice, let's do something about it and not just talk about it. <br />
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And, oh yeah, leave the judgment to God! It is not our job to decide whom God can and cannot use for the betterment of society. We should just do our job and let God do God's.<br />
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<span style="color: #3a5a87; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">To learn more about Violette, visit <a href="http://www.violettemeier.com/">www.violettemeier.com</a>. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
Violettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13966979502832728188noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7854222393370366614.post-74763143610177716182013-10-11T21:10:00.000-07:002013-10-11T21:13:01.281-07:00Genesis Ch. 5: The First Family Tree<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">V. 1 The descendants of Adam (humankind). Humans are made in God (elohiym)’s likeness.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">According to Strong’s Eloheem means gods, goddess(es) or
the supreme God. It could also mean
angels or judges.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">H430</span></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span dir="RTL" lang="HE" style="color: blue; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE; mso-fareast-font-family: "TITUS Cyberbit Basic";">אלהים</span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE; mso-fareast-font-family: "TITUS Cyberbit Basic";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE; mso-fareast-font-family: "TITUS Cyberbit Basic";">'ĕlôhı̂ym<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE; mso-fareast-font-family: "TITUS Cyberbit Basic";">el-o-heem'</span></i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE; mso-fareast-font-family: "TITUS Cyberbit Basic";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-language: HE; mso-fareast-font-family: "TITUS Cyberbit Basic";">Plural of <u><span style="color: green;">H433</span></u>; <i>gods</i> in the
ordinary sense; but specifically used (in the plural thus, especially with the
article) of the supreme <i>God</i>; occasionally applied by way of deference to
<i>magistrates</i>; and sometimes as a superlative: - angels, X exceeding, God (gods) (-dess, -ly), X (very) great, judges, X mighty.</span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-language: HE; mso-fareast-font-family: "TITUS Cyberbit Basic";"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">v. 2 God created male and female and blessed them and named them <i>adam </i>(man).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">v. 3 Adam became the father of Seth when he was 130 years
old. Seth was according to his image and
likeness.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Adam (Humanity) creates in his image just like God created (adam) humanity in His image.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">v.4 Adam lived 800 years after the birth of Seth and then he fathered other sons and daughters.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">v. 5 Adam dies at
930 years old.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">v. 6 Seth became the father of Enosh at 105 years old.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">v. 7 Seth lived 807 years after Enosh’s borth and had other sons and daughters.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">v. 8 Seth died at 912 years old.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">v. 9 Enosh became the father of Kenan at the age of 90.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">v. 10 Enosh lived 815 years after the birth of Kenan and
had other sons and daughters.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">v. 11 Enosh died at 905 years old.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">v. 12 Kenan became the father of Mahalalel at the age of
70.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">v. 13 Kenan lived 840 years after the birth of Mahalalel
and had other sons and daughters.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">v. 14 Kenan died at 910 years old.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">v. 15 Mahalalel fathered Jared when he was 65 years old.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">v. 16 Mahalalel
lived 830 years after the birth of Jared and had other sons and daughters.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">v. 17 Mahalalel died at 895 years old.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">v. 18 Jared fathered Enoch when he was 162 years old.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">v. 19 Jared lived 800 years after the birth of Enoch and
fathered other sons and daughters.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">v. 20 Jared died at 962 years old.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">v. 21Enoch became the father of Methuselah at 65 years
old.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">v. 22 Enoch walked with God after the birth of Methuselah
300 years and had other sons and daughters.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Enoch seems to be the first person to have a one on one
relationship with God since Adam and Eve.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">v. 23 All the days of Enoch was 365<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">v. 24 Enoch walked with God; then he was no more, because
God took him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Does this mean that Enoch went into the spiritual realm
without dying? Is he the only human </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">who
has ever escaped death?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">v. 25 Methuselah became the father of Lamech at 187 years
old.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">v. 26 Methuselah lived 782 years after the birth of
Lamech and fathered other sons and daughters.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">v. 27 Methuselah died at 969 years old.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Methuselah is the oldest person in the bible.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">v. 28-29 Lamech fathered Noah at 182 years old. On the birth of Noah Lamech said that Noah
would bring them relief from their work and toil.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Noah was to bring a blessing to the people. Out of the cursed land he was to bring rest to the hard working people.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">v. 30 Lamech lived 595 years after the birth of Noah and
had other sons and daughters</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">v. 31 Lamech died at 777 years old.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">v. 33 Noah became the father of Shem, Ham, and Japheth at
500 years old.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Violettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13966979502832728188noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7854222393370366614.post-14442520191395793322013-09-30T10:16:00.001-07:002013-09-30T10:17:41.893-07:00Genesis Chapter 4 Am I my brother's keeper?<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Genesis Chapter 4 – Cain and Abel<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">v.1 Adam and Eve knew each other(had sex) and she conceived. The fruit of this union was Cain. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The name Cain comes from the Hebrew word <i>qayin</i> (kah-yin) which means to create. The name Cain also resembles the
verb in Hebrew which means to produce.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">v.2 Eve gave birth to Abel. Abel became a shepherd and Cain became a
farmer. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The name Abel comes from the Hebrew word <i>hebel </i>(heh-bel)<i> </i>which<i> </i>means vanity or
emptiness. According to Strong’s, it could
figuratively mean unsatisfactory.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">v.3-5 Cain brought an offering of fruit to God. Abel brought God a sacrifice of the first of
his flock (their fat portions). God preferred
Abel’s offering over Cain’s. God had no
regard for Cain’s offering. This made Cain furious and his face fell.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">These three verses show the first instance of favoritism in
the Bible. Favoritism always produces a
feeling of anger, hurt, and jealously. These
verses also make a distinction between their gifts. Cain’s gift was a gift of fruit. There was nothing distinguishable about his
fruit. Abel brought his best, his first,
his finest, his fattest.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">v.6-7 God asks Cain why his face has fallen. God tells Cain that if he did well he would
be accepted. God also warns that if he
does not do well that sin (with a desire for him) will lurk at the door but
Cain must master it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">This verse reveals that God approves of things done
well. Half hearted, effortless
sacrifices are not sacrifices at all.
God disregarded Cain’s sacrifice.
It meant nothing to God since it meant nothing to Cain.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">v.8 Cain asked his brother to go into the field with him and Cain killed Abel.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">This is the first murder in the Bible. This is also the first of many battles
between brothers. I find it interesting
that Cain (creation) killed Abel (vanity/emptiness).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">v.9 God asked Cain where his brother was. Cain lied and said that he did not know. He is not his brother’s keeper.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Contrary to popular belief, this is the first lie of the
bible. Cain denied knowing where his
brother was and became defensive and replied that he was not the keeper of his brother.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">v.10 God asked Cain what he had done. God said that Abel’s blood crying out from
the ground.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">v.11-12 God cursed Cain from tilling the ground because
he spilled his brother’s blood in it.
God made Cain a fugitive and a wanderer. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">v.13-14 Cain said that his punishment was greater than he
could bear. Because he can no longer
farm and is a fugitive and wanderer, he is afraid that he will be killed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">v.15 God put a mark on protection on Cain so that anyone
whoever murders him will suffer vengeance 7 times over.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Although Cain took Abel’s life, God protected Cain’s
life. The mark is not described.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">v.16 Cain left and settled in Nod (land of wandering),
east of Eden.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">v.17 Cain knew (had sex with) his wife and she conceived and
gave birth to Enoch. Cain then built a
city which he named Enoch, after his son.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Where did Cain’s wife come from? This could not be his sister because at this point, Adam and Eve are only reported to have two children (Cain and Abel). They were not reported to have
other sons and daughters until after the birth of Seth. See Gen.5:4. This means that there were other people on the
earth.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">v.18 Shows the generations from Enoch to Lamech.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">v.19 Lamech takes two wives (Adah and Zillah).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">This is the first instance of polygamy in the Bible.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">v.20 Adah gave birth to Jabal who is the ancestor of tent
dwellers and livestock owners.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">v.21 Jabal’s bother Jubal was the ancestor of musicians
(lyre and pipe players).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">v.22 Zillah gave birth to Tubal-cain who was the ancestor of bronze and iron workers. She also
gave birth to his sister Naamah.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">v.23 Lamech tells his wives that he has killed a man for
wounding him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">This is the second murder in the Bible.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">v.24 Lamech says that if Cain is avenged sevenfold surly
he will be avenged seventy-seven fold.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Maybe Lamech feels that his life is more sacred than Cain’s because Lamech killed in self defense whereas Cain killed out of jealousy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">v.25 Adam and Eve had Seth. Eve said that God gave her another child
because Abel was killed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">v. 26 Seth’s son was Enosh. At this time in history, people started to
invoke the name of Yahweh.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Violettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13966979502832728188noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7854222393370366614.post-72270050383480743682013-05-18T11:18:00.006-07:002013-09-30T10:26:23.699-07:00Genesis Ch. 3: Did the Snake and the Woman Get a Bad Rep?<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Genesis Chapter 3 tells the story of “the fall.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">v. 1 The serpent is described as the craftiest (sensible,
shrewd, prudent, or subtle) of God’s creatures.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The serpent is not characterized as being evil, maybe
cunning but not evil. A matter of fact,
in verse 31 of Chapter 1 says, “God saw everything that he had made, and
indeed, it was very good.” I’m assuming
that this includes the serpent. Of
course, if chapter 3 was written by the same author as chapter 2, maybe the
idea of everything being created good does not apply. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The serpent approaches the woman and asks her, “Did God
say, ‘You shall not eat from any tree in the garden?’”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">v.2-3 The woman tells the serpent what God forbad; her
and the man are not to eat or touch the fruit from the tree in the middle of
the garden. God tells them if they eat
the forbidden fruit they will die.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">V. 4-5 The serpent
tells the women that she will not die but will be like God(s) (knowing good and
evil). <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Technically the snake was not lying. The woman did not die when she ate. (This
verse gives argument over whether Adam and Eve were created immortal and now
potentially made mortal by the decision to eat the fruit). The woman did receive knowledge of good and
evil which made her more divine. See v. 22. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">V. 6 The woman saw that the tree was good for food, pleasing to the eye (the word used here indicates yearning, desirability or lust), and would make her wise. (She craved wisdom.) She ate and gave it to her husband (who was with her the entire time) and he ate too. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I find it interesting that Adam did not interrupt the
conversation between the serpent and the woman.
He just stood there and followed her lead. He said nothing, did
nothing, and prevented nothing. Did the snake approach the woman because he knew
that Adam would follow her lead? Was she
easier to reason with? Was the serpent appealing to her vanity by offering her
wisdom? Was the snake simply trying to
tell her how to become a god?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">v. 7 Both of their eyes were “opened” and they became
aware of their nakedness so they made themselves underwear out of fig
leaves. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I assume that before this revelation of nudity, they were
living in a state of purity where their sexuality was not viewed as something alarming
but as a natural state of being. Opened
eyes could be representative of perversity, shame or simply sexual potency or
awareness.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">v. 8 The man and woman heard God walking and hid themselves
in the trees.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">v. 9 God asked the man where he was.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">v. 10 The man answered that he heard God in the garden and
hid himself because he was afraid and naked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">v.11 God asked him who told him he was naked and if he
had eaten the forbidden fruit.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">v. 12 The man tells God that the woman gave him the fruit
and he ate.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">This is the beginning of the blame game and the lack of
taking responsibility for one’s own actions.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 4pt 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">v. 13 God asks the woman what did she do and she blames the snake. She accuses the serpent of tricking her into eating. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 4pt 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The
word tricked (</span><span dir="RTL" lang="HE" style="color: blue; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-language: HE; mso-fareast-font-family: "TITUS Cyberbit Basic";">נשׁא</span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-language: HE; mso-fareast-font-family: "TITUS Cyberbit Basic";">, nâshâ')</span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> here means to beguile, lead astray or to seduce. The
serpent tempted her.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 4pt 0in 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 4pt 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">v.
14-15 God curses the serpent and makes him crawl upon his belly for the rest of
its life. God makes the serpent and humans enemies forever. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 4pt 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">God
does not question the serpent as he did the man and woman. God automatically knows
that the serpent is guilty.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 4pt 0in 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 4pt 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">v. 16 God tells the woman that she will have painful childbirth and that her desire will be for her husband and he will rule over her. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 4pt 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Maybe
this is the reason why women are so loving and forgiving towards men regardless
of their many indiscretions. It is also
a down fall that someone who is created equally in God’s image is made to
submit.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 4pt 0in 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 4pt 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">v.
17-19 God tells the man that because he listened to his wife he will have to
work all the days of his life.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 4pt 0in 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 4pt 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">v.
20 The man names his wife Eve because she is the mother of all the living.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 4pt 0in 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 4pt 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">v.
21 God made them clothes out of animal skins and clothed them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 4pt 0in 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 4pt 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">v.
22 <span style="background: white; color: #010000;">Then the<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span><span class="sc"><span style="font-variant: small-caps;">Lord</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"> God said, ‘See, the man has become like one of us, knowing good and evil; and now, he might reach out his hand and take also from the tree of life, and eat, and live forever.’ <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 4pt 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="background: white; color: #010000; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Who is God talking to? Doesn’t this prove that
man and woman wasn’t made immortal from the beginning? The serpent was not
lying. The woman and man did become like
God. If they would have eaten the other fruit they would also be immortal. God
did not want eternal life for the man and the woman. God did not want the man and woman to know
good and evil. The knowledge of good and evil is divine knowledge.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 4pt 0in 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 4pt 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="background: white; color: #010000; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">v. 23 God sent them out of Eden to till the
ground form which he was taken.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 4pt 0in 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 4pt 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="background: white; color: #010000; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">v. 24 God drove them out of Eden (pleasure,
delight) and placed cherubim with a flaming sword to guard the tree of life. </span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
Violettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13966979502832728188noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7854222393370366614.post-25519257255542432142013-04-05T17:54:00.003-07:002013-04-05T17:55:27.712-07:00Genesis Chapter 2<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">*When you see information in parenthesis, it means that I
am giving you the Strong’s English definition for the translated Hebrew word or
an alternate translation of the word/phrase.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The first part of chapter 2 of Genesis concludes the
creation story in chapter 1. In vs. 1-3
God rests on the 7<sup>th</sup> day and blessed that day of rest. This is the first Sabbath. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Another version of the creation story is in chapter 2. The order of creation is totally different
than chapter 1.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">vs. 4-6 There were no plants on earth because it had not
rained. Humans were not there to farm
the land. A stream of water nourished the
earth.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">v.7 Man was formed out of the dust of the ground and God breathed life into him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">v.8 The garden of Eden (delight, fertility, or pleasure)
was created.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">v. 9 Plants came to life including the tree of knowledge
and good and evil and the tree of life.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">v. 10-14 Talks about the rivers flowing out of Eden into
the surrounding lands. Each land is
identified by their precious jewels.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">v. 15-17 God puts man in the garden and forbids him to eat from the tree of knowledge and good and evil. God tells him that the result will be death.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">v.18 God says that man needs a companion.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">v. 19-20 God makes animals and man names them. None of the animals are suitable partners.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I find it problematic that God creates animals as a potential companion for man. If God is an intelligent creator, wouldn’t he know that man and animals aren’t partners? This contradicts the notion that God is all knowing. These verses make God seem like a like he doesn’t know what he’s doing; unlike God in chapter 1 who is in charge of every aspect of his intelligent design. Maybe this version of the story was written by a different writer or maybe it was a part of a different oral tradition.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">vs. 21-23 God puts the man to sleep and forms the woman out of his rib (side). Woman (ishsha) Man (ish)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">v. 24 Man and woman becomes one flesh again through marriage.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">v. The man and woman were naked and unashamed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">This is symbolic of being free from sin, depravity, and sexual
insecurity. They were nude and free; bathing in natural love and divine union with each other and God. They were innocent.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Violettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13966979502832728188noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7854222393370366614.post-46513352938537758582013-04-05T13:21:00.005-07:002013-04-05T13:23:05.408-07:00Genesis Chapter 1<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Genesis is the first book of the bible and the first book
in the Pentateuch (1<sup>st</sup> five books of the bible). It is a part of the Torah and the Christian
Old Testament. Genesis is Greek for “origin”
or “birth”. It is called Bereshit, in
the Torah, which means “in the beginning.” The writer(s) of Genesis is unknown but tradition attributes authorship to Moses.
It is speculated to be written around the 8-10<sup>th</sup> century BCE.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">*When you see information in parenthesis, it means that I
am giving you the Strong’s English definition for the translated Hebrew word or
an alternate translation of the word/phrase.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Genesis 1:1 begins with God creating the earth (or when
God began to create). <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">V.2 says that the earth was a formless (empty, confused,
chaotic) void (waste) and darkness (obscurity, secret place) covered the face
of the deep, while a wind from God (or the spirit of God or a mighty wind)
swept over the face of the waters. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Is God creating from nothing or is God bringing order from
chaos? The original words are ambiguous
in this. What is happening in the chaos?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">v. 3
God commanded that light be and it became. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">God begins his creations in vs. 4-31<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Day
1-God created night and day.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Day 2-God separated water from sky. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Day
3-God creates dry land, seas, and vegetation.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Day 4- God creates the sun, moon, and stars. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I find day 4 interesting because this makes the earth the
center of all creation and the rest of the universe is an afterthought. According to this, the heavenly bodies were
placed just to give light to the earth and to measure time. If this is to be taken as literal, this may
contribute to why people may not believe there is life on other planets.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The sun, moon, and stars, are unnamed because the
neighboring people worshiped the heavenly bodies. The writer(s) of Genesis wanted to ensure
that the heavenly bodies were not emphasized.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Day
5- God created the sea creatures and birds.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Day 6- God created the land animals and humans.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">v.26 God says let’s make man in <i>our</i> image and likeness. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Who is “us” and “our”?
Is it the trinity? Is it a
heavenly council including God and God’s angels? Is this a polytheistic writer? The word used in this text is Elohim (God or
gods).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">v.27 God created male and female in his image. Man and woman were created together. They were created equal.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">v.28 God tells man and woman to be fruitful and multiply,
subdue the earth, and have dominion over all living creatures. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Sex is blessed act.
This contradicts America’s Puritanical ideas about sex being dirty. Heterosexual sex is actually the first
commandment God gives to humanity and all living creatures. Procreation is vital to survival.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Vs. 29-30 God gives humans and beasts vegetation for food. This can support the argument
that a vegetarian diet is the diet of a perfect world.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">v. 31 All creation is good. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Everything that God made is good in its natural state. Nothing or no one is created to be a catalyst
for evil. Everything that God made at
this point is completely good.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Violettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13966979502832728188noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7854222393370366614.post-34971583724662735442013-04-05T12:23:00.001-07:002013-04-05T13:01:12.768-07:00Journey Through the Bible<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The Bible has always been fascinating to me. It is no surprise that is the bestselling
book of all time. It reveals God’s love and mercy to humanity. The bible is full of adventure, poetry, rich narratives,
blood thirsty wars, family struggle, drama, betrayal, jealousy, lust, excitement,
sacrifice, romance, history, and love.
The bible is better than any movie Hollywood could create and more
interesting than any novel. The bible is
a source of inspiration, enlightenment, motivation, and life lessons. Most of all, it a guide book for this life
and the next.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAlt10P9x1F29-J3n7kLymmfaA_1XlMfxqZP49A1z7PyYOp3pCFFiWRAVNiZQcl66H84CQTSl5JQFElXARBLkWh7rLseXkxnTG2ZkV7PE0GsoCRFC5p2sUyltYLinYJ1GdPwruKfcA1O0m/s1600/images.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAlt10P9x1F29-J3n7kLymmfaA_1XlMfxqZP49A1z7PyYOp3pCFFiWRAVNiZQcl66H84CQTSl5JQFElXARBLkWh7rLseXkxnTG2ZkV7PE0GsoCRFC5p2sUyltYLinYJ1GdPwruKfcA1O0m/s1600/images.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I would like to read the bible with you. I want to examine each book, look into the history of the people, and contemplate on the wording, the imagery, and the underlining stories. I seek to read without an agenda (if that is possible) and see the bible in a new light. My heart will be open and I will try to destroy all of my embedded theology while I read with fresh eyes. I will share with you my questions, thoughts, struggles, insights, and revelations. And, I welcome you to read along with me and share where you are too. Let us begin our journey together on <a href="http://rockandtreeministries.blogspot.com/">http://rockandtreeministries.blogspot.com/</a>. Log in frequently to see new entries and
please feel free to share! <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">References for this blog series:</span></span><br />
Oremus Bible Browser. February 10, 2011. http://bible.oremus.org/
(accessed April 5, 2013).<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoBibliography">
Strong, James. <i>The
New Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible.</i> Nashville: Thomas Nelson
Publishers, 1990.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoBibliography">
</div>
<div class="MsoBibliography">
<i>Strong's Hebrew and
Greek Dictionaries.</i> Prod. E-Sword.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
The MacArthur Study Bible. Nashville: Thomas Nelson,
Inc., 1997.</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
The Nelson Study Bible New King James Version. Nashville:
Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1997.</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
The New Interpreters Study Bible: New Revised Standard
Version with Apocrypha . Nashville: Abingdon, 2003.</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
The New Oxford Annotated Bible with The Apocrypha: New
Revised Standard Version. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2010.</div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></span></div>
Violettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13966979502832728188noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7854222393370366614.post-40154456957248567782012-12-18T14:40:00.002-08:002013-01-18T23:56:58.663-08:00Who Are We To Judge?<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">We live in a
world where everyone is justified by pointing fingers. We are polluted with an immeasurable degree
of self righteousness that gives us the audacity to ridicule others when we are
not good ourselves. Adulterers damn
homosexuals to hell. Thieves call liars
dishonest. Murderers tell rapists that
they are sick. The envious tell the vain
that they are self absorbed. Gold
diggers call prostitutes filthy. Drug
addicts try to rehabilitate drunks. We
know no ends to our hypocrisy. He/she
without sin cast the first stone! First we have to make our peace with God, ask
for forgiveness, repent, change our ways, and then we may be qualified to
instruct others on how to behave.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"> We must see ourselves clearly before
we can see someone else. Even then, our
sight is shaded and dimmed by our opinions presuming that our way is
paramount. We can’t see past the
appearance of a person. We see poor,
ugly, and unkempt instead of good, kind, and strong. We allow the physical to prevent us from
seeing the light that shines within a person.
We become so “holy” that we become hardened and unmerciful, unforgiving,
full of scorn, disgusted by the foolishness of the world that we become fools
ourselves, forgetting that only moments before we were the lost ones.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"> It is important to remember that we
are not all knowing and even at our holiest we can not be the perfect
judge. Only God can hold that
position. Even Jesus did not like to
judge others and if he felt that he had to, he relied on the witness of God.
(See John 8:15)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"> Let us learn to love and
accept. We should live as an example for
those who are lost. By letting our light
shine, we may bring others out of the darkness so they may see themselves
clearly and desire to change. Allow God
to be God and to be the judge of all.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Violettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13966979502832728188noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7854222393370366614.post-78800326827402877152012-09-12T11:21:00.000-07:002013-01-18T23:58:31.324-08:00The Christ: A Poem<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 16.5px;">The Christ</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 16.5px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 16.5px;">I imagine him-</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 16.5px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 16.5px;">golden brown</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 16.5px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 16.5px;">sun painted skin</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 16.5px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 16.5px;">body strong</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 16.5px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 16.5px;">lean and slightly thin</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 16.5px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 16.5px;">long muscles formed from vigorous walking</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 16.5px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 16.5px;">thighs thick from climbing mountains</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 16.5px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 16.5px;">mountains made by God</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 16.5px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 16.5px;">and mountains imagined by man</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 16.5px;"> </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 16.5px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 16.5px;">his hands-</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 16.5px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 16.5px;">long calloused fingers impregnated by miracles</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 16.5px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 16.5px;">power to heal</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 16.5px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 16.5px;">to resurrect</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 16.5px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 16.5px;">to free a soul full of regret</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 16.5px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 16.5px;">dust sprinkled feet</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 16.5px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 16.5px;">softly implanted in sturdy sandals</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 16.5px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 16.5px;">constantly embracing the street</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 16.5px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 16.5px;">round ebony curls crown his head</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 16.5px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 16.5px;">like a silken animal hanging on for dear life</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 16.5px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 16.5px;">a full beard adorns his full angelic lips like a beautiful wife</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 16.5px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 16.5px;">piercing eyes-</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 16.5px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 16.5px;">burning like unquenchable flames</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 16.5px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 16.5px;">stare out from a stern all knowing face</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 16.5px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 16.5px;">full of wisdom not of this place</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 16.5px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 16.5px;">his lips part</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 16.5px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 16.5px;">a spirit stirs within the air</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 16.5px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 16.5px;">the feeling of invisible hands</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 16.5px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 16.5px;">brush the skin everywhere</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 16.5px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 16.5px;"><br /></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 16.5px;">he speaks</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 16.5px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 16.5px;">“I am the way, the truth, and the life.”</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 16.5px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 16.5px;">I savor his words in my mind</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 16.5px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 16.5px;">in my heart they are housed</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 16.5px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 16.5px;">they are like manna in my mouth</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 16.5px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 16.5px;">when swallowed-</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 16.5px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 16.5px;">fire churning in my bones</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 16.5px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 16.5px;">forcing me to groan gleefully</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 16.5px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 16.5px;">embracing the idea of freedom</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 16.5px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 16.5px;">desire envelopes me</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 16.5px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 16.5px;">enclosing me within emotional ecstasy</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 16.5px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 16.5px;">ravishing every unworthy part of me</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 16.5px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 16.5px;">until spiritual rhapsody engulfs me</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 16.5px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 16.5px;">for I know I am loved</span></span>Violettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13966979502832728188noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7854222393370366614.post-12234200542760902012-09-12T11:08:00.000-07:002013-01-19T00:00:03.116-08:00GOD IS EVERYWHERE<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 16.5px;">The Gospel of Thomas is a part of the Nag Hammadi Scriptures discovered near the Nile River near the city of Nag Hammadi, Egypt in 1945. It is a book of wisdom and is considered a Gnostic text. It consists of 114 sayings attributed to Jesus which are meant to direct one to salvation and life.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 16.5px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 16.5px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 16.5px;">The Gospel of Thomas (translated by Stephen Patterson & Marvin Meyer)</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 16.5px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 16.5px;">v.77 Jesus said, “I am the light that is over all things. I am all; from me came forth, and to me all attained. Split a piece of wood; I am there. Lift up the stone, and you will find me.”</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 16.5px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 16.5px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 16.5px;">I would like to deconstruct the popular theory among Christians that God or Jesus lives primarily in the physical church.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 16.5px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 16.5px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 16.5px;">We Christians have always suffered from an obsessive disorder when it comes to God. We think we own God not the other way around. We pray for God to do our bidding and pitch fits when God is not obedient. It is only natural since we tell God what to do, how to act, and how to please us, that we tell God where to live. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 16.5px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 16.5px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 16.5px;">Restricting God within The Holy- Baptist- Catholic- Methodist- Presbyterian- On the Corner of Your Block- Evangelical- Church is like trying to squeeze the expanse of the sky into a tiny little box. We refuse to let God reign supreme and insists in locking God into the four walls of the church. God is too big to be confined within a building, especially a building that we ourselves can’t stand to be confined in after a certain amount of hours.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 16.5px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 16.5px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 16.5px;">It is common to hear church folk tell people who don’t attend church that they should go to church and get saved; that they need to go to church so they can get closer to God; sometimes it is said that the fires of hell crave those who don’t walk inside the church house.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 16.5px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 16.5px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 16.5px;">But when we look at the life of Christ, we see him more on the street than the synagogue. He is where the people are. We see him preaching from a mountain top (Matt. 5), sitting on a boat docked on the beach (Mark 3:7-12), chillin’ at his homeboy’s house (Matt. 8:14), feeding people spiritual and physical nourishment in a wide open space (Mark 6), sitting by a well (John 4), and just healing while strolling down the block (Luke 5). In (Mark 1:12) Even when he got filled with the Holy Spirit and called to preach he was driven into the wilderness with the devil and wild beasts (probably because the Lord knew it would be less dangerous than dealing church folk). After all, Jesus affectionately called church folk hypocrites and vipers. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 16.5px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 16.5px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 16.5px;">God is where the people are: the clubs, the street corner, the office, the football game, the porn shop, the crack house, the mall, and actually The Church. God is everywhere and if we Church folk actually want to become Christians one day, I suggest we be willing to be just about everywhere too.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 16.5px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 16.5px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 16.5px;">Jesus said, Split a piece of wood; I am there. Lift up the stone, and you will find me.” Therefore we must not forget to seek the people hiding in the woods or the ones who crawl under rocks, because Jesus is there also. Jesus dwells in the bright hilltops of the world as well as the dark misshapen cracks of earth. David says in Psalm 139:7-10, “Where can I go from your spirit? Or where can I flee from your presence? If I ascend to heaven, you are there; if I make my bed in Sheol, you are there. If I take the wings of morning and settle at the furthest limits of the sea, even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me fast.”</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 16.5px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 16.5px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 16.5px;">And the Church of Christ being the body of Christ has to be willing to go everywhere Christ dwells. We can’t be too good to not go where Jesus went. Church cannot be a church of God if the message is anti-compassion, anti-community, because a deficiency of both is anti-Christ. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 16.5px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 16.5px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 16.5px;">Make no mistake, I do not concur with Rapper Jay-Z who thinks life begins when the church ends. So, please don’t grab your torches and prepare to burn down buildings. We need those buildings as central meeting places to offer fellowship, worship and praise The Church is a place to implement community action, to educate, and to advocate. We need the physical church. It is important! However, t</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 16.5px;">he spiritual church should be magnified over the physical church. If God is everywhere, and Christians are everywhere, it is only logical that the church should follow us everywhere we go.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 16.5px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 16.5px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 16.5px;">Jesus said I am all. That is inclusive of everyone. That includes that stripper that you think is grimy and that homeless man you think sticks too much to speak to or that pretty girl you’re jealous of or that man who has more money than you and that misses who looks like a mister and that person at McDonald’s with the worst freaking attitude. If Jesus is all, we followers of Jesus must love all. A God who created us all must surely have compassion for us all. We are all fearfully and wonderfully made!</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 16.5px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 16.5px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 16.5px;">And we must always remember that God can be found anywhere! There is no place too far and secluded that God cannot reach. There is no soul so dark and demented that God cannot change. There is no person so tattered and torn than God can not heal.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 16.5px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 16.5px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 16.5px;">C.S. Lewis says, “God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks to us in our conscious, but shouts in our pains.” Through it all God is there. God is everywhere!</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 16.5px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 16.5px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 16.5px;">The Mexican gardener, who picked me up when I fell flat on my face, seemed more like Jesus than the preacher who’s too big time to shake my hand. I’ve felt the presence of God listening to Alantis Morsette belting "Thank You" more than I have listening to the church choir’s rendition of Byron Cage. The contrite lamination of Tupac rapping "Shed so Many Tears" is as valid as a testimony before benediction. The Gospel of Thomas as well as the Gospel of John reveals that God is there too! </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 16.5px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 16.5px;">Stop thinking that only your church or denomination has God’s personal cell phone number. A person can come to Christ at the movie theater as well as the pew. A change of heart has no geographic location and God does not either. The earth belongs to God and all the places thereof!</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 16.5px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 16.5px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 16.5px;">People, God is everywhere!</span></span>
Violettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13966979502832728188noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7854222393370366614.post-82014186452917307032012-09-12T10:42:00.000-07:002013-01-19T00:02:29.197-08:00EXEGESIS OF LUKE 4:1-13: THE TEMPTATION OF CHRIST<br />
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<span class="cc"><b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Luke
4:1-13 (New Revised Standard Version)<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="cc">1</span>Jesus, full of
the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the
wilderness,<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><sup>2</sup>where for
forty days he was tempted by the devil. He ate nothing at all during those
days, and when they were over, he was famished.<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><sup>3</sup>The devil said to him, ‘If
you are the Son of God, command this stone to become a loaf of bread.’<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><sup>4</sup>Jesus answered him, ‘It is
written, “One does not live by bread alone.”<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>’<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="vv">5</span> Then the devil<a href="file:///C:/Users/Violette/Documents/Theology/Theology%20from%20flashdrive/Luke/LukeEXEGESIS.doc"><sup>*</sup></a><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>led
him up and showed him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world.<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><sup>6</sup>And the devil<a href="file:///C:/Users/Violette/Documents/Theology/Theology%20from%20flashdrive/Luke/LukeEXEGESIS.doc"><sup>*</sup></a><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>said
to him, ‘To you I will give their glory and all this authority; for it has been
given over to me, and I give it to anyone I please.<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><sup>7</sup>If you, then, will worship
me, it will all be yours.’<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><sup>8</sup>Jesus
answered him, ‘It is written,<br />
“Worship the Lord your God, and serve only him.”<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>’<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="vv">9</span> Then the devil<a href="file:///C:/Users/Violette/Documents/Theology/Theology%20from%20flashdrive/Luke/LukeEXEGESIS.doc"><sup>*</sup></a><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>took
him to Jerusalem, and placed him on the pinnacle of the temple, saying to him,
‘If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from here,<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><sup>10</sup>for it is written, “He
will command his angels concerning you, to protect you”,<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><sup>11</sup>and “On their hands they
will bear you up, so that you will not dash your foot against a stone.”<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>’<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><sup>12</sup>Jesus
answered him, ‘It is said, “Do not put the Lord your God to the test.”<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>’<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><sup>13</sup>When
the devil had finished every test, he departed from him until an opportune
time.<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="file:///C:/Users/Violette/Documents/Theology/Theology%20from%20flashdrive/Luke/LukeEXEGESIS.doc#_ftn1" name="_ftnref1" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="line-height: 115%;">[1]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></a><span class="apple-converted-space"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">*he (Greek)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span class="apple-converted-space"><b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Luke 4:1-13 (New King James Version)<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> <b><sup>1</sup></b> Then Jesus, being filled with the
Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into<sup>[<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+4&version=NKJV#fen-NKJV-25061a" title="See footnote a">a</a>]</sup> the wilderness, <b><sup>2</sup></b> being
tempted for forty days by the devil. And in those days He ate nothing, and
afterward, when they had ended, He was hungry.<br />
<b><sup>3</sup></b> And the devil said to Him, “If You are the Son of God,
command this stone to become bread.”<br />
<b><sup>4</sup></b> But Jesus answered him, saying,<sup>[<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+4&version=NKJV#fen-NKJV-25064b" title="See footnote b">b</a>]</sup> “It is written, <i>‘Man shall not
live by bread alone,</i> <i>but by every word of God.’</i>”<sup>[<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+4&version=NKJV#fen-NKJV-25064c" title="See footnote c">c</a>]</sup><br />
<b><sup>5</sup></b> Then the devil, taking Him up on a high mountain,
showed Him<sup>[<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+4&version=NKJV#fen-NKJV-25065d" title="See footnote d">d</a>]</sup> all the kingdoms of the world in a
moment of time. <b><sup>6</sup></b> And the devil said to Him, “All
this authority I will give You, and their glory; for <i>this</i> has
been delivered to me, and I give it to whomever I wish. <b><sup>7</sup></b> Therefore,
if You will worship before me, all will be Yours.”<br />
<b><sup>8</sup></b> And Jesus answered and said to him, “Get behind Me,
Satan!<sup>[<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+4&version=NKJV#fen-NKJV-25068e" title="See footnote e">e</a>]</sup> For<sup>[<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+4&version=NKJV#fen-NKJV-25068f" title="See footnote f">f</a>]</sup> it is written, <i>‘You shall
worship the LORD your God, and Him only you shall serve.’</i>”<sup>[<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+4&version=NKJV#fen-NKJV-25068g" title="See footnote g">g</a>]</sup><br />
<b><sup>9</sup></b> Then he brought Him to Jerusalem, set Him on the
pinnacle of the temple, and said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, throw
Yourself down from here. <b><sup>10</sup></b> For it is
written:<br />
<i>‘ He shall give His angels charge over
you,</i><br />
<i>To keep you,’</i> <b><sup>11</sup></b> and,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> <i>‘ In</i> <i>their</i> <i>hands
they shall bear you up,</i><br />
<i>Lest you dash your foot against a
stone.’</i>”<sup>[<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+4&version=NKJV#fen-NKJV-25071h" title="See footnote h">h</a>]</sup><br />
<b><sup>12</sup></b> And Jesus answered and said to him, “It has been
said, <i>‘You shall not</i> <i>tempt the LORD your God.’</i>”<sup>[<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+4&version=NKJV#fen-NKJV-25072i" title="See footnote i">i</a>]</sup><br />
<b><sup>13</sup></b> Now when the devil had ended every temptation, he
departed from Him until an opportune time.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: windowtext;">Luke 4:1</span> NU-Text reads <i>in.</i><o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: windowtext;">Luke 4:4</span> Deuteronomy 8:3<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: windowtext;">Luke 4:4</span> NU-Text omits <i>but by
every word of God.</i><o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: windowtext;">Luke 4:5</span> NU-Text reads <i>And
taking Him up, he showed Him.</i><o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: windowtext;">Luke 4:8</span> NU-Text omits <i>Get
behind Me, Satan.</i><o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: windowtext;">Luke 4:8</span> NU-Text and M-Text omit <i>For.</i><o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: windowtext;">Luke 4:8</span> Deuteronomy 6:13<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: windowtext;"><span style="color: windowtext;">Luke 4:11</span> Psalm 91:11, 1</span>2<span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="color: black; line-height: 115%;">[2]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span><o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color: windowtext;">Luke 4:12</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><span class="apple-style-span">Deuteronomy
6:16</span><o:p></o:p></span></li>
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<b><span style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">ESTABLISHING THE TEXT<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<span style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Luke 4:1-13 is a rich pericope that tells the story of Jesus being
tested in the wilderness by the devil.
It is a story that illustrates how Jesus refused to be seduced by the
devil and held fast to the word of God.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> The New Revised Standard
Version of this text only has one variation.
This variation is replacing “he” with the “the devil” in verses 5, 6,
and 9. However the New King James
Version has a number of variations that are quite interesting.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 200%;">The first variation between the NRSV and the NKJV is in Luke
4:1. The NRVS says, “</span><span style="line-height: 200%;">and
was led by the Spirit in the wilderness.”
The NKJV says, “was led by the Spirit
into the wilderness.” This slight
variation shifts the meaning of the text.
The NRSV insinuates that Jesus was following the Spirit in the
wilderness as if the Spirit remained in the wilderness as a guide. “In the wilderness” implies that Jesus was
already in the wilderness following the spirit. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> The NKJV insinuates that the Spirit’s job was
to simply get him into the wilderness and leave him there by using the words
led into. It implies that Jesus may have
been somewhere else then the Spirit guided him into the wilderness where his
testing would take place. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The next variation is
located in Luke 4:4. The NRSV says, “Jesus answered him, ‘It is written,
“One does not live by bread alone.”<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>’ The NKJV says, “But
Jesus answered him, saying, “It is written, <i>‘Man shall not live by
bread alone,</i> <i>but by every word of God.’</i>” The NKJV adds “but every word of God.” This is completely omitted from the NRVS and from
the NU texts implying that it may have not been an original part of the text
but a later addition added by the writers of the King James Bible to continue
Duet. 8:3 (the scripture where the quote was originally taken). NU stands for “the most prominent modern
Critical Text of the Greek New Testament, published in the twenty-seventh
edition of the Nestle-Aland <i>Greek New
Testament</i> and the fourth edition of the United Bible Societies’ <i>Greek New Testament</i>.”<a href="file:///C:/Users/Violette/Documents/Theology/Theology%20from%20flashdrive/Luke/LukeEXEGESIS.doc#_ftn3" name="_ftnref3" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="color: black;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="line-height: 115%;">[3]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Luke 4:5 has a major variation between the two translations as
well. The NRSV says, “Then the devil<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>led him up and showed him in an
instant all the kingdoms of the world.”<span class="apple-converted-space">
The NKJV says, “</span>Then the devil, taking Him up
on a high mountain, showed Him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment
of time.” The NKJV adds “taking him up
on a high mountain, and showed him.”
This is not found in the NU text; therefore, the NRSV omits it totally. This addition does not change the meaning of
the text but it adds more detail to the story.
It places Jesus in a higher place so that the view of the world is vast. However, the NRSV’s translation could
indicate that the devil showed him some sort of vision since they were not in a
high place and the world was revealed in an instant.<br />
The last variation
between the NRSV and the NKJV is in Luke 4:8.
The NRSV says, “Jesus answered him, ‘It is written, “Worship the Lord
your God, and serve only him.”<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>’
The NKJV says, “Jesus answered and said to him, “Get
behind Me, Satan! For it is written, <i>‘You shall worship the
LORD your God, and Him only you shall serve</i>.” “Get behind me Satan” is not
in the NU text and is omitted in the NRSV.
“For” is also omitted by the NRSV translation, the NU text and the
M-text. M-text stands for Majority Text.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Jesus ordering Satan to get behind him
shows that he has some type of authority to cast the devil behind him. They ironic part is that the devil did relent
in his tempting. He had another
temptation to go and after that he left on his own according not at Jesus’
rebuke. It questions the power dynamic
between the two. Maybe the only true
power is God.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Although the NKJV is a more popular,
descriptive, and elaborate text, I will use the NRVS for the remainder of this
paper because of its simplicity and academic accuracy. The additions in the NKJV seem to be
creations of later redactors and this many skew the original meaning of the
text. It’s only purpose here is to show
variations in the temptation of Christ narrative.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%;">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">VERSE-BY-VERSE ANALYIS<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="cc">Luke 4:1 says, “</span>Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit,
returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness…” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This
verse begins by saying that Jesus was full of the Holy Spirit. According to Strong’s Hebrew and Greek
Dictionary, word <i>full</i> here is the
Greek word <i>plērēs</i>
which means <i>replete</i>, or <i>covered</i> over. Jesus was full and covered, enveloped in the
spirit of God or as the text says, “the Holy (<i>hagios</i>, sacred or pure) Spirit (<i>pneuma</i>, air, breath, soul).”
Jesus then followed the Spirit in the wilderness.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Luke 4:2 continues, “where for forty
days he was tempted by the devil. He ate nothing at all during those days, and
when they were over, he was famished.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Jesus was tempted (<i>peirazō </i>-
test, scrutinized, or entice) by the devil (<i>diabolos</i>
- slanderer, satan, or false accuser).
Strong’s uses the word transducer as one of the definitions of<i> diabolos</i>. A transducer is a devise that converts one
form of energy to another. This is an
extremely interesting word to use to describe the devil.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> It seems as if Jesus is at the mercy of the devil in this
verse. He was food deprived and enticed
or tested for over a month. It is
intriguing that this verse says that although he had not eaten for forty days,
he was hungry after the time of testing.
It implies that he may not have been hungry during the temptation. But if this is the case, was God sustaining
him? Was turning a stone to bread (verse
3) a weak temptation because Jesus’ hunger had not kicked in yet?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Luke
4:3 says, “The devil said to him, ‘If you are the Son of God, command this
stone to become a loaf of bread.’” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The
devil challenges Jesus’ title of <i>the son
of God</i> by using the word if. The
word if puts an element of doubt in the devil’s voice and maybe the devil was
attempting to put an element of doubt in Jesus’ mind regarding who he is. The devil tells Jesus to prove himself by
changing the stone into bread. God has
the power to speak things into being. If
Jesus is the son of God, he should have the same power. Also, if Jesus proved his power by converting
the stone in bread, he would be obeying the devil and that alone is against
God’s purpose for Jesus’ life.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="apple-converted-space"> Luke 4:4 says, </span><sup>“</sup>Jesus answered him, ‘It is written, “One does not live by
bread alone.”<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>’ <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Jesus
disregards the devil’s challenge in verse 3 and simply quotes a small portion
of Deut. 8:3. Jesus ignores his human
hunger and fails to be enticed by the devil’s challenge. He knows that humanity is sustained by more
than physical nourishment. If Jesus
would have finished the quote, he would have said that humanity was sustained
by the word of God (see MKJV).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">“Since
Jesus has yet to begin his ministry, we may surmise he is struggling with the
nature and shape of his messianic role.
Weakened by hunger, the first temptation is personal but also social:
will this be the ministry Jesus will have?”<a href="file:///C:/Users/Violette/Documents/Theology/Theology%20from%20flashdrive/Luke/LukeEXEGESIS.doc#_ftn4" name="_ftnref4" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="line-height: 115%;">[4]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="vv">Luke 4:5,</span> “Then the devil<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>led him up and showed him in an
instant all the kingdoms of the world.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The
devil shows Jesus the world in a matter of seconds. It isn’t clear how the devil does this. Maybe the devil uses supernatural means and
creates a vision or illusion. Maybe he
took Jesus to a mountain top like in Matthew.
Whatever the method, he presented the kingdoms of the world to Jesus. Kingdoms represent royal rule and power.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Luke 4:6 continues, “And the devil<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>said to him, ‘To you I will give their
glory and all this authority; for it has been given over to me, and I give it
to anyone I please.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The
devil raises the stakes and offers Jesus a chance to rule the world. The devil also makes the claim that the kingdoms
of the world belongs to him and that he has all authority over it. He claims that he can give glory and power to
whomever he please and he is offering Jesus a chance of a lifetime, to rule the
political world and all its riches. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="apple-converted-space">The devil offers a stipulation to his
offer in Luke 4:7. He says, “</span>If you, then, will worship me, it will
all be yours.’<span class="apple-converted-space"> Ironically, he wants the
son of the King of Heaven to bow to the King of the earth. This is a bold stipulation. In order to make such an offer, there had to
be a chance that the offer would be taken.
This verse may insinuate that the devil felt that he had more power than
Jesus. </span>“The second [temptation]
is political: will Jesus submit to the
ruler of this world…?”<a href="file:///C:/Users/Violette/Documents/Theology/Theology%20from%20flashdrive/Luke/LukeEXEGESIS.doc#_ftn5" name="_ftnref5" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="line-height: 115%;">[5]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></a>
This insinuation may tie into the devil’s “if you are the son of God”
remarks. Power and authority is in
question here.<span class="apple-converted-space"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Again
Jesus disregards the devil’s offer by quoting Deuteronomy. This time he used 6:13. Luke 4:8 says, “Jesus answered him, ‘It is written,
“Worship the Lord your God, and serve only him.”<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>’
Jesus’ answer not only lets the devil know that he will not be worshiped
but also that he is not God.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="vv">Luke 4:9</span> says, “Then the devil<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>took him to Jerusalem, and placed him
on the pinnacle of the temple, saying to him, ‘If you are the Son of God, throw
yourself down from here…” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Once
again the devil challenges Jesus’ title <i>Son
of God</i>. He asks Jesus to prove his
divinity by throwing himself from the temple.
“The final temptation is religious: will Jesus win Jerusalem and all it
symbolizes…?”<a href="file:///C:/Users/Violette/Documents/Theology/Theology%20from%20flashdrive/Luke/LukeEXEGESIS.doc#_ftn6" name="_ftnref6" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="line-height: 115%;">[6]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></a>
This could also be a way for Jesus to prove to the people that he is the
messiah be performing such a miraculous stunt.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>The devil continues in Luke
4:10-11. He says, “for it is written,
“He will command his angels concerning you, to protect you”,<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><sup>11</sup>and “On their hands they
will bear you up, so that you will not dash your foot against a stone.”<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>’
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The
devil decides to show his scriptural knowledge and quote like Jesus. He references Psalm 91 and says in so many
words, “If you are really the son of God, the angels will come and protect you
from harm. They will catch you before
you hit the ground. Your toe won’t even
touch a rock.” Strangely, the devil
wants Jesus to prove that he is the son of God by attempting suicide. <span class="apple-converted-space"> Maybe he is hoping that Jesus will jump and
become a puddle of flesh, thus ending the battle of good versus evil. Or maybe the devil is hoping for Jesus to obey
God by testing God. The devil reminds
Jesus of God’s protection.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In
Luke 4:12, Jesus disregards the devil’s challenge and answers again with a
quote from the scriptures. This time he recites
Deut. 6:16. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Luke
4:12 says, “Jesus answered him, ‘It is said, “Do not put the Lord your God to
the test.”<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>’<span class="apple-converted-space"> <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Luke uses an interesting choice of
words. Jesus could simply mean that you
should not test God by doing insane things like jumping from a building and
hoping to get caught by angels or to the Trinitarian thinker it could be a
claim of divinity by referring to himself as God and being tested. I think the former is most probable.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Lastly,
Luke 4:13 says, “When the devil had finished every test, he departed from him
until an opportune time.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The
devil concludes his tempting and decides to leave and wait for another
opportunity to test. It is clear that
another time will come and throughout Luke the persecutors of Jesus also waited
for opportune times to arrest him (see Luke 11:14-23).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%;">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">THEMATIC AND NARRATIVE ANALYSIS<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> The major theme presented in this
passage is the temptation of the world (the devil) and duty of God (quoting of
scripture). The entire passage is a
battle between flesh and spirit. The
first temptation temps hunger with food.
The second tempts poverty with power and the last one tempts the mortal
and immortal.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> The story begins when Jesus is led
into the wilderness by the Holy Spirit.
The narrative tells us that Jesus had not eaten for forty days and then
he was famished. The devil then enters
the picture telling Jesus to turn the rocks into bread. “The singular form of bread implies that the
primary question here is whether Jesus will trust God to supply his needs.”<a href="file:///C:/Users/Violette/Documents/Theology/Theology%20from%20flashdrive/Luke/LukeEXEGESIS.doc#_ftn7" name="_ftnref7" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="line-height: 115%;">[7]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></a>
The devil plays on the human need for food and challenges Jesus to use
his “son of God” power to make some. “The
Greek text could more literally be translated “since you are the son of God”;
the point at issue, then, is not whether Jesus is God’s son, but rather how
Jesus’ status and power before God are to be employed.”<a href="file:///C:/Users/Violette/Documents/Theology/Theology%20from%20flashdrive/Luke/LukeEXEGESIS.doc#_ftn8" name="_ftnref8" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="line-height: 115%;">[8]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></a>
Jesus passes this test by subduing the flesh and nourishing his spirit
by quoting scripture. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The
devil then shows Jesus a vision of the realms of the world. By doing this, he attempts to seduce Jesus
with material riches and power. He
offers Jesus glory and authority over the kingdoms of earth. He offers a material kingdom if Jesus will
only worship him. Jesus is not
interested in material gain and retorts with another scripture stating that
only God should be worshiped and only him.
Again spiritual prevails over the material.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Next
the devil takes him to the temple, the holiest monument to Israelites and tells
Jesus to sacrifice his flesh in faith that the spiritual will rescue him. He tells Jesus to trust his “son of God”
status and prove his power by jumping from the temple so the angels will catch
him. Once again, Jesus quotes
scripture. He passes the test by not
letting the mortal test the immortal.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%;">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">FINAL INTERPRETATION<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">“In
spite of the prophesies
regarding Jesus and the preparations…it remains for Jesus to fully embrace his
status and mission as Son of God. This scene thus establishes his commitment and competence to set
forth with his ministry and message by demonstrating his resolve and authority
in the context of diabolic testing.”<a href="file:///C:/Users/Violette/Documents/Theology/Theology%20from%20flashdrive/Luke/LukeEXEGESIS.doc#_ftn9" name="_ftnref9" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="line-height: 115%;">[9]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></a>
This is reminiscent
of Israel
being tested in the wilderness for forty years except that Jesus submitted to
God and Israel
rebelled.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> The temptation passage in Luke is
there to show that Jesus is who he claims to be. It serves as a training ground for him to
face the trials and tribulations in his future.
Jesus is presented with tempting scenarios and he succeeds in standing
on the word of God to overcome the devil.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> The devil challenges his very identity. Jesus is able to overcome the sinister power
of the devil by refusing to operate independently from God. Jesus uses his power of scripture as his
foundation to withstand the temptations the devil presents. This passage continues the first three
chapters which establish that the Son of God has come into the world. Luke 4:1-13 serves as proof of identity. It reveals that Jesus was filled with the
spirit of God and that he is strong enough to withstand anything. This passage is a rite of passage. Jesus is tested so that he is ready to do
what God requires of him. It prepares
him to walk in God’s purpose, God’s way, and not the way of the devil or the
world.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> The devil in this passage symbolizes
the physical world. The gospel of Luke
speaks about materialism and the worries of the flesh throughout. The first temptations magnify many of Luke’s
motifs of worrying about nourishment (6:25, 11:3, 12:22) and seeking riches
(6:24, 12:33-34, 16:19-31). By passing
the devil’s tests, Jesus overcomes his human needs and depends totally on the
word of God. “Jesus demonstrates not only his ability to resist the devil, but
also his allegiance to God.”<a href="file:///C:/Users/Violette/Documents/Theology/Theology%20from%20flashdrive/Luke/LukeEXEGESIS.doc#_ftn10" name="_ftnref10" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="line-height: 115%;">[10]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> If Jesus would have given into the
devil,l he would have been disobedient to God by not trusting God to sustain him
in the first temptation. “The spirit led
him into the wilderness to prepare him for his ministry so eating at Satan’s
instruction would have shown lack of faith in the Father.”<a href="file:///C:/Users/Violette/Documents/Theology/Theology%20from%20flashdrive/Luke/LukeEXEGESIS.doc#_ftn11" name="_ftnref11" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="line-height: 115%;">[11]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></a> By choosing temporary worldly power
and avoiding the cross over eternal power in death and resurrection, in the
second temptation would have been a blatant disregard of God’s purpose. And, by testing God and not trusting him, the
third temptation would have also been detrimental to his ministry. This pericope’s purpose is to teach trust and
obedience. It emphasized God over
glory.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Luke’s overall goal is to set the
stage for Jesus to emerge as the true messiah.
Luke reveals a man who is subject to the human condition and who can
overcome it by trusting in God. Jesus in
the temptation narrative is someone who is tempted but has no fear of the
tempter. Jesus stands his ground each
time something is presented to him and he answers each enticement with
scripture. The power dynamic between
Jesus and the devil is a curious one.
One does not appear to be more powerful than the other. There a few scriptures in Luke where Jesus’
power is related to the devils (Luke 11:14-23).
However, the only true power
shown is the power of God’s word to counter the devil’s offers. In the end, Jesus is left to himself and the
devil goes away plotting their next encounter. This flows with Luke’s warning to stay
prepared.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></span></div>
<h1>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Bibliography</span></h1>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>BibleGateway.com.</i>
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+4&version=NKJV (accessed
April 19, 2010).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoBibliography">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Day, Colin A. <i>Roget's
Thesaurus of the Bible.</i> New York: Barnes & Noble Books, 2003.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoBibliography">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Horton, David. <i>The
Portable Seminary.</i> Bloomington: Bethany House, 2006.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">MacDonald, William. <i>Believer's
Bible Comentary.</i> Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1995.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoBibliography">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Mays, James. <i>Harper's
Bible Commentary.</i> San Franciso: Harper & Row Publishers, 1988.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoBibliography">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Miller, Stephen M. <i>The
Complete Guide to the Bible.</i> Uhrichsville: Barbour Publishing, 2007.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoBibliography">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>New Revised Standard
Version with Apocrypha.</i> New York:
Oxford University Press, 1989.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoBibliography">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Oremus Bible
Browser.</i> February 10, 2011.
http://bible.oremus.org/ (accessed April 19, 2011).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoBibliography">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Radmacher, Earl, and
Ron Allen and H. Wayne House. <i>Compact Bible Commentary .</i> Nashville:
Publishers, 2004.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoBibliography">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Strong, James. <i>The
New Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible.</i> Nashville: Thomas Nelson
Publishers, 1990.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoBibliography">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Tenny, Merrill C. <i>Pictoral
Bible Dictionary.</i> Nashville: The Southwestern Company, 1974.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoBibliography">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>The MacArthur Study
Bible.</i> Nashville: Thomas Nelson,
Inc., 1997.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoBibliography">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>The Nelson Study
Bible New King James Version.</i>
Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1997.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoBibliography">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>The New Interpreters
Study Bible: New Revised Standard Version with Apocrypha .</i> Nashville: Abingdon, 2003.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoBibliography">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>The New Oxford
Annotated Bible with The Apocrypha: New Revised Standard Version.</i> Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2010.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoBibliography">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Wray, T.J., and Gregory
Mobley. <i>The Birth of Satan: Tracing the Devil's Biblical Roots.</i> New
York: Palgrave MacMillian, 2005.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoBibliography">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Youngblood, R. F. <i>Nelson's
New Illustrated Bible Dictionary.</i> Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers,
1995.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="file:///C:/Users/Violette/Documents/Theology/Theology%20from%20flashdrive/Luke/LukeEXEGESIS.doc#_ftnref1" name="_ftn1" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="line-height: 115%;">[1]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></a>
(Oremus
Bible Browser 2011)</span></div>
</div>
<div id="ftn2">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="file:///C:/Users/Violette/Documents/Theology/Theology%20from%20flashdrive/Luke/LukeEXEGESIS.doc#_ftnref2" name="_ftn2" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="line-height: 115%;">[2]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></a>
(BibleGateway.com n.d.)</span></div>
</div>
<div id="ftn3">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="file:///C:/Users/Violette/Documents/Theology/Theology%20from%20flashdrive/Luke/LukeEXEGESIS.doc#_ftnref3" name="_ftn3" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="line-height: 115%;">[3]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></a>
(The
MacArthur Study Bible 1997)</span></div>
</div>
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<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="file:///C:/Users/Violette/Documents/Theology/Theology%20from%20flashdrive/Luke/LukeEXEGESIS.doc#_ftnref4" name="_ftn4" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="line-height: 115%;">[4]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></a>
(Mays p.
1019)</span></div>
</div>
<div id="ftn5">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="file:///C:/Users/Violette/Documents/Theology/Theology%20from%20flashdrive/Luke/LukeEXEGESIS.doc#_ftnref5" name="_ftn5" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="line-height: 115%;">[5]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></a>
(Mays
p.1019)</span></div>
</div>
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<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="file:///C:/Users/Violette/Documents/Theology/Theology%20from%20flashdrive/Luke/LukeEXEGESIS.doc#_ftnref6" name="_ftn6" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="line-height: 115%;">[6]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></a>
(Mays p.
1019s)</span></div>
</div>
<div id="ftn7">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="file:///C:/Users/Violette/Documents/Theology/Theology%20from%20flashdrive/Luke/LukeEXEGESIS.doc#_ftnref7" name="_ftn7" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="line-height: 115%;">[7]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></a>
(The New
Interpreters Study Bible: New Revised Standard Version with Apocrypha, p. 1859)</span></div>
</div>
<div id="ftn8">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="file:///C:/Users/Violette/Documents/Theology/Theology%20from%20flashdrive/Luke/LukeEXEGESIS.doc#_ftnref8" name="_ftn8" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="line-height: 115%;">[8]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></a>
Ibid. </span></div>
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<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="file:///C:/Users/Violette/Documents/Theology/Theology%20from%20flashdrive/Luke/LukeEXEGESIS.doc#_ftnref9" name="_ftn9" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="line-height: 115%;">[9]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></a>
(The New
Interpreters Study Bible: New Revised Standard Version with Apocrypha, p. 1859)</span></div>
</div>
<div id="ftn10">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="file:///C:/Users/Violette/Documents/Theology/Theology%20from%20flashdrive/Luke/LukeEXEGESIS.doc#_ftnref10" name="_ftn10" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="line-height: 115%;">[10]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></a>
(Radmacher and House, p. 711)</span></div>
</div>
<div id="ftn11">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="file:///C:/Users/Violette/Documents/Theology/Theology%20from%20flashdrive/Luke/LukeEXEGESIS.doc#_ftnref11" name="_ftn11" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="line-height: 115%;">[11]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></a>
(The
Nelson Study Bible New King James Version, p. 1694)</span></div>
</div>
</div>
Violettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13966979502832728188noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7854222393370366614.post-30771730156028594602012-09-11T18:45:00.000-07:002013-01-19T00:04:35.989-08:00Exodus 22:16-18 Does God see women as property and do God really hate witches?<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">EXODUS 22:16-20</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">16 When
a man seduces a virgin who is not engaged to be married, and lies with her, he
shall give the bride-price for her and make her his wife.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">17But
if her father refuses to give her to him, he shall pay an amount equal to the
bride-price for virgins.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">18 You
shall not permit a female sorcerer to live.</span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 200%;"> Biblical laws are
of utmost fascination. They are assumed
to be the very statutes that God has given to humanity to live by yet these
rules seem awfully sexist and liberal with a death sentence. Could it be that God only considers women
property and sub-human vessels that were just created to fulfill the sexual
whims of men? Did God okay the selling
of their bodies from father to husband as a holy decree that should be obeyed
by the people? Does God prefer men to be
miracle workers and label powerful women witches or sorceresses who deserve to
be eliminated because of their gender? I propose that these laws were not statutes
given by God but laws formulated by the Hebrew leader(s) to trivialize the
importance of women and reduce them to property and to take the power away from women
who were spiritually gifted because of fear of feminine power.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 200%;">With
great dismay I read this passage of laws that move from economics to capitol
punishment as it acknowledges that virgins (as if men are born sexually
experienced) are mere property in verses 16-17 then casually shifts to capitol
punishment law in verse 18. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 200%;">These
laws are placed here preceding property laws because they are focusing on
finance. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 200%;">Virgin
women were deemed as property to men of Israel and prime real estate at
that! A priest of God is only allowed to
marry a virgin (Lev. 22:13). Any woman that
had lost her virginity is considered to be defiled (Lev.22:14) although a man
may be sexually experienced before he
marries and he also has the right to sleep with any unmarried woman while he is
married and/or her can take more wives (Deut. 21: 15-17, Exod. 21:10, Judg.
8:30, 2 Sam. 5:13; 1 Chr. 14:3 and 1 Kgs. 11:13). The virginity of a woman was
to be guaranteed before marriage or the woman would be stoned to death (Duet.
22: 20-21). The accusation of lost virginity
could mean a hefty fine and a lifetime of marriage to the women accused (Deut.
22:18-19). A life time of marriage to a
man who abhors you seems like more punishment to the woman. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 200%;">The
word virgin (</span><span dir="RTL" lang="HE" style="line-height: 200%;">בּתוּלה</span><span dir="LTR"></span><span lang="HE" style="line-height: 200%;"><span dir="LTR"></span> </span><span style="line-height: 200%;">b<sup>e</sup>thûlâh <i>beth-oo-law) </i>is the feminine passive
participle of an unused root meaning to separate; a virgin (from her privacy);
sometimes (by continuation) a bride; also (figuratively) a city or state: -
maid, virgin. According to Holman
Illustrated Bible Dictionary, the generic word for virgin (betulah) was used
approximately 60 times in the bible where it refers to sexually inexperienced
women (Gen. 24:16; Deut. 22:16-17). It
is also used for women who may or may not be virgins like in Ester
2:17-19. Virgin is also used to
symbolically describe Israel. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 200%;">Not
only is a virgin property, she apparently has no power over her own body. Her father has the option to give her away or
keep her (and still turn a profit) regardless of her feelings on the
matter. Also, the word <i>give </i>in v.
17<i> </i>is ironic because her body is definitely for sale and has a specific
price.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 200%;">Knowing
this information leads me to believe that the writer of Ex. 22:16-17 modeled
the society at the time in which they lived and showed no reverence for women
and saw them as human items to be used as sexual objects and domestic
servants. It is difficult to believe
that God would initiate such laws since in Gen. 1:27 God created man and woman
in the image of God, took woman from the side of man equating to equality. I am aware of the curse of woman in Gen. 3:16
but I assume this is also a ploy for a patriarchal society to justify why women
should be subservient.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 200%;">Even more fascinating than vs. 16-17
is v. 18. According to the International
Standard Bible Encyclopedia, the word witch means “one who knows.” Why would people want to kill someone who
knows? Maybe if a woman knew her divine
worth and power in that society and shared it with other women it would uproot
their entire belief system. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 200%;">Furthermore, the </span><span style="line-height: 200%;">modern ideas of witch
or witchcraft were unknown in the biblical era.
The word “witch/sorcerer” occurs
twice in the the bible; the first time in Ex. 22:18 (where the feminine meaning
is attached and the second in Deut. 18:10. The Hebrew word for witch is the
participle of the verb (<span dir="RTL" lang="HE">כּשּׁף</span><span dir="LTR"></span><span dir="LTR"></span>, <i>kishshēph</i>), meaning “to practice magic” or “to
practice the magical article.” <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 3.0pt; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 200%;"> The word “witchcraft” in 1Sam. 15:23, “the
sin of witchcraft” should be, “the sin of divination,” the latter representing
the Hebrew word <span dir="RTL" lang="HE">קסם</span><span dir="LTR"></span><span dir="LTR"></span>, <i>ḳeṣem</i>, generally translated “divination”.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 3.0pt; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 200%;"> The words witchcraft or sorcery comes the
Hebrew verb (<span dir="RTL" lang="HE">כּשּׁף</span><span dir="LTR"></span><span dir="LTR"></span>, <i>kishshēph</i>) being that whence the participles in Ex.
22:18 and Deu. 18:10, translated in the King James Version “witch,” are
derived. The ISBE states, “The word translated in the King James Version
“witchcraft” in Gal. 5:20 (</span><span lang="EL" style="line-height: 200%;">φαρμακεία</span><span style="line-height: 200%;">, <i>pharmakeı́a</i>) is the ordinary Greek one for “sorcery,” and is so
rendered in the Revised Version (British and American), though it means
literally the act of administering drugs and then of giving magical potions. It
naturally comes then to stand for the magician's art, as in the present passage
and also in The Wisdom of Solomon 12:4; 18:13; and in the Septuagint of
Isa. 47:9, where it represents the Hebrew noun <span dir="RTL" lang="HE">כּשׁפים</span><span dir="LTR"></span><span dir="LTR"></span>, <i>k<sup>e</sup>shāphı̄m</i>, translated
“sorceries”; compare the Hebrew verb <span dir="RTL" lang="HE">כּשּׁף</span><span dir="LTR"></span><span dir="LTR"></span>, <i>kishshēph</i>; see above.” The plural “witchcrafts” ...stands for the
Hebrew noun just noticed (<i>k<sup>e</sup>shāphı̄m</i>) in 2Ki. 9:22; Mic. 5:12;
Nah. 3:4, but in all three passages a proper rendering would be “sorceries” or
“magical arts.” “Witchcrafts” is inaccurate and misleading.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 200%;"> Ironically, in other places in the bible, the
word sorcerer or witch is used for both women and men. And it can also substitute for
divination. Now the question is, why the
recorder of the law felt the need to only call for the death of a female
sorcerer (Ex. 22:18, Ezek. 13:18)
instead of both a male and female sorcerer as in Deut. 18:10, 14
and Lev. 19:26. It is obvious for me that this redactor
either feared women or simply did not care for them. There didn't seem to be a problem with
supernatural powers when Moses and Aaron were using them in Ex. 4-11 or when
Joseph used them in Gen. 30:27. It seems
that magic is only evil when foreigners (Ex. 7:11), Israelites influenced by
foreigners (2 Kgs. 21:6), or women (Ex.
22:18, Ezek 13:18, and 2Kgs, 9:22) use it.
Other than that, it's okay. Its
obvious that a woman with such powers must be feared because if she was harmless,
why would she deserve death? There has
to be a reason why great measures are being taken to ensure that women are diminished
to property and rendered powerless.
There is a need to control in Ex. 16-18. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 200%;">Overall, only the
males of Israelite society benefit from these laws. They have the right to buy their women and kill
the rebellious ones and call them witches. These laws were a brilliant part of the
master plan to secure a patriarchal society.
Israel is a new a nation and laws are important to establish a new way
of life.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 200%;">The theological
importance of this passage is for people to read and think for themselves. It is important to know the difference
between the laws of man and the laws of God.
It is okay to question the bible.
Questioning the bible does not mean that you are questioning the
validity of God. Questioning God does
not mean that you do not have the utmost reverence and love for God. God wants us to seek wisdom, knowledge, and
understanding. There is no wisdom,
knowledge and understanding in taking something that may be unjust or
confusing and just accepting it just because a writer said that God said
it. An intelligent person questions,
thinks, and seeks to understand. It's
okay to ask why. </span><span style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 0.5in;">1 Thess.5:21 tells us to test all things and hold on to what is good.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 200%;">This passage can be
used as a sermon preaching about the nature of God and the nature of
people. It can be preached from the
standpoint that everything that people touch is flawed and agenda driven, even
if these people are believers in God. It
is natural to let one's own theologies and ideologies bleed into their
understanding of God. The sermon should
emphasize that the bible was written by people to a certain group of people who
shared a common culture and this culture will shape the writings of each
prophet or redactor. Therefore, the
writer will write things that they know the people will agree with and the
writer will also slip some of their own thoughts and opinions into the text.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 200%;">The sermon will
preach on building a personal relationship with God so that you can
differentiate between what God may say or do or what people may say or do. Knowing the nature of the God we serve is
important. It is important so that we
won't be mislead by unsound doctrines, unjust lays, pointless traditions, and
asinine rituals. The sermon will teach
that the message of God is in the bible through and through but it is being
filtered through the eyes of people and sometimes people see different
things. This fact does not invalidate
the bible. It simply makes people aware
that the bible has flaws because people have flaws. This does not mean that God has flaws. It only means that people can only share what
they know from the best of their ability and sometimes their personal opinions,
social standing, culture, political position, ethnic group, sexuality,or
religion can slant their writings. </span></div>
<h1 align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; line-height: 115%;">Bibliography<o:p></o:p></span></h1>
<div class="MsoBibliography">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">Anderson, Ken. <i>Where to Find It In The Bible.</i>
Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1996.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoBibliography">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">Boadt, Lawrence. <i>Reading the Old Testament.</i>
New York: Paulist Press, 1984.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoBibliography">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><span style="line-height: 115%;">Comparative Study Bible.</span></i><span style="line-height: 115%;"> Grand
Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1999.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoBibliography">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">Day, Colin A. <i>Roget's Thesaurus of the Bible</i>.
New York: Barnes & Noble, 2003.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoBibliography">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">Dever, William D. <i>Who Were the Early
Israelites and Where Did They Come From.</i> Grand Rapids: William B. Eardmans
Publishing Company, 2003.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoBibliography">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><span style="line-height: 115%;">Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary.</span></i><span style="line-height: 115%;">
Nashville: Holman Reference, 2003.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoBibliography">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><span style="line-height: 115%;">Holy Bible: New Revised Standard Version with
Apocrypha .</span></i><span style="line-height: 115%;"> New York: Oxford University Press, 1989.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-line-height-alt: 5.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">International Standard
Bible Encyclopedia (Esword.com)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">Horton, David. <i>The Portable Seminary.</i>
Bloomington: Bethany House, 2006.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">MacDonald, William. <i>Believers Bible
Commentary.</i> Edited by Art Farstad. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishing,
1990.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoBibliography">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><span style="line-height: 115%;">Nelson's Compact Bible Commentary.</span></i><span style="line-height: 115%;">
Chicago, IL: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1990.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><span style="line-height: 115%;">New Interpreters Study Bible: </span></i><span style="line-height: 115%;">New
Revised Standard Version<i>.</i> Nashville, TN: Abdingdon Press, 2003.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoBibliography">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">Smith, William. <i>Smith's Bible Dictionary.</i>
Old Tappan: Spire Books, 1967.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoBibliography">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">Society, American Bible. <i>Inside the Mysteries
of the Bible: New Perspectives of Ancient Truths.</i> New York, NY: Time Inc.
Home Entertainment , 2006.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoBibliography">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">T. J. Wary, Gregory Mobley. <i>The Birth of
Satan.</i> New York: Palgrave MacMillan, 2005.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoBibliography">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><span style="line-height: 115%;">The MacAuthor Study Bible: New King James
Version</span></i><span style="line-height: 115%;">. Nashville: Nelson Bibles, 1997.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoBibliography">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><span style="line-height: 115%;">The Nelson Study Bible: New King James Version.</span></i><span style="line-height: 115%;">
Nashville: Nelson Bibles, 1997.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoBibliography">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">Trigilio Jr., John, and Kenneth Brighenti. <i>Essential
Bible.</i> Avon: Adams Media, 2006.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoBibliography">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">Wiilis, Jim. <i>The Religion Book: Encyclopedia
of Places, Prophets, Saints, and Seers.</i> Detroit: Visible Ink, 2004.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoBibliography">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: small;">Wright,
N.T. </span><i>Evil and the Justice of God.</i> Downers Grove: IVP Books, 2006.</span></div>
Violettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13966979502832728188noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7854222393370366614.post-53482660869689758272012-09-11T17:21:00.000-07:002013-01-19T00:07:27.899-08:00EXEGESIS ON AMOS 7:12-15 -True Calling of a Prophet<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span><b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></b></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">AMOS
7: 12-15<span style="font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.75in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">14
And Amaziah said unto Amos, “O thou seer, go, flee thee away to the land of
Judah, earn your bread there, and prophesy there; <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.75in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">13
But never again prophesy at Bethel: for it is the king's sanctuary, and it is a temple of the kingdom.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.75in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">14
Then answered Amos Amaziah, “I am no prophet, nor a prophet's son; but I am a
herdsman, and a dresser of sycamore trees, <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.75in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">15 And the LORD took me from following the flock, and the
LORD said unto me, “Go, prophesy unto my people Israel.” <span class="apple-converted-space"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.75in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;"> <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span class="apple-converted-space"><b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">WHY
I SELECTED THIS PERICOPE<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="apple-converted-space"><b><span style="line-height: 200%;"> </span></b></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="line-height: 200%;">This pericope illustrates how God calls whom
God will call to preach the word of God.
It exemplifies the plight of a man who is virtual unknown and minding
his own business. The Lord takes Amos
from a peaceful life and tells him to speak and he has no choice but to deliver
God’s word. This is the sign of a true
messenger of God. In verse 14, Amos
explains to Amaziah that he did not choose to be a prophet. Amos had a life. His goal was not to gain profit by being a
holy man nor did he inherit the title.
But when God spoke, Amos listened and prophesied to the people of
Israel.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 200%;">Today, many preachers and teachers of the
word of God teach on their own volition instead of waiting for God to
speak. The voice of God and the voice of
human’s get very confused at times. I
selected this pericope as a reminder to wait for God to speak before speaking
for God.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span class="apple-converted-space"><b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">HISTORICAL
AND SOCIAL SETTING/ CONTEXT<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 10.5pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="apple-converted-space"> The book
of Amos was written by a prophet during the first half of the 8<sup>th</sup>
century BCE during the reign of King Jeroboam II of Israel (788-747 BCE) and
King Uzziah of Judah (785-733 BCE).
During this time, Israel was more prosperous than it had ever been
before. This abundance led to massive
inequality between the elite and the impoverished. “Through manipulation of debt and credit,
wealthy landowners amassed capital and estates at the expense of small
farmers. The smallest debt served as the
thin end of a wedge that lenders could used to separate farmers from their
patrimonial farms and personal liberty.”</span><a href="file:///C:/Users/Violette/Documents/Theology/amosexegesis.doc.docx#_ftn1" name="_ftnref1" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="line-height: 115%;">[1]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></a><span style="color: #333333;"> <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 10.5pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #333333;"> </span>Amos, a native of the Southern Kingdom, denounced the
gross injustice and lack of righteousness in the Northern Kingdom. He felt that the sins of Israel were worse
than any other nation because of their relationship with God, see v. 3:2. The main theme of Amos is justice and God’s
passionate concern for the poor and oppressed.
“The immediate purpose of Amos’ prophetic ministry was to call the
leaders of ancient Israel to repent and reform.”<a href="file:///C:/Users/Violette/Documents/Theology/amosexegesis.doc.docx#_ftn2" name="_ftnref2" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="line-height: 115%;">[2]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></a><span class="apple-converted-space"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span class="apple-converted-space"><b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">FORM
CRITICISM<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 200%;">Amos 7:12-15 are narrative verses which begin
as an accusation against Amos by Amaziah.
Amaziah tells Amos to leave Judah, make a living somewhere else, and preach
there. This verse accuses Amos of being
a prophet for profit. Amos then counters
this accusation by explaining to Amaziah in v. 14-15 that he is not a prophet
or a child of one but a herdsman and tree dresser. God took him from his flock, not asked him to
leave but took him, and told him to prophesy to the Israelites. This calling was not voluntary nor was it a
request. It was a demand that had to be
met.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span class="apple-converted-space"><b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">WORD
STUDY<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span style="line-height: 115%;">Prophet </span></i></span><i><span style="line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 4pt 0in 2pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span dir="RTL" lang="HE" style="color: blue;">נביא</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 4pt 0in 2pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">nâbı̂y'<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 4pt 0in 2pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>naw-bee'</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 4pt 0in 2pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">From <u><span style="color: green;">(</span></u><span dir="RTL" lang="HE" style="color: blue;">נבא</span><span dir="LTR"></span><span dir="LTR"></span>, nâbâ', <i>naw-baw'</i> A primitive root; to <i>prophesy</i>, that is, speak (or
sing) by inspiration (in prediction or simple discourse): - prophesy (-ing)
make self a prophet.); a <i>prophet</i> or (generally) <i>inspired</i> man: -
prophecy, that prophesy, prophet.<a href="file:///C:/Users/Violette/Documents/Theology/amosexegesis.doc.docx#_ftn3" name="_ftnref3" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="line-height: 115%;">[3]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 4pt 0in 2pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; mso-bidi-language: HE; mso-fareast-font-family: "TITUS Cyberbit Basic";"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 2.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 4.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="mso-bidi-language: HE; mso-fareast-font-family: "TITUS Cyberbit Basic";"> </span><span style="line-height: 200%;">The words
prophet and prophesy as used in Amos 7:12-15 referrers to one that declares the
word of God by the prompting of the spirit of God. “Three key terms are used of the
prophet. <i>Ro’eh </i>and <i>hozah</i> are
translated as “seer.” The most important
term, <i>navi’</i>, is usually translated
“prophet.” It probably meant ‘one, who
is called to speak,’.”<a href="file:///C:/Users/Violette/Documents/Theology/amosexegesis.doc.docx#_ftn4" name="_ftnref4" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="line-height: 115%;">[4]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></a>
It is difficult to explain the
etymologically of navi’. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 2.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 4.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 200%;">The biblical prophet describes a person who spoke for God and brought God’s
message to the Israelites. “Prophets received their call or appointment
directly from God.”<a href="file:///C:/Users/Violette/Documents/Theology/amosexegesis.doc.docx#_ftn5" name="_ftnref5" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="line-height: 115%;">[5]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></a>
Their authority came from God alone and
they came from all walks of life. The
position of the prophet was closely relevant to the current economic and
political structures. The prophet speaks
for God in the midst of economic disparities, political upheaval, and social
injustices. Amos was such a prophet. He was called out by God from his regular
life. He was told to be the mouth piece
of God to speak about injustice and unrighteousness. And, Amos spoke in spite of the dangers of
doing so.</span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 4pt 0in 2pt; text-align: center;">
<span class="apple-converted-space"><b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">SOURCE CRITCISM<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 200%;"> Many scholars believe that the book
of Amos was written by the prophet Amos of Tokoa or by a group of his disciples
to a community of elitist Hebrews that were getting fat off of the poor and
wallowing in social injustice and unrighteousness. My pericope is a narrative between Amaziah
and Amos regarding the differing views of a prophet. It is clear that Amaziah feels that Amos is
in Judah preaching for money and asks him to go and somewhere else and pimp the
people. Amos explains to Amaziah that he
isn’t hurting for money, that he knows how to make a living, and the reason why
he is preaching is because God took him and told him to.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 200%;"> The prophet writing Amos declares
Amos a prophet after a long line of prophets that God “took” and made them
speak for him when the people are crying out, to warn the people, and to
declare God’s judgment. See: Hos. 12:13,
Judg. 6:8, 2 Chr. 25:15, 2 Chr. 24-19, etc…<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span class="apple-converted-space"><b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">REDACTION
CRITICISM<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 200%;"> The exegetical intention of the
redactor in this pericope is to make plain the power of God to call a prophet
to speak even when and where he isn’t wanted.
The redactor makes it clear in v.12 that the prophet is not wanted in
Judah. It furthers the rejection by negatively
attributing the prophetic message with money gain. Verse 14 picks up as a defense to the
implication that Amos is prophesying for profit. Amos gives his resume and in v. 15 says that
he was taken from his peaceful life and told to preach. Prophesying was not his choice but God’s.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 200%;"> The redactor’s aim is to push the
sincere nature of Amos’ mission. It is
made clear that there is no gain for Amos to want to be in Judah or to preach
the word of God. Amos is fulfilling his
duty and will not stop until God’s word is delivered. God’s word is delivered in the verses that
follow the pericope.</span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span class="apple-converted-space"><b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">SUMMARY<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 200%;"> My research revealed that God is a commanding
personality that calls speakers from among the people to deliver God’s
word. It is clear that when God calls,
the prophet must do as he or she is told despite being ridiculed, banished, or
endangered. The calling is not a request
but a summons to do a job until that job is totally and adequately
completed. Amos 7: 12-15 is a perfect
example of this. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span class="apple-converted-space"><b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">CONTEXTUALIZATION<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 200%;">I hope to broaden the contemporary Christian
perspective about delivering the word of God.
Preaching is a both a privilege and a powerful responsibility. It is not a vocation like any other just to
earn a living. It requires a call from
God and a message from God. It does not
push the church’s agenda, the prophet’s agenda, the people’s agenda, or the
preacher’s agenda. Only the will of God
should be considered. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="line-height: 200%;">If the definitively divine, clear, and
comprehensive word of God has been heard, no word should be spoken in God’s
name. If modern ministers, leaders, and
congregants adhere to this, the polluting of doctrine, victimizing of the
faithful, and swindling the naïve would be minimized. Too many times the church is enveloped in the
purpose of the minister or leaders instead of the purpose of God. The voice of God is being muted and replaced
by our own. The church must be quiet and
seek the undeniable voice of God and listen intently to what it says to ensure
that we are on the path that fits God’s purpose. When this is done, the word should be
delivered.</span></span><span style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></span></div>
<w:sdt docparttype="Bibliographies" docpartunique="t" id="71247228" sdtdocpart="t"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span></w:sdt><br />
<h1>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">
Bibliography<span style="color: windowtext; font-weight: normal; line-height: 115%;"><w:sdtpr></w:sdtpr></span></span></h1>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><w:sdt bibliography="t" id="111145805">
</w:sdt></span><br />
<div class="MsoBibliography">
<!--[if supportFields]><span style='mso-element:
field-begin'></span><span style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span>BIBLIOGRAPHY <span
style='mso-element:field-separator'></span><![endif]--><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Boadt, Lawrence. <i>Reading the Old Testament.</i>
Mahwah: Paulist Press, 1984.<o:p></o:p><w:sdtpr></w:sdtpr></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
<div class="MsoBibliography">
Brand, Chad, Charles
Draper, and Archie England. <i>Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary.</i>
Nashville: Holman Bible Publishers, 2003.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoBibliography">
Day, Colin A. <i>Roget's
Thesaurus of the Bible.</i> New York: Barnes & Noble Books, 2003.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<i>English
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2010).<o:p></o:p></div>
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MacDonald, William. <i>Believer's
Bible Comentary.</i> Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1995.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Mays, James L. <i>Harper's
Bible Commentary.</i> San Francisco: Harper & Row Publishers, 1988.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoBibliography">
<i>New Revised
Standard Version with Apocrypha.</i>
New York: Oxford University Press, 1989.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Strong, James. <i>The
New Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible.</i> Nashville: Thomas
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Tenny, Merrill C. <i>Pictoral
Bible Dictionary.</i> Nashville: The Southwestern Company, 1974.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<i>The MacArthur
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Nelson, Inc., 1997.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<i>The Nelson Study
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Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1997.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoBibliography">
<i>The New
Interpreter's Study Bible.</i>
Nashville: Abingdon Press, 2003.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoBibliography">
<i>The New Oxford
Annotated Bible with The Apocrypha: New Revised Standard Version.</i> Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2010.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<i>Vulgate.org.</i> http://vulgate.org/ot/isaiah_45.htm (accessed
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="file:///C:/Users/Violette/Documents/Theology/amosexegesis.doc.docx#_ftnref1" name="_ftn1" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="line-height: 115%;">[1]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></a> <w:sdt citation="t" id="71247211"><!--[if supportFields]><span style='mso-element:
field-begin'></span><span style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span>CITATION The10 \l
1033 <span style='mso-element:field-separator'></span><![endif]-->(The New Oxford Annotated Bible with The Apocrypha:
New Revised Standard Version 2010)<!--[if supportFields]><span
style='mso-element:field-end'></span><![endif]--></w:sdt>, p. 1282</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="file:///C:/Users/Violette/Documents/Theology/amosexegesis.doc.docx#_ftnref2" name="_ftn2" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="line-height: 115%;">[2]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></a> <w:sdt citation="t" id="71247212"><!--[if supportFields]><span style='mso-element:
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="file:///C:/Users/Violette/Documents/Theology/amosexegesis.doc.docx#_ftnref4" name="_ftn4" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="line-height: 115%;">[4]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></a> <w:sdt citation="t" id="71247223"><!--[if supportFields]><span style='mso-element:
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Violettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13966979502832728188noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7854222393370366614.post-55139305535268075582012-09-10T12:03:00.001-07:002013-01-19T00:08:50.576-08:00Happiness <br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; line-height: 200%;">Happiness
is a choice. It is a choice that we must
make every time we open our eyes.
Happiness is the choice to smile even in the most undeserving circumstances. It is the choice to find beauty in a world
that is seemingly twisted and demented.
Happiness is the choice to laugh-- head back, toes spread, shoulders
bouncing and mouth stretched wide even when the world seems to be frowning at
you. Happiness is the choice to dry
flowing tears of sorrow and replace them with a hardy smile full of good times and
pleasant memories. Choosing happiness
means hardship and trouble will not conquer you because neither of them are
eternal. Unhappy times are only
momentary pauses to teach endurance and strength. Choosing happiness means acknowledging that
love is real, faith is real, hope is real, and that love, faith, and hope are
greater than disappointment, grief, or pain.
Happiness is a choice. Make the
choice to be happy!<span style="font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
Violettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13966979502832728188noreply@blogger.com0