From fmiller at lightlink.com Sun Aug 1 10:04:46 2010 From: fmiller at lightlink.com (Fred A. Miller) Date: Sun, 01 Aug 2010 10:04:46 -0400 Subject: [Linux4christians] Now that everyone has read "Yep......I KNOW I'm gonna "stir the pot" with this one!" Message-ID: <4C557EFE.60907@lightlink.com> Mr. Sayles erroneously believes he can interpret Scripture in new and different ways because he claims to be guided by the Holy Spirit. Regardless of how sincere Mr. Sayles might be or how convinced he is that he's guided by the Holy Spirit, he's seriously deluded. Central to Mr. Sayles argument is his belief that the Faith is defined by Scripture, so that it may be changed by changing the interpretation of Scripture. But Mr. Sayles has it backwards: the Faith came before Scripture, so Scripture only describes the Faith--it doesn't define it. That means Scripture can't be interpreted differently today than it was interpreted 2,000 years ago by the Apostles and Fathers of the Early Church--doing so would change the Faith, but the Faith "was once for all delivered to the saints" (Jude 3): the authentic Christian Faith is "that which has been believed everywhere, always and by all," so the interpretation of Scripture doesn't change. Christians have understood the terms "Body of Christ" (cf I Cor 12:27) and "Bride of Christ" (cf Rev 21:9; Eph 5:22-33) as referring to the Church--the divine-human interdependent community of Christians headed by Jesus Christ-- even before the New Testament Scriptures were written, so that is the correct meaning of those terms in the Christian Faith and specifically in Scripture. Mr. Sayles' twisted interpretation of Scripture undermines the Church, which is the "Body of Christ" and the "Bride of Christ," and therefore constitutes an attack on Christ Himself, a horrible sin. Who do you suppose is the author of all attacks on Christ and the Church? May the merciful Lord stretch out His Almighty arm and snatch Mr. Sayles out of the dragon's lair. -- "Those who hammer their guns into plows will plow for those who do not." Thomas Jefferson -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From hpp3 at lavabit.com Sun Aug 1 10:50:21 2010 From: hpp3 at lavabit.com (Eddy Martin) Date: Sun, 01 Aug 2010 07:50:21 -0700 Subject: [Linux4christians] Now that everyone has read "Yep......I KNOW I'm gonna "stir the pot" with this one!" In-Reply-To: <4C557EFE.60907@lightlink.com> References: <4C557EFE.60907@lightlink.com> Message-ID: <4C5589AD.2050602@lavabit.com> Agreed. I was going to reply to the first one (before getting distracted with going to work) and say he must have forgotten Ephesians 5:31-32: "For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. This is a great mystery: *but I speak concerning Christ and the church.*" Of course, the whole chapter should be read to get the context, but I think it's clear enough. Thanks for letting us know you weren't slipping off your rocker... -Eddy > Mr. Sayles erroneously believes he can interpret Scripture in new and different > ways because he claims to be guided by the Holy Spirit. Regardless of how > sincere Mr. Sayles might be or how convinced he is that he's guided by the Holy > Spirit, he's seriously deluded. Central to Mr. Sayles argument is his belief > that the Faith is defined by Scripture, so that it may be changed by changing > the interpretation of Scripture. But Mr. Sayles has it backwards: the Faith > came before Scripture, so Scripture only describes the Faith--it doesn't > define it. That means Scripture can't be interpreted differently today than it > was interpreted 2,000 years ago by the Apostles and Fathers of the Early > Church--doing so would change the Faith, but the Faith "was once for all > delivered to the saints" (Jude 3): the authentic Christian Faith is "that > which has been believed everywhere, always and by all," so the interpretation > of Scripture doesn't change. > > Christians have understood the terms "Body of Christ" (cf I Cor 12:27) and > "Bride of Christ" (cf Rev 21:9; Eph 5:22-33) as referring to the Church--the > divine-human interdependent community of Christians headed by Jesus Christ-- > even before the New Testament Scriptures were written, so that is the correct > meaning of those terms in the Christian Faith and specifically in Scripture. > Mr. Sayles' twisted interpretation of Scripture undermines the Church, which is > the "Body of Christ" and the "Bride of Christ," and therefore constitutes an > attack on Christ Himself, a horrible sin. Who do you suppose is the author of > all attacks on Christ and the Church? > > May the merciful Lord stretch out His Almighty arm and snatch Mr. Sayles out of > the dragon's lair. > -- > "Those who hammer their guns into plows will plow for those who do not." > Thomas Jefferson > > > > _______________________________________________ > Linux4christians mailing list > Linux4christians at thelinuxlink.net > http://www.thelinuxlink.net/mailman/listinfo/linux4christians > -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From fmiller at lightlink.com Sun Aug 1 12:56:06 2010 From: fmiller at lightlink.com (Fred A. Miller) Date: Sun, 01 Aug 2010 12:56:06 -0400 Subject: [Linux4christians] OT: An Irish Ghost Story Message-ID: <4C55A726.30907@lightlink.com> An Irish Ghost Story This story happened a while ago in Dublin , and even though it sounds like an Alfred Hitchcock tale, its true. John Bradford, a Dublin University student, was on the side of the road hitchhiking on a very dark night and in the midst of a storm. The night Was rolling on and no car went by. The storm was so strong he could hardly see a few feet ahead of him. Suddenly, he saw a car slowly coming towards him and stopped. John, desperate for shelter and without thinking about it, got into the car and closed the door, only to realize there was nobody behind the wheel and the engine wasn't on!! The car started moving slowly. John looked at the road ahead and saw a curve approaching. Scared, he started to pray, begging for his life. Then, just before the car hit the curve, a hand appeared through The window and turned the wheel. John, paralyzed with terror, watched as the hand repeatedly came through the window, but never touched or harmed him. Shortly thereafter John saw the lights of a pub appear down the road, so, gathering strength, he jumped out of the car and ran to it. Wet and Out of breath, he rushed inside and started telling everybody about the horrible experience he had just had. A silence enveloped the pub when everybody realized he was crying and....wasn't drunk. Suddenly, the door opened, and two other people walked in from the stormy night. They, like John, were also soaked and out of breath. Looking around, and seeing John Bradford sobbing at the bar, one said to the other.."Look Paddy.....there's that stupid idiot that got in the car while we were pushing it!!!!" -- "Those who hammer their guns into plows will plow for those who do not." Thomas Jefferson -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From fmiller at lightlink.com Sun Aug 1 13:39:46 2010 From: fmiller at lightlink.com (Fred A. Miller) Date: Sun, 01 Aug 2010 13:39:46 -0400 Subject: [Linux4christians] Now that everyone has read "Yep......I KNOW I'm gonna "stir the pot" with this one!" In-Reply-To: <4C5589AD.2050602@lavabit.com> References: <4C557EFE.60907@lightlink.com> <4C5589AD.2050602@lavabit.com> Message-ID: <4C55B162.50500@lightlink.com> On 08/01/2010 10:50 AM, Eddy Martin wrote: > Agreed. > I was going to reply to the first one (before getting distracted with > going to work) and say he must have forgotten Ephesians 5:31-32: > "For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be > joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. > This is a great mystery: *but I speak concerning Christ and the church.*" > Of course, the whole chapter should be read to get the context, but I > think it's clear enough. > Thanks for letting us know you weren't slipping off your rocker... Hehehehehehe.......you should have known by the sub. line. But, for clarification, I'll often post something just to get at least some of you thinking. For one thing, it helps us all to reinforce what we know to be true. It isn't just so that we know who the heretics are. So, just because I post it, doesn't always mean I agree with the article. Fred -- "Those who hammer their guns into plows will plow for those who do not." Thomas Jefferson -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From pastordavid at bibleseven.com Sun Aug 1 20:56:35 2010 From: pastordavid at bibleseven.com (pastordavid at bibleseven.com) Date: Sun, 01 Aug 2010 20:56:35 -0400 Subject: [Linux4christians] Monday Exodus 2:1-22 Message-ID: <4C5617C3.2020207@bibleseven.com> Monday *Exodus 2:1-22* The Birth of the Deliverer 2:1 A man from the household of Levi married a woman who was a descendant of Levi. 2:2 The woman became pregnant and gave birth to a son. When she saw that he was a healthy child, she hid him for three months. 2:3 But when she was no longer able to hide him, she took a papyrus basket for him and sealed it with bitumen and pitch. She put the child in it and set it among the reeds along the edge of the Nile. 2:4 His sister stationed herself at a distance to find out what would happen to him. 2:5 Then the daughter of Pharaoh came down to wash herself by the Nile, while her attendants were walking alongside the river, and she saw the basket among the reeds. She sent one of her attendants, took it, 2:6 opened it, and saw the child -- a boy, crying! -- and she felt compassion for him and said, "This is one of the Hebrews' children." 2:7 Then his sister said to Pharaoh's daughter, "Shall I go and get a nursing woman for you from the Hebrews, so that she may nurse the child for you?" 2:8 Pharaoh's daughter said to her, "Yes, do so." So the young girl went and got the child's mother. 2:9 Pharaoh's daughter said to her, "Take this child and nurse him for me, and I will pay your wages." So the woman took the child and nursed him. 2:10 When the child grew older she brought him to Pharaoh's daughter, and he became her son. She named him Moses, saying, "Because I drew him from the water." The Presumption of the Deliverer 2:11 In those days, when Moses had grown up, he went out to his people and observed their hard labor, and he saw an Egyptian man attacking a Hebrew man, one of his own people. 2:12 He looked this way and that and saw that no one was there, and then he attacked the Egyptian and concealed the body in the sand. 2:13 When he went out the next day, there were two Hebrew men fighting. So he said to the one who was in the wrong, "Why are you attacking your fellow Hebrew?" 2:14 The man replied, "Who made you a ruler and a judge over us? Are you planning to kill me like you killed that Egyptian?" Then Moses was afraid, thinking, "Surely what I did has become known." 2:15 When Pharaoh heard about this event, he sought to kill Moses. So Moses fled from Pharaoh and settled in the land of Midian, and he settled by a certain well. 2:16 Now a priest of Midian had seven daughters, and they came and began to draw water and fill the troughs in order to water their father's flock. 2:17 When some shepherds came and drove them away, Moses came up and defended them and then watered their flock. 2:18 So when they came home to their father Reuel, he asked, "Why have you come home so early today?" 2:19 They said, "An Egyptian man rescued us from the shepherds, and he actually drew water for us and watered the flock!" 2:20 He said to his daughters, "So where is he? Why in the world did you leave the man? Call him, so that he may eat a meal with us." 2:21 Moses agreed to stay with the man, and he gave his daughter Zipporah to Moses in marriage. 2:22 When she bore a son, Moses named him Gershom, for he said, "I have become a resident foreigner in a foreign land." Prayer Lord, the ways that You provide are often a mystery to us, bit we are grateful and trusting that You know all things and love us dearly. Commentary Moses is born of descendants of Levi, those of the priestly tribe of Israel. Hos mother hid him from Pharaoh's murderous edict and when he was too big to hide she technically did as Pharaoh said -- she put him in the river -- but according to God's way, not Pharaoh's. She placed him in an "ark"; the descriptive terms used for the ark and the papyrus basket are similar, according to the ET translators notes. Her sister, the aunt of Moses, observed as the attendants to Pharaoh's daughter discovered the basket and brought it to her. She recognized the blanket as Hebrew. Her sister stepped forward and offered to find a Hebrew nursemaid for the child and Pharaoh's daughter agreed. She brought Moses' mother, her identity remained unknown to Pharaoh's daughter, and Moses' mother was paid by Pharaoh's household to care for Moses! As a grown man Moses observed an Egyptian attacking a Hebrew and seeing no one watching he stuck and killed him and buried him in the sand. The next day he confronted two Hebrew men fighting and asked why they would attack a brother, to which they challenged his ruler-judge like behavior and asked if he planned to kill them too. Pharaoh heard of what Moses had done and sought to have him killed for the murder of an Egyptian -- so Moses fled to Midian. The daughters of a priest in Midian were harassed by other shepherds and Moses intervened, then he watered their flocks for them. They returned home earlier than usual and when questions told their father what had happened. He told them to bring the man to him and invited him to remain as their guest. Moses was given the priest's daughter Zipporah in marriage and their firstborn son was named "/Gershom, for he said, "I have become a resident foreigner in a foreign land.""/ Interaction Consider this: What an amazing way for God to provide for the deliverer of Israel to be protected and cared for, in-Egypt but not of-Egypt -- cared for as a baby by his own mother on the Pharaoh's payroll. Discuss this: Isn't there a pattern of impetuous conduct early in the life of Moses? Killing the Egyptian who was attacking a Hebrew, confronting fellow Hebrews, coming to the aid of the Midianite women at the well? Reflect on this: There are multiple echoes or types of Jesus already apparent in the life of Moses; protected from a murderous king, lived in Egypt for a time, then returned home, assisting the women at the well, living a quiet life until his time for ministry arrived. Share this: When have you sensed a need to act boldly, and have done so, only to be confronted with challenges as a result? Faith in Action Prayer: Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you places in your life where you are, like Moses, divided between two worlds -- the world-system (like pagan Egypt) and the Kingdom of God (like God-fearing Midian). Action: Today I will carefully and prayerfully make and execute a plan to separate myself from any associations, habits, or lifestyles that bind me too-closely to the world-system. It may be people who constantly influence me to sin, or habits and lifestyle choices (e.g. adultery, gambling, lying, risk-taking/adrenaline-junky behavior, substance abuse, etc.). Be Specific ______________________________________________________ Tuesday's text will be: *Exodus 2:23-3:22 * -- Have an http://Ultrafidian.com Day! Pastor David ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Personal Site: http://bibleseven.com Bible Resources: http://bible.org ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From fmiller at lightlink.com Mon Aug 2 14:24:25 2010 From: fmiller at lightlink.com (Fred A. Miller) Date: Mon, 02 Aug 2010 14:24:25 -0400 Subject: [Linux4christians] Microsoft to push "out of band" update for .LNK vulnerability Message-ID: <4C570D59.6030603@lightlink.com> Microsoft to push "out of band" update for .LNK vulnerability Later today (at approximately 10:00 Pacific Daylight Time) Microsoft will release an out of band update to address the LNK Vulnerability (KB2286198) that is currently being exploited. READ FULL STORY -- "Gun control is like trying to reduce drunk driving by making it tougher for sober people to own cars." - Unknown -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From parrisdc at gmail.com Mon Aug 2 18:24:03 2010 From: parrisdc at gmail.com (Don Parris) Date: Mon, 2 Aug 2010 18:24:03 -0400 Subject: [Linux4christians] Microsoft to push "out of band" update for .LNK vulnerability In-Reply-To: <4C570D59.6030603@lightlink.com> References: <4C570D59.6030603@lightlink.com> Message-ID: Hmmm... Maybe I should go get a copy of Windows. That way, I, too, can get all these cool updates! How's my sarcasm holding up? On Mon, Aug 2, 2010 at 2:24 PM, Fred A. Miller wrote: > Microsoft to push "out of band" update for .LNK vulnerability > > Later today (at approximately 10:00 Pacific Daylight Time) Microsoft will > release an out of band update to address the LNK Vulnerability (KB2286198) > that is currently being exploited. > > READ FULL STORY > > -- > "Gun control is like trying to reduce drunk driving by making it > tougher for sober people to own cars." - Unknown > > > _______________________________________________ > Linux4christians mailing list > Linux4christians at thelinuxlink.net > http://www.thelinuxlink.net/mailman/listinfo/linux4christians > > -- D.C. Parris, FMP LEED AP O+M Minister, Security/FM Coordinator, Free Software Advocate https://www.xing.com/profile/Don_Parris http://www.linkedin.com/in/dcparris http://www.facebook.com/don.parris -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From pastordavid at bibleseven.com Mon Aug 2 21:45:51 2010 From: pastordavid at bibleseven.com (pastordavid at bibleseven.com) Date: Mon, 02 Aug 2010 21:45:51 -0400 Subject: [Linux4christians] Tuesday Exodus 2:23-3:22 Message-ID: <4C5774CF.3040507@bibleseven.com> Tuesday *Exodus 2:23-3:22 * The Call of the Deliverer 2:23 During that long period of time the king of Egypt died, and the Israelites groaned because of the slave labor. They cried out, and their desperate cry because of their slave labor went up to God. 2:24 God heard their groaning, God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob, 2:25 God saw the Israelites, and God understood.... 3:1 Now Moses was shepherding the flock of his father-in-law Jethro, the priest of Midian, and he led the flock to the far side of the desert and came to the mountain of God, to Horeb. 3:2 The angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire from within a bush. He looked -- and the bush was ablaze with fire, but it was not being consumed! 3:3 So Moses thought, "I will turn aside to see this amazing sight. Why does the bush not burn up?" 3:4 When the Lord saw that he had turned aside to look, God called to him from within the bush and said, "Moses, Moses!" And Moses said, "Here I am." 3:5 God said, "Do not approach any closer! Take your sandals off your feet, for the place where you are standing is holy ground." 3:6 He added, "I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob." Then Moses hid his face, because he was afraid to look at God. 3:7 The Lord said, "I have surely seen the affliction of my people who are in Egypt. I have heard their cry because of their taskmasters, for I know their sorrows. 3:8 I have come down to deliver them from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up from that land to a land that is both good and spacious, to a land flowing with milk and honey, to the region of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites. 3:9 And now indeed the cry of the Israelites has come to me, and I have also seen how severely the Egyptians oppress them. 3:10 So now go, and I will send you to Pharaoh to bring my people, the Israelites, out of Egypt." 3:11 Moses said to God, "Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh, or that I should bring the Israelites out of Egypt?" 3:12 He replied, "Surely I will be with you, and this will be the sign to you that I have sent you: When you bring the people out of Egypt, you and they will serve God on this mountain." 3:13 Moses said to God, "If I go to the Israelites and tell them, 'The God of your fathers has sent me to you,' and they ask me, 'What is his name?' -- what should I say to them?" 3:14 God said to Moses, "I am that I am." And he said, "You must say this to the Israelites, 'I am has sent me to you.'" 3:15 God also said to Moses, "You must say this to the Israelites, 'The Lord -- the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob -- has sent me to you. This is my name forever, and this is my memorial from generation to generation.' 3:16 "Go and bring together the elders of Israel and tell them, 'The Lord, the God of your fathers, appeared to me -- the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob -- saying, "I have attended carefully to you and to what has been done to you in Egypt, 3:17 and I have promised that I will bring you up out of the affliction of Egypt to the land of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites, to a land flowing with milk and honey."' 3:18 "The elders will listen to you, and then you and the elders of Israel must go to the king of Egypt and tell him, 'The Lord, the God of the Hebrews, has met with us. So now, let us go three days' journey into the wilderness, so that we may sacrifice to the Lord our God.' 3:19 But I know that the king of Egypt will not let you go, not even under force. 3:20 So I will extend my hand and strike Egypt with all my wonders that I will do among them, and after that he will release you. 3:21 "I will grant this people favor with the Egyptians, so that when you depart you will not leave empty-handed. 3:22 Every woman will ask her neighbor and the one who happens to be staying in her house for items of silver and gold and for clothing. You will put these articles on your sons and daughters -- thus you will plunder Egypt!" Prayer Lord, Your dwell in us through Your Holy Spirit and You speak to us from Your Book, find us as humble and respectful in Your presence as was Moses. Commentary Moses is working as a shepherd and comes to Mount Horeb (aka Mount Sinai when he would later go for the Commandments), there he sees a burning bush that does not appear to be consumed by the fire. In an almost humorous turn of a phrase the English translation renders "/3:3 So Moses thought, "I will turn aside to see this amazing sight. Why does the bush not burn up?"/" God calls to Moses and instructs him as to his new calling as the deliverer of His (and his) people out of Egypt as God had long ago promised. Moses asks how he should describe or identify God to the people to which God replies "/I am that I am." And he said, "You must say this to the Israelites, 'I am has sent me to you./' This has been interpreted many ways; consider this "I AM Who has always been, I AM Who is now, and I AM Who will always be." He then instructs Moses "/Go and bring together the elders of Israel and tell them, 'The Lord, the God of your fathers, appeared to me -- the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob -- saying, "I have attended carefully to you and to what has been done to you in Egypt, 3:17 and I have promised that I will bring you up out of the affliction of Egypt to the land of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites, to a land flowing with milk and honey."/' God tells Moses that the elders are to go to Pharaoh and demand their release but that Pharaoh would refuse. He then prophesies His escalating plagues upon Egypt until Pharaoh does relent, and the plunder of Egypt as Egyptian neighbors give gold and silver and jewels to them as they leave. Interaction Consider this: Why was Egypt wealthy, let alone even still a kingdom? Because God blessed Joseph and His blessing overflowed to the benefit of Egypt and then to provision for the Israelites. Egypt turned on the Israelites and enslaved them -- stealing the product of their forced-labor. Egypt owed their survival of a terrible famine to God, via Joseph, and their wealth to Joseph's skilled leadership. They owed a huge debt to God's people. Discuss this: There is a linkage in all things in God's plan, here Moses is greeted by the Lord God on Mount Horeb, the same place where God will later give him the 10 Commandments -- twice. Can you recall other linkages within the Old Testament or between the Old and the New? Reflect on this: God saw to it that there were few surprises for Moses, prophesying many of the key events to come in the great exodus. Share this: When have you been confronted by God in an usual way, so unusual that you knew that He really wanted your attention? Faith in Action Prayer: Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you something you may do to serve God in a special way. Action: Today I will go and I will do whatever God asks of me. I will confirm what I believe that the Holy Spirit is telling me through prayer, in consultation with someone qualified to be a Biblical elder, and in careful study of His Word. Be Specific ______________________________________________________ Wednesday's text will be: *Exodus 4:1-31* -- Have an http://Ultrafidian.com Day! Pastor David ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Personal Site: http://bibleseven.com Bible Resources: http://bible.org ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From bstaggs at staggs.net Tue Aug 3 12:08:37 2010 From: bstaggs at staggs.net (Billy F. Staggs) Date: Tue, 03 Aug 2010 11:08:37 -0500 Subject: [Linux4christians] Debian Bible-KJV Message-ID: <4C583F05.7030607@staggs.net> Does anyone know of a Linux command line Bible program other than Debian's "Bible-KJV"? I would really like to have additional versions but I have been unable to find them. Would it be possible to get the source code for the package included with Debian/Ubuntu. I was thinking that it might be doable to modify it to work with one of the public Bible versions. (not certain what versions would be legal, but I could check before starting). I just don't want to reinvent the wheel here. Thanks -- bstaggs <>< From gorkon at gmail.com Tue Aug 3 12:18:42 2010 From: gorkon at gmail.com (Joel Mclaughlin) Date: Tue, 3 Aug 2010 12:18:42 -0400 Subject: [Linux4christians] Debian Bible-KJV In-Reply-To: <4C583F05.7030607@staggs.net> References: <4C583F05.7030607@staggs.net> Message-ID: Sword is what I would use. However if you need something other than ASV or KJV (like NIV or The Message) then you are out of luck. NIV, The Message and others all have copyrights and getting them in Sword or other Linux or Open Source software is problematic. My best options on these is to use the Web. Both Youversion and Biblegateway have pretty much every version online. Youversion itself makes it easy to track your studies as well. A Church that was planted by our Church is currently using this for their small group studies. http://www.youversion.com http://www.biblegateway.com/ On Tue, Aug 3, 2010 at 12:08 PM, Billy F. Staggs wrote: > ?Does anyone know of a Linux command line Bible program other than Debian's > "Bible-KJV"? ?I would really like to have additional versions but I have > been unable to find them. ?Would it be possible to get the source code for > the package included with Debian/Ubuntu. ?I was thinking that it might be > doable to modify it to work with one of the public Bible versions. (not > certain what versions would be legal, but I could check before starting). ?I > just don't want to reinvent the wheel here. > > Thanks > > -- > bstaggs <>< > _______________________________________________ > Linux4christians mailing list > Linux4christians at thelinuxlink.net > http://www.thelinuxlink.net/mailman/listinfo/linux4christians > -- Joel McLaughlin Life in Ohio Podcast life.in.ohio.pod at gmail.com gorkon at gmail.com http://lifeinohio.libsyn.com joel at geardiary.com geardiary.com From karl at kleinpaste.org Tue Aug 3 12:34:17 2010 From: karl at kleinpaste.org (Karl Kleinpaste) Date: Tue, 03 Aug 2010 12:34:17 -0400 Subject: [Linux4christians] Debian Bible-KJV In-Reply-To: <4C583F05.7030607@staggs.net> (Billy F. Staggs's message of "Tue, 03 Aug 2010 11:08:37 -0500") References: <4C583F05.7030607@staggs.net> Message-ID: One of the command line utilities that's part of The Sword Project is diatheke. Type that at a shell prompt with no arguments and see what it tells you. Basically, it's... $ diatheke -b NET -k 'gen 1:1' Genesis 1:1: In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. ...plus a herd of options to affect the output format. As Joel said, getting NIV and similar is a problem; our biggest difficulty is convincing publishers to negotiate with us, due to prejudices against open source software (RSV/NRSV copyright owner refusal), or ju$t plain ca$h (NIV copyright owner want$ big buck$). From webservant at trinitybclaramie.org Tue Aug 3 13:01:01 2010 From: webservant at trinitybclaramie.org (Peter B. Steiger) Date: Tue, 3 Aug 2010 11:01:01 -0600 Subject: [Linux4christians] Debian Bible-KJV In-Reply-To: <4C583F05.7030607@staggs.net> References: <4C583F05.7030607@staggs.net> Message-ID: Interlinear Scripture Analyzer (ISA) Bible, from Scripture4all. You can view it online at their website, or download a Windows version that runs under Wine: http://www.scripture4all.org/download/download_ISA20.php It's amazing. It presents the original (well, as close as we can get with existing documents) Greek and Hebrew text with a pronunciation guide, Strong's dictionary, and word-for-word translation alongside an easier to read English translation; you can do word searches or go straight to a specific chapter/verse, and add your own notes to the entries. I have been reading the online text for years, but only recently discovered the more feature-rich downloadable version. Seeing the original language with an exact word-for-word translation helps you understand why the interpretation of some passages can be uncertain; Greek and particularly Hebrew syntax and phrasing are not nearly as straightforward as we're used to. For example, John 3:16 reads: Thus for loves the God the system as-besides the son of-him only-generated he-gives that every the one-believing into him no should-be-being-destroyed but may-be-having life eternal ... where hyphenated words are actually all one word in Greek. For example, "as-besides" is ????, which we translate as "so that". I wish they had a native Linux version, but this is so good I'll gladly use it with Wine (or, more likely, run it on my Win7 VM). On Tue, Aug 3, 2010 at 10:08 AM, Billy F. Staggs wrote: > Does anyone know of a Linux command line Bible program other than Debian's > "Bible-KJV"? I would really like to have additional versions but I have > been unable to find them. Would it be possible to get the source code for > the package included with Debian/Ubuntu. I was thinking that it might be > doable to modify it to work with one of the public Bible versions. (not > certain what versions would be legal, but I could check before starting). I > just don't want to reinvent the wheel here. > > Thanks > > -- > bstaggs <>< > > -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From webservant at trinitybclaramie.org Tue Aug 3 14:08:50 2010 From: webservant at trinitybclaramie.org (Peter B. Steiger) Date: Tue, 3 Aug 2010 12:08:50 -0600 Subject: [Linux4christians] Debian Bible-KJV In-Reply-To: References: <4C583F05.7030607@staggs.net> Message-ID: Don't even get me started about the hypocrisy of blocking dissemination of God's word with copyrights. On Tue, Aug 3, 2010 at 10:34 AM, Karl Kleinpaste wrote: > As Joel said, getting NIV and similar is a problem; our biggest > difficulty is convincing publishers to negotiate with us, due to > prejudices against open source software (RSV/NRSV copyright owner > refusal), or ju$t plain ca$h (NIV copyright owner want$ big buck$). > -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From gorkon at gmail.com Tue Aug 3 14:13:42 2010 From: gorkon at gmail.com (Joel Mclaughlin) Date: Tue, 3 Aug 2010 14:13:42 -0400 Subject: [Linux4christians] Debian Bible-KJV In-Reply-To: References: <4C583F05.7030607@staggs.net> Message-ID: The worst part of it is that people like Eugene Peterson(The Message) may not even be involved in this. It's mostly the publishers that would raise can with this. It's not that we, as Linux users, want to rip off the publishers. We WANT to pay them even to use it. However, it's the publisher that dictates DRM and more and not the author/paraphraser....9 times out of 10! On Tue, Aug 3, 2010 at 2:08 PM, Peter B. Steiger wrote: > Don't even get me started about the hypocrisy of blocking dissemination of > God's word with copyrights. > > On Tue, Aug 3, 2010 at 10:34 AM, Karl Kleinpaste > wrote: >> >> As Joel said, getting NIV and similar is a problem; our biggest >> difficulty is convincing publishers to negotiate with us, due to >> prejudices against open source software (RSV/NRSV copyright owner >> refusal), or ju$t plain ca$h (NIV copyright owner want$ big buck$). > > > _______________________________________________ > Linux4christians mailing list > Linux4christians at thelinuxlink.net > http://www.thelinuxlink.net/mailman/listinfo/linux4christians > > -- Joel McLaughlin Life in Ohio Podcast life.in.ohio.pod at gmail.com gorkon at gmail.com http://lifeinohio.libsyn.com joel at geardiary.com geardiary.com From pastordavid at bibleseven.com Tue Aug 3 20:18:02 2010 From: pastordavid at bibleseven.com (pastordavid at bibleseven.com) Date: Tue, 03 Aug 2010 20:18:02 -0400 Subject: [Linux4christians] Wednesday Exodus 4:1-31 Message-ID: <4C58B1BA.8040202@bibleseven.com> Wednesday *Exodus 4:1-31* The Source of Sufficiency 4:1 Moses answered again, "And if they do not believe me or pay attention to me, but say, 'The Lord has not appeared to you'?" 4:2 The Lord said to him, "What is that in your hand?" He said, "A staff." 4:3 The Lord said, "Throw it to the ground." So he threw it to the ground, and it became a snake, and Moses ran from it. 4:4 But the Lord said to Moses, "Put out your hand and grab it by the tail" -- so he put out his hand and caught it, and it became a staff in his hand -- 4:5 "that they may believe that the Lord, the God of their fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has appeared to you." 4:6 The Lord also said to him, "Put your hand into your robe." So he put his hand into his robe, and when he brought it out -- there was his hand, leprous like snow! 4:7 He said, "Put your hand back into your robe." So he put his hand back into his robe, and when he brought it out from his robe -- there it was, restored like the rest of his skin! 4:8 "If they do not believe you or pay attention to the former sign, then they may believe the latter sign. 4:9 And if they do not believe even these two signs or listen to you, then take some water from the Nile and pour it out on the dry ground. The water you take out of the Nile will become blood on the dry ground." 4:10 Then Moses said to the Lord, "O my Lord, I am not an eloquent man, neither in the past nor since you have spoken to your servant, for I am slow of speech and slow of tongue." 4:11 The Lord said to him, "Who gave a mouth to man, or who makes a person mute or deaf or seeing or blind? Is it not I, the Lord? 4:12 So now go, and I will be with your mouth and will teach you what you must say." 4:13 But Moses said, "O my Lord, please send anyone else whom you wish to send!" 4:14 Then the Lord became angry with Moses, and he said, "What about your brother Aaron the Levite? I know that he can speak very well. Moreover, he is coming to meet you, and when he sees you he will be glad in his heart. 4:15 "So you are to speak to him and put the words in his mouth. And as for me, I will be with your mouth and with his mouth, and I will teach you both what you must do. 4:16 He will speak for you to the people, and it will be as if he were your mouth and as if you were his God. 4:17 You will also take in your hand this staff, with which you will do the signs." The Return of Moses 4:18 So Moses went back to his father-in-law Jethro and said to him, "Let me go, so that I may return to my relatives in Egypt and see if they are still alive." Jethro said to Moses, "Go in peace." 4:19 The Lord said to Moses in Midian, "Go back to Egypt, because all the men who were seeking your life are dead." 4:20 Then Moses took his wife and sons and put them on a donkey and headed back to the land of Egypt, and Moses took the staff of God in his hand. 4:21 The Lord said to Moses, "When you go back to Egypt, see that you do before Pharaoh all the wonders I have put under your control. But I will harden his heart and he will not let the people go. 4:22 You must say to Pharaoh, 'Thus says the Lord, "Israel is my son, my firstborn, 4:23 and I said to you, 'Let my son go that he may serve me,' but since you have refused to let him go, I will surely kill your son, your firstborn!"'" 4:24 Now on the way, at a place where they stopped for the night, the Lord met Moses and sought to kill him. 4:25 But Zipporah took a flint knife, cut off the foreskin of her son and touched it to Moses' feet, and said, "Surely you are a bridegroom of blood to me." 4:26 So the Lord let him alone. (At that time she said, "A bridegroom of blood," referring to the circumcision.) 4:27 The Lord said to Aaron, "Go to the wilderness to meet Moses. So he went and met him at the mountain of God and greeted him with a kiss. 4:28 Moses told Aaron all the words of the Lord who had sent him and all the signs that he had commanded him. 4:29 Then Moses and Aaron went and brought together all the Israelite elders. 4:30 Aaron spoke all the words that the Lord had spoken to Moses and did the signs in the sight of the people, 4:31 and the people believed. When they heard that the Lord had attended to the Israelites and that he had seen their affliction, they bowed down close to the ground. Prayer Lord, when You give me a task to do may I respond without question, and when Your truth is spoken may people believe in You. Commentary The Lord God instructs Moses to tell his people what God wanted Moses to do and Moses questions God's choice of him, trying to pass-off the task to his brother-in-law Aaron. God, instead, makes Aaron the spokesman for Moses-the-prophet. God gives Moses some small miracles, in addition to His name I AM that I AM; the rod which could become a snake, the hand that could become leprous and not leprous, and the turning of water to blood. God prophesies again the resistance of Pharaoh and His intention to overpower his resistance with incrementally more devastating plagues up to and including the death of Pharaoh's son. The story of "/... the Lord met Moses and sought to kill him/" is much like Jacob's story of wrestling with the angel/man. There is a challenge to Moses the man of flesh and the spiritual side to write deeply a sense of dependence upon and obedience to God -- in this case it appears that Moses had not been obedient in circumcising his own son -- so his wife did so (bringing Moses back into a right-relationship with God). Aaron agrees to serve with Moses and the people hear and believe what Aaron tells them from what Moses tells Aaron. Interaction Consider this: God is making Moses His instrument of deliverance to his people and Moses looks for a way out, to the point that the text says that he angers God. While Moses is a type of Jesus, a deliverer sent by God to set His/his people free, he is unlike Jesus (and more like Peter) as he resists the ministry. Discuss this: Do we have a long list of excuses, like Moses, when God asks us to do something challenging? Reflect on this: Jethro seems excited by the adventure, perhaps because he has Moses with him, or perhaps that was just his personality -- plus his training and experience as a priest. Share this: When have you found yourself on a mission for God and He has blocked your way because you were doing what He had asked you had left something important in your relationship with Him uncompleted -- and He saw that it was necessary to His pouring blessings through you into others? (An example might be during planning and preparations for a short-term missions trip He required you to divert attention to deal with a place of unforgiveness or unrepented sin or bad doctrine -- that you might pass-on to others.) Faith in Action Prayer: Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal a special task that God has prepared for you. Action: Today I will pursue whatever the Holy Spirit asks of me, while I am sensitive to His prodding for me to deal with anything that might interfere with His work through me, and I will deal with those things so that I may be as valuable and undistracted as I can be. Be Specific ______________________________________________________ Thursday's text will be: *Exodus 5:1-6:13* -- Have an http://Ultrafidian.com Day! Pastor David ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Personal Site: http://bibleseven.com Bible Resources: http://bible.org ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From fmiller at lightlink.com Thu Aug 5 19:43:06 2010 From: fmiller at lightlink.com (Fred A. Miller) Date: Thu, 05 Aug 2010 19:43:06 -0400 Subject: [Linux4christians] Wonderful! Message-ID: <4C5B4C8A.5030508@lightlink.com> BusyBox and the GPL Prevail Again - Updated 2Xs Tuesday, August 03 2010 @ 01:58 PM EDT I thought you'd want to hear about what's just happened in the /Software Freedom Conservancy v. Best Buy, et al/ case. It's another BusyBox case regarding infringement of the GPL, mostly about high definition televisions with BusyBox in them, and while the case is not finished regarding other defendants, it's certainly set another precedent. One of the defendants was Westinghouse Digital Technologies, LLC, which refused to participate in discovery. It had applied for a kind of bankruptcy equivalent in California. Judge Shira Scheindlin of the Southern District of New York has now granted Software Freedom Conservancy, a wing of Software Freedom Law Center, triple damages ($90,000) for willful copyright infringement, lawyer's fees and costs ($47,685), an injunction against Westinghouse, and an order requiring Westinghouse to turn over all infringing equipment in its possession to the plaintiffs, to be donated to charity. So, presumably a lot of high-def TVs are on their way to charities. http://www.groklaw.net/article.php?story=20100803132055210 -- "Gun control is like trying to reduce drunk driving by making it tougher for sober people to own cars." - Unknown -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: speck.gif Type: image/gif Size: 43 bytes Desc: not available URL: From pastordavid at bibleseven.com Thu Aug 5 20:52:14 2010 From: pastordavid at bibleseven.com (pastordavid at bibleseven.com) Date: Thu, 05 Aug 2010 20:52:14 -0400 Subject: [Linux4christians] Friday Exodus 6:14-7:13 Message-ID: <4C5B5CBE.2080202@bibleseven.com> Friday *Exodus 6:14-7:13* The Ancestry of the Deliverer 6:14 These are the heads of their fathers' households: The sons of Reuben, the firstborn son of Israel, were Hanoch and Pallu, Hezron and Carmi. These were the clans of Reuben. 6:15 The sons of Simeon were Jemuel, Jamin, Ohad, Jakin, Zohar, and Shaul, the son of a Canaanite woman. These were the clans of Simeon. 6:16 Now these are the names of the sons of Levi, according to their records: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari. (The length of Levi's life was 137 years.) 6:17 The sons of Gershon, by their families, were Libni and Shimei. 6:18 The sons of Kohath were Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel. (The length of Kohath's life was 133 years.) 6:19 The sons of Merari were Mahli and Mushi. These were the clans of Levi, according to their records. 6:20 Amram married his father's sister Jochebed, and she bore him Aaron and Moses. (The length of Amram's life was 137 years.) 6:21 The sons of Izhar were Korah, Nepheg, and Zikri. 6:22 The sons of Uzziel were Mishael, Elzaphan, and Sithri. 6:23 Aaron married Elisheba, the daughter of Amminadab and sister of Nahshon, and she bore him Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar. 6:24 The sons of Korah were Assir, Elkanah, and Abiasaph. These were the Korahite clans. 6:25 Now Eleazar son of Aaron married one of the daughters of Putiel and she bore him Phinehas. These are the heads of the fathers' households of Levi according to their clans. 6:26 It was the same Aaron and Moses to whom the Lord said, "Bring the Israelites out of the land of Egypt by their regiments." 6:27 They were the men who were speaking to Pharaoh king of Egypt, in order to bring the Israelites out of Egypt. It was the same Moses and Aaron. The Authentication of the Word 6:28 When the Lord spoke to Moses in the land of Egypt, 6:29 he said to him, "I am the Lord. Tell Pharaoh king of Egypt all that I am telling you." 6:30 But Moses said before the Lord, "Since I speak with difficulty, why should Pharaoh listen to me?" 7:1 So the Lord said to Moses, "See, I have made you like God to Pharaoh, and your brother Aaron will be your prophet. 7:2 You are to speak everything I command you, and your brother Aaron is to tell Pharaoh that he must release the Israelites from his land. 7:3 But I will harden Pharaoh's heart, and although I will multiply my signs and my wonders in the land of Egypt, 7:4 Pharaoh will not listen to you. I will reach into Egypt and bring out my regiments, my people the Israelites, from the land of Egypt with great acts of judgment. 7:5 Then the Egyptians will know that I am the Lord, when I extend my hand over Egypt and bring the Israelites out from among them. 7:6 And Moses and Aaron did so; they did just as the Lord commanded them. 7:7 Now Moses was eighty years old and Aaron was eighty-three years old when they spoke to Pharaoh. 7:8 The Lord said to Moses and Aaron, 7:9 "When Pharaoh says to you, 'Do a miracle,' and you say to Aaron, 'Take your staff and throw it down before Pharaoh,' it will become a snake." 7:10 When Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh, they did so, just as the Lord had commanded them -- Aaron threw down his staff before Pharaoh and his servants and it became a snake. 7:11 Then Pharaoh also summoned wise men and sorcerers, and the magicians of Egypt by their secret arts did the same thing. 7:12 Each man threw down his staff, and the staffs became snakes. But Aaron's staff swallowed up their staffs. 7:13 Yet Pharaoh's heart became hard, and he did not listen to them, just as the Lord had predicted. Prayer Lord, may you find me a willing servant -- nervous like Moses or bold like Aaron -- but still willing. Commentary The line of God's family extends from Levi to Kohath to Amram to Aaron and Moses. God repeats His instructions to Moses to speak to Pharaoh and again Moses hesitates with fear due to his insecurity about his speaking ability. God again authorizes Aaron to speak for Moses what He had told Moses to do, and to handle the staff He has empowered as His sign. As God prophesied,Pharaoh was resistant, so Aaron cast down the staff which became a snake. The wizards did as Aaron did, then Aarons snake ate theirs and turned back into a staff. Pharaoh, his hard heart - further hardened by God to escalate the confrontation in His time -- refuses to act wisely and refuses to let the people go. Interaction Consider this: The Word contains the history of the generations of man and of the great civilization of Egypt, the accountability-for-credibility built into the Bible gives more cause to people to trust it. Discuss this: The Word tells us of God's desire to use imperfect men as His messengers, and His flexibility to allow the insecure Moses to delegate to Aaron. Why do you think God used such role models? Reflect on this: How different are we than Moses? Do we make excuses to avoid doing as God has asked? Share this: When have you seen God clearly demonstrate His power yet some have refused to acknowledge Him, or have acknowledged Him but refuse to respond rightly? Faith in Action Prayer: Ask the Holy Spirit to show me something that I can do for Him. Action: Today I will go and do as the Holy Spirit directs. If needed I will ask a fellow believer to join me in that ministry. Be Specific ______________________________________________________ Saturday's text will be: *Exodus 7:14-8:19* -- Have an http://Ultrafidian.com Day! Pastor David ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Personal Site: http://bibleseven.com Bible Resources: http://bible.org ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From pastordavid at bibleseven.com Thu Aug 5 21:33:14 2010 From: pastordavid at bibleseven.com (pastordavid at bibleseven.com) Date: Thu, 05 Aug 2010 21:33:14 -0400 Subject: [Linux4christians] Thursday Exodus 5:1-6:13 Message-ID: <4C5B665A.6030106@bibleseven.com> For some unknown reason the Thursday Study made it out to some but not all on the B7 list and the discussion lists. I apologize for that, and if this is a duplicate, for the Inbox clutter as well. David Thursday *Exodus 5:1-6:13* Opposition to the Plan of God 5:1 Afterward Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and said, "Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, 'Release my people so that they may hold a pilgrim feast to me in the desert.'" 5:2 But Pharaoh said, "Who is the Lord that I should obey him by releasing Israel? I do not know the Lord, and I will not release Israel!" 5:3 And they said, "The God of the Hebrews has met with us. Let us go a three-day journey into the desert so that we may sacrifice to the Lord our God, so that he does not strike us with plague or the sword." 5:4 The king of Egypt said to them, "Moses and Aaron, why do you cause the people to refrain from their work? Return to your labor!" 5:5 Pharaoh was thinking, "The people of the land are now many, and you are giving them rest from their labor." 5:6 That same day Pharaoh commanded the slave masters and foremen who were over the people: 5:7 "You must no longer give straw to the people for making bricks as before. Let them go and collect straw for themselves. 5:8 But you must require of them the same quota of bricks that they were making before. Do not reduce it, for they are slackers. That is why they are crying, 'Let us go sacrifice to our God.' 5:9 Make the work harder for the men so they will keep at it and pay no attention to lying words!" 5:10 So the slave masters of the people and their foremen went to the Israelites and said, "Thus says Pharaoh: 'I am not giving you straw. 5:11 You go get straw for yourselves wherever you can find it, because there will be no reduction at all in your workload.'" 5:12 So the people spread out through all the land of Egypt to collect stubble for straw. 5:13 The slave masters were pressuring them, saying, "Complete your work for each day, just like when there was straw!" 5:14 The Israelite foremen whom Pharaoh's slave masters had set over them were beaten and were asked, "Why did you not complete your requirement for brickmaking as in the past -- both yesterday and today?" 5:15 The Israelite foremen went and cried out to Pharaoh, "Why are you treating your servants this way? 5:16 No straw is given to your servants, but we are told, 'Make bricks!' Your servants are even being beaten, but the fault is with your people." 5:17 But Pharaoh replied, "You are slackers! Slackers! That is why you are saying, 'Let us go sacrifice to the Lord.' 5:18 So now, get back to work! You will not be given straw, but you must still produce your quota of bricks!" 5:19 The Israelite foremen saw that they were in trouble when they were told, "You must not reduce the daily quota of your bricks." 5:20 When they went out from Pharaoh, they encountered Moses and Aaron standing there to meet them, 5:21 and they said to them, "May the Lord look on you and judge, because you have made us stink in the opinion of Pharaoh and his servants, so that you have given them an excuse to kill us!" The Assurance of Deliverance 5:22 Moses returned to the Lord, and said, "Lord, why have you caused trouble for this people? Why did you ever send me? 5:23 From the time I went to speak to Pharaoh in your name, he has caused trouble for this people, and you have certainly not rescued them!" 6:1 Then the Lord said to Moses, "Now you will see what I will do to Pharaoh, for compelled by my strong hand he will release them, and by my strong hand he will drive them out of his land." 6:2 God spoke to Moses and said to him, "I am the Lord. 6:3 I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob as God Almighty, but by my name 'the Lord' I was not known to them. 6:4 I also established my covenant with them to give them the land of Canaan, where they were living as resident foreigners. 6:5 I have also heard the groaning of the Israelites, whom the Egyptians are enslaving, and I have remembered my covenant. 6:6 Therefore, tell the Israelites, 'I am the Lord. I will bring you out from your enslavement to the Egyptians, I will rescue you from the hard labor they impose, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with great judgments. 6:7 I will take you to myself for a people, and I will be your God. Then you will know that I am the Lord your God, who brought you out from your enslavement to the Egyptians. 6:8 I will bring you to the land I swore to give to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob -- and I will give it to you as a possession. I am the Lord!'" 6:9 Moses told this to the Israelites, but they did not listen to him because of their discouragement and hard labor. 6:10 Then the Lord said to Moses, 6:11 "Go, tell Pharaoh king of Egypt that he must release the Israelites from his land." 6:12 But Moses replied to the Lord, "If the Israelites did not listen to me, then how will Pharaoh listen to me, since I speak with difficulty?" 6:13 The Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron and gave them a charge for the Israelites and Pharaoh king of Egypt to bring the Israelites out of the land of Egypt. Prayer Lord, Your ways are not our ways, please teach me obedience and patience. Commentary God had warned Moses that things would not go well initially. When Moses told Pharaoh that God requested he allow the Israelites to go to Canaan to sacrifice to their God Pharaoh responded that he didn't know or respect their God and refused. Then her decided that the Israelites must not be adequately oppressed that they would even ask such a thing, so he took away the provision of straw -- which made the making of bricks easier -- and still required them to produce as many bricks. When they failed he had his soldiers beat their foremen and them. The Hebrew foremen blamed Moses and Aaron. Moses whined to God, as if God had not warned him, but God merely instructed Moses to stay the course and to see what He did to force Pharaoh to obey. Interaction Consider this: God explained what would happen in advance, but at the first sign of opposition Moses whined to God, rather than going to Him and humbly asking what should be their next step together. Discuss this: Moses got in trouble as a young man because he was impatient and impetuous, now he appears to demonstrate some of the same immaturity. Perhaps God chose him because he was not one of the fearfully-compliant Israelites in Egypt after generations in slavery? Reflect on this: Why would Moses expect Pharaoh to listen to a mere request when he didn't know the Lord God, had no vested self-interest in the Israelites' religious desires, and was fearful of the huge population of Israelites gaining any sense of independence or self-respect. Share this: When have you set out on a task only to face resistance? How did you respond to the resistance? How has that changed from when you were younger? Faith in Action Prayer: Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a place where some resistance in the world, including direct spiritual resistance from the Enemy, has caused you to hesitate in doing God's will. Action: Today I will partner with the Holy Spirit in overcoming my confusion and fear and will forge ahead despite resistance to complete the task which God has placed before me. It may be freedom from an addiction or a destructive lifestyle, it may be earning the certification, education, or other training I need for the vocation for which He has gifted me, it may be stepping-away from an unhealthy religious affiliation/association, it may be an evangelical/missionary outreach, it may be a volunteer role in a fellowship, or some other circumstance, opportunity, or task He has placed before me. Be Specific ______________________________________________________ Friday's text will be: *Exodus 6:14-7:13* -- Have an http://Ultrafidian.com Day! Pastor David ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Personal Site: http://bibleseven.com Bible Resources: http://bible.org ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From pastordavid at bibleseven.com Fri Aug 6 17:16:25 2010 From: pastordavid at bibleseven.com (pastordavid at bibleseven.com) Date: Fri, 06 Aug 2010 17:16:25 -0400 Subject: [Linux4christians] Saturday Exodus 7:14-8:19 Message-ID: <4C5C7BA9.9050604@bibleseven.com> Saturday *Exodus 7:14-8:19* The First Blow: Water to Blood 7:14 The Lord said to Moses, "Pharaoh's heart is hard; he refuses to release the people. 7:15 Go to Pharaoh in the morning when he goes out to the water. Position yourself to meet him by the edge of the Nile, and take in your hand the staff that was turned into a snake. 7:16 Tell him, 'The Lord, the God of the Hebrews, has sent me to you to say, "Release my people, that they may serve me in the desert!" But until now you have not listened. 7:17 Thus says the Lord: "By this you will know that I am the Lord: I am going to strike the water of the Nile with the staff that is in my hand, and it will be turned into blood. 7:18 Fish in the Nile will die, the Nile will stink, and the Egyptians will be unable to drink water from the Nile."'" 7:19 Then the Lord said to Moses, "Tell Aaron, 'Take your staff and stretch out your hand over Egypt's waters -- over their rivers, over their canals, over their ponds, and over all their reservoirs -- so that it becomes blood.' There will be blood everywhere in the land of Egypt, even in wooden and stone containers." 7:20 Moses and Aaron did so, just as the Lord had commanded. Moses raised the staff and struck the water that was in the Nile right before the eyes of Pharaoh and his servants, and all the water that was in the Nile was turned to blood. 7:21 When the fish that were in the Nile died, the Nile began to stink, so that the Egyptians could not drink water from the Nile. There was blood everywhere in the land of Egypt! 7:22 But the magicians of Egypt did the same by their secret arts, and so Pharaoh's heart remained hard, and he refused to listen to Moses and Aaron -- just as the Lord had predicted. 7:23 And Pharaoh turned and went into his house. He did not pay any attention to this. 7:24 All the Egyptians dug around the Nile for water to drink, because they could not drink the water of the Nile. The Second Blow: Frogs 7:25 Seven full days passed after the Lord struck the Nile. 8:1 (7:26) Then the Lord said to Moses, "Go to Pharaoh and tell him, 'Thus says the Lord: "Release my people in order that they may serve me! 8:2 But if you refuse to release them, then I am going to plague all your territory with frogs. 8:3 The Nile will swarm with frogs, and they will come up and go into your house, in your bedroom, and on your bed, and into the houses of your servants and your people, and into your ovens and your kneading troughs. 8:4 Frogs will come up against you, your people, and all your servants."'" 8:5 The Lord spoke to Moses, "Tell Aaron, 'Extend your hand with your staff over the rivers, over the canals, and over the ponds, and bring the frogs up over the land of Egypt.'" 8:6 So Aaron extended his hand over the waters of Egypt, and frogs came up and covered the land of Egypt. 8:7 The magicians did the same with their secret arts and brought up frogs on the land of Egypt too. 8:8 Then Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron and said, "Pray to the Lord that he may take the frogs away from me and my people, and I will release the people that they may sacrifice to the Lord." 8:9 Moses said to Pharaoh, "You may have the honor over me -- when shall I pray for you, your servants, and your people, for the frogs to be removed from you and your houses, so that they will be left only in the Nile?" 8:10 He said, "Tomorrow." And Moses said, "It will be as you say, so that you may know that there is no one like the Lord our God. 8:11 The frogs will depart from you, your houses, your servants, and your people; they will be left only in the Nile." 8:12 Then Moses and Aaron went out from Pharaoh, and Moses cried to the Lord because of the frogs that he had brought on Pharaoh. 8:13 The Lord did as Moses asked -- the frogs died out of the houses, the villages, and the fields. 8:14 The Egyptians piled them in countless heaps, and the land stank. 8:15 But when Pharaoh saw that there was relief, he hardened his heart and did not listen to them, just as the Lord had predicted. The Third Blow: Gnats 8:16 The Lord said to Moses, "Tell Aaron, 'Extend your staff and strike the dust of the ground, and it will become gnats throughout all the land of Egypt.'" 8:17 They did so; Aaron extended his hand with his staff, he struck the dust of the ground, and it became gnats on people and on animals. All the dust of the ground became gnats throughout all the land of Egypt. 8:18 When the magicians attempted to bring forth gnats by their secret arts, they could not. So there were gnats on people and on animals. 8:19 The magicians said to Pharaoh, "It is the finger of God!" But Pharaoh's heart remained hard, and he did not listen to them, just as the Lord had predicted. Prayer Lord, why do we force You to come down so hard? May you find me obedient and teachable and willing rather than hard-hearted, stiff-necked, and stubborn. Commentary The Lord God instructed Moses and Aaron to strike the water of the Nile with the staff, in the presence of Pharaoh, and that it and even the water people had in containers, would turn to blood -- the fish would die and the Nile would stink. They did so but then Satan empowered Pharaoh's witches, the magicians, to duplicate what Moses had done (on a smaller scale), so Pharaoh chose to not believe and not to obey God. 7:11 ".../ wise men and //_sorcerers_//,/^/ / /and the //_magicians_/^/ / /of Egypt by their //_secret arts_/^/ / /"/ The people were able to dig new wells near the Nile and find some drinkable water. Seven days later (the text does not say that the water remained blood, presumably it did not) God sent Moses and Aaron to challenge Pharaoh with a plague of frogs, and once again Satan used Pharaoh's with/wizards to draw frogs out of the Nile, so Pharaoh's heart remained hard. But this time Pharaoh asked Moses to remove the frogs, because unlike the blood-water the frogs directly interfered with everything in Egypt, and promised to let the Israelites go to sacrifice to God. The next day Moses responded and the frogs that were on the land all died, resulting in piles of them all over Egypt, rotting in the sun. But once the frogs were dead Pharaoh reneged on his promise. God then told Moses and Aaron to strike the dust of the earth with the staff and it turned into gnats all over the animals and people of Egypt. The witch/wizards who unable to duplicate this and acknowledged that it was the "finger of God", but Pharaoh's hard heart would not allow him to submit. Interaction Consider this: The Nile river is a massive body of water, for anyone to turn all of that to blood -- plus the water already in containers throughout Egypt -- should have gotten Pharaoh's attention. Discuss this: Have you heard of, or observed, people performing feats that appeared to be beyond the capacity of man? From where do you believe that they acquired that power? Reflect on this: After the first two plagues Pharaoh's witch/wizards were no longer able to duplicate the miracles of God, once again demonstrating the limitations of the power of Satan's deceptions, and his ability to imitate God. Share this: When have you tried to teach someone about God by telling of His miracles, only to have a highly-resistant person attempt to explain-away those miracles? Faith in Action Prayer: Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a place in your life where God has been doing miracles to get your attention Action: Today I will recognize the miracles of God all around me, albeit somewhat more subtle than those in today's text, and I will respond to whatever is His call. (God's miracle may be His provision of food or money I didn't expect, a small healing that man's medical knowledge cannot adequately explain, an opportunity to use my gifts at home or school or work that I did not expect, or some other intervention that a time of prayerful listening and reflecting reveals.) Be Specific ______________________________________________________ Sunday's text will be: Exodus 8:20-9:7 -- Have an http://Ultrafidian.com Day! Pastor David ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Personal Site: http://bibleseven.com Bible Resources: http://bible.org ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From pastordavid at bibleseven.com Sat Aug 7 17:36:33 2010 From: pastordavid at bibleseven.com (pastordavid at bibleseven.com) Date: Sat, 07 Aug 2010 17:36:33 -0400 Subject: [Linux4christians] Sunday Exodus 8:20-9:7 Message-ID: <4C5DD1E1.6080502@bibleseven.com> Sunday *Exodus 8:20-9:7* The Fourth Blow: Flies 8:20 The Lord said to Moses, "Get up early in the morning and position yourself before Pharaoh as he goes out to the water, and tell him, 'Thus says the Lord, "Release my people that they may serve me! 8:21 If you do not release my people, then I am going to send swarms of flies on you and on your servants and on your people and in your houses. The houses of the Egyptians will be full of flies, and even the ground they stand on. 8:22 But on that day I will mark off the land of Goshen, where my people are staying, so that no swarms of flies will be there, that you may know that I am the Lord in the midst of this land. 8:23 I will put a division between my people and your people. This sign will take place tomorrow."'" 8:24 The Lord did so; a thick swarm of flies came into Pharaoh's house and into the houses of his servants, and throughout the whole land of Egypt the land was ruined because of the swarms of flies. 8:25 Then Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron and said, "Go, sacrifice to your God within the land." 8:26 But Moses said, "That would not be the right thing to do, for the sacrifices we make to the Lord our God would be an abomination to the Egyptians. If we make sacrifices that are an abomination to the Egyptians right before their eyes, will they not stone us? 8:27 We must go on a three-day journey into the desert and sacrifice to the Lord our God, just as he is telling us." 8:28 Pharaoh said, "I will release you so that you may sacrifice to the Lord your God in the desert. Only you must not go very far. Do pray for me." 8:29 Moses said, "I am going to go out from you and pray to the Lord, and the swarms of flies will go away from Pharaoh, from his servants, and from his people tomorrow. Only do not let Pharaoh deal falsely again by not releasing the people to sacrifice to the Lord." 8:30 So Moses went out from Pharaoh and prayed to the Lord, 8:31 and the Lord did as Moses asked -- he removed the swarms of flies from Pharaoh, from his servants, and from his people. Not one remained! 8:32 But Pharaoh hardened his heart this time also and did not release the people. The Fifth Blow: Disease 9:1 Then the Lord said to Moses, "Go to Pharaoh and tell him, 'Thus says the Lord, the God of the Hebrews, "Release my people that they may serve me! 9:2 For if you refuse to release them and continue holding them, 9:3 then the hand of the Lord will surely bring a very terrible plague on your livestock in the field, on the horses, the donkeys, the camels, the herds, and the flocks. 9:4 But the Lord will distinguish between the livestock of Israel and the livestock of Egypt, and nothing will die of all that the Israelites have."'" 9:5 The Lord set an appointed time, saying, "Tomorrow the Lord will do this in the land." 9:6 And the Lord did this on the next day; all the livestock of the Egyptians died, but of the Israelites' livestock not one died. 9:7 Pharaoh sent representatives to investigate, and indeed, not even one of the livestock of Israel had died. But Pharaoh's heart remained hard, and he did not release the people. Prayer Lord, Your mere word or thought can bring great blessing of catastrophe to a nation that appears great in the eyes of man, may I be found grateful that You choose to smile upon this your ever-imperfect servant. Commentary God instructs Moses to warn Pharaoh of the plague of flies, but this time Moses does nothing more than to deliver the message. One of the other unique elements in this text is that God explains His protection of Goshen, where the Israelites lived, from the plague -- "/... that you may know that I am the Lord in the midst of this land./" Moses negotiates with Pharaoh, who wants them to worship in Goshen, but Moses says they must do so in Canaan -- outside of Egypt. Pharaoh agrees but asks that they not travel far, and that Moses will pray to have the flies removed. Moses keeps his word but Pharaoh, once again, does not -- as God foretold. God then strikes only the cattle of the Egyptians with a deadly plague and ever though Pharaoh verifies that the Israelite cattle were unharmed he refuses to release them. Interaction Consider this: Pharaoh, in attempting to negotiate with Moses, still doesn't comprehend that he is out-matched and cannot prevail. His arrogance is profound and his heart hard as stone. Discuss this: It is easy to question Pharaoh's sanity here but could someone not find a blind-spot in your life where you have plenty of evidence to cause you to do something differently but you continue in a wrong direction? Reflect on this: God twice stuck Egypt and clearly protected the Israelites -- how hard could it have been for Pharaoh to recognize the power and precision of God? Share this: When have you been too stubborn to recognize important information right in front of you? What happened? Faith in Action Prayer: Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a blind-spot in your life. Action: Today I will act on the information the Holy Spirit has revealed, choosing wisdom over stubbornness. Be Specific ______________________________________________________ Monday's text will be: *Exodus 9:8-35* -- Have an http://Ultrafidian.com Day! Pastor David ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Personal Site: http://bibleseven.com Bible Resources: http://bible.org ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From pastordavid at bibleseven.com Sun Aug 8 20:56:02 2010 From: pastordavid at bibleseven.com (pastordavid at bibleseven.com) Date: Sun, 08 Aug 2010 20:56:02 -0400 Subject: [Linux4christians] Monday Exodus 9:8-35 Message-ID: <4C5F5222.6070805@bibleseven.com> Monday *Exodus 9:8-35* The Sixth Blow: Boils 9:8 Then the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, "Take handfuls of soot from a furnace, and have Moses throw it into the air while Pharaoh is watching. 9:9 It will become fine dust over the whole land of Egypt and will cause boils to break out and fester on both people and animals in all the land of Egypt." 9:10 So they took soot from a furnace and stood before Pharaoh, Moses threw it into the air, and it caused festering boils to break out on both people and animals. 9:11 The magicians could not stand before Moses because of the boils, for boils were on the magicians and on all the Egyptians. 9:12 But the Lord hardened Pharaoh's heart, and he did not listen to them, just as the Lord had predicted to Moses. The Seventh Blow: Hail 9:13 The Lord said to Moses, "Get up early in the morning, stand before Pharaoh, and tell him, 'Thus says the Lord, the God of the Hebrews: "Release my people so that they may serve me! 9:14 For this time I will send all my plagues on your very self and on your servants and your people, so that you may know that there is no one like me in all the earth. 9:15 For by now I could have stretched out my hand and struck you and your people with plague, and you would have been destroyed from the earth. 9:16 But for this purpose I have caused you to stand: to show you my strength, and so that my name may be declared in all the earth. 9:17 You are still exalting yourself against my people by not releasing them. 9:18 I am going to cause very severe hail to rain down about this time tomorrow, such hail as has never occurred in Egypt from the day it was founded until now. 9:19 So now, send instructions to gather your livestock and all your possessions in the fields to a safe place. Every person or animal caught in the field and not brought into the house -- the hail will come down on them, and they will die!"'" 9:20 Those of Pharaoh's servants who feared the word of the Lord hurried to bring their servants and livestock into the houses, 9:21 but those who did not take the word of the Lord seriously left their servants and their cattle in the field. 9:22 Then the Lord said to Moses, "Extend your hand toward the sky that there may be hail in all the land of Egypt, on people and on animals, and on everything that grows in the field in the land of Egypt." 9:23 When Moses extended his staff toward the sky, the Lord sent thunder and hail, and fire fell to the earth; so the Lord caused hail to rain down on the land of Egypt. 9:24 Hail fell and fire mingled with the hail; the hail was so severe that there had not been any like it in all the land of Egypt since it had become a nation. 9:25 The hail struck everything in the open fields, both people and animals, throughout all the land of Egypt. The hail struck everything that grows in the field, and it broke all the trees of the field to pieces. 9:26 Only in the land of Goshen, where the Israelites lived, was there no hail. 9:27 So Pharaoh sent and summoned Moses and Aaron and said to them, "I have sinned this time! The Lord is righteous, and I and my people are guilty. 9:28 Pray to the Lord, for the mighty thunderings and hail are too much! I will release you and you will stay no longer." 9:29 Moses said to him, "When I leave the city I will spread my hands to the Lord, the thunder will cease, and there will be no more hail, so that you may know that the earth belongs to the Lord. 9:30 But as for you and your servants, I know that you do not yet fear the Lord God." 9:31 (Now the flax and the barley were struck by the hail, for the barley had ripened and the flax was in bud. 9:32 But the wheat and the spelt were not struck, for they are later crops.) 9:33 So Moses left Pharaoh, went out of the city, and spread out his hands to the Lord, and the thunder and the hail ceased, and the rain stopped pouring on the earth. 9:34 When Pharaoh saw that the rain and hail and thunder ceased, he sinned again: both he and his servants hardened their hearts. 9:35 So Pharaoh's heart remained hard, and he did not release the Israelites, as the Lord had predicted through Moses. Prayer Lord, You warn us and You warn us again, but sometimes we are so stubborn that You must increase the loudness of Your message until we listen. Commentary The Sixth plague was unmistakably the hand of God through Moses; the boils covered the people and the animals and even the magician/witches, yet still Pharaoh refused to relent. God instructs Moses to inform Pharaoh that much worse is to come and to further explain "/9:15 For by now //*I could have*// stretched out my hand and struck you and your people with plague, and //*you would have been destroyed*// from the earth. 9:16 But for this purpose I have caused you to stand: to show you my strength, and so //*that my name may be declared*// in all the earth./" God instructs Moses to warn Pharaoh and his people to protect anything they care about because He was sending hail and fire from the sky, interestingly there were apparently many who were wiser than Pharaoh as the text reports "9:20 /Those of Pharaoh's servants who feared the word of the Lord hurried to bring their servants and livestock into the houses,/" Once again God protected Goshen, the land in Egypt where the Israelites lived. The destruction was terrible and Pharaoh uttered some new words "/I have //*sinned*// this time! //*The Lord is righteous*//, and I and my people are guilty./ " Even so, when the storm ceased so did Pharaoh's will to do the right thing. Interaction Consider this: In a new variable God warns Pharaoh and his people to protect themselves against the coming hail and fire storm. Some had become wise enough to listen to the Lord God and some, despite all of the evidence of the first 6 plagues, had not. Discuss this: Was it not God's grace which motivated His merciful warning to those who would believe His prophesy and heed His instructions to protect their servants and livestock? Reflect on this: God did not simply destroy the Egyptians for their disobedience because He wanted to make His power and presence known through them to all of the known world. Share this: When have you been warned about something yet refused to pay attention -- and the result was bad? Faith in Action Prayer: Ask the Holy Spirit to remind you of something God has warned you to avoid or to flee. Action: Today I will act on God's warning, separating myself from a place of danger, or avoiding it in the first place. It may be a bad attitude, bad associations, bad habits, bad theology, or other bad influences that rain evil down upon me (sources of entertainment, friends, non-Biblical philosophies and religions, etc.) Be Specific ______________________________________________________ Tuesday's text will be: *Exodus 10:1-20* -- Have an http://Ultrafidian.com Day! Pastor David ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Personal Site: http://bibleseven.com Bible Resources: http://bible.org ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From pastordavid at bibleseven.com Tue Aug 10 18:36:37 2010 From: pastordavid at bibleseven.com (pastordavid at bibleseven.com) Date: Tue, 10 Aug 2010 18:36:37 -0400 Subject: [Linux4christians] Tuesday Exodus 10:1-20 Message-ID: <4C61D475.3060504@bibleseven.com> Tuesday *Exodus 10:1-20* The Eighth Blow: Locusts 10:1 The Lord said to Moses, "Go to Pharaoh, for I have hardened his heart and the heart of his servants, in order to display these signs of mine before him, 10:2 and in order that in the hearing of your son and your grandson you may tell how I made fools of the Egyptians and about my signs that I displayed among them, so that you may know that I am the Lord." 10:3 So Moses and Aaron came to Pharaoh and told him, "Thus says the Lord, the God of the Hebrews: 'How long do you refuse to humble yourself before me? Release my people so that they may serve me! 10:4 But if you refuse to release my people, I am going to bring locusts into your territory tomorrow. 10:5 They will cover the surface of the earth, so that you will be unable to see the ground. They will eat the remainder of what escaped -- what is left over for you -- from the hail, and they will eat every tree that grows for you from the field. 10:6 They will fill your houses, the houses of your servants, and all the houses of Egypt, such as neither your fathers nor your grandfathers have seen since they have been in the land until this day!'" Then Moses turned and went out from Pharaoh. 10:7 Pharaoh's servants said to him, "How long will this man be a menace to us? Release the people so that they may serve the Lord their God. Do you not know that Egypt is destroyed?" 10:8 So Moses and Aaron were brought back to Pharaoh, and he said to them, "Go, serve the Lord your God. Exactly who is going with you?" 10:9 Moses said, "We will go with our young and our old, with our sons and our daughters, and with our sheep and our cattle we will go, because we are to hold a pilgrim feast for the Lord." 10:10 He said to them, "The Lord will need to be with you if I release you and your dependents! Watch out! Trouble is right in front of you! 10:11 No! Go, you men only, and serve the Lord, for that is what you want." Then Moses and Aaron were driven out of Pharaoh's presence. 10:12 The Lord said to Moses, "Extend your hand over the land of Egypt for the locusts, that they may come up over the land of Egypt and eat everything that grows in the ground, everything that the hail has left." 10:13 So Moses extended his staff over the land of Egypt, and then the Lord brought an east wind on the land all that day and all night. The morning came, and the east wind had brought up the locusts! 10:14 The locusts went up over all the land of Egypt and settled down in all the territory of Egypt. It was very severe; there had been no locusts like them before, nor will there be such ever again. 10:15 They covered the surface of all the ground, so that the ground became dark with them, and they ate all the vegetation of the ground and all the fruit of the trees that the hail had left. Nothing green remained on the trees or on anything that grew in the fields throughout the whole land of Egypt. 10:16 Then Pharaoh quickly summoned Moses and Aaron and said, "I have sinned against the Lord your God and against you! 10:17 So now, forgive my sin this time only, and pray to the Lord your God that he would only take this death away from me." 10:18 Moses went out from Pharaoh and prayed to the Lord, 10:19 and the Lord turned a very strong west wind, and it picked up the locusts and blew them into the Red Sea. Not one locust remained in all the territory of Egypt. 10:20 But the Lord hardened Pharaoh's heart, and he did not release the Israelites. Prayer Lord, may our hearts not be found hard toward You, so that You must bring "a plague of locusts" into our lives to get our attention. Commentary God explains that He not only does not have Pharaoh's attention but that He still desires that the children and grandchildren of Moses and Aaron become properly acquainted with His Lordship, and for that purpose Pharaoh's arrogant stubbornness is opportune. Moses warns Pharaoh about the plague of locusts and Pharaoh's advisors plead with him to let the Israelites go because Egypt "/is already destroyed/" (they were trying to preserve the barley and spelt crops as well as some fruit and nut trees which survived the hail). Pharaoh arrogantly attempts to control the details of Moses request for the exodus of the Israelites to serve God, Moses refuses to negotiate, so Pharaoh has him run out of the palace. The plague of the locusts is as God warned Pharaoh through Moses and once again Pharaoh acknowledges that he has sinned against God and asks Moses to pray for the locusts to be gone. Interaction Consider this: God always has a perfect purpose, in this case it was to teach the next two generations of Israelites about Himself in contrast to a mere human king, and as a demonstration of His power to protect and to provide. (The latter they should have known from Joseph.) Discuss this: Does it seem absurd to you that Pharaoh would be so obsessed with holding onto the "Hebrew" slaves to build his temples and other structures that he would allow the rest of Egypt to be systematically-destroyed? Reflect on this: The expression "/But the Lord hardened Pharaoh's heart .../" is worth revisiting here in the midst of this titanic struggle between Pharaoh, who thinks he is one among many gods, and the Lord God Who is the only true God. Pharaoh's heart was hardened against God from the beginning, God didn't cause it to be so, He amplifies the hardness to serve as an object lesson to those observing. Share this: When has God overcome what seemed to be insurmountable odds in you life? Did that increase your faith? Faith in Action Prayer: Ask the Holy Spirit to show you a place in your life where you need to see things through His eyes. Action: Today I will accept the leading of the Holy Spirit and repent (turn away from ) those things I value which are blocking my vision of that which God says is most valuable. It may be an obsession with comfort, entertainment, hobby, money, popularity, power, sports, tradition, or anything else that is out of balance in my life and is keeping me from being and doing what Jesus saved me to be and to do. Be Specific ______________________________________________________ Wednesday's text will be: *Exodus 10:21-11:10* -- Have an http://Ultrafidian.com Day! Pastor David ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Personal Site: http://bibleseven.com Bible Resources: http://bible.org ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From pastordavid at bibleseven.com Wed Aug 11 16:58:27 2010 From: pastordavid at bibleseven.com (pastordavid at bibleseven.com) Date: Wed, 11 Aug 2010 16:58:27 -0400 Subject: [Linux4christians] Wednesday Exodus 10:21-11:10 Message-ID: <4C630EF3.4020307@bibleseven.com> Wednesday *Exodus 10:21-11:10* The Ninth Blow: Darkness 10:21 The Lord said to Moses, "Extend your hand toward heaven so that there may be darkness over the land of Egypt, a darkness so thick it can be felt." 10:22 So Moses extended his hand toward heaven, and there was absolute darkness throughout the land of Egypt for three days. 10:23 No one could see another person, and no one could rise from his place for three days. But the Israelites had light in the places where they lived. 10:24 Then Pharaoh summoned Moses and said, "Go, serve the Lord -- only your flocks and herds will be detained. Even your families may go with you." 10:25 But Moses said, "Will you also provide us with sacrifices and burnt offerings that we may present them to the Lord our God? 10:26 Our livestock must also go with us! Not a hoof is to be left behind! For we must take these animals to serve the Lord our God. Until we arrive there, we do not know what we must use to serve the Lord." 10:27 But the Lord hardened Pharaoh's heart, and he was not willing to release them. 10:28 Pharaoh said to him, "Go from me! Watch out for yourself! Do not appear before me again, for when you see my face you will die!" 10:29 Moses said, "As you wish! I will not see your face again." The Tenth Blow: Death 11:1 The Lord said to Moses, "I will bring one more plague on Pharaoh and on Egypt; after that he will release you from this place. When he releases you, he will drive you out completely from this place. 11:2 Instruct the people that each man and each woman is to request from his or her neighbor items of silver and gold." 11:3 (Now the Lord granted the people favor with the Egyptians. Moreover, the man Moses was very great in the land of Egypt, respected by Pharaoh's servants and by the Egyptian people.) 11:4 Moses said, "Thus says the Lord: 'About midnight I will go throughout Egypt, 11:5 and all the firstborn in the land of Egypt will die, from the firstborn son of Pharaoh who sits on his throne, to the firstborn son of the slave girl who is at her hand mill, and all the firstborn of the cattle. 11:6 There will be a great cry throughout the whole land of Egypt, such as there has never been, nor ever will be again. 11:7 But against any of the Israelites not even a dog will bark against either people or animals, so that you may know that the Lord distinguishes between Egypt and Israel.' 11:8 All these your servants will come down to me and bow down to me, saying, 'Go, you and all the people who follow you,' and after that I will go out." Then Moses went out from Pharaoh in great anger. 11:9 The Lord said to Moses, "Pharaoh will not listen to you, so that my wonders may be multiplied in the land of Egypt." 11:10 So Moses and Aaron did all these wonders before Pharaoh, but the Lord hardened Pharaoh's heart, and he did not release the Israelites from his land. Prayer Lord, may we not be so stubborn and our words to violent and ill-conceived that we bring upon ourselves that which we wish upon others. Commentary God sends three days of utter darkness upon Egypt, yet the part of Egypt occupied by the Israelites remained light. Pharaoh continued to think that he had the power to dictate boundaries for the Israelites. When Moses rejected his limitations Pharaoh threatens to kill him the next time he saw him. Before Moses left Pharaoh God gave him one last pronouncement; the death of the firstborns, even of the cattle. God reminded Moses of His prophesy, saying "/Instruct the people that each man and each woman is to request from his or her neighbor items of silver and gold/." God declared His intention to leave a lasting impression upon the Egyptians, and any who would hear of what He had done, saying "/But against any of the Israelites not even a dog will bark against either people or animals, so that you may know that the Lord distinguishes between Egypt and Israel./" Interaction Consider this: When God says that a person or a people belong to Him those so affiliated benefit from His protection and provision. The Pharaoh threatening the life of God's anointed - Moses, after all of the evidence of his close association with the God of power, seems foolish in retrospect. Discuss this: Why do you think that Moses was so angry? /"All these your servants will come down to me and bow down to me, saying, 'Go, you and all the people who follow you,' and after that I will go out." Then Moses went out from Pharaoh in great anger"/ Reflect on this: Egypt had been blessed in many ways due to its association with the Israelites, from the time of Joseph to the time of Moses, including the immoral benefit of their slave-labor. God stripped-away all that they had gained -- crops, livestock, health, and valuables (gold and silver) -- restoring Egypt to their pre-Israelite condition, perhaps minus something for their mistreatment of His people. Share this: When have you you observed a situation where someone who has no power, and who has behaved badly, continued to make demands or to try to dictate terms despite the clear evidence that in so doing they make their situation worse? Faith in Action Prayer Ask the Holy Spirit to show you where, following a time of trouble, He has brought you out and provided for you. Action Today I will share, with a fellow believer, the story of God's restoration and blessing of me. It may be when He saved me from an addiction, a destructive relationship, an ethically-compromising work environment, a sin-promoting lifestyle, or other place of bondage to the world. And, as the Lord provides, I will also share this story with someone who is considering-Christ as an act of evangelistic-missions. Be Specific ______________________________________________________ Thursday's text will be: *Exodus 12:1-13* -- Have an http://Ultrafidian.com Day! Pastor David ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Personal Site: http://bibleseven.com Bible Resources: http://bible.org ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From pastordavid at bibleseven.com Wed Aug 11 20:53:24 2010 From: pastordavid at bibleseven.com (pastordavid at bibleseven.com) Date: Wed, 11 Aug 2010 20:53:24 -0400 Subject: [Linux4christians] Thursday Exodus 12:1-13 Message-ID: <4C634604.106@bibleseven.com> Thursday *Exodus 12:1-13* The Institution of the Passover 12:1 The Lord said to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt, 12:2 "This month is to be your beginning of months; it will be your first month of the year. 12:3 Tell the whole community of Israel, 'In the tenth day of this month they each must take a lamb for themselves according to their families -- a lamb for each household. 12:4 If any household is too small for a lamb, the man and his next-door neighbor are to take a lamb according to the number of people -- you will make your count for the lamb according to how much each one can eat. 12:5 Your lamb must be perfect, a male, one year old; you may take it from the sheep or from the goats. 12:6 You must care for it until the fourteenth day of this month, and then the whole community of Israel will kill it around sundown. 12:7 They will take some of the blood and put it on the two side posts and top of the doorframe of the houses where they will eat it. 12:8 They will eat the meat the same night; they will eat it roasted over the fire with bread made without yeast and with bitter herbs. 12:9 Do not eat it raw or boiled in water, but roast it over the fire with its head, its legs, and its entrails. 12:10 You must leave nothing until morning, but you must burn with fire whatever remains of it until morning. 12:11 This is how you are to eat it -- dressed to travel, your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand. You are to eat it in haste. It is the Lord's Passover. 12:12 I will pass through the land of Egypt in the same night, and I will attack all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both of humans and of animals, and on all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment. I am the Lord. 12:13 The blood will be a sign for you on the houses where you are, so that when I see the blood I will pass over you, and this plague will not fall on you to destroy you when I attack the land of Egypt. Prayer Lord, the initiation of the Passover rite was significant step up in the commitment of Your people to recognize Your Lordship, may Christians remember that what we call "Communion" is an equally powerful symbol of Your Lordship. Commentary God instructs the Israelites as to how they might protect themselves against the coming final judgment of the Egyptians who have held them in captivity and who have rejected God's demand to set them free. The Israelites, at least the obedient among them, were to sacrifice a "perfect" lamb (goat or sheep). This text refers only in the generic to "firstborn", but the prior Chapter Verse 11:5 is rendered "/... and all the firstborn in the land of Egypt will die, from the firstborn son of Pharaoh who sits on his throne, to the firstborn son of the slave girl who is at her hand mill, and all the firstborn of the cattle./", implying that it was the firstborn males who were to be targeted. Psalm 135:8 offers clarification "/He struck down the firstborn of Egypt, including both men and animals./" In both cases the Net Bible - Word Analysis shows the intended meaning to be gender-specific: male. God explains how they will keep this new rite as a reminder of His protection, provision, and His Lordship. God warns that the failure to obey His detailed instructions closely will result in tragedy. Interaction Consider this: God destroyed the last and most valued thing of all, the firstborn male of both humans and livestock -- taking the final step of getting the Pharaoh's attention -- and that of the Egyptians whose cooperation allowed Pharaoh to enslave God's people. God only offered protection to the people of Israel "/Tell the whole community of Israel"/ Discuss this: This is the first time that God has told the people to dress to travel and that what is about to happen is to be remembered in a rite to be repeated annually -- how must they have felt after several false-starts to finally be told that this it the time of their exodus from Egypt? Reflect on this: Note how sensitive God is to the details where He allowed that a small family, or one with small children who did not eat much might join with another family, as they were to eat the entire lamb and to burn the leftovers. Share this: When have you anticipated a change for a while but circumstances forced you to wait, even after more than one false-start? How did you feel when the time finally arrived? Faith in Action Prayer: Ask the Holy Spirit to show you somewhere in your life where He has provided a way out. (1 Corinthians 10:13) Action: Today I will share with a fellow Christian God's provision of a way out, and exodus, in my life. We will celebrate His faithfulness together. Be Specific ______________________________________________________ Friday's text will be: *Exodus 12:14-28* -- Have an http://Ultrafidian.com Day! Pastor David ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Personal Site: http://bibleseven.com Bible Resources: http://bible.org ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From pastordavid at bibleseven.com Thu Aug 12 15:39:49 2010 From: pastordavid at bibleseven.com (pastordavid at bibleseven.com) Date: Thu, 12 Aug 2010 15:39:49 -0400 Subject: [Linux4christians] Friday Exodus 12:14-28 Message-ID: <4C644E05.3070503@bibleseven.com> Friday *Exodus 12:14-28* 12:14 This day will become a memorial for you, and you will celebrate it as a festival to the Lord -- you will celebrate it perpetually as a lasting ordinance. 12:15 For seven days you must eat bread made without yeast. Surely on the first day you must put away yeast from your houses because anyone who eats bread made with yeast from the first day to the seventh day will be cut off from Israel. 12:16 On the first day there will be a holy convocation, and on the seventh day there will be a holy convocation for you. You must do no work of any kind on them, only what every person will eat -- that alone may be prepared for you. 12:17 So you will keep the Feast of Unleavened Bread, because on this very day I brought your regiments out from the land of Egypt, and so you must keep this day perpetually as a lasting ordinance. 12:18 In the first month, from the fourteenth day of the month, in the evening, you will eat bread made without yeast until the twenty-first day of the month in the evening. 12:19 For seven days yeast must not be found in your houses, for whoever eats what is made with yeast -- that person will be cut off from the community of Israel, whether a foreigner or one born in the land. 12:20 You will not eat anything made with yeast; in all the places where you live you must eat bread made without yeast.'" 12:21 Then Moses summoned all the elders of Israel, and told them, "Go and select for yourselves a lamb or young goat for your families, and kill the Passover animals. 12:22 Take a branch of hyssop, dip it in the blood that is in the basin, and apply to the top of the doorframe and the two side posts some of the blood that is in the basin. Not one of you is to go out the door of his house until morning. 12:23 For the Lord will pass through to strike Egypt, and when he sees the blood on the top of the doorframe and the two side posts, then the Lord will pass over the door, and he will not permit the destroyer to enter your houses to strike you. 12:24 You must observe this event as an ordinance for you and for your children forever. 12:25 When you enter the land that the Lord will give to you, just as he said, you must observe this ceremony. 12:26 When your children ask you, 'What does this ceremony mean to you?' -- 12:27 then you will say, 'It is the sacrifice of the Lord's Passover, when he passed over the houses of the Israelites in Egypt, when he struck Egypt and delivered our households.'" The people bowed down low to the ground, 12:28 and the Israelites went away and did exactly as the Lord had commanded Moses and Aaron. Prayer Lord, although the old festival and sacrificial system has passed away, may we never forget all that You did because of Your faithful love for Israel -- so that it remains a constant reminder that You are equally faithful to us. Commentary Celebration, convocation, feast, festival, memorial, passover, and sacrifice are all terms the text uses to define the rite of remembrance of the plague which brought the exodus from Egypt. God explains the reason for the perpetual (for the generations of Israelites) "... because on this very day I brought your regiments out from the land of Egypt" God describes in general and with some specificity what is to be done and not done. (Additional detail would come later in the life of Israel.) According to the Net translators the hyssop was a common plant whose shape and texture was well-suited for painting blood on the doorframe and for use by priests in rituals that involved blood. It may also have been an aromatic herb. Interaction Consider this: Just as the blood of the "perfect" lamb protected the Israelites against the "destroyer" in Egypt the blood of The Lamb, Jesus, will protect us in the last days of the end times when God comes in final judgment. Discuss this: After all of the plagues visited upon Egypt, how frightening must it have been to hear that the very angel of death "the destroyer" would be passing through all of Egypt -- including Goshen -- which had previously been spared? Reflect on this: God knew how quickly people would forget His liberation of them from bondage in Egypt, so not only did He require an annual remembrance, He placed strict limits to prevent them from being distracted with the busyness of their usual work. Share this: When have you made time to pause and to remember how and when God set you free from the bondage of eternally-unforgiven sin? Faith in Action Prayer: Ask the Holy Spirit to bring to your remembrance how and when He set you free. Action: Today I will make plans for an annual celebration of my salvation. I will not make it about me, or about the sin from which I was set free, but rather about the One Who set me free and celebrate His victory. Be Specific ______________________________________________________ Saturday's text will be: *Exodus 12:29-42* -- Have an http://Ultrafidian.com Day! Pastor David ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Personal Site: http://bibleseven.com Bible Resources: http://bible.org ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From fmiller at lightlink.com Fri Aug 13 00:02:03 2010 From: fmiller at lightlink.com (Fred A. Miller) Date: Fri, 13 Aug 2010 00:02:03 -0400 Subject: [Linux4christians] Canonical Begins Tracking Ubuntu Installations Message-ID: <4C64C3BB.1030301@lightlink.com> http://linux.slashdot.org/story/10/08/10/0319243/Canonical-Begins-Tracking-Ubuntu-Installations?from=rss&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Slashdot%2FslashdotLinux+%28Slashdot%3A+Linux%29 -- "Gun control is like trying to reduce drunk driving by making it tougher for sober people to own cars." - Unknown -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From fmiller at lightlink.com Sun Aug 15 13:28:29 2010 From: fmiller at lightlink.com (Fred A. Miller) Date: Sun, 15 Aug 2010 13:28:29 -0400 Subject: [Linux4christians] OT: I am unable to adequately describe the talent possessed by this little girl!!!!!!!! Message-ID: <4C6823BD.80506@lightlink.com> YouTube - America's Got Talent YouTube Special - Jackie Evancho http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SKhmFSV-XB0 -- "Gun control is like trying to reduce drunk driving by making it tougher for sober people to own cars." - Unknown -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From pastordavid at bibleseven.com Sat Aug 14 18:49:40 2010 From: pastordavid at bibleseven.com (pastordavid at bibleseven.com) Date: Sat, 14 Aug 2010 18:49:40 -0400 Subject: [Linux4christians] Sunday Exodus 13 Message-ID: <4C671D84.9000508@bibleseven.com> Sunday *Exodus 13* The Law of the Firstborn 13:1 The Lord spoke to Moses: 13:2 "Set apart to me every firstborn male -- the first offspring of every womb among the Israelites, whether human or animal; it is mine." 13:3 Moses said to the people, "Remember this day on which you came out from Egypt, from the place where you were enslaved, for the Lord brought you out of there with a mighty hand -- and no bread made with yeast may be eaten. 13:4 On this day, in the month of Abib, you are going out. 13:5 When the Lord brings you to the land of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Hivites, and Jebusites, which he swore to your fathers to give you, a land flowing with milk and honey, then you will keep this ceremony in this month. 13:6 For seven days you must eat bread made without yeast, and on the seventh day there is to be a festival to the Lord. 13:7 Bread made without yeast must be eaten for seven days; no bread made with yeast shall be seen among you, and you must have no yeast among you within any of your borders. 13:8 You are to tell your son on that day, 'It is because of what the Lord did for me when I came out of Egypt.' 13:9 It will be a sign for you on your hand and a memorial on your forehead, so that the law of the Lord may be in your mouth, for with a mighty hand the Lord brought you out of Egypt. 13:10 So you must keep this ordinance at its appointed time from year to year. 13:11 When the Lord brings you into the land of the Canaanites, as he swore to you and to your fathers, and gives it to you, 13:12 then you must give over to the Lord the first offspring of every womb. Every firstling of a beast that you have -- the males will be the Lord's. 13:13 Every firstling of a donkey you must redeem with a lamb, and if you do not redeem it, then you must break its neck. Every firstborn of your sons you must redeem. 13:14 In the future, when your son asks you 'What is this?' you are to tell him, 'With a mighty hand the Lord brought us out from Egypt, from the land of slavery. 13:15 When Pharaoh stubbornly refused to release us, the Lord killed all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of people to the firstborn of animals. That is why I am sacrificing to the Lord the first male offspring of every womb, but all my firstborn sons I redeem.' 13:16 It will be for a sign on your hand and for frontlets on your forehead, for with a mighty hand the Lord brought us out of Egypt." The Leading of God 13:17 When Pharaoh released the people, God did not lead them by the way to the land of the Philistines, although that was nearby, for God said, "Lest the people change their minds and return to Egypt when they experience war." 13:18 So God brought the people around by the way of the desert to the Red Sea, and the Israelites went up from the land of Egypt prepared for battle. 13:19 Moses took the bones of Joseph with him, for Joseph had made the Israelites solemnly swear, "God will surely attend to you, and you will carry my bones up from this place with you." 13:20 They journeyed from Sukkoth and camped in Etham, on the edge of the desert. 13:21 Now the Lord was going before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead them in the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so that they could travel day or night. 13:22 He did not remove the pillar of cloud by day nor the pillar of fire by night from before the people. Prayer Lord, You set them free, guided them, and protected them -- You are a truly loving God. Commentary God requires of the Israelites the firstborn animals as sacrifices of remembrance and the firstborn children as ones dedicated to His service. God explains that this will be an assurance they they never forget what He did for them in Egypt. As the people left Egypt they left after generations as slaves, they were ill-equipped for a nomadic life nor were they prepared for military conflict, so God directed them away from the land of the Philistines. Although God could have easily protected them against the Philistines He knew that their faith was weak and their hearts fickle and He did not want them retreating to Egypt out of fear. Moses kept the word that had been given to Joseph and brought his bones with them. There was no spiritual power in that but a matter of integrity and of symbolism of the return home. God guided this huge populace, over a million people "/Now the Lord was going before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead them in the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so that they could travel day or night. 13:22 He did not remove the pillar of cloud by day nor the pillar of fire by night from before the people./" Interaction Consider this: While the Egyptians would not soon forget the God Who tore His people free of their selfish clutches the Israelites, facing danger and trial, might easily forget -- so God requires of them several elements of sacrificial remembrance. Discuss this: Over a million people traveling together, something rarely seen in the history of the world, what must it have been like to deal with all of the needs? Reflect on this: God made it possible for everyone to see Him leading, a "... /pillar of cloud by day nor the pillar of fire by night"/He kept them from getting lost along the way and allowed them to travel as was best due to the weather. Share this: When have you been through a time of change and the Lord provided clear guidance to you? Faith in Action Prayer: Ask the Holy Spirit to show you a path around conflict so that you will not be distracted from the task He has set before you. Action: Today I will pray and study, and I will ask a fellow believer to pray in-agreement, that I hear rightly from the Holy Spirit how I might avoid a looming conflict. This is not because I should fear conflict, indeed sometimes it is unavoidable, but this is about avoidable conflict that might distract me from His mission. I will act according to lead of the Holy Spirit and I will share the results with a fellow believer as an encouragement to them. Be Specific ______________________________________________________ Monday's text will be: *Exodus 14* -- Have an http://Ultrafidian.com Day! Pastor David ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Personal Site: http://bibleseven.com Bible Resources: http://bible.org ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From pastordavid at bibleseven.com Sun Aug 15 20:08:11 2010 From: pastordavid at bibleseven.com (pastordavid at bibleseven.com) Date: Sun, 15 Aug 2010 20:08:11 -0400 Subject: [Linux4christians] Monday Exodus 14 Message-ID: <4C68816B.5020607@bibleseven.com> Monday *Exodus 14* The Victory at the Red Sea 14:1 The Lord spoke to Moses: 14:2 "Tell the Israelites that they must turn and camp before Pi-hahiroth, between Migdol and the sea; you are to camp by the sea before Baal Zephon opposite it. 14:3 Pharaoh will think regarding the Israelites, 'They are wandering around confused in the land -- the desert has closed in on them.' 14:4 I will harden Pharaoh's heart, and he will chase after them. I will gain honor because of Pharaoh and because of all his army, and the Egyptians will know that I am the Lord." So this is what they did. 14:5 When it was reported to the king of Egypt that the people had fled, the heart of Pharaoh and his servants was turned against the people, and the king and his servants said, "What in the world have we done? For we have released the people of Israel from serving us!" 14:6 Then he prepared his chariots and took his army with him. 14:7 He took six hundred select chariots, and all the rest of the chariots of Egypt, and officers on all of them. 14:8 But the Lord hardened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and he chased after the Israelites. Now the Israelites were going out defiantly. 14:9 The Egyptians chased after them, and all the horses and chariots of Pharaoh and his horsemen and his army overtook them camping by the sea, beside Pi-hahiroth, before Baal-Zephon. 14:10 When Pharaoh got closer, the Israelites looked up, and there were the Egyptians marching after them, and they were terrified. The Israelites cried out to the Lord, 14:11 and they said to Moses, "Is it because there are no graves in Egypt that you have taken us away to die in the desert? What in the world have you done to us by bringing us out of Egypt? 14:12 Isn't this what we told you in Egypt, 'Leave us alone so that we can serve the Egyptians, because it is better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the desert!'" 14:13 Moses said to the people, "Do not fear! Stand firm and see the salvation of the Lord that he will provide for you today; for the Egyptians that you see today you will never, ever see again. 14:14 The Lord will fight for you, and you can be still." 14:15 The Lord said to Moses, "Why do you cry out to me? Tell the Israelites to move on. 14:16 And as for you, lift up your staff and extend your hand toward the sea and divide it, so that the Israelites may go through the middle of the sea on dry ground. 14:17 And as for me, I am going to harden the hearts of the Egyptians so that they will come after them, that I may be honored because of Pharaoh and his army and his chariots and his horsemen. 14:18 And the Egyptians will know that I am the Lord when I have gained my honor because of Pharaoh, his chariots, and his horsemen." 14:19 The angel of God, who was going before the camp of Israel, moved and went behind them, and the pillar of cloud moved from before them and stood behind them. 14:20 It came between the Egyptian camp and the Israelite camp; it was a dark cloud and it lit up the night so that one camp did not come near the other the whole night. 14:21 Moses stretched out his hand toward the sea, and the Lord drove the sea apart by a strong east wind all that night, and he made the sea into dry land, and the water was divided. 14:22 So the Israelites went through the middle of the sea on dry ground, the water forming a wall for them on their right and on their left. 14:23 The Egyptians chased them and followed them into the middle of the sea -- all the horses of Pharaoh, his chariots, and his horsemen. 14:24 In the morning watch the Lord looked down on the Egyptian army through the pillar of fire and cloud, and he threw the Egyptian army into a panic. 14:25 He jammed the wheels of their chariots so that they had difficulty driving, and the Egyptians said, "Let's flee from Israel, for the Lord fights for them against Egypt!" 14:26 The Lord said to Moses, "Extend your hand toward the sea, so that the waters may flow back on the Egyptians, on their chariots, and on their horsemen!" 14:27 So Moses extended his hand toward the sea, and the sea returned to its normal state when the sun began to rise. Now the Egyptians were fleeing before it, but the Lord overthrew the Egyptians in the middle of the sea. 14:28 The water returned and covered the chariots and the horsemen and all the army of Pharaoh that was coming after the Israelites into the sea -- not so much as one of them survived! 14:29 But the Israelites walked on dry ground in the middle of the sea, the water forming a wall for them on their right and on their left. 14:30 So the Lord saved Israel on that day from the power of the Egyptians, and Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the shore of the sea. 14:31 When Israel saw the great power that the Lord had exercised over the Egyptians, they feared the Lord, and they believed in the Lord and in his servant Moses. Prayer Lord, Your are my Lord and my defender, Who can march against the Lord God and live? Commentary The Lord instructs Moses to divide the camp into two locations near the Red Sea in order to convince Pharaoh that they are in disarray. Pharaoh, meanwhile, has once-again changed his mind about the Israelites and decided to retrieve them -- and he commits not only his most elite chariots but also all of the others -- each of them carrying an officer. The people saw the approach and immediately questioned the wisdom of Moses in taking them from relative safety-in-slavery into an expected slaughter in the desert. Moses instructed them to stand their ground, and though Moses' words are not provided in the text God corrected Moses "Why do you cry out to me?" and directed him instead to tell the Israelites to march to the sea and to extend his staff over sea so which God would part and dry. Meanwhile an angel of the Lord placed the columns of fire and cloud between the Israelites and Egyptians as a protective shield while the Israelites crossed the dry sea bed. God again "hardened the heart of Pharaoh", that is He amplified the already hard and stubborn heart of Pharaoh so that he would again act rashly and Pharaoh had his chariots charge after the Israelites. God caused the charioteers to panic and their wheels to get stuck and then he brought the waters down upon them and Pharaoh's entire army of chariots and horses and horsemen were drowned. God's stated purpose was then achieved "/When Israel saw the great power that the Lord had exercised over the Egyptians, they feared the Lord, and they believed in the Lord and in his servant Moses./" Interaction Consider this: Pharaoh seems to have had a very short memory. Every time he opposed the freedom of the Israelites Egypt suffered terribly. Discuss this: After all of the plagues and the great power God had applied, through Moses, to set the Israelites free from Egyptian bondage why would they immediately doubt Moses the moment they saw Pharaoh's army? Reflect on this: Man had lots of agendas and God did also -- to get everyone's attention focused on Him -- in order that they would believe in Him and trust in His anointed leader, Moses. Share this: When have you made it necessary for God to get your attention? Faith in Action Prayer: Ask the Holy Spirit to show you how He has protected you against danger and trouble. Action: Today I will remember what God has done for me and celebrate it with at least one fellow believer. Be Specific ______________________________________________________ Tuesday's text will be: *Exodus 15* -- Have an http://Ultrafidian.com Day! Pastor David ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Personal Site: http://bibleseven.com Bible Resources: http://bible.org ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From pastordavid at bibleseven.com Fri Aug 13 23:04:23 2010 From: pastordavid at bibleseven.com (pastordavid at bibleseven.com) Date: Fri, 13 Aug 2010 23:04:23 -0400 Subject: [Linux4christians] Saturday Exodus 12:29-51 Message-ID: <4C6607B7.9010704@bibleseven.com> Saturday *Exodus 12:29-51* The Deliverance from Egypt 12:29 It happened at midnight -- the Lord attacked all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh who sat on his throne to the firstborn of the captive who was in the prison, and all the firstborn of the cattle. 12:30 Pharaoh got up in the night, along with all his servants and all Egypt, and there was a great cry in Egypt, for there was no house in which there was not someone dead. 12:31 Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron in the night and said, "Get up, get out from among my people, both you and the Israelites! Go, serve the Lord as you have requested! 12:32 Also, take your flocks and your herds, just as you have requested, and leave. But bless me also." 12:33 The Egyptians were urging the people on, in order to send them out of the land quickly, for they were saying, "We are all dead!" 12:34 So the people took their dough before the yeast was added, with their kneading troughs bound up in their clothing on their shoulders. 12:35 Now the Israelites had done as Moses told them -- they had requested from the Egyptians silver and gold items and clothing. 12:36 The Lord gave the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians, and they gave them whatever they wanted, and so they plundered Egypt. 12:37 The Israelites journeyed from Rameses to Sukkoth. There were about 600,000 men on foot, plus their dependents. 12:38 A mixed multitude also went up with them, and flocks and herds -- a very large number of cattle. 12:39 They baked cakes of bread without yeast using the dough they had brought from Egypt, for it was made without yeast -- because they were thrust out of Egypt and were not able to delay, they could not prepare food for themselves either. 12:40 Now the length of time the Israelites lived in Egypt was 430 years. 12:41 At the end of the 430 years, on the very day, all the regiments of the Lord went out of the land of Egypt. 12:42 It was a night of vigil for the Lord to bring them out from the land of Egypt, and so on this night all Israel is to keep the vigil to the Lord for generations to come. Participation in the Passover 12:43 The Lord said to Moses and Aaron, "This is the ordinance of the Passover. No foreigner may share in eating it. 12:44 But everyone's servant who is bought for money, after you have circumcised him, may eat it. 12:45 A foreigner and a hired worker must not eat it. 12:46 It must be eaten in one house; you must not bring any of the meat outside the house, and you must not break a bone of it. 12:47 The whole community of Israel must observe it. 12:48 "When a foreigner lives with you and wants to observe the Passover to the Lord, all his males must be circumcised, and then he may approach and observe it, and he will be like one who is born in the land -- but no uncircumcised person may eat of it. 12:49 The same law will apply to the person who is native-born and to the foreigner who lives among you." 12:50 So all the Israelites did exactly as the Lord commanded Moses and Aaron. 12:51 And on this very day the Lord brought the Israelites out of the land of Egypt by their regiments. Prayer Lord, when You sovereignly decide that the moment has come there is no power in all of existence that can resist You. Commentary Pharaoh finally got God's message and joined the rest of Egypt in pressing the Israelites to leave Egypt -- before anything else awful happened to them. As would later be the method for counting the population in some New Testament texts, e.g. the "Feeding of the Four Thousand", only the men with dependents are numbered. In this case that is given as 600,000. One is left to extrapolate the wives and children and other dependents to gather a sense of the huge community that was suddenly on the move. The unleavened bread was first part of the first Passover meal, and then a necessity of the sudden migration, and thereafter part of both the religious rites as well as a frequent rhetorical tool in God's teaching. Just as God prophesied before the exodus-ministry of Moses started, because the Egyptians were glad to see them go God was free to cause them to "favor" the departing Israelites with gold and silver and clothing ".. they plundered Egypt." As was the prophesy of the Messiah, not a bone broken, so also was God's instruction for the Passover lamb. God additionally linked circumcision with the eating of the Passover. Interaction Consider this: Imagine the Egyptians, devastated by plague after plague, helping the Israelites to load their wagons, pressing gold and silver and clothing into their hands, pleading with them to leave while there is something left of Egypt and of their families. Discuss this: Even in this early time of Israel God is writing His prophesy of Jesus on the Cross. How does reading " ... /you must not break a bone of it/" (the Passover lamb) encourage your trust in Him? Reflect on this: The Israelites had lived for 430 years in Egypt, multiple generations had known no other home. While slavery was troubling and the traditional stories reminded them of their tribal history, leaving Egypt had to have been very emotionally-conflicting. Share this: When have you had to make a sudden and significant change in your life? How did that continue to imbalance you for a while? Did you sometimes long to return to the past, even though it was unpleasant? Faith in Action Prayer: Ask the Holy Spirit to show you where change is coming in your life. Action: Today I will step out in faith, making whatever change God asks of me, not looking back longingly on what I am leaving but looking ahead to what He has prepared. Be Specific ______________________________________________________ Sunday's text will be: Exodus 13 -- Have an http://Ultrafidian.com Day! Pastor David ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Personal Site: http://bibleseven.com Bible Resources: http://bible.org ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From fmiller at lightlink.com Mon Aug 16 12:15:30 2010 From: fmiller at lightlink.com (Fred A. Miller) Date: Mon, 16 Aug 2010 12:15:30 -0400 Subject: [Linux4christians] Old Cowboy Message-ID: <4C696422.7000601@lightlink.com> One Sunday morning, an old cowboy entered a church just before services were to begin. Although the old man and his clothes were spotlessly clean, he wore jeans, a denim shirt and boots that were worn and ragged. In his hand he carried a worn-out old hat and an equally worn, dog-eared Bible. The church he entered was in a very upscale and exclusive part of the city. It was the largest and most beautiful church the old cowboy had ever seen. The people of the congregation were all dressed with expensive clothes and fine jewelry. As the cowboy took a seat, the others moved away from him. No one greeted, spoke to, or welcomed him. They were all appalled by his appearance and did not attempt to hide it. As the old cowboy was leaving the church, the preacher approached him and asked the cowboy to do him a favor. "Before you come back in here again, have a talk with God and ask him what he thinks would be appropriate attire for worship in church." The old cowboy assured the preacher he would. The next Sunday, he showed back up for the services wearing the same ragged jeans, shirt, boots, and hat. Once again he was completely shunned and ignored. The preacher approached the cowboy and said, "I thought I asked you to speak to God before you came back to our church." "I did," replied the old cowboy. "And what was his reply?" asked the preacher. "Well, sir, God told me that he didn't have a clue what I should wear. He said he'd never been in this church." -- "Gun control is like trying to reduce drunk driving by making it tougher for sober people to own cars." - Unknown -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From fmiller at lightlink.com Mon Aug 16 12:32:19 2010 From: fmiller at lightlink.com (Fred A. Miller) Date: Mon, 16 Aug 2010 12:32:19 -0400 Subject: [Linux4christians] Microsoft to push "out of band" update for .LNK vulnerability In-Reply-To: References: <4C570D59.6030603@lightlink.com> Message-ID: <4C696813.8060704@lightlink.com> On 08/02/2010 06:24 PM, Don Parris wrote: > Hmmm... Maybe I should go get a copy of Windows. That way, I, too, > can get all these cool updates! > > How's my sarcasm holding up? > > On Mon, Aug 2, 2010 at 2:24 PM, Fred A. Miller > wrote: > > Microsoft to push "out of band" update for .LNK vulnerability > > > Later today (at approximately 10:00 Pacific Daylight Time) > Microsoft will release an out of band update to address the LNK > Vulnerability (KB2286198) that is currently being exploited. > > READ FULL STORY > > Very well....very well indeed. ;) Fred -- "Gun control is like trying to reduce drunk driving by making it tougher for sober people to own cars." - Unknown -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From pastordavid at bibleseven.com Mon Aug 16 15:16:02 2010 From: pastordavid at bibleseven.com (pastordavid at bibleseven.com) Date: Mon, 16 Aug 2010 15:16:02 -0400 Subject: [Linux4christians] Tuesday Exodus 15 Message-ID: <4C698E72.8030707@bibleseven.com> Tuesday *Exodus 15* The Song of Triumph 15:1 Then Moses and the Israelites sang this song to the Lord. They said, "I will sing to the Lord, for he has triumphed gloriously, the horse and its rider he has thrown into the sea. 15:2 The Lord is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation. This is my God, and I will praise him, my father's God, and I will exalt him. 15:3 The Lord is a warrior, the Lord is his name. 15:4 The chariots of Pharaoh and his army he has thrown into the sea, and his chosen officers were drowned in the Red Sea. 15:5 The depths have covered them, they went down to the bottom like a stone. 15:6 Your right hand, O Lord, was majestic in power, your right hand, O Lord, shattered the enemy. 15:7 In the abundance of your majesty you have overthrown those who rise up against you. You sent forth your wrath; it consumed them like stubble. 15:8 By the blast of your nostrils the waters were piled up, the flowing water stood upright like a heap, and the deep waters were solidified in the heart of the sea. 15:9 The enemy said, 'I will chase, I will overtake, I will divide the spoil; my desire will be satisfied on them. I will draw my sword, my hand will destroy them.' 15:10 But you blew with your breath, and the sea covered them. They sank like lead in the mighty waters. 15:11 Who is like you, O Lord, among the gods? Who is like you? -- majestic in holiness, fearful in praises, working wonders? 15:12 You stretched out your right hand, the earth swallowed them. 15:13 By your loyal love you will lead the people whom you have redeemed; you will guide them by your strength to your holy dwelling place. 15:14 The nations will hear and tremble; anguish will seize the inhabitants of Philistia. 15:15 Then the chiefs of Edom will be terrified, trembling will seize the leaders of Moab, and the inhabitants of Canaan will shake. 15:16 Fear and dread will fall on them; by the greatness of your arm they will be as still as stone until your people pass by, O Lord, until the people whom you have bought pass by. 15:17 You will bring them in and plant them in the mountain of your inheritance, in the place you made for your residence, O Lord, the sanctuary, O Lord, that your hands have established. 15:18 The Lord will reign forever and ever! 15:19 For the horses of Pharaoh came with his chariots and his footmen into the sea, and the Lord brought back the waters of the sea on them, but the Israelites walked on dry land in the middle of the sea." 15:20 Miriam the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, took a hand-drum in her hand, and all the women went out after her with hand-drums and with dances. 15:21 Miriam sang in response to them, "Sing to the Lord, for he has triumphed gloriously; the horse and its rider he has thrown into the sea." The Bitter Water 15:22 Then Moses led Israel to journey away from the Red Sea. They went out to the Desert of Shur, walked for three days into the desert, and found no water. 15:23 Then they came to Marah, but they were not able to drink the waters of Marah, because they were bitter. (That is why its name was Marah.) 15:24 So the people murmured against Moses, saying, "What can we drink?" 15:25 He cried out to the Lord, and the Lord showed him a tree. When Moses threw it into the water, the water became safe to drink. There the Lord made for them a binding ordinance, and there he tested them. 15:26 He said, "If you will diligently obey the Lord your God, and do what is right in his sight, and pay attention to his commandments, and keep all his statutes, then all the diseases that I brought on the Egyptians I will not bring on you, for I, the Lord, am your healer." 15:27 Then they came to Elim, where there were twelve wells of water and seventy palm trees, and they camped there by the water. Prayer Lord, may we be as excited in our celebration of Your great deeds as were Moses and the Israelites. Commentary Moses and the Israelites created a song of celebration of God's liberation and protection. Songs were a common means of remembering history. Their song also looked ahead to God's prophesy of their conquest and occupation of the promised lands currently occupied but other people. The huge nation continued their travels but went three days without a source of fresh water. They found water but it was too bitter, unsafe, to drink. Moses asked God and God directed him to a nearby tree which when placed in the water rendered it safe to drink. God then tells them that so long as they are faithful to Him they need not worry about any of the plagues of Egypt being visited upon them. Interaction Consider this: The Israelite method of celebrating and remembering history through the use of songs has also been used in other cultures. Discuss this: How important is the linkage between the remembrance of what God has done and what he has promised to do? Reflect on this: Over a million people and their livestock needed water and were without a fresh source after 3 days of travel in the desert. Share this: When have you felt as though you were in an emotional and/or spiritual desert, without hope of water, and when you thought you had found it you discovered a problem? How did God heal that situation so that you were refreshed? Faith in Action Prayer: Ask the Holy Spirit to remind you of what He has done in your life and what He is promising to do. Action: Today I will find time apart for the busyness for prayer and time in the Word. I will be silent before the Lord and will submit to the Holy Spirit as He teaches me. I will be encouraged by remembrances of God's faithfulness and reassured by His promises for my future. I will ask at least one fellow believer to pray for this special time with the Lord and I will share what I learn. Be Specific ______________________________________________________ Wednesday's text will be: *Exodus 16* -- Have an http://Ultrafidian.com Day! Pastor David ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Personal Site: http://bibleseven.com Bible Resources: http://bible.org ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From fmiller at lightlink.com Mon Aug 16 21:30:49 2010 From: fmiller at lightlink.com (Fred A. Miller) Date: Mon, 16 Aug 2010 21:30:49 -0400 Subject: [Linux4christians] Christian teens fear sharing Message-ID: <4C69E649.4030602@lightlink.com> Christian teens fear sharing As students across America are gearing up to head back to school, new research suggests many will leave their evangelical faith at home. -- "Gun control is like trying to reduce drunk driving by making it tougher for sober people to own cars." - Unknown -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From mwmcmlln at mnsi.net Tue Aug 17 02:11:25 2010 From: mwmcmlln at mnsi.net (Mike McMullin) Date: Tue, 17 Aug 2010 02:11:25 -0400 Subject: [Linux4christians] OT: I am unable to adequately describe the talent possessed by this little girl!!!!!!!! In-Reply-To: <4C6823BD.80506@lightlink.com> References: <4C6823BD.80506@lightlink.com> Message-ID: <1282025485.21284.13.camel@P-733-Lin> On Sun, 2010-08-15 at 13:28 -0400, Fred A. Miller wrote: > YouTube - America's Got Talent YouTube Special - Jackie Evancho > > http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SKhmFSV-XB0 Yes she has great pipes, but what about when her voice settles? From pastordavid at bibleseven.com Tue Aug 17 17:05:30 2010 From: pastordavid at bibleseven.com (pastordavid at bibleseven.com) Date: Tue, 17 Aug 2010 17:05:30 -0400 Subject: [Linux4christians] Wednesday Exodus 16 Message-ID: <4C6AF99A.9020807@bibleseven.com> Wednesday *Exodus 16* The Provision of Manna 16:1 When they journeyed from Elim, the entire company of Israelites came to the Desert of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month after their exodus from the land of Egypt. 16:2 The entire company of Israelites murmured against Moses and Aaron in the desert. 16:3 The Israelites said to them, "If only we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the pots of meat, when we ate bread to the full, for you have brought us out into this desert to kill this whole assembly with hunger!" 16:4 Then the Lord said to Moses, "I am going to rain bread from heaven for you, and the people will go out and gather the amount for each day, so that I may test them. Will they will walk in my law or not? 16:5 On the sixth day they will prepare what they bring in, and it will be twice as much as they gather every other day." 16:6 Moses and Aaron said to all the Israelites, "In the evening you will know that the Lord has brought you out of the land of Egypt, 16:7 and in the morning you will see the glory of the Lord, because he has heard your murmurings against the Lord. As for us, what are we, that you should murmur against us?" 16:8 Moses said, "You will know this when the Lord gives you meat to eat in the evening and bread in the morning to satisfy you, because the Lord has heard your murmurings that you are murmuring against him. As for us, what are we? Your murmurings are not against us, but against the Lord." 16:9 Then Moses said to Aaron, "Tell the whole community of the Israelites, 'Come before the Lord, because he has heard your murmurings.'" 16:10 As Aaron spoke to the whole community of the Israelites and they looked toward the desert, there the glory of the Lord appeared in the cloud, 16:11 and the Lord spoke to Moses: 16:12 "I have heard the murmurings of the Israelites. Tell them, 'During the evening you will eat meat, and in the morning you will be satisfied with bread, so that you may know that I am the Lord your God.'" 16:13 In the evening the quail came up and covered the camp, and in the morning a layer of dew was all around the camp. 16:14 When the layer of dew had evaporated, there on the surface of the desert was a thin flaky substance, thin like frost on the earth. 16:15 When the Israelites saw it, they said to one another, "What is it?" because they did not know what it was. Moses said to them, "It is the bread that the Lord has given you for food. 16:16 "This is what the Lord has commanded: 'Each person is to gather from it what he can eat, an omer per person according to the number of your people; each one will pick it up for whoever lives in his tent.'" 16:17 The Israelites did so, and they gathered -- some more, some less. 16:18 When they measured with an omer, the one who gathered much had nothing left over, and the one who gathered little lacked nothing; each one had gathered what he could eat. 16:19 Moses said to them, "No one is to keep any of it until morning." 16:20 But they did not listen to Moses; some kept part of it until morning, and it was full of worms and began to stink, and Moses was angry with them. 16:21 So they gathered it each morning, each person according to what he could eat, and when the sun got hot, it would melt. 16:22 And on the sixth day they gathered twice as much food, two omers per person; and all the leaders of the community came and told Moses. 16:23 He said to them, "This is what the Lord has said: 'Tomorrow is a time of cessation from work, a holy Sabbath to the Lord. Whatever you want to bake, bake today; whatever you want to boil, boil today; whatever is left put aside for yourselves to be kept until morning.'" 16:24 So they put it aside until the morning, just as Moses had commanded, and it did not stink, nor were there any worms in it. 16:25 Moses said, "Eat it today, for today is a Sabbath to the Lord; today you will not find it in the area. 16:26 Six days you will gather it, but on the seventh day, the Sabbath, there will not be any." 16:27 On the seventh day some of the people went out to gather it, but they found nothing. 16:28 So the Lord said to Moses, "How long do you refuse to obey my commandments and my instructions? 16:29 See, because the Lord has given you the Sabbath, that is why he is giving you food for two days on the sixth day. Each of you stay where you are; let no one go out of his place on the seventh day." 16:30 So the people rested on the seventh day. 16:31 The house of Israel called its name "manna." It was like coriander seed and was white, and it tasted like wafers with honey. 16:32 Moses said, "This is what the Lord has commanded: 'Fill an omer with it to be kept for generations to come, so that they may see the food I fed you in the desert when I brought you out from the land of Egypt.'" 16:33 Moses said to Aaron, "Take a jar and put in it an omer full of manna, and place it before the Lord to be kept for generations to come." 16:34 Just as the Lord commanded Moses, so Aaron placed it before the Testimony for safekeeping. 16:35 Now the Israelites ate manna forty years, until they came to a land that was inhabited; they ate manna until they came to the border of the land of Canaan. 16:36 (Now an omer is one tenth of an ephah.) Prayer Lord, we are quick to complain when things are difficult, yet You bear our immature whining and continue to love us. Thank you Lord for Your patience. Commentary After previously complaining about the lack of water the Israelites now complain about the lack of food, even suggesting that Moses had led them to the desert to starve, as they previously accused him of leading them into the desert to die for lack of water. They again declare that it would have been better to die as slaves if only their stomachs were full. God tells Moses that He will send bread and meat, that the people should gather a double-ration on the sixth day (Friday by the ancient Jewish reckoning) and to rest on Saturday. They were also to gather only enough for their family and not to hoard any. God told Moses that He was doing it this way as a test to see if the people would "walk in My law". The people were corrected by Moses who reminded them that he was not the One who brought they out of captivity nor was he the One Who protected them and Who could provide for them -- they were complaining about and to God, not him. Moses told Aaron who told the people. Everyone who gathered discovered that they had just enough, whether they gathered more than their neighbor or less. Some people disobeyed and hoarded extra and what they had hoarded rotted and Moses was righteously-angry with their disobedience. Then when the Sabbath day came they grumbled that there was no new food -- and were reminded that they received a double-portion the day before. Verses 16:32 to 34 describe God's command that they gather an "omer" (one tenth of an ephah, about 1 or 2 liters) of manna and put it with the "Testimony" for a remembrance. Some have suggested that this is a misplaced text from the end of Exodus when the Ark of the Covenant had been created at God's command (see NET translators notes). Another possibility is that just as their forefathers had built various memorials of stones to remember intersections with God, so also may Moses have kept a scroll or other article of remembrance as a pre-Ark physical "Testimony". God provided manna for all of the forty years of their journey in the desert. Interaction Consider this: Rather than make a humble and polite request for food the Israelites were instead accusatory and demanding, not to mention disrespectful to Moses. Discuss this: Why did God test the people in the way that he did? Reflect on this: How different are we from the Israelites? Do we not also hoard, out of fear and/or greed, and forget to rest in God but rather prefer the pursuit of money and pleasure? Share this: When have you had your needs met but when it came time to take time to rest in the Lord God you busied yourself with other things? Faith in Action Prayer: Ask the Holy Spirit to show you where you have displaced rest in the Lord with other things. Action: Today I will listen to the voice of the Holy Spirit and re-order my priorities. I will set aside significant time for the Lord and will not worry myself with the distractions of other things. It does not need to become a rigid day and time schedule but it does need to be intentional and significant. Be Specific ______________________________________________________ Thursday's text will be: *Exodus 17* -- Have an http://Ultrafidian.com Day! Pastor David ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Personal Site: http://bibleseven.com Bible Resources: http://bible.org ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From fmiller at lightlink.com Wed Aug 18 00:16:28 2010 From: fmiller at lightlink.com (Fred A. Miller) Date: Wed, 18 Aug 2010 00:16:28 -0400 Subject: [Linux4christians] OT: Interesting read and some insight as well. The rise of a new generation of Mormons Message-ID: <4C6B5E9C.3040609@lightlink.com> The rise of a new generation of Mormons By James Crabtree Published: July 9 2010 17:10 Ben McAdams is neat, he's helpful, he's unfailingly polite. The 35-year-old is a family man, one of six siblings and a father of three. People warm quickly to him, and talk of his modesty and strong work ethic. He neither drinks nor smokes. And when we meet for breakfast in a sparsely decorated canteen in Salt Lake City, he is wearing a dark suit and a tie. In other words, McAdams is what the world expects of Mormons. In other ways, however, he is less typical. Until recently, he was a fast-rising star at Davis Polk, a prestigious New York law firm -- a job he won straight from Columbia University's law school. He then worked for both Bill and Hillary Clinton, before becoming, at 35, Utah's youngest state senator. His is the most conservative state in the US, and yet he's a moderate Democrat who won his district -- and his reputation -- by helping to broker a deal over gay rights. This, mind you, from a man whose church was pilloried for bank-rolling California's successful 2009 "Proposition 8" referendum against gay marriage. Whose faith was a headache to Mitt Romney throughout Romney's 2008 presidential run. And whose religion has been unable to shake a reputation for "plural marriage", officially abandoned in 1890. Republican presidential candidate and former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney (second row left) and his wife Ann Romney speak with Senate majority leader Harry Reid Put simply, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, or LDS for short, has an image problem; and yet, tellingly, McAdams doesn't. And he's part of a much bigger crowd: for the first time in its nearly two-century history -- one that began, according to the founding myth, with an illiterate farmhand, Joseph Smith, being visited by an angel in western New York state -- Mormons are moving from the periphery of modern American life to the very centre. From Romney's failed tilt at the presidency to the tales of everyday polygamous families in HBO's popular drama Big Love, Mormonism has become increasingly visible over the last generation. Where its most famous acolytes were once the Osmonds, leading lights now include politicians such as US Senate majority leader Harry Reid (a Democrat) and Romney (a Republican); Stephenie Meyer, author of the Twilight vampire saga; Glenn Beck, the popular conservative talk-show host; and self-help guru Stephen R. Covey, the author of The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. Those are the household names. As important are the Mormons who play central roles at the companies and institutions that make America tick: Gordon Gee, president of Ohio State University (one of the biggest in the US); David Neeleman, founder of JetBlue Airlines; J.W. ("Bill") Marriott, head of Marriott International; and Jon Huntsman Jr, ambassador to China -- to name a few. And while firm data are hard to come by, off-the-record interviews conducted for this article suggest that a generation of Mormons in their thirties and forties is accelerating the trend. For every Hill Cumorah Pageant -- an annual set of performances starting this weekend in which a cast of 650 enact scenes from the Bible and Book of Mormon before massive audiences near Joseph Smith's birthplace -- there are much more mundane scenes being played out across the US: an investment banker in New York said, "I was at my final day of interviews at JPMorgan during my senior year in college. They took students from Princeton, Yale, Harvard, U-Penn and Brigham Young University [a Mormon university in Utah]. I was like, 'what the hell? BYU?' Then I slowly realised how many Mormons there are on Wall Street." 'Twilight' author Stephenie Meyer The CIA has its eye out for Mormons, who, people say jokingly, ace the mandatory drugs and lie-detector tests. Blue-chip corporations are recruiting, too. And at Harvard Business School, female students note ruefully that attractive male classmates are invariably associated with one of the "three Ms": the military, the management consultancy McKinsey or Mormonism. In that complaint lies the conundrum: much of the US still sees Mormons as weirdly strait-laced at best, cultish at worst. Yet elite institutions are embracing them. What does that fact say about the world's youngest major religion -- and about success in modern America? . . . Despite its public reputation, the Mormon church is the outstanding religious success story of the past hundred years. Approximately 1.7 per cent of the US population are LDS members, just slightly fewer than describe themselves as Jewish. Global membership rose from 250,000 in 1900 to one million in 1948, to 13 million today. The church is probably the world's richest per capita religious institution, too, with assets estimated at between $25bn and $30bn. (That's ?16bn-?20bn; the Church of England's portfolio in 2009 was ?4.4bn.) Religious sociologist Rodney Stark, at Baylor University in Texas, has predicted that the LDS will in the latter half of this century become the first new world religion since Islam -- just one reason that Smith, who founded the church in the 1830s, is sometimes described as the "American Mohammed". There is something special about Mormons, but what is it? The most fashionable theory regarding religious success at the moment comes from economics, drawing on approaches developed by the University of Chicago's Gary Becker. Becker, a sociologist and economist, argues that American church pews are kept full -- while those in Europe empty out -- because the US is unencumbered by religious monopolies (such as the Church of England or the Catholic Church), leaving plenty of room for competition and choice. And indeed, one-quarter of US Mormons are first-generation converts. The US's National Council of Churches data from 2008 rank the LDS fourth among church membership in the US, with 5.8 million members -- a rise of 1.56 per cent from the previous year. Yet growth alone doesn't explain why some religions break into the boardroom and why some don't. American Jews and Hindus stand out in socio-demographic surveys for their exceptional incomes and professional accomplishment, but this flows not from growing membership, rather from heavy investment in education and, in the case of Hindus, successive waves of immigration by highly trained elites such as doctors and engineers. Mormon success is different: unlike Hindu immigrants, the newest LDS members in America -- converts -- tend to be poorer and less educated than those with longer heritage in the church. And older generations aren't exactly funding ever-greater achievement by younger ones: the PEW Forum on Religion in Public Life describes Mormonism as lying "roughly in the middle of other religious traditions on the socioeconomic spectrum". . . . Actor Jon Heder, who starred in 'Napoleon Dynamite' Perhaps the most telling sign that Mormon success springs from different roots is this fact: the church's most successful members, in terms of education and wealth, are also its most fervent. In most religions, piety and professional success mix badly. Devout Jews earn less, and tend to be less educated, than their less-orthodox brethren. American Christian evangelicals save and earn less than those from more moderate traditions. Back at the canteen in Salt Lake City, McAdams reflects on why growing up Mormon seems to help with professional achievement in modern America. "I grew up here in Utah in a working-class family," he tells me. "My dad had any number of jobs over the course of my childhood. Never one for too long, and with gaps in-between. He wasn't the greatest Mormon either, drinking and smoking. So we pretty much lived pay cheque to pay cheque." His was a childhood of limited horizons. It wasn't the case that money and success begot more money and success. Rather, says McAdams, the thing that started to make a difference was being a missionary. At age 19, all Mormon men are expected to spend two years on a mission. (Women serve too, but for 18 months, and at age 21.) It's tough. They pay their own way, often saving from childhood. There is no discussion over destinations: McAdams served in S?o Paolo, despite learning French for four years at school. And the pre-mission training is gruelling: held at one of two dozen training centres around the world (one is in Preston, Lancashire), "you get up early and work 12 hours a day". At the MTC's headquarters, in Provo, Utah, visitors are not allowed: my request for a tour gives pause to the church's otherwise well-oiled public affairs department. It takes weeks for the OK to arrive. When I visit the campus in late February, I find a dozen redbrick buildings with views of snow-capped mountains. Inside one building, I walk down a long, empty corridor with pictures of Joseph Smith on the walls alongside framed snaps of missionaries. A young man in white robes stands, mid-baptism, waist deep in the sea; the photo is labelled "Suava, Fiji, 1999". In another shot, two teenagers in blue overalls stand next to a bale of hay: "Seridal, Japan, '85". Here and at the other training centres, new arrivals are assigned a "companion"; they will study, eat, exercise and sleep side by side through the length of their stay. Life inside is regimented, and leaving the grounds is not allowed. Ralph Smith, the MTC's president, says: "These young people are like most 19-year-olds, going to school and playing video games. And here they are plunked down into a situation here which is very structured, with significant demands on them to study, work hard and set goals for themselves." He swivels round his monitor to show me a typical timetable, for a female missionary heading to Ukraine. Her day begins at 6.30am, with lights out at 10.30pm, sharp. She spends most of her time studying Ukrainian, with shorter periods for eating, exercising and religious study. McAdams says the MTC opened his eyes, not so much to discipline as opportunity. "I found myself there alongside peers whose fathers were bishops in the church, or from wealthier families. It was an environment which wasn't predetermined by who my parents were." . . . Rodney Stark's work shows that successful religions normally find ways to "socialise the young", and he argues that "nothing builds more intense commitment than the act of being a missionary". If missionary training is tough for young Mormons, the sink-or-swim experience that follows is often worse. I met with McAdams after our talk in the canteen, for a conversation outside Utah's gold-embossed senate chamber. I wanted to discuss his time as a missionary in Brazil. "Everybody says going on a mission is the best two years of your life," he says. "But that quote is not given by anyone in their first six months." McAdams remembers that, despite his language training, "I still couldn't really speak to anyone, and no one understood me. I remember dreaming in English and then waking and remembering I was in Brazil, where there was no one I could communicate with. It was incredibly frustrating." During a missionary posting, all contact with family is banned, except for phone calls at Christmas and on Mother's day. And reading anything other than Mormon scripture is frowned on. A senior investment banker and Mormon based in London, who was also a missionary in Brazil, recalls how alienating this could be: "I remember one of the very first lunches. All I wanted was a drink of water, and I was ashamed because I didn't know how to say it. I literally started to break down." Armaund Mauss, professor emeritus of sociology and religious studies at Washington State University who specialises in the study of Mormons, has noted a "seeming paradox" in religion, in which some faiths inspire loyalty precisely because "people become committed to that for which they suffer or sacrifice". And yet the suffering built more than loyalty; it helped McAdams and his peers develop skills eminently useful in modern-day business and government. As his fluency improved and he learnt to overcome the rejection that followed unsuccessful attempts to convince converts, McAdams embraced the experience. And when it became clear that he was competent at his work, the Church asked him to become a "trainer", helping other missionaries develop their skills. It was a subtle process of leadership development. Mormon and management guru Stephen Covey, who served his mission in the 1970s in London, says the time abroad changed his life. While he is careful to stress that the ideas in his books are not based on his Mormon faith but upon what he calls universal, timeless principles, he does remember particularly enjoying the chance to preach in public. "I would hold public meetings at the front of movie lines, on the top of buses, at Speakers' Corner, or outside the Tower of London. Anywhere I could get an audience." He returned to America to tell his father he no longer wanted to enter the family business. Instead he wanted to be a teacher, ultimately signing up to become a student at Harvard Business School, and then an academic. His mission, he says, "taught me to take responsibility early in life. It gave me my voice." . . . At the time, Covey's decision to go to Harvard Business School was unusual. But a former senior figure at the school told me that, over the past 20 years, there has been a significant rise in Mormon applicants. A more worn path for those missionaries with ambitions leads to Utah's Brigham Young University, the Mormon equivalent of Harvard. The church subsidises entry, so LDS students pay only about $5,000 a year, one-tenth of what full-paying students at Ivy League colleges do. In some ways, BYU looks every inch an elite American institution. In others it is starkly different: the day I visit, the campus is at a standstill for a sermon from a church elder. I have come to meet Kim Smith and Jim Engebretsen, two former executives at Goldman Sachs and Lehman Brothers and now both professors at BYU's Marriott School of Business. Smith says Mormons were rare on Wall Street when he first got a job in the early 1980s. But, as he puts it, "banks like nothing more than finding an undervalued stock. And Mormon graduates were just that: a stock which was cheaper to buy, and which over-performed." Engebretsen uses a different analogy: Michael Lewis's baseball book, Moneyball. "Remember how Lewis talks about how the Oakland A's would find a second-rounder, and bring him in the first round instead? He'd perform way better. The same is true for someone at BYU. If they think this is their chance to play in the big leagues, they are going to work really, really hard." They are also going to get more support, from family and community. I'd seen piles of free wedding magazines near the dining hall, and no wonder: about half of BYU students are married when they graduate. A professor who asked not to be named says: "Being married, perhaps already having a family, makes you more serious about life. It's OK to tell your parents your grades aren't good, but try explaining it to your spouse." Smith argues that church membership smooths out other hassles, too. During his time at Goldman Sachs, he was asked to move to Tokyo, "a completely alien culture". But, he says, "I was made to feel part of the LDS community within days. Because I felt comfortable, and my family felt comfortable, and I was more effective at work." McAdams tells a similar story, of first arriving in New York for graduate school: "My wife and I packed up a van and drove our stuff across country. When we showed up at our place, there were 15 people there to help us unload. We'd never met any of them before, but they moved us in and invited us over for dinner. We had an instant social network." He found that this same church network also provided helpful connections, both within his own law firm and to other people in the same industry. The networking advantage is particularly important in understanding Mormonism because the church has no professional clergy. Mormon boys enter the priesthood at age 12, taking the title of deacon. At 14 they become a "teacher", then a full priest at 16. Each title, and each progression, comes with new responsibilities, and at each stage a smaller number become leaders among their own age-group. The system isn't perfect. Not everyone is comfortable with the responsibility the church demands. And most senior leaders are men; the church seems to implicitly rely on a traditional, single-earner family structure to help its male leaders balance jobs, church responsibilities and families. But the result remains that most of the church's senior leadership positions are filled by professionally successful Mormons taking time off from their careers. Perhaps the most celebrated example is Kim Clarke, who quit as dean of Harvard Business School in 2005 to become head of BYU's campus in Idaho. His colleagues were baffled: "For them, it was like going into the wilderness," he tells me. Later he hit upon a phrase to explain his choice: "Try to imagine you got a phone call from Moses." . . . Ben McAdams believes that going on a two-year Mormon mission, at age 19, helped prepare him for professional life In the meantime, the calls are coming from headhunters. Scott Nycum, a managing director at JPMorgan, confirmed that BYU is now seen as a top source of graduate talent: "These students are bright, mature, well-educated, share our emphasis on adhering to highest standards of integrity, have impressive work ethic and are very team-oriented," he says. "They fit extremely well with our firm's corporate culture." Focus group research conducted with corporate recruiters by BYU's Marriott School of Business found that its MBA students, while not noted as flashy leaders, were known in particular for their "outstanding values, principles, and work ethic". A Goldman Sachs executive, meanwhile, says the bank is hiring LDS graduates in increasing numbers, also impressed by their work ethic. The same was true, I heard anecdotally, at top-tier law firms in the US. And the CIA is reported to snap up LDS graduates for, if nothing else, their language skills. Will any of this change perceptions of the Mormons? As the late writer and journalist Molly Ivins wrote, anti-Mormon bigotry is an "old dog that still hunts". But more up-to-the minute cultural analysis suggests otherwise: an episode of South Park cheers the way a newly arrived LDS family wins over the local community with pleasantries and acts of kindness. Ben McAdams thinks that while outright discrimination is rare, many successful Mormons keep their heads down at work. Still, he says, "I didn't stand out like a sore thumb in my New York law firm until someone offered me a drink and I said 'no thanks'." The majority of LDS members are now abroad. Building a professional elite in foreign cultures may prove harder than winning success in all-American environments like Wall Street. But, interestingly, LDS is especially fast-growing in countries with dynamic economies, particularly Brazil. In a corridor of the LDS Missionary Training Centre there's a plaque listing the dozens of languages taught to missionaries who study there -- including Cebuano, Hmong and Tagalog. Next to it is a world map showing the countries in which the church operates, highlighted in bright colours. Only China and a handful of Middle-Eastern states remain grey. The last century saw a Mormon conquest in America. During our lifetimes, we may see the rest of the world follow, too. James Crabtree is the FT's comment editor Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2010. Print a single copy of this article for personal use. Contact us if you wish to print more to distribute to others. "FT" and "Financial Times" are trademarks of the Financial Times. Privacy policy | Terms ? Copyright The Financial Times Ltd 2010. -- "Gun control is like trying to reduce drunk driving by making it tougher for sober people to own cars." - Unknown -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From fmiller at lightlink.com Wed Aug 18 21:14:39 2010 From: fmiller at lightlink.com (Fred A. Miller) Date: Wed, 18 Aug 2010 21:14:39 -0400 Subject: [Linux4christians] Will Google Drop a Chromlet on Black Friday? Message-ID: <4C6C857F.1080902@lightlink.com> Will Google Drop a Chromlet on Black Friday? Richard Adhikari 08/18/10 2:13 PM PT Months ago, Google promised a mini-computer running the Chrome operating system would hit the market by the 2010 holiday season, and the Download Squad may have uncovered new details about the device. It will supposedly be a tablet with 2 GB of RAM and 3G abilities. However, Google's other OS, Android, is the one with the app momentum, and both are under the cloud of Oracle's litigation. [See Full Story] -- "Gun control is like trying to reduce drunk driving by making it tougher for sober people to own cars." - Unknown -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: chrome.jpg Type: image/jpeg Size: 9828 bytes Desc: not available URL: From pastordavid at bibleseven.com Wed Aug 18 22:15:07 2010 From: pastordavid at bibleseven.com (pastordavid at bibleseven.com) Date: Wed, 18 Aug 2010 22:15:07 -0400 Subject: [Linux4christians] Thursday Exodus 17 Message-ID: <4C6C93AB.1000403@bibleseven.com> Thursday *Exodus 17* Water at Massa and Meribah 17:1 The whole community of the Israelites traveled on their journey from the Desert of Sin according to the Lord's instruction, and they pitched camp in Rephidim. Now there was no water for the people to drink. 17:2 So the people contended with Moses, and they said, "Give us water to drink!" Moses said to them, "Why do you contend with me? Why do you test the Lord?" 17:3 But the people were very thirsty there for water, and they murmured against Moses and said, "Why in the world did you bring us up out of Egypt -- to kill us and our children and our cattle with thirst?" 17:4 Then Moses cried out to the Lord, "What will I do with this people? -- a little more and they will stone me!" 17:5 The Lord said to Moses, "Go over before the people; take with you some of the elders of Israel and take in your hand your staff with which you struck the Nile and go. 17:6 I will be standing before you there on the rock in Horeb, and you will strike the rock, and water will come out of it so that the people may drink." And Moses did so in plain view of the elders of Israel. 17:7 He called the name of the place Massah and Meribah, because of the contending of the Israelites and because of their testing the Lord, saying, "Is the Lord among us or not?" Victory over the Amalekites 17:8 Amalek came and attacked Israel in Rephidim. 17:9 So Moses said to Joshua, "Choose some of our men and go out, fight against Amalek. Tomorrow I will stand on top of the hill with the staff of God in my hand." 17:10 So Joshua fought against Amalek just as Moses had instructed him;and Moses and Aaron and Hur went up to the top of the hill. 17:11 Whenever Moses would raise his hands, then Israel prevailed, but whenever he would rest his hands, then Amalek prevailed. 17:12 When the hands of Moses became heavy, they took a stone and put it under him, and Aaron and Hur held up his hands, one on one side and one on the other, and so his hands were steady until the sun went down. 17:13 So Joshua destroyed Amalek and his army with the sword. 17:14 The Lord said to Moses, "Write this as a memorial in the book, and rehearse it in Joshua's hearing; for I will surely wipe out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven. 17:15 Moses built an altar, and he called it "The Lord is my Banner," 17:16 for he said, "For a hand was lifted up to the throne of the Lord -- that the Lord will have war with Amalek from generation to generation." Prayer Lord, despite our whining and inappropriately demanding attitudes You are faithful to us; please find me more faithful to and trusting of You. Commentary Once again there is a shortage of water for the traveling nation and once again instead of asking respectfully they question the wisdom of Moses, and by-association, God -- and Moses again tells them so. God still provides, instructing Moses to gather the elders and to strike a rock upon which He will appear, and Moses does so and water flows. (It is important to remember the details of this interaction because something similar occurs later which Moses mishandles.) The Amalekites attacked Israel and Moses dispatched Joshua to lead an army against them. The staff of Moses when upheld caused Israel to prevail but when Moses' arms became tired Israel did not prevail. Aaron and Hur brought a stone for Moses to sit on and they each held one side of the staff and Israel destroyed the Amalekites. God declared that He would wipe the Amalekites from the face of the earth (after a war with them "/from generation to generation/") and instructed Moses to "/Write this as a memorial in the book, and rehearse it in Joshua's hearing .../", which further enhances the likelihood that the reference to "The Testimony" (Exo. 16:34) may have been about an ongoing record that was later added to the artifacts in the Ark of the Covenant. Interaction Consider this: The pattern of distrust of and disrespect toward Moses, whenever they were uncomfortable, has been established by this time. It will rear its ugly head later and result in a terrible consequence for the fearful and rebellious Israelites. Discuss this: God continues to choose the staff as a tool of His expression of power, and He allows His power to flow only as Moses' arms raise and steady the staff (this time eventually requiring the assistance of Aaron and Hur), what message might God have been communicating to the people? To Moses? Reflect on this: God required the presences of the elders, the tribal leaders of Israel, when He appeared at the rock and had Moses strike the rock with the staff to cause water to flow. It was a dramatic demonstration of His power and of His expression of that power through Moses. Share this: When have you experienced the power and provision of God, delivered to you through another? Faith in Action Prayer: Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a place where you need to allow Him to minister to you through another, someone whom He has equipped with His power to assist you. Action: Today I will set aside my pride and allow God to intervene on my behalf through another. It may be someone physically able to complete a task for which my body is not capable, it may be a counselor or mediator or spokesman who can persuade another to favor me, it may be an accountant or doctor or lawyer or other professional acting on my behalf, or it may be someone intervening through intercessory prayer and/or spiritual warfare. Be Specific ______________________________________________________ Friday's text will be: *Exodus 18* -- Have an http://Ultrafidian.com Day! Pastor David ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Personal Site: http://bibleseven.com Bible Resources: http://bible.org ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From pastordavid at bibleseven.com Thu Aug 19 15:22:06 2010 From: pastordavid at bibleseven.com (pastordavid at bibleseven.com) Date: Thu, 19 Aug 2010 15:22:06 -0400 Subject: [Linux4christians] Friday Exodus 18 Message-ID: <4C6D845E.6010400@bibleseven.com> Friday *Exodus 18* The Advice of Jethro 18:1 Jethro, the priest of Midian, Moses' father-in-law, heard about all that God had done for Moses and for his people Israel, that the Lord had brought Israel out of Egypt. 18:2 Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, took Moses' wife Zipporah after he had sent her back, 18:3 and her two sons, one of whom was named Gershom (for Moses had said, "I have been a foreigner in a foreign land"), 18:4 and the other Eliezer (for Moses had said, "The God of my father has been my help and delivered me from the sword of Pharaoh"). 18:5 Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, together with Moses' sons and his wife, came to Moses in the desert where he was camping by the mountain of God. 18:6 He said to Moses, "I, your father-in-law Jethro, am coming to you, along with your wife and her two sons with her." 18:7 Moses went out to meet his father-in-law and bowed down and kissed him; they each asked about the other's welfare, and then they went into the tent. 18:8 Moses told his father-in-law all that the Lord had done to Pharaoh and to Egypt for Israel's sake, and all the hardship that had come on them along the way, and how the Lord had delivered them. 18:9 Jethro rejoiced because of all the good that the Lord had done for Israel, whom he had delivered from the hand of Egypt. 18:10 Jethro said, "Blessed be the Lord who has delivered you from the hand of Egypt, and from the hand of Pharaoh, who has delivered the people from the Egyptians' control! 18:11 Now I know that the Lord is greater than all the gods, for in the thing in which they dealt proudly against them he has destroyed them." 18:12 Then Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, brought a burnt offering and sacrifices for God, and Aaron and all the elders of Israel came to eat food with the father-in-law of Moses before God. 18:13 On the next day Moses sat to judge the people, and the people stood around Moses from morning until evening. 18:14 When Moses' father-in-law saw all that he was doing for the people, he said, "What is this that you are doing for the people? Why are you sitting by yourself, and all the people stand around you from morning until evening?" 18:15 Moses said to his father-in-law, "Because the people come to me to inquire of God. 18:16 When they have a dispute, it comes to me and I decide between a man and his neighbor, and I make known the decrees of God and his laws." 18:17 Moses' father-in-law said to him, "What you are doing is not good! 18:18 You will surely wear out, both you and these people who are with you, for this is too heavy a burden for you; you are not able to do it by yourself. 18:19 Now listen to me, I will give you advice, and may God be with you: You be a representative for the people to God, and you bring their disputes to God; 18:20 warn them of the statutes and the laws, and make known to them the way in which they must walk and the work they must do. 18:21 But you choose from the people capable men, God-fearing, men of truth, those who hate bribes, and put them over the people as rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens. 18:22 They will judge the people under normal circumstances, and every difficult case they will bring to you, but every small case they themselves will judge, so that you may make it easier for yourself, and they will bear the burden with you. 18:23 If you do this thing, and God so commands you, then you will be able to endure, and all these people will be able to go home satisfied." 18:24 Moses listened to his father-in-law and did everything he had said. 18:25 Moses chose capable men from all Israel, and he made them heads over the people, rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens. 18:26 They judged the people under normal circumstances; the difficult cases they would bring to Moses, but every small case they would judge themselves. 18:27 Then Moses sent his father-in-law on his way, and so Jethro went to his own land. Prayer Lord, may leaders be humble and trusting enough to delegate, and may those to whom they delegate be faithful, and in whichever role You place me may I give my best. Commentary Jethro. The father-in-law of Moses, arrives with Zipporah and the children of Moses. This is the first mention, in the Exodus account, of Zipporah and the children having been sent to Jethro (or left behind there) when Moses set out on God's mission. Moses retells the story of God's great deeds and Jethro leads in a celebration of humble sacrifice and praise of the Lord God. Jethro observes Moses carrying the weight of resolving every small and great /legal /conflict among the Israelite nation of over a million people. He advises Moses to recruit men of maturity to handle the small matters so that he would only have to handle the major ones. Moses was humble enough to hear and heed the counsel of Jethro. (The NET translators notes remark that this is a role model for all leaders. One might also observe that much of the modern court system owes its roots to this wise counsel, presumably instigated in Jethro by God.) Interaction Consider this: Moses made a decision to be God's chosen instrument in leading the Israelites out of Egyptian captivity and left his family in the safekeeping of Jethro. Discuss this: Do you agree with the NET translators that Jethro was in a strong position to have his advise heard by Moses because of his age, relationship, and that he had no plans to remain and be one of those to whom Moses delegated, or to continue to give additional advise? Reflect on this: Moses was to choose men who were respected in the community, much as the apostle Paul later counseled Timothy to do the same when choosing elders. Moses would also need to instruct them as to the dividing line between minor cases, which they would handle, and major cases, which they were to escalate to him. Share this: When have you experienced or observed a leader who became overwhelmed by too many responsibilities. Was that leader able to receive the wisdom of taking the risk to delegate? Faith in Action Prayer: Ask the Holy Spirit to send me a Jethro, and to give me the humility to receive what he says. Action: Today I will humbly delegate where I need to delegate, respectfully counsel where I need to counsel a leader to delegate, or humbly make myself available to answer the call to fill a gap where there is a gap for which God has equipped and prepared me to fill. Be Specific ______________________________________________________ Saturday's text will be: *Exodus 19* -- Have an http://Ultrafidian.com Day! Pastor David ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Personal Site: http://bibleseven.com Bible Resources: http://bible.org ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From fmiller at lightlink.com Fri Aug 20 20:04:26 2010 From: fmiller at lightlink.com (Fred A. Miller) Date: Fri, 20 Aug 2010 20:04:26 -0400 Subject: [Linux4christians] OT: A New Christian Movie You Wont Want To Miss! Message-ID: <4C6F180A.4030101@lightlink.com> http://us1.campaign-archive.com/?u=67e39fee5330068dff3319cbf&id=c10678e800&e=f728138ae0 -- "Gun control is like trying to reduce drunk driving by making it tougher for sober people to own cars." - Unknown -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From pastordavid at bibleseven.com Fri Aug 20 22:47:12 2010 From: pastordavid at bibleseven.com (pastordavid at bibleseven.com) Date: Fri, 20 Aug 2010 22:47:12 -0400 Subject: [Linux4christians] Saturday Exodus 19 Message-ID: <4C6F3E30.80103@bibleseven.com> Saturday *Exodus 19* Israel at Sinai 19:1 In the third month after the Israelites went out from the land of Egypt, on the very day, they came to the Desert of Sinai. 19:2 After they journeyed from Rephidim, they came to the Desert of Sinai, and they camped in the desert; Israel camped there in front of the mountain. 19:3 Moses went up to God, and the Lord called to him from the mountain, "Thus you will tell the house of Jacob, and declare to the people of Israel: 19:4 'You yourselves have seen what I did to Egypt and how I lifted you on eagles' wings and brought you to myself. 19:5 And now, if you will diligently listen to me and keep my covenant, then you will be my special possession out of all the nations, for all the earth is mine, 19:6 and you will be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.' These are the words that you will speak to the Israelites." 19:7 So Moses came and summoned the elders of Israel. He set before them all these words that the Lord had commanded him, 19:8 and all the people answered together, "All that the Lord has commanded we will do!" So Moses brought the words of the people back to the Lord. 19:9 The Lord said to Moses, "I am going to come to you in a dense cloud, so that the people may hear when I speak with you and so that they will always believe in you." And Moses told the words of the people to the Lord. 19:10 The Lord said to Moses, "Go to the people and sanctify them today and tomorrow, and make them wash their clothes 19:11 and be ready for the third day, for on the third day the Lord will come down on Mount Sinai in the sight of all the people. 19:12 You must set boundaries for the people all around, saying, 'Take heed to yourselves not to go up on the mountain nor touch its edge. Whoever touches the mountain will surely be put to death! 19:13 No hand will touch him -- but he will surely be stoned or shot through, whether a beast or a human being; he must not live.' When the ram's horn sounds a long blast they may go up on the mountain." 19:14 Then Moses went down from the mountain to the people and sanctified the people, and they washed their clothes. 19:15 He said to the people, "Be ready for the third day. Do not go near your wives." 19:16 On the third day in the morning there was thunder and lightning and a dense cloud on the mountain, and the sound of a very loud horn; all the people who were in the camp trembled. 19:17 Moses brought the people out of the camp to meet God, and they took their place at the foot of the mountain. 19:18 Now Mount Sinai was completely covered with smoke because the Lord had descended on it in fire, and its smoke went up like the smoke of a great furnace, and the whole mountain shook violently. 19:19 When the sound of the horn grew louder and louder, Moses was speaking and God was answering him with a voice. 19:20 The Lord came down on Mount Sinai, on the top of the mountain, and the Lord summoned Moses to the top of the mountain, and Moses went up. 19:21 The Lord said to Moses, "Go down and solemnly warn the people, lest they force their way through to the Lord to look, and many of them perish. 19:22 Let the priests also, who approach the Lord, sanctify themselves, lest the Lord break through against them." 19:23 Moses said to the Lord, "The people are not able to come up to Mount Sinai, because you solemnly warned us, 'Set boundaries for the mountain and set it apart.'" 19:24 The Lord said to him, "Go, get down, and come up, and Aaron with you, but do not let the priests and the people force their way through to come up to the Lord, lest he break through against them." 19:25 So Moses went down to the people and spoke to them. Prayer Lord, Your presence of perfection is like fire to the dross that is a fallen creature (man or beast) here on Earth. May I remember that while You love me, You are still a holy and perfect Lord God and I am only worthy to call you Abba Father because of Jesus. Please find me humble. Commentary 90 days after they left Egypt the Israelites arrive at the base of Mount Sinai. The precise location of Mount Sinai has been debated based upon archeology and differing interpretations of Biblical mention of specific features and stopping points along the way there. Moses goes up the mountain and God instructs him to tell the people that He desires that they be a nation guided by priests, and that in their obedience they will become a holy nation, worthy of His blessing as a nation set apart from all others by Him. Moses travels back down and delivers God's message to elders who on behalf of the people agree to God's terms. Moses then returns to the mountain and delivers the message that the elders had agreed. God is pleased and instructs Moses to have the people ceremonially prepare themselves for three days and to also warn them to keep themselves and their animals from touching any part of the mountain or else they will die. Interaction Consider this: Israel has a simple, indeed primitive national relationship with and understanding of God, and a lot of distracting influences from their days in Egypt and things carried forward from the past. Discuss this: Over a million strong, generations accustomed to the predictability of life in Egypt, challenged by the Egyptian charioteers at the Red Sea, attacked by the Amorites along the way, twice running out of water and once out of food, and now a mountain that rumbles and roars with clouds and smoke -- all in the brief span of 90 days and while they were constantly moving -- how confused and disoriented, exhausted and frightened must they have been? Reflect on this: God used what was probably a volcanic mountain to stage His meeting with Moses on behalf of the Israelites to establish Himself as their Lord God in a profoundly visual way. Share this: When have you found yourself in the midst of many changes and discovered that things you usually found easy to manage and to understand became more challenging? Faith in Action Prayer: Ask the Holy Spirit to show you where you may need some work on your walk before the Lord. Action: Today I will humbly and prayerfully accept the guidance of the Holy Spirit as to areas in my walk that are not guided by the new covenant Biblical expectations of the "priesthood of all believers" so that I am part of the "nation" of Christ's church. Be Specific ______________________________________________________ Sunday's text will be: Exodus 20 -- Have an http://Ultrafidian.com Day! Pastor David ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Personal Site: http://bibleseven.com Bible Resources: http://bible.org ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From mITw at shaw.ca Sat Aug 21 12:45:28 2010 From: mITw at shaw.ca (making IT work) Date: Sat, 21 Aug 2010 09:45:28 -0700 Subject: [Linux4christians] OT - A desperate request for prayer - Vol 72, Issue 15 - 40 days and 40 nights of antibiotics In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: <1282409128.1421.45.camel@Leysin> Le mercredi 14 avril 2010 ? 07:10 -0400, linux4christians-request at thelinuxlink.net a ?crit : [SNIP] > > Today's Topics: > > 1. OT - A desperate request for prayer (making IT work) > 2. Re: OT - A desperate request for prayer (Ken Sprouse) > 3. Re: OT - A desperate request for prayer (Fred A. Miller) > 4. Re: OT - A desperate request for prayer (Stephen Liu) > 5. Re: OT - A desperate request for prayer (Joseph Gulizia) > > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > > Message: 1 > Date: Tue, 13 Apr 2010 22:46:52 -0700 > From: making IT work > To: linux4christians at thelinuxlink.net > Subject: [Linux4christians] OT - A desperate request for prayer > Message-ID: <1271224012.3185.31.camel at Leysin> > Content-Type: text/plain > > Dear L4C readers and participants, > > It likely was my pride at not wanting to appear as if I were riding on > our brother's request for prayer - and a bit of my foolishly not > thinking of asking you folk sooner - and it may be all too late - still, > here is my cry. > > For some weeks my wife has been suffering from what is at best a severe > case of pancreatitis - with the only alternative being inoperable cancer > of the pancreas. > [SNIP] > End of Linux4christians Digest, Vol 72, Issue 15 > ************************************************ We are still a long way from getting out of this forest of wildwoods, but it is time for an update. First, our heartfelt thanks to each and every for your prayers and the kind responses to my earlier Off Topic post. In the meantime what we have learned is there is a large inoperable liquideous mass on the head of her pancreas complicated by her dual bile ducts and pancreas divisum. And yes, there were literally forty days and nights of intravenous antibiotics with only marginal effect. What has happened involved weeks in hospital with a transfer to yet another hospital where she underwent a more-than-six-hour surgery which left her with lesser of two evils, poor digestion or none at all. We are most thankful for the surgeon's great skill - at least she still lives. Of course, we are also greatly thankful to the Lord for His knitting her back together. She has recovered nicely from the operation - but it could not deal with the pancreatitis - just "rearrange her plumbing" so she could eat and survive. My dear wife has been at home these past three months regaining a bit of strength but still suffering the too frequent pancreatitis attacks. We are now in the loop awaiting an MRI to see if anything can be done about that non-cancerous (at least so far) mass. You continued prayers are solicited and will be greatly appreciated. True healing only ever comes from the Great Physician. Georges From pastordavid at bibleseven.com Sat Aug 21 12:50:52 2010 From: pastordavid at bibleseven.com (pastordavid at bibleseven.com) Date: Sat, 21 Aug 2010 12:50:52 -0400 Subject: [Linux4christians] OT - A desperate request for prayer - Vol 72, Issue 15 - 40 days and 40 nights of antibiotics In-Reply-To: <1282409128.1421.45.camel@Leysin> References: <1282409128.1421.45.camel@Leysin> Message-ID: <4C7003EC.9080603@bibleseven.com> Wow, this seems to be "going around". My mother-in-law just started treatment for pancreatic cancer last week. Prayers-in-agreement for God's comfort and healing and for physicians who will listen to and follow the leading of The Great Physician. >> ---------------------------------------------------------------------- >> >> Message: 1 >> Date: Tue, 13 Apr 2010 22:46:52 -0700 >> From: making IT work >> To: linux4christians at thelinuxlink.net >> Subject: [Linux4christians] OT - A desperate request for prayer >> Message-ID:<1271224012.3185.31.camel at Leysin> >> Content-Type: text/plain >> >> Dear L4C readers and participants, >> >> It likely was my pride at not wanting to appear as if I were riding on >> our brother's request for prayer - and a bit of my foolishly not >> thinking of asking you folk sooner - and it may be all too late - still, >> here is my cry. >> >> For some weeks my wife has been suffering from what is at best a severe >> case of pancreatitis - with the only alternative being inoperable cancer >> of the pancreas. >> >> > [SNIP] > >> End of Linux4christians Digest, Vol 72, Issue 15 >> ************************************************ >> > We are still a long way from getting out of this forest of wildwoods, > but it is time for an update. First, our heartfelt thanks to each and > every for your prayers and the kind responses to my earlier Off Topic > post. > > In the meantime what we have learned is there is a large inoperable > liquideous mass on the head of her pancreas complicated by her dual bile > ducts and pancreas divisum. And yes, there were literally forty days and > nights of intravenous antibiotics with only marginal effect. > > What has happened involved weeks in hospital with a transfer to yet > another hospital where she underwent a more-than-six-hour surgery which > left her with lesser of two evils, poor digestion or none at all. We are > most thankful for the surgeon's great skill - at least she still lives. > > Of course, we are also greatly thankful to the Lord for His knitting her > back together. She has recovered nicely from the operation - but it > could not deal with the pancreatitis - just "rearrange her plumbing" so > she could eat and survive. > > My dear wife has been at home these past three months regaining a bit of > strength but still suffering the too frequent pancreatitis attacks. > > We are now in the loop awaiting an MRI to see if anything can be done > about that non-cancerous (at least so far) mass. > > You continued prayers are solicited and will be greatly appreciated. > True healing only ever comes from the Great Physician. > > Georges > -- Have an http://Ultrafidian.com Day! Pastor David ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Personal Site: http://bibleseven.com Bible Resources: http://bible.org ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ From pastordavid at bibleseven.com Sat Aug 21 20:25:42 2010 From: pastordavid at bibleseven.com (pastordavid at bibleseven.com) Date: Sat, 21 Aug 2010 20:25:42 -0400 Subject: [Linux4christians] Sunday Exodus 20 Message-ID: <4C706E86.6020803@bibleseven.com> Sunday *Exodus 20* The Decalogue 20:1 God spoke all these words: 20:2 "I, the Lord, am your God, who brought you from the land of Egypt, from the house of slavery. 20:3 "You shall have no other gods before me. 20:4 "You shall not make for yourself a carved image or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above or that is on the earth beneath or that is in the water below. 20:5 You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I, the Lord, your God, am a jealous God, responding to the transgression of fathers by dealing with children to the third and fourth generations of those who reject me, 20:6 and showing covenant faithfulness to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments. 20:7 "You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold guiltless anyone who takes his name in vain. 20:8 "Remember the Sabbath day to set it apart as holy. 20:9 For six days you may labor and do all your work, 20:10 but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God; on it you shall not do any work, you, or your son, or your daughter, or your male servant, or your female servant, or your cattle, or the resident foreigner who is in your gates. 20:11 For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth and the sea and all that is in them, and he rested on the seventh day; therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and set it apart as holy. 20:12 "Honor your father and your mother, that you may live a long time in the land the Lord your God is giving to you. 20:13 "You shall not murder. 20:14 "You shall not commit adultery. 20:15 "You shall not steal. 20:16 "You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor. 20:17 "You shall not covet your neighbor's house. You shall not covet your neighbor's wife, nor his male servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that belongs to your neighbor." 20:18 All the people were seeing the thundering and the lightning, and heard the sound of the horn, and saw the mountain smoking -- and when the people saw it they trembled with fear and kept their distance. 20:19 They said to Moses, "You speak to us and we will listen, but do not let God speak with us, lest we die." 20:20 Moses said to the people, "Do not fear, for God has come to test you, that the fear of him may be before you so that you do not sin." 20:21 The people kept their distance, but Moses drew near the thick darkness where God was. The Altar 20:22 The Lord said to Moses: "Thus you will tell the Israelites: 'You yourselves have seen that I have spoken with you from heaven. 20:23 You must not make gods of silver alongside me, nor make gods of gold for yourselves. 20:24 'You must make for me an altar made of earth, and you will sacrifice on it your burnt offerings and your peace offerings, your sheep and your cattle. In every place where I cause my name to be honored I will come to you and I will bless you. 20:25 If you make me an altar of stone, you must not build it of stones shaped with tools, for if you use your tool on it you have defiled it. 20:26 And you must not go up by steps to my altar, so that your nakedness is not exposed.' Prayer Lord, Your 10 Commandments are as valid today as when You gave them to the Israelites, may I be found faithful to them. Commentary The Lord God gives to Moses the "Decalogue", which in the Bible means the 10 Commandments, and elsewhere refers to a list of laws, rules with associated authority. He introduces it by reminding them of Who He is to them -- the liberator -- the One Who in power set them free from 400 years of slavery in Egypt. *One* /20:3 "You shall have no other gods before me."/ The Lord God declared His superiority. He pre-existed all else and caused it to be, He is sovereign. *Two* /20:4 "You shall not make for yourself a carved image or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above or that is on the earth beneath or that is in the water below. 20:5 You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I, the Lord, your God, am a jealous God, responding to the transgression of fathers by dealing with children to the third and fourth generations of those who reject me, 20:6 and showing covenant faithfulness to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments./ The Lord God declared monotheism and then He left no room whatsoever for multiple Gods. He also includes a curse for disobedience and His conditional-promise; "... /showing covenant faithfulness to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments."/ *Three* /20:7 "You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold guiltless anyone who takes his name in vain./ The Lord God required respect, His name was holy because He is holy. In this case the failure to obey included a curse. *Four* /20:8 "Remember the Sabbath day to set it apart as holy. 20:9 For six days you may labor and do all your work, 20:10 but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God; on it you shall not do any work, you, or your son, or your daughter, or your male servant, or your female servant, or your cattle, or the resident foreigner who is in your gates. 20:11 For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth and the sea and all that is in them, and he rested on the seventh day; therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and set it apart as holy./ The Lord God had previously "given" the Sabbath to His people, He knew that in their busyness they would lose site of the priority of their relationship with Him, forget their history with Him, and drift into the ways of non-Israelites around them. He takes away their freedom to work; which did not mean they could do nothing at all on the Sabbath, and He would later define this all in greater detail. He also explained that they were to model His pattern in Creation. *Five* /20:12 "Honor your father and your mother, that you may live a long time in the land the Lord your God is giving to you./ He included a curse and a promise; a long life in the promised land, or the corollary. *Six* /20:13 "You shall not murder./ The Lord God puts a fine-edge on this command as it required a measure of heart-intent; He did not say (as some have mis-translated) "You shall not kill", He very intentionally said "You shall not murder". All murder is killing but all killing is not murder. Murder is a selfish action, killing has multiple motivations. Murder begins with a heart of rebellion, it degrades what God says is in His image -- humankind -- and it is committed for selfish personal gain. Killing was not only done by God, it was done at the behest of God, to make of all killing a act of sin one makes God the author of sin -- which is blasphemy. Killing may be accidental, in self-defense, in defense of another, due to carelessness, or may be in war. *Seven* /20:14 "You shall not commit adultery./ The Lord God set a literal standard, one that precluded a specific and presumably physical relational act, that of sexual contact with one not ones spouse, if one were married, or with a married person if one were single. Jesus would later expand the definition to include a heart of lust toward one not ones spouse, if one were married, or toward a married person if one were single. While God's legal standard was challenging for the undisciplined person the grace-centered heart-based requirement of Jesus called for a transformative surrender to the Holy Spirit, for without that no man or woman could remain free of sin. *Eight* /20:15 "You shall not steal./ The essence of the Lord God's law against stealing permeated all of the others. To have another God before Him would be to steal His rightful place. To worship idols would be to steal His rightful place. To dishonor ones parents is to steal from them due-respect. To murder steals life from another, and their dependents and loved-ones for selfish gain. To commit adultery steals affections not rightfully yours. To give false testimony steals justice from another. *Nine* /20:16 "You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor./ Just as adultery, disrespect, murder, and stealing would destroy the Israelite family, God knew that lying about one-another would do so as well. *Ten* /20:17 "You shall not covet your neighbor's house. You shall not covet your neighbor's wife, nor his male servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that belongs to your neighbor."/ Covetousness was also a wrong heart condition. God knew that if His people focused on what others possessed, be it their house, spouse, servants, beasts of burden, or anything else it would become an obsession which would drive them to compete with or to take away from others. Interaction Consider this: The 10 Commandments are often found, at least in part, in the guidelines for every successful civilization, yet rarely do they give the Lord God proper credit. There is evidence from the earliest recorded history of man that these things had been placed in their hearts by the Lord God, yet here God makes them ordinances for a nation who had promised to be a holy and priest-led people. Discuss this: Considering the law of the Ten Commandments how far are they really from what Jesus taught in the context of grace? Reflect on this: The Israelites were an ungrateful and whiny people, it was necessary to provide some clear boundaries for this nation of over a million lest they collapse into anarchy. Share this: When have you been in a social, school, or work environment where the boundaries were unclear? What were some of the symptoms? Faith in Action Prayer: Ask the Holy Spirit to show you where you may be violating some of the 10 Commandments, and where you have been faithful in honoring them. Action: Today I will make an unflinching assessment of my walk, acknowledging where the Holy Spirit points out strengths and weaknesses in my partnership with Him. I will celebrate those areas where I have been found faithful and recommit myself to mature in the areas of failure. Be Specific ______________________________________________________ Monday's text will be:* Exodus 21* -- Have an http://Ultrafidian.com Day! Pastor David ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Personal Site: http://bibleseven.com Bible Resources: http://bible.org ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From pastordavid at bibleseven.com Sun Aug 22 21:43:45 2010 From: pastordavid at bibleseven.com (pastordavid at bibleseven.com) Date: Sun, 22 Aug 2010 21:43:45 -0400 Subject: [Linux4christians] Monday Exodus 21 Message-ID: <4C71D251.2040104@bibleseven.com> Monday *Exodus 21* The Decisions 21:1 "These are the decisions that you will set before them: Hebrew Servants 21:2 "If you buy a Hebrew servant, he is to serve you for six years, but in the seventh year he will go out free without paying anything. 21:3 If he came in by himself he will go out by himself; if he had a wife when he came in, then his wife will go out with him. 21:4 If his master gave him a wife, and she bore sons or daughters, the wife and the children will belong to her master, and he will go out by himself. 21:5 But if the servant should declare, 'I love my master, my wife, and my children; I will not go out free,' 21:6 then his master must bring him to the judges, and he will bring him to the door or the doorposts, and his master will pierce his ear with an awl, and he shall serve him forever. 21:7 "If a man sells his daughter as a female servant, she will not go out as the male servants do. 21:8 If she does not please her master, who has designated her for himself, then he must let her be redeemed. He has no right to sell her to a foreign nation, because he has dealt deceitfully with her. 21:9 If he designated her for his son, then he will deal with her according to the customary rights of daughters. 21:10 If he takes another wife, he must not diminish the first one's food, her clothing, or her marital rights. 21:11 If he does not provide her with these three things, then she will go out free, without paying money. Personal Injuries 21:12 "Whoever strikes someone so that he dies must surely be put to death. 21:13 But if he does not do it with premeditation, but it happens by accident, then I will appoint for you a place where he may flee. 21:14 But if a man willfully attacks his neighbor to kill him cunningly, you will take him even from my altar that he may die. 21:15 "Whoever strikes his father or his mother must surely be put to death. 21:16 "Whoever kidnaps someone and sells him, or is caught still holding him, must surely be put to death. 21:17 "Whoever treats his father or his mother disgracefully must surely be put to death. 21:18 "If men fight, and one strikes his neighbor with a stone or with his fist and he does not die, but must remain in bed, 21:19 and then if he gets up and walks about outside on his staff, then the one who struck him is innocent, except he must pay for the injured person's loss of time and see to it that he is fully healed. 21:20 "If a man strikes his male servant or his female servant with a staff so that he or she dies as a result of the blow, he will surely be punished. 21:21 However, if the injured servant survives one or two days, the owner will not be punished, for he has suffered the loss. 21:22 "If men fight and hit a pregnant woman and her child is born prematurely, but there is no serious injury, he will surely be punished in accordance with what the woman's husband demands of him, and he will pay what the court decides. 21:23 But if there is serious injury, then you will give a life for a life, 21:24 eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, 21:25 burn for burn, wound for wound, bruise for bruise. 21:26 "If a man strikes the eye of his male servant or his female servant so that he destroys it, he will let the servant go free as compensation for the eye. 21:27 If he knocks out the tooth of his male servant or his female servant, he will let the servant go free as compensation for the tooth. Laws about Animals 21:28 "If an ox gores a man or a woman so that either dies, then the ox must surely be stoned and its flesh must not be eaten, but the owner of the ox will be acquitted. 21:29 But if the ox had the habit of goring, and its owner was warned, and he did not take the necessary precautions, and then it killed a man or a woman, the ox must be stoned and the man must be put to death. 21:30 If a ransom is set for him, then he must pay the redemption for his life according to whatever amount was set for him. 21:31 If the ox gores a son or a daughter, the owner will be dealt with according to this rule. 21:32 If the ox gores a male servant or a female servant, the owner must pay thirty shekels of silver, and the ox must be stoned. 21:33 "If a man opens a pit or if a man digs a pit and does not cover it, and an ox or a donkey falls into it, 21:34 the owner of the pit must repay the loss. He must give money to its owner, and the dead animal will become his. 21:35 If the ox of one man injures the ox of his neighbor so that it dies, then they will sell the live ox and divide its proceeds, and they will also divide the dead ox. 21:36 Or if it is known that the ox had the habit of goring, and its owner did not take the necessary precautions, he must surely pay ox for ox, and the dead animal will become his. Prayer Lord, Your law was perfect in its time as is your grace, may I have your heart for justice and love. Commentary The Lord God dictated the laws or regulations for the Israelites, recognizing their primitive social customs and economic systems, and He provided guidelines for the Elders to whom Moses had delegated much of the justice system. Hebrew servants were generally in that role for economic reasons rather than involuntary servitude, perhaps "indentured servant" might be a better term. While the term Hebrew was to the Egyptians a generic term for nomadic people, whose lineage was not limited to the twelve tribes but may have traced back to Abraham, in this case it appears to have been narrowed to the Israelites (the 12 tribes). The Lord God provides for consideration of intent and for what would later become known as a city of refuge /21:12 "Whoever strikes someone so that he dies must surely be put to death. 21:13 But if he does not do it with premeditation, but it happens by accident, then I will appoint for you a place where he may flee."/ In an interesting reference to the unborn God required special caution around pregnant women "/21:22 "If men fight and hit a pregnant woman and her child is born prematurely, but there is no serious injury, he will surely be punished in accordance with what the woman's husband demands of him, and he will pay what the court decides. 21:23 But if there is serious injury, then you will give a life for a life, 21:24 eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, 21:25 burn for burn, wound for wound, bruise for bruise."/ In multiple cases God provides for consideration of careless and reckless disregard for the safety of others, something often thought of as a modern legal concept, for example /21:29 But if the ox had the habit of goring, and its owner was warned, and he did not take the necessary precautions, and then it killed a man or a woman, the ox must be stoned and the man must be put to death./ Interaction Consider this: Many of our so-called modern legal concepts find their roots in the ancient Book of Exodus, as well as others. Discuss this: How uncomfortable does the ancient primitive social and legal system make you in these modern times? Are you aware that Sharia Law, promoted by a powerful minority in Islam, bears much in common with this law -- though Sharia it is not as enlightened in many ways Reflect on this: While a Hebrew servant was not treated with equal value to a non-servant God provided some considerable protections to them. Share this: When have you been a participant in a legal proceeding, or been aware of the details of one? Share something from that proceeding that now reminds you of something in Exodus 21. Faith in Action Prayer: Ask the Holy Spirit to show you where you need to learn to be an greater control of your actions and your words. Action: Today I will begin a week of careful monitoring of my actions and my words, and may choose to invite a fellow believer to observe and keep notes for me as well. Where my actions and/or words result in harm to another, be they physically violent of otherwise improper or unloving, I will repent (turn away) from them. Be Specific ______________________________________________________ Tuesday's text will be: *Exodus 22* -- Have an http://Ultrafidian.com Day! Pastor David ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Personal Site: http://bibleseven.com Bible Resources: http://bible.org ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From pastordavid at bibleseven.com Mon Aug 23 22:09:00 2010 From: pastordavid at bibleseven.com (pastordavid at bibleseven.com) Date: Mon, 23 Aug 2010 22:09:00 -0400 Subject: [Linux4christians] Tuesday Exodus 22 Message-ID: <4C7329BC.6030304@bibleseven.com> Tuesday *Exodus 22* Laws about Property 22:1 (21:37) "If a man steals an ox or a sheep and kills it or sells it, he must pay back five head of cattle for the ox, and four sheep for the one sheep. 22:2 "If a thief is caught breaking in and is struck so that he dies, there will be no blood guilt for him. 22:3 If the sun has risen on him, then there is blood guilt for him. A thief must surely make full restitution; if he has nothing, then he will be sold for his theft. 22:4 If the stolen item should in fact be found alive in his possession, whether it be an ox or a donkey or a sheep, he must pay back double. 22:5 "If a man grazes his livestock in a field or a vineyard, and he lets the livestock loose and they graze in the field of another man, he must make restitution from the best of his own field and the best of his own vineyard. 22:6 "If a fire breaks out and spreads to thorn bushes, so that stacked grain or standing grain or the whole field is consumed, the one who started the fire must surely make restitution. 22:7 "If a man gives his neighbor money or articles for safekeeping, and it is stolen from the man's house, if the thief is caught, he must repay double. 22:8 If the thief is not caught, then the owner of the house will be brought before the judges to see whether he has laid his hand on his neighbor's goods. 22:9 In all cases of illegal possessions, whether for an ox, a donkey, a sheep, a garment, or any kind of lost item, about which someone says 'This belongs to me,' the matter of the two of them will come before the judges, and the one whom the judges declare guilty must repay double to his neighbor. 22:10 If a man gives his neighbor a donkey or an ox or a sheep or any beast to keep, and it dies or is hurt or is carried away without anyone seeing it, 22:11 then there will be an oath to the Lord between the two of them, that he has not laid his hand on his neighbor's goods, and its owner will accept this, and he will not have to pay. 22:12 But if it was stolen from him, he will pay its owner. 22:13 If it is torn in pieces, then he will bring it for evidence, and he will not have to pay for what was torn. 22:14 "If a man borrows an animal from his neighbor, and it is hurt or dies when its owner was not with it, the man who borrowed it will surely pay. 22:15 If its owner was with it, he will not have to pay; if it was hired, what was paid for the hire covers it. Moral and Ceremonial Laws 22:16 "If a man seduces a virgin who is not engaged and has sexual relations with her, he must surely endow her to be his wife. 22:17 If her father refuses to give her to him, he must pay money for the bride price of virgins. 22:18 "You must not allow a sorceress to live. 22:19 "Whoever has sexual relations with a beast must surely be put to death. 22:20 "Whoever sacrifices to a god other than the Lord alone must be utterly destroyed. 22:21 "You must not wrong a foreigner nor oppress him, for you were foreigners in the land of Egypt. 22:22 "You must not afflict any widow or orphan. 22:23 If you afflict them in any way and they cry to me, I will surely hear their cry, 22:24 and my anger will burn and I will kill you with the sword, and your wives will be widows and your children will be fatherless. 22:25 "If you lend money to any of my people who are needy among you, do not be like a moneylender to him; do not charge him interest. 22:26 If you do take the garment of your neighbor in pledge, you must return it to him by the time the sun goes down, 22:27 for it is his only covering -- it is his garment for his body. What else can he sleep in? And when he cries out to me, I will hear, for I am gracious. 22:28 "You must not blaspheme God or curse the ruler of your people. 22:29 "Do not hold back offerings from your granaries or your vats. You must give me the firstborn of your sons. 22:30 You must also do this for your oxen and for your sheep; seven days they may remain with their mothers, but give them to me on the eighth day. 22:31 "You will be holy people to me; you must not eat any meat torn by animals in the field. You must throw it to the dogs. Prayer Lord, Your are the author of love, the definer of justice, and the source of holiness -- please draw me nearer to You. Commentary The Lord God continues to define the boundaries for a balanced and just society. The rules for the new Israelite civilization included moral regulations, a prohibition against witchcraft (among them), and a "do to others" imperative in the treatment of non-Israelites in their midst ("... for you were foreigners in the land of Egypt"). Widows and orphans were not to be mistreated in any way, if funds were loaned to fellow Israelites then interest was not to be charged and ones last possessions (e.g. their coat) was only allowed to be kept for a day, not overnight when they desperately needed it. The NET translators note that 22:28 could reasonably be translated to refer to not blaspheming God by cursing leaders Whom God had chosen and empowered "You must not blaspheme God or curse the ruler of your people." Interaction Consider this: These were a million somewhat primitive people who had grown dependent upon the provision and regulations of their Egyptian captors, they had more than once expressed a desire to return to captivity rather than face struggles and the unknown, thus they required a very clear and detailed structure. Discuss this: God singles out widows and orphans for special protection; in primitive societies, then and now, is not their vulnerability profound? Reflect on this: God's moral boundaries span a wide range of circumstances from the seduction of a virgin to the loaning of money, He addressed all of those issues which could be used by the enemy to attack the Israelites from within. Share this: When have you faced one of the circumstances described in this text? If the others involved did not deal with you justly, and/or honor these moral boundaries, how might things have worked out better if they had? Faith in Action Prayer: Ask the Holy Spirit to show you where you a widow or an orphan who is being mistreated and/or who needs assistance. Action: Today I will reach out to a Christian widow or a Christian orphan and encourage them, pray for them, and provide them some sort of assistance. I may provide services if my gifts and/or profession matches their need, or some sort of practical assistance in the form of food or clothing. Be Specific ______________________________________________________ Wednesday's text will be: *Exodus 23* -- Have an http://Ultrafidian.com Day! Pastor David ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Personal Site: http://bibleseven.com Bible Resources: http://bible.org ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From pastordavid at bibleseven.com Tue Aug 24 18:40:06 2010 From: pastordavid at bibleseven.com (pastordavid at bibleseven.com) Date: Tue, 24 Aug 2010 18:40:06 -0400 Subject: [Linux4christians] Wednesday Exodus 23 Message-ID: <4C744A46.4040000@bibleseven.com> Wednesday *Exodus 23* Justice 23:1 "You must not give a false report. Do not make common cause with the wicked to be a malicious witness. 23:2 "You must not follow a crowd in doing evil things; in a lawsuit you must not offer testimony that agrees with a crowd so as to pervert justice, 23:3 and you must not show partiality to a poor man in his lawsuit. 23:4 "If you encounter your enemy's ox or donkey wandering off, you must by all means return it to him. 23:5 If you see the donkey of someone who hates you fallen under its load, you must not ignore him, but be sure to help him with it. 23:6 "You must not turn away justice for your poor people in their lawsuits. 23:7 Keep your distance from a false charge -- do not kill the innocent and the righteous, for I will not justify the wicked. 23:8 "You must not accept a bribe, for a bribe blinds those who see and subverts the words of the righteous. 23:9 "You must not oppress a foreigner, since you know the life of a foreigner, for you were foreigners in the land of Egypt. Sabbaths and Feasts 23:10 "For six years you are to sow your land and gather in its produce. 23:11 But in the seventh year you must let it lie fallow and leave it alone so that the poor of your people may eat, and what they leave any animal in the field may eat; you must do likewise with your vineyard and your olive grove. 23:12 For six days you are to do your work, but on the seventh day you must cease, in order that your ox and your donkey may rest and that your female servant's son and any hired help may refresh themselves. 23:13 "Pay attention to do everything I have told you, and do not even mention the names of other gods -- do not let them be heard on your lips. 23:14 "Three times in the year you must make a pilgrim feast to me. 23:15 You are to observe the Feast of Unleavened Bread; seven days you must eat bread made without yeast, as I commanded you, at the appointed time of the month of Abib, for at that time you came out of Egypt. No one may appear before me empty-handed. 23:16 "You are also to observe the Feast of Harvest, the firstfruits of your labors that you have sown in the field, and the Feast of Ingathering at the end of the year when you have gathered in your harvest out of the field. 23:17 At three times in the year all your males will appear before the Lord God. 23:18 "You must not offer the blood of my sacrifice with bread containing yeast; the fat of my festal sacrifice must not remain until morning. 23:19 The first of the firstfruits of your soil you must bring to the house of the Lord your God. "You must not cook a young goat in its mother's milk. The Angel of the Presence 23:20 "I am going to send an angel before you to protect you as you journey and to bring you into the place that I have prepared. 23:21 Take heed because of him, and obey his voice; do not rebel against him, for he will not pardon your transgressions, for my name is in him. 23:22 But if you diligently obey him and do all that I command, then I will be an enemy to your enemies, and I will be an adversary to your adversaries. 23:23 For my angel will go before you and bring you to the Amorites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Canaanites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites, and I will destroy them completely. 23:24 "You must not bow down to their gods; you must not serve them or do according to their practices. Instead you must completely overthrow them and smash their standing stones to pieces. 23:25 You must serve the Lord your God, and he will bless your bread and your water, and I will remove sickness from your midst. 23:26 No woman will miscarry her young or be barren in your land. I will fulfill the number of your days. 23:27 "I will send my terror before you, and I will destroy all the people whom you encounter; I will make all your enemies turn their backs to you. 23:28 I will send hornets before you that will drive out the Hivite, the Canaanite, and the Hittite before you. 23:29 I will not drive them out before you in one year, lest the land become desolate and the wild animals multiply against you. 23:30 Little by little I will drive them out before you, until you become fruitful and inherit the land. 23:31 I will set your boundaries from the Red Sea to the sea of the Philistines, and from the desert to the River, for I will deliver the inhabitants of the land into your hand, and you will drive them out before you. 23:32 "You must make no covenant with them or with their gods. 23:33 They must not live in your land, lest they make you sin against me, for if you serve their gods, it will surely be a snare to you." Prayer Lord, you instructed the ancient Israelites to not even mention the name of other Gods, to destroy their places of worship, to copy none of their religious customs or traditions, or to dwell among them. May You find me as equally-yoked to You-alone, in all of these ways, for all of my days. Commentary The Lord God continued His instructions as to the administration of justice among the Israelites. He then also required of them Sabbaths and feasts of celebration, remembrance, and sacrifice. He required that they not even say the names of false foreign gods. He then announced /23:20 "I am going to send an angel before you ...", /which in some ways would be like the power they viewed from a distance on the mountain, or in the columns of cloud/smoke and fire as they traveled away from Egypt, and in some others like the angel/man with Whom Jacob wrestled, and the One who appeared standing on the rock which Moses struck to draw forth water. While speculation has been that this may refer to a preincarnate Jesus, such is not required (nor excluded) by the text as there is a pattern throughout the OT of angelic appearances and various expressions of God's power in men, animals, and even inanimate objects. The Lord God once-again makes clear that His provision and protection is conditional "/23:22 But if you diligently obey him and do all that I command ..."/ He concluded this section of instructions with a warning to not be in fellowship with, or yoked to, those who worshiped foreign Gods. Interaction Consider this: Most, if not all of these laws and regulations, Sabbaths, feasts, and promises have been completed, yet all are valuable upon which to reflect God's character and wisdom. Discuss this: God forbade the Israelites from even speaking the names of the false foreign gods. Perhaps it was because He did not want them to become in any way comfortable with them by so doing? Surely God Himself was repelled by them. Reflect on this: How amazing must it have been to hear that the Lord God would send the "angel of His presence" ahead of and among them to guide, to provide, and to protect. Share this: When have you experienced or observed conflict and confusion that resulted from Christians who had become enmeshed in relationships with non-Christians and/or with non-Christian religious influences? Faith in Action Prayer: Ask the Holy Spirit to show you where you may be compromising your pure Biblical faith due to improper associations and/or mixing-in the religious beliefs and/or practices of non-Biblical faiths. (This is called syncretism). Action: Today I will heed the warning of the Holy Spirit and cleanse my faith-walk of any non-Biblical influences and I will place careful boundaries upon my associations with non-Christians so that I may be certain to be not of this world while I remain in this world to honor, obey, and serve the Lord God. Be Specific ______________________________________________________ Thursday's text will be: Exodus 24 -- Have an http://Ultrafidian.com Day! Pastor David ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Personal Site: http://bibleseven.com Bible Resources: http://bible.org ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From shengchieh at linuxmail.org Wed Aug 25 14:09:08 2010 From: shengchieh at linuxmail.org (shengchieh at linuxmail.org) Date: Wed, 25 Aug 2010 14:09:08 -0400 Subject: [Linux4christians] what you call it (banner-like program)? Message-ID: <8CD1297BF2E333D-764-E42A@web-mmc-d01.sysops.aol.com> Hi Brothers/Sisters in Christ background: My church is trying to output real-time caption (using voice recognition). We have internet and the "caption" machine is in the back. We hope to pass the caption to those sitting in the sanctuary with an internet device. caption output: We could use something like streamtext (http://streamtext.net/) but our budget is "zero". So either we develop something like streamtext (too much work) or we use something else. Right now, the best I have is ZohoWriter, a collaborative word processor (captionist creates a file and give others read-only permission - unfortunately people must sign up in advance - not good for someone who wants caption at last minute). What is the program name?: I have been looking at live (real-time) banner programs w/o success (still looking around). Ideally, I would like real-time multiple lines. What you call these program? They are like real-time banner programs but have multiple lines (we would like 5+ lines so that the readers can check back on what they missed hearing). Can you give me any tip to find them? I'm would think there are free programs out there. Sheng-Chieh -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From gorkon at gmail.com Wed Aug 25 14:20:49 2010 From: gorkon at gmail.com (Joel Mclaughlin) Date: Wed, 25 Aug 2010 14:20:49 -0400 Subject: [Linux4christians] what you call it (banner-like program)? In-Reply-To: <8CD1297BF2E333D-764-E42A@web-mmc-d01.sysops.aol.com> References: <8CD1297BF2E333D-764-E42A@web-mmc-d01.sysops.aol.com> Message-ID: Is there a product that is equivalent on Windows? Never heard of real time captioning. On Aug 25, 2010 2:09 PM, wrote: > > Hi Brothers/Sisters in Christ > > background: > > My church is trying to output real-time caption (using voice > recognition). We have internet and the "caption" machine > is in the back. We hope to pass the caption to those > sitting in the sanctuary with an internet device. > > caption output: > > We could use something like streamtext (http://streamtext.net/) > but our budget is "zero". So either we develop something > like streamtext (too much work) or we use something else. > Right now, the best I have is ZohoWriter, a collaborative > word processor (captionist creates a file and give others > read-only permission - unfortunately people must sign up > in advance - not good for someone who wants caption at > last minute). > > What is the program name?: > > I have been looking at live (real-time) banner programs > w/o success (still looking around). Ideally, I would like > real-time multiple lines. What you call these program? > They are like real-time banner programs but have multiple > lines (we would like 5+ lines so that the readers can > check back on what they missed hearing). > > Can you give me any tip to find them? I'm would think there > are free programs out there. > > Sheng-Chieh > > > -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From shengchieh at linuxmail.org Wed Aug 25 22:31:59 2010 From: shengchieh at linuxmail.org (shengchieh at linuxmail.org) Date: Wed, 25 Aug 2010 22:31:59 -0400 Subject: [Linux4christians] what you call it (banner-like program)? In-Reply-To: References: <8CD1297BF2E333D-764-E42A@web-mmc-d01.sysops.aol.com> Message-ID: <8CD12DDFE83DF75-156C-10CCD@web-mmc-m07.sysops.aol.com> We use Dragon Natural Speaking (DNS) on a window OS. It is a voice recognition program. Our church uses a window OS laptop. DNS can be used on linux OS via Wine. For native voice recognition linux programs, one can use lumenvox (expensive) or sphinx (researcher's code - learning curve). Simon is a few years down the road. It's easy to have DNS outputs to another program (e.g., browser). It's a matter to finding the best (and cheapest) way to "pass" the caption to the readers. To caption, voice echo the speakers - speakers have up and down, loud and soft, but captionist can have a trained DNS and speak monotonously. The error is under 5% even more if a good captionist. The lag time is about 5-10 seconds. [Same for intepretators (sp?).] -----Original Message----- From: Joel Mclaughlin To: Linux for Christians Sent: Wed, Aug 25, 2010 11:20 am Subject: Re: [Linux4christians] what you call it (banner-like program)? Is there a product that is equivalent on Windows? Never heard of real time captioning. On Aug 25, 2010 2:09 PM, wrote: > > Hi Brothers/Sisters in Christ > > background: > > My church is trying to output real-time caption (using voice > recognition). We have internet and the "caption" machine > is in the back. We hope to pass the caption to those > sitting in the sanctuary with an internet device. > > caption output: > > We could use something like streamtext (http://streamtext.net/) > but our budget is "zero". So either we develop something > like streamtext (too much work) or we use something else. > Right now, the best I have is ZohoWriter, a collaborative > word processor (captionist creates a file and give others > read-only permission - unfortunately people must sign up > in advance - not good for someone who wants caption at > last minute). > > What is the program name?: > > I have been looking at live (real-time) banner programs > w/o success (still looking around). Ideally, I would like > real-time multiple lines. What you call these program? > They are like real-time banner programs but have multiple > lines (we would like 5+ lines so that the readers can > check back on what they missed hearing). > > Can you give me any tip to find them? I'm would think there > are free programs out there. > > Sheng-Chieh > > > _______________________________________________ Linux4christians mailing list Linux4christians at thelinuxlink.net http://www.thelinuxlink.net/mailman/listinfo/linux4christians -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From pastordavid at bibleseven.com Wed Aug 25 22:47:48 2010 From: pastordavid at bibleseven.com (pastordavid at bibleseven.com) Date: Wed, 25 Aug 2010 22:47:48 -0400 Subject: [Linux4christians] Thursday Exodus 24 Message-ID: <4C75D5D4.7030606@bibleseven.com> Thursday Exodus 24 The Lord Ratifies the Covenant 24:1 But to Moses the Lord said, "Come up to the Lord, you and Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel, and worship from a distance. 24:2 Moses alone may come near the Lord, but the others must not come near, nor may the people go up with him." 24:3 Moses came and told the people all the Lord's words and all the decisions. All the people answered together, "We are willing to do all the words that the Lord has said," 24:4 and Moses wrote down all the words of the Lord. Early in the morning he built an altar at the foot of the mountain and arranged twelve standing stones -- according to the twelve tribes of Israel. 24:5 He sent young Israelite men, and they offered burnt offerings and sacrificed young bulls for peace offerings to the Lord. 24:6 Moses took half of the blood and put it in bowls, and half of the blood he splashed on the altar. 24:7 He took the Book of the Covenant and read it aloud to the people, and they said, "We are willing to do and obey all that the Lord has spoken." 24:8 So Moses took the blood and splashed it on the people and said, "This is the blood of the covenant that the Lord has made with you in accordance with all these words." 24:9 Moses and Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and the seventy elders of Israel went up, 24:10 and they saw the God of Israel. Under his feet there was something like a pavement made of sapphire, clear like the sky itself. 24:11 But he did not lay a hand on the leaders of the Israelites, so they saw God, and they ate and they drank. 24:12 The Lord said to Moses, "Come up to me to the mountain and remain there, and I will give you the stone tablets with the law and the commandments that I have written, so that you may teach them." 24:13 So Moses set out with Joshua his attendant, and Moses went up the mountain of God. 24:14 He told the elders, "Wait for us in this place until we return to you. Here are Aaron and Hur with you. Whoever has any matters of dispute can approach them." 24:15 Moses went up the mountain, and the cloud covered the mountain. 24:16 The glory of the Lord resided on Mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it for six days. On the seventh day he called to Moses from within the cloud. 24:17 Now the appearance of the glory of the Lord was like a devouring fire on the top of the mountain in plain view of the people. 24:18 Moses went into the cloud when he went up the mountain, and Moses was on the mountain forty days and forty nights. Prayer Lord, in Your new covenant we no longer "worship at a distance", nor do we have a mere human priest like Moses to stand in our stead. You, in the Holy Person of Jesus the Christ -- the Son - are both priest and God for every believer. Thank You that I may approach Your throne because of Christ. Commentary The Lord God instructed that only Moses was allowed to come to the top of the mountain. Moses brings God's "decisions", as reported to us in Exodus 21-23, to the people. They agreed and sealed their commitment to the covenant with blood splashed on twelve stones -- one for each tribe -- and on their tribal leaders -- the elders. God allowed "Moses and Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and the seventy elders of Israel" to come part way up the mountain and He appeared to them "... and they saw the God of Israel. Under his feet there was something like a pavement made of sapphire, clear like the sky itself." His appearance was not His full presence, else they would have been destroyed. God called Moses up the mountain and Moses instructed the elders to bring the big justice matters to Aaron and Hur in his absence. The text reports "... and Moses wrote down all the words of the Lord". Archeologists date early usage of papyrus to 3,000BC, at this point in the OT story it is about1600BC. Moses would have learned to write while living in Pharaoh's home and would have had access to papyrus and to writing utensils. It is reasonable to expect that he took some of those tools and supplies with him during the Exodus. It may be that on some of the occasions when Moses was away with the Lord the time may have been a result of the slowness of writing. God had Moses wait 7 days and then kept him for 40 days. Interaction Consider this: It is important to remember that the elders, on behalf of the people, agreed to the terms of God's covenant. They were now bound to them. Discuss this: The text says that Moses was writing everything down that God told him. Why does God decide to write on stone tablets Himself and give them to Moses "... so that you may teach them"? Reflect on this: "... Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and the seventy elders of Israel went up, 24:10 and they saw the God of Israel." along with Moses. In addition to hearing what God had said to Moses and then agreeing to the covenant via the ritual of animal blood, now God brings them into His symbolic presence to worship, and then He says He will write the law and commandments on stone. How much more clear could He have made the terms of their relationship with Him? Share this: When have you found it valuable to be able to refer to God's Word for authority and guidance, and when has He corrected you for violating your agreement to honor and obey Him? Faith in Action Prayer: Ask the Holy Spirit to show you anew what God expects of you in the new covenant, with a focus on one area where you are doing well (submitting to the Holy Spirit), and one area where you remain in rebellion against complete submission to the Holy Spirit. Action: Today I will celebrate that area of my walk that the Holy Spirit shows me is in His hands, and I will prayerfully commit to an intentional process of submission where I have willfully resisted the control of the Holy Spirit. Be Specific ______________________________________________________ Friday's text will be: *Exodus 25* -- Have an http://Ultrafidian.com Day! Pastor David ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Personal Site: http://bibleseven.com Bible Resources: http://bible.org ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From pastordavid at bibleseven.com Thu Aug 26 20:57:06 2010 From: pastordavid at bibleseven.com (pastordavid at bibleseven.com) Date: Thu, 26 Aug 2010 20:57:06 -0400 Subject: [Linux4christians] Friday Exodus 25 Message-ID: <4C770D62.4070601@bibleseven.com> Friday *Exodus 25* The Materials for the Sanctuary 25:1 The Lord spoke to Moses: 25:2 "Tell the Israelites to take an offering for me; from every person motivated by a willing heart you are to receive my offering. 25:3 This is the offering you are to accept from them: gold, silver, bronze, 25:4 blue, purple, scarlet, fine linen, goat's hair, 25:5 ram skins dyed red, fine leather, acacia wood, 25:6 oil for the light, spices for the anointing oil and for fragrant incense, 25:7 onyx stones, and other gems to be set in the ephod and in the breastpiece. 25:8 Let them make for me a sanctuary, so that I may live among them. 25:9 According to all that I am showing you -- the pattern of the tabernacle and the pattern of all its furnishings -- you must make it exactly so. The Ark of the Covenant 25:10 "They are to make an ark of acacia wood -- its length is to be three feet nine inches, its width two feet three inches, and its height two feet three inches. 25:11 You are to overlay it with pure gold -- both inside and outside you must overlay it, and you are to make a surrounding border of gold over it. 25:12 You are to cast four gold rings for it and put them on its four feet, with two rings on one side and two rings on the other side. 25:13 You are to make poles of acacia wood, overlay them with gold, 25:14 and put the poles into the rings at the sides of the ark in order to carry the ark with them. 25:15 The poles must remain in the rings of the ark; they must not be removed from it. 25:16 You are to put into the ark the testimony that I will give to you. 25:17 "You are to make an atonement lid of pure gold; its length is to be three feet nine inches, and its width is to be two feet three inches. 25:18 You are to make two cherubim of gold; you are to make them of hammered metal on the two ends of the atonement lid. 25:19 Make one cherub on one end and one cherub on the other end; from the atonement lid you are to make the cherubim on the two ends. 25:20 The cherubim are to be spreading their wings upward, overshadowing the atonement lid with their wings, and the cherubim are to face each other, looking toward the atonement lid. 25:21 You are to put the atonement lid on top of the ark, and in the ark you are to put the testimony I am giving you. 25:22 I will meet with you there, and from above the atonement lid, from between the two cherubim that are over the ark of the testimony, I will speak with you about all that I will command you for the Israelites. The Table for the Bread of the Presence 25:23 "You are to make a table of acacia wood; its length is to be three feet, its width one foot six inches, and its height two feet three inches. 25:24 You are to overlay it with pure gold, and you are to make a surrounding border of gold for it. 25:25 You are to make a surrounding frame for it about three inches broad, and you are to make a surrounding border of gold for its frame. 25:26 You are to make four rings of gold for it and attach the rings at the four corners where its four legs are. 25:27 The rings are to be close to the frame to provide places for the poles to carry the table. 25:28 You are to make the poles of acacia wood and overlay them with gold, so that the table may be carried with them. 25:29 You are to make its plates, its ladles, its pitchers, and its bowls, to be used in pouring out offerings; you are to make them of pure gold. 25:30 You are to set the Bread of the Presence on the table before me continually. The Lampstand 25:31 "You are to make a lampstand of pure gold. The lampstand is to be made of hammered metal; its base and its shaft, its cups, its buds, and its blossoms are to be from the same piece. 25:32 Six branches are to extend from the sides of the lampstand, three branches of the lampstand from one side of it and three branches of the lampstand from the other side of it. 25:33 Three cups shaped like almond flowers with buds and blossoms are to be on one branch, and three cups shaped like almond flowers with buds and blossoms are to be on the next branch, and the same for the six branches extending from the lampstand. 25:34 On the lampstand there are to be four cups shaped like almond flowers with buds and blossoms, 25:35 with a bud under the first two branches from it, and a bud under the next two branches from it, and a bud under the third two branches from it, according to the six branches that extend from the lampstand. 25:36 Their buds and their branches will be one piece, all of it one hammered piece of pure gold. 25:37 "You are to make its seven lamps, and then set its lamps up on it, so that it will give light to the area in front of it. 25:38 Its trimmers and its trays are to be of pure gold. 25:39 About seventy-five pounds of pure gold is to be used for it and for all these utensils. 25:40 Now be sure to make them according to the pattern you were shown on the mountain. Prayer Lord, You have made of those who belong to Christ a new kind of "Ark of the Covenant", You -- as the Holy Spirit - dwell in us and meet with us continually. May I be ever-grateful and mindful of Your incredible gift and of Your amazing presence. Commentary The Lord God instructs Moses to take up a special collection because He wanted the Israelites to build a sanctuary where He could come among them without destroying them. He gave Moses very detailed instructions as to every detail. Key to it all was God's desire to draw the eyes of the Israelites away from the corrupting fallen things of the world and rather to His healing a loving and perfect presence. Interaction Consider this: The Israelites had plundered Egypt of many valuables, God now asked that the voluntarily surrender some of what had become dear to them to build a sanctuary. Discuss this: Imagine the reaction of the Israelites to the announcement that God wanted a sanctuary in order to dwell among them. Would their reaction have been fear or joy or some mixture of both? Reflect on this: Everything God described was portable -- He knew that they would be traveling for a while. Share this: When you planned to travel what were the valuables which you prepared to be certain that they traveled well and were readily accessible? Faith in Action Prayer: Ask the Holy Spirit to show you where you have sacrificed something that the world considers important for the sake of improving your intimacy with God. Action: Today I will celebrate the success of the Holy Spirit in leading me to the moment of maturity where I sacrificed something that the world sees as valuable for the sake of drawing nearer to Him. It may have been money and time spend on entertainment or a hobby, the pursuit of fame or fortune, popularity or possessions, but whatever it was it came between me and intimacy with my Lord God. And then I will commit to partner with the Holy Spirit to do it again in another area of my life. Be Specific ______________________________________________________ Saturday's text will be: *Exodus 26* -- Have an http://Ultrafidian.com Day! Pastor David ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Personal Site: http://bibleseven.com Bible Resources: http://bible.org ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From pastordavid at bibleseven.com Fri Aug 27 20:47:31 2010 From: pastordavid at bibleseven.com (pastordavid at bibleseven.com) Date: Fri, 27 Aug 2010 20:47:31 -0400 Subject: [Linux4christians] Saturday Exodus 26 Message-ID: <4C785CA3.4090205@bibleseven.com> Saturday *Exodus 26* The Tabernacle 26:1 "The tabernacle itself you are to make with ten curtains of fine twisted linen and blue and purple and scarlet; you are to make them with cherubim that are the work of an artistic designer. 26:2 The length of each curtain is to be forty-two feet, and the width of each curtain is to be six feet -- the same size for each of the curtains. 26:3 Five curtains are to be joined, one to another, and the other five curtains are to be joined, one to another. 26:4 You are to make loops of blue material along the edge of the end curtain in one set, and in the same way you are to make loops in the outer edge of the end curtain in the second set. 26:5 You are to make fifty loops on the one curtain, and you are to make fifty loops on the end curtain which is on the second set, so that the loops are opposite one to another. 26:6 You are to make fifty gold clasps and join the curtains together with the clasps, so that the tabernacle is a unit. 26:7 "You are to make curtains of goats' hair for a tent over the tabernacle; you are to make eleven curtains. 26:8 The length of each curtain is to be forty-five feet, and the width of each curtain is to be six feet -- the same size for the eleven curtains. 26:9 You are to join five curtains by themselves and six curtains by themselves. You are to double over the sixth curtain at the front of the tent. 26:10 You are to make fifty loops along the edge of the end curtain in one set and fifty loops along the edge of the curtain that joins the second set. 26:11 You are to make fifty bronze clasps and put the clasps into the loops and join the tent together so that it is a unit. 26:12 Now the part that remains of the curtains of the tent -- the half curtain that remains will hang over at the back of the tabernacle. 26:13 The foot and a half on the one side and the foot and a half on the other side of what remains in the length of the curtains of the tent will hang over the sides of the tabernacle, on one side and the other side, to cover it. 26:14 "You are to make a covering for the tent out of ram skins dyed red and over that a covering of fine leather. 26:15 "You are to make the frames for the tabernacle out of acacia wood as uprights. 26:16 Each frame is to be fifteen feet long, and each frame is to be two feet three inches wide, 26:17 with two projections per frame parallel one to another. You are to make all the frames of the tabernacle in this way. 26:18 So you are to make the frames for the tabernacle: twenty frames for the south side, 26:19 and you are to make forty silver bases to go under the twenty frames -- two bases under the first frame for its two projections, and likewise two bases under the next frame for its two projections; 26:20 and for the second side of the tabernacle, the north side, twenty frames, 26:21 and their forty silver bases, two bases under the first frame, and two bases under the next frame. 26:22 And for the back of the tabernacle on the west you will make six frames. 26:23 You are to make two frames for the corners of the tabernacle on the back. 26:24 At the two corners they must be doubled at the lower end and finished together at the top in one ring. So it will be for both. 26:25 So there are to be eight frames and their silver bases, sixteen bases, two bases under the first frame, and two bases under the next frame. 26:26 "You are to make bars of acacia wood, five for the frames on one side of the tabernacle, 26:27 and five bars for the frames on the second side of the tabernacle, and five bars for the frames on the back of the tabernacle on the west. 26:28 The middle bar in the center of the frames will reach from end to end. 26:29 You are to overlay the frames with gold and make their rings of gold to provide places for the bars, and you are to overlay the bars with gold. 26:30 You are to set up the tabernacle according to the plan that you were shown on the mountain. 26:31 "You are to make a special curtain of blue, purple, and scarlet yarn and fine twisted linen; it is to be made with cherubim, the work of an artistic designer. 26:32 You are to hang it with gold hooks on four posts of acacia wood overlaid with gold, set in four silver bases. 26:33 You are to hang this curtain under the clasps and bring the ark of the testimony in there behind the curtain. The curtain will make a division for you between the Holy Place and the Most Holy Place. 26:34 You are to put the atonement lid on the ark of the testimony in the Most Holy Place. 26:35 You are to put the table outside the curtain and the lampstand on the south side of the tabernacle, opposite the table, and you are to place the table on the north side. 26:36 "You are to make a hanging for the entrance of the tent of blue, purple, and scarlet yarn and fine twined linen, the work of an embroiderer. 26:37 You are to make for the hanging five posts of acacia wood and overlay them with gold, and their hooks will be gold, and you are to cast five bronze bases for them. Prayer Lord, Your attention to detail was with perfect precision and with perfect purpose, thank You that You are equally attentive to the lives of all who belong to You. Commentary The Lord God continued His presentation of the details of the portable tabernacle. A key element in the design "/You are to hang this curtain under the clasps and bring the ark of the testimony in there behind the curtain. The curtain will make a division for you between the Holy Place and the Most Holy Place. 26:34 You are to put the atonement lid on the ark of the testimony in the Most Holy Place./" He reminded Moses "/You are to set up the tabernacle according to the plan that you were shown on the mountain./" Even the compass- orientation of the tabernacle, when not being transported, was important "/You are to put the table outside the curtain and the lampstand on the south side of the tabernacle, opposite the table, and you are to place the table on the north side./" Interaction Consider this: Moses had been previously given a vision of the tabernacle, as well as many of the details, so God is repeating Himself to be certain that Moses does not forget a detail. Discuss this: Does God's attention to detail give you greater confidence as to His awareness of you as well? Reflect on this: God was making it very clear that every detail of His laws and regulations were important. Share this: When have you been given a big picture by God, later to have Him fill in all of the details? Faith in Action Prayer: Ask the Holy Spirit to show you where you are skipping some of God's details for you life. Action: Today I will humbly acknowledge that I do not have all of the details, nor that I am even fully following the ones that I do know, and I will ask the Holy Spirit to remind me of what I have left undone. I will submit myself anew to study and pray, serve and disciple as the Holy Spirit leads. Be Specific ______________________________________________________ Sunday's text will be: Exodus 27 -- Have an http://Ultrafidian.com Day! Pastor David ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Personal Site: http://bibleseven.com Bible Resources: http://bible.org ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From fmiller at lightlink.com Sat Aug 28 19:31:09 2010 From: fmiller at lightlink.com (Fred A. Miller) Date: Sat, 28 Aug 2010 19:31:09 -0400 Subject: [Linux4christians] 'Hipster' Christianity vs. authenticity Message-ID: <4C799C3D.9070107@lightlink.com> 'Hipster' Christianity vs. authenticity Hoping to bridge the gap between the "irrelevant" church and young people who seek a counter-culture, a conservative journalist believes a wave of modern Christianity has gone "hipster" in its approach to reach the next generation. -- "Gun control is like trying to reduce drunk driving by making it tougher for sober people to own cars." - Unknown -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From gorkon at gmail.com Sat Aug 28 20:05:01 2010 From: gorkon at gmail.com (Joel Mclaughlin) Date: Sat, 28 Aug 2010 20:05:01 -0400 Subject: [Linux4christians] 'Hipster' Christianity vs. authenticity In-Reply-To: <4C799C3D.9070107@lightlink.com> References: <4C799C3D.9070107@lightlink.com> Message-ID: Anyone else find it interesting that a story about "Hipster" Christianity talking about how they think it's bad to integrate the Internet and Social Networking into Church has links to Twitter and Facebook at the bottom of the article? Face it: The Internet is not going to go away. I would rather see good stuff like scripture being tweeted than about someone having a Ham Sandwich. We should also be the light of the Internet as well as the world. With that, we should take breaks from technology and take time to just be with God. Good article Fred! On Sat, Aug 28, 2010 at 7:31 PM, Fred A. Miller wrote: > 'Hipster' Christianity vs. authenticity > Hoping to bridge the gap between the "irrelevant" church and young people > who seek a counter-culture, a conservative journalist believes a wave of > modern Christianity has gone "hipster" in its approach to reach the next > generation. > > -- > "Gun control is like trying to reduce drunk driving by making it > tougher for sober people to own cars." - Unknown > > _______________________________________________ > Linux4christians mailing list > Linux4christians at thelinuxlink.net > http://www.thelinuxlink.net/mailman/listinfo/linux4christians > > -- Joel McLaughlin Life in Ohio Podcast life.in.ohio.pod at gmail.com gorkon at gmail.com http://lifeinohio.libsyn.com joel at geardiary.com geardiary.com From webservant at trinitybclaramie.org Sat Aug 28 20:54:11 2010 From: webservant at trinitybclaramie.org (Peter B. Steiger) Date: Sat, 28 Aug 2010 18:54:11 -0600 Subject: [Linux4christians] 'Hipster' Christianity vs. authenticity In-Reply-To: References: <4C799C3D.9070107@lightlink.com> Message-ID: Totally agree, Joel. I play "Second Life" a lot and have found a number of other Christian geeks who do the same; there are Bible studies and counseling sites all over the place in SL. I wear a "Southern Baptist" tag floating over my head wherever I go, which leads to some terrific witnessing opportunities with people who ask about it. *PBS* On Sat, Aug 28, 2010 at 6:05 PM, Joel Mclaughlin wrote: > Anyone else find it interesting that a story about "Hipster" > Christianity talking about how they think it's bad to integrate the > Internet and Social Networking into Church has links to Twitter and > Facebook at the bottom of the article? > > Face it: The Internet is not going to go away. I would rather see > good stuff like scripture being tweeted than about someone having a > Ham Sandwich. We should also be the light of the Internet as well as > the world. > > With that, we should take breaks from technology and take time to just > be with God. > > -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From pastordavid at bibleseven.com Sat Aug 28 21:36:24 2010 From: pastordavid at bibleseven.com (pastordavid at bibleseven.com) Date: Sat, 28 Aug 2010 21:36:24 -0400 Subject: [Linux4christians] Sunday Exodus 27 Message-ID: <4C79B998.9060205@bibleseven.com> Sunday *Exodus 27* The Altar 27:1 "You are to make the altar of acacia wood, seven feet six inches long, and seven feet six inches wide; the altar is to be square, and its height is to be four feet six inches. 27:2 You are to make its four horns on its four corners; its horns will be part of it, and you are to overlay it with bronze. 27:3 You are to make its pots for the ashes, its shovels, its tossing bowls, its meat hooks, and its fire pans -- you are to make all its utensils of bronze. 27:4 You are to make a grating for it, a network of bronze, and you are to make on the network four bronze rings on its four corners. 27:5 You are to put it under the ledge of the altar below, so that the network will come halfway up the altar. 27:6 You are to make poles for the altar, poles of acacia wood, and you are to overlay them with bronze. 27:7 The poles are to be put into the rings so that the poles will be on two sides of the altar when carrying it. 27:8 You are to make the altar hollow, out of boards. Just as it was shown you on the mountain, so they must make it. The Courtyard 27:9 "You are to make the courtyard of the tabernacle. For the south side there are to be hangings for the courtyard of fine twisted linen, one hundred fifty feet long for one side, 27:10 with twenty posts and their twenty bronze bases, with the hooks of the posts and their bands of silver. 27:11 Likewise for its length on the north side, there are to be hangings for one hundred fifty feet, with twenty posts and their twenty bronze bases, with silver hooks and bands on the posts. 27:12 The width of the court on the west side is to be seventy-five feet with hangings, with their ten posts and their ten bases. 27:13 The width of the court on the east side, toward the sunrise, is to be seventy-five feet. 27:14 The hangings on one side of the gate are to be twenty-two and a half feet long, with their three posts and their three bases. 27:15 On the second side there are to be hangings twenty-two and a half feet long, with their three posts and their three bases. 27:16 For the gate of the courtyard there is to be a curtain of thirty feet, of blue, purple, and scarlet yarn and fine twined linen, the work of an embroiderer, with four posts and their four bases. 27:17 All the posts around the courtyard are to have silver bands; their hooks are to be silver, and their bases bronze. 27:18 The length of the courtyard is to be one hundred fifty feet and the width seventy-five feet, and the height of the fine twisted linen hangings is to be seven and a half feet, with their bronze bases. 27:19 All the utensils of the tabernacle used in all its service, all its tent pegs, and all the tent pegs of the courtyard are to be made of bronze. Offering the Oil 27:20 "You are to command the Israelites that they bring to you pure oil of pressed olives for the light, so that the lamps will burn regularly. 27:21 In the tent of meeting outside the curtain that is before the testimony, Aaron and his sons are to arrange it from evening to morning before the Lord. This is to be a lasting ordinance among the Israelites for generations to come. Prayer Lord, thank You that the Holy Spirit of God dwells in me and the Courtyard and the Altar and the Most Holy Place are all open to me. Commentary The Lord God describes the construction of a portable rather than a fixed altar. This deals with the problem of a currently-nomadic people needing to tend to sacrifices by constantly stopping to build a new altar. The details of the construction of the altar assure that it is perfectly constructed to handle the heavy demands of sacrifices necessary for so many people, including the necessary construction to facilitate emptying and cleaning. The courtyard was the outer container of the altar where the people came to bring their sacrifices. As the NET translators describe it was a place rhetorically-apart from the world where they felt nearer to God. There were oil lamps burning pure pressed olive oil to assure a steady flame. The lamps burned from evening until morning as the sacrifices were offered, then extinguished and serviced to be ready for the next night. Interaction Consider this: The Lord God is creating a place and a process for the people to meet, albeit indirectly, with Him. Discuss this: What must life have been like for the priestly tribe of Levi to manage all of the details of the wilderness tabernacle? Reflect on this: Given the challenges of travel, especially over a million people, even a brief time of escape into the courtyard must have been a very blessed and refreshing experience. Share this: When have you found a special time and place to get-apart with the Lord? Faith in Action Prayer: Ask the Holy Spirit to show you something new He would like to add to His special time with you. Action: Today I will humbly receive God's guidance as to how I may improve the quality of my special time apart with Him. I will share how that enhances my walk with Him with a fellow believer as an encouragement to them to ask Him to speak to them as well. Be Specific ______________________________________________________ Monday's text will be:* Exodus 28 * -- Have an http://Ultrafidian.com Day! Pastor David ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Personal Site: http://bibleseven.com Bible Resources: http://bible.org ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From pastordavid at bibleseven.com Sun Aug 29 22:01:51 2010 From: pastordavid at bibleseven.com (pastordavid at bibleseven.com) Date: Sun, 29 Aug 2010 22:01:51 -0400 Subject: [Linux4christians] Monday - Exodus 28 Message-ID: <4C7B110F.9020005@bibleseven.com> Monday *Exodus 28* The Clothing of the Priests 28:1 "And you, bring near to you your brother Aaron and his sons with him from among the Israelites, so that they may minister as my priests -- Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar, Aaron's sons. 28:2 You must make holy garments for your brother Aaron, for glory and for beauty. 28:3 You are to speak to all who are specially skilled, whom I have filled with the spirit of wisdom, so that they may make Aaron's garments to set him apart to minister as my priest. 28:4 Now these are the garments that they are to make: a breastpiece, an ephod, a robe, a fitted tunic, a turban, and a sash. They are to make holy garments for your brother Aaron and for his sons, that they may minister as my priests. 28:5 The artisans are to use the gold, blue, purple, scarlet, and fine linen. 28:6 "They are to make the ephod of gold, blue, purple, scarlet, and fine twisted linen, the work of an artistic designer. 28:7 It is to have two shoulder pieces attached to two of its corners, so it can be joined together. 28:8 The artistically woven waistband of the ephod that is on it is to be like it, of one piece with the ephod, of gold, blue, purple, scarlet, and fine twisted linen. 28:9 "You are to take two onyx stones and engrave on them the names of the sons of Israel, 28:10 six of their names on one stone, and the six remaining names on the second stone, according to the order of their birth. 28:11 You are to engrave the two stones with the names of the sons of Israel with the work of an engraver in stone, like the engravings of a seal; you are to have them set in gold filigree settings. 28:12 You are to put the two stones on the shoulders of the ephod, stones of memorial for the sons of Israel, and Aaron will bear their names before the Lord on his two shoulders for a memorial. 28:13 You are to make filigree settings of gold 28:14 and two braided chains of pure gold, like a cord, and attach the chains to the settings. 28:15 "You are to make a breastpiece for use in making decisions, the work of an artistic designer; you are to make it in the same fashion as the ephod; you are to make it of gold, blue, purple, scarlet, and fine twisted linen. 28:16 It is to be square when doubled, nine inches long and nine inches wide. 28:17 You are to set in it a setting for stones, four rows of stones, a row with a ruby, a topaz, and a beryl -- the first row; 28:18 and the second row, a turquoise, a sapphire, and an emerald; 28:19 and the third row, a jacinth, an agate, and an amethyst; 28:20 and the fourth row, a chrysolite, an onyx, and a jasper. They are to be enclosed in gold in their filigree settings. 28:21 The stones are to be for the names of the sons of Israel, twelve, according to the number of their names. Each name according to the twelve tribes is to be like the engravings of a seal. 28:22 "You are to make for the breastpiece braided chains like cords of pure gold, 28:23 and you are to make for the breastpiece two gold rings and attach the two rings to the upper two ends of the breastpiece. 28:24 You are to attach the two gold chains to the two rings at the ends of the breastpiece; 28:25 the other two ends of the two chains you will attach to the two settings and then attach them to the shoulder pieces of the ephod at the front of it. 28:26 You are to make two rings of gold and put them on the other two ends of the breastpiece, on its edge that is on the inner side of the ephod. 28:27 You are to make two more gold rings and attach them to the bottom of the two shoulder pieces on the front of the ephod, close to the juncture above the waistband of the ephod. 28:28 They are to tie the breastpiece by its rings to the rings of the ephod by blue cord, so that it may be above the waistband of the ephod, and so that the breastpiece will not be loose from the ephod. 28:29 Aaron will bear the names of the sons of Israel in the breastpiece of decision over his heart when he goes into the holy place, for a memorial before the Lord continually. 28:30 "You are to put the Urim and the Thummim into the breastpiece of decision; and they are to be over Aaron's heart when he goes in before the Lord. Aaron is to bear the decisions of the Israelites over his heart before the Lord continually. 28:31 "You are to make the robe of the ephod completely blue. 28:32 There is to be an opening in its top in the center of it, with an edge all around the opening, the work of a weaver, like the opening of a collar, so that it cannot be torn. 28:33 You are to make pomegranates of blue, purple, and scarlet all around its hem and bells of gold between them all around. 28:34 The pattern is to be a gold bell and a pomegranate, a gold bell and a pomegranate, all around the hem of the robe. 28:35 The robe is to be on Aaron as he ministers, and his sound will be heard when he enters the Holy Place before the Lord and when he leaves, so that he does not die. 28:36 "You are to make a plate of pure gold and engrave on it the way a seal is engraved: "Holiness to the Lord." 28:37 You are to attach to it a blue cord so that it will be on the turban; it is to be on the front of the turban, 28:38 It will be on Aaron's forehead, and Aaron will bear the iniquity of the holy things, which the Israelites are to sanctify by all their holy gifts; it will always be on his forehead, for their acceptance before the Lord. 28:39 You are to weave the tunic of fine linen and make the turban of fine linen, and make the sash the work of an embroiderer. 28:40 "For Aaron's sons you are to make tunics, sashes, and headbands for glory and for beauty. 28:41 "You are to clothe them -- your brother Aaron and his sons with him -- and anoint them and ordain them and set them apart as holy, so that they may minister as my priests. 28:42 Make for them linen undergarments to cover their naked bodies; they must cover from the waist to the thighs. 28:43 These must be on Aaron and his sons when they enter to the tent of meeting, or when they approach the altar to minister in the Holy Place, so that they bear no iniquity and die. It is to be a perpetual ordinance for him and for his descendants after him. Prayer Lord, thank You that the era of the priest has passed and all who belong to You are priests whose high priest is Christ. May I be found faithful in a life devoted to You. Commentary The Lord God calls /"Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar, Aaron's sons."/ to the priesthood, to serve in the newly created tabernacle. He declares that "It is to be a perpetual ordinance for him and for his descendants after him." The details of their clothing are designed to set them apart and to indicate that their service is only valid through God and their speech only has authority as it comes from God. For Aaron was to be made /"... a breastpiece, an ephod, and a robe, and ea/ch element of his priestly clothing had a meaning and a purpose: The breastpiece is summarized /"You are to make a breastpiece for use in making decisions... You are to put the Urim and the Thummim into the breastpiece of decision"/ [From the NET translators notes: "U. Cassuto has the most thorough treatment of the subject (Exodus, 378-82); he lists several very clear rules for their uses gathered from their instances in the Bible, including that they were a form of sacred lot, that priests or leaders of the people only could use them, and that they were used for discovering the divine will in areas that were beyond human knowledge."] The ephod bore the names of the 12 tribes as a reminder of God's chosen people and whom, o earth, the priest served at God's anointing. The robe included "/... a gold bell and a pomegranate, all around the hem of the robe. 28:35 The robe is to be on Aaron as he ministers, and his sound will be heard when he enters the Holy Place before the Lord and when he leaves, so that he does not die."/ For Aaron's sons was to be made /"... a fitted tunic, a turban, and a sash."/ If they were to survive entry into the altar-area they must be dressed in this specific respectful manner. Interaction Consider this: The Lord God did not merely call but He also attended to the details of preparation so that the one whom He had called displayed appropriate respect before Him for all of the people to see. Discuss this: How scary must it have been for Aaron, and especially his sons, to know that their preparation to enter the altar-area was so specific that death could result from any carelessness. Reflect on this: God made certain that Aaron and his sons knew that they were servants of the 12 tribes and that every detail of everything that they did was specified by God and not subject to their changes. Share this: When have you sensed that the Holy Spirit was preparing you for a special form of service? Perhaps leading you to discipleship with mentoring in some area, leading you to learn about a different culture or nation, leading you into fellowship with a new community of people, etc. Faith in Action Prayer: Ask the Holy Spirit to make you aware of your next place of service. Action: Today I will ask a fellow believer to pray for confirmation of my calling and will then immediately and humbly pursue the preparation He calls me to so that I will be fully prepared with the tools to be His hands and feet in the world. Be Specific ______________________________________________________ Tuesday's text will be: *Exodus 29* -- Have an http://Ultrafidian.com Day! Pastor David ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Personal Site: http://bibleseven.com Bible Resources: http://bible.org ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From fmiller at lightlink.com Mon Aug 30 13:10:53 2010 From: fmiller at lightlink.com (Fred A. Miller) Date: Mon, 30 Aug 2010 13:10:53 -0400 Subject: [Linux4christians] 'Hipster' Christianity vs. authenticity In-Reply-To: References: <4C799C3D.9070107@lightlink.com> Message-ID: <4C7BE61D.80307@lightlink.com> On 08/28/2010 08:05 PM, Joel Mclaughlin wrote: > Anyone else find it interesting that a story about "Hipster" > Christianity talking about how they think it's bad to integrate the > Internet and Social Networking into Church has links to Twitter and > Facebook at the bottom of the article? > > Face it: The Internet is not going to go away. I would rather see > good stuff like scripture being tweeted than about someone having a > Ham Sandwich. We should also be the light of the Internet as well as > the world. > > With that, we should take breaks from technology and take time to just > be with God. > THAT is true! > Good article Fred! > Fred -- "Gun control is like trying to reduce drunk driving by making it tougher for sober people to own cars." - Unknown -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From fmiller at lightlink.com Mon Aug 30 13:21:50 2010 From: fmiller at lightlink.com (Fred A. Miller) Date: Mon, 30 Aug 2010 13:21:50 -0400 Subject: [Linux4christians] THIS IS ABSOLUTELY PERFECT!!!! Message-ID: <4C7BE8AE.1030000@lightlink.com> THIS IS ABSOLUTELY PERFECT!!!! I have often wondered why it is that the conservatives are called the "right" and the liberals are called the "left." By chance stumbled upon this verse in the Bible: Ecclesiastes 10:2 (NIV) "The heart of the wise inclines to the right, but the heart of the fool to the left." Yep, that's it! -- "Gun control is like trying to reduce drunk driving by making it tougher for sober people to own cars." - Unknown -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From pastordavid at bibleseven.com Mon Aug 30 23:13:44 2010 From: pastordavid at bibleseven.com (pastordavid at bibleseven.com) Date: Mon, 30 Aug 2010 23:13:44 -0400 Subject: [Linux4christians] Tuesday - Exodus 29 Message-ID: <4C7C7368.2070706@bibleseven.com> Tuesday *Exodus 29* The Consecration of Aaron and His Sons 29:1 "Now this is what you are to do for them to consecrate them so that they may minister as my priests. Take a young bull and two rams without blemish; 29:2 and bread made without yeast, and perforated cakes without yeast mixed with oil, and wafers without yeast spread with oil -- you are to make them using fine wheat flour. 29:3 You are to put them in one basket and present them in the basket, along with the bull and the two rams. 29:4 "You are to present Aaron and his sons at the entrance of the tent of meeting. You are to wash them with water 29:5 and take the garments and clothe Aaron with the tunic, the robe of the ephod, the ephod, and the breastpiece; you are to fasten the ephod on him by using the skillfully woven waistband. 29:6 You are to put the turban on his head and put the holy diadem on the turban. 29:7 You are to take the anointing oil and pour it on his head and anoint him. 29:8 You are to present his sons and clothe them with tunics 29:9 and wrap the sashes around Aaron and his sons and put headbands on them, and so the ministry of priesthood will belong to them by a perpetual ordinance. Thus you are to consecrate Aaron and his sons. 29:10 "You are to present the bull at the front of the tent of meeting, and Aaron and his sons are to put their hands on the head of the bull. 29:11 You are to kill the bull before the Lord at the entrance to the tent of meeting 29:12 and take some of the blood of the bull and put it on the horns of the altar with your finger; all the rest of the blood you are to pour out at the base of the altar. 29:13 You are to take all the fat that covers the entrails, and the lobe that is above the liver, and the two kidneys and the fat that is on them, and burn them on the altar. 29:14 But the meat of the bull, its skin, and its dung you are to burn up outside the camp. It is the purification offering. 29:15 "You are to take one ram, and Aaron and his sons are to lay their hands on the ram's head, 29:16 and you are to kill the ram and take its blood and splash it all around on the altar. 29:17 Then you are to cut the ram into pieces and wash the entrails and its legs and put them on its pieces and on its head 29:18 and burn the whole ram on the altar. It is a burnt offering to the Lord, a soothing aroma; it is an offering made by fire to the Lord. 29:19 "You are to take the second ram, and Aaron and his sons are to lay their hands on the ram's head, 29:20 and you are to kill the ram and take some of its blood and put it on the tip of the right ear of Aaron, on the tip of the right ear of his sons, on the thumb of their right hand, and on the big toe of their right foot, and then splash the blood all around on the altar. 29:21 You are to take some of the blood that is on the altar and some of the anointing oil and sprinkle it on Aaron, on his garments, on his sons, and on his sons' garments with him, so that he may be holy, he and his garments along with his sons and his sons' garments. 29:22 "You are to take from the ram the fat, the fat tail, the fat that covers the entrails, the lobe of the liver, the two kidneys and the fat that is on them, and the right thigh -- for it is the ram for consecration -- 29:23 and one round flat cake of bread, one perforated cake of oiled bread, and one wafer from the basket of bread made without yeast that is before the Lord. 29:24 You are to put all these in Aaron's hands and in his sons' hands, and you are to wave them as a wave offering before the Lord. 29:25 Then you are to take them from their hands and burn them on the altar for a burnt offering, for a soothing aroma before the Lord. It is an offering made by fire to the Lord. 29:26 You are to take the breast of the ram of Aaron's consecration; you are to wave it as a wave offering before the Lord, and it is to be your share. 29:27 You are to sanctify the breast of the wave offering and the thigh of the contribution, which were waved and lifted up as a contribution from the ram of consecration, from what belongs to Aaron and to his sons. 29:28 It is to belong to Aaron and to his sons from the Israelites, by a perpetual ordinance, for it is a contribution. It is to be a contribution from the Israelites from their peace offerings, their contribution to the Lord. 29:29 "The holy garments that belong to Aaron are to belong to his sons after him, so that they may be anointed in them and consecrated in them. 29:30 The priest who succeeds him from his sons, when he first comes to the tent of meeting to minister in the Holy Place, is to wear them for seven days. 29:31 "You are to take the ram of the consecration and cook its meat in a holy place. 29:32 Aaron and his sons are to eat the meat of the ram and the bread that was in the basket at the entrance of the tent of meeting. 29:33 They are to eat those things by which atonement was made to consecrate and to set them apart, but no one else may eat them, for they are holy. 29:34 If any of the meat from the consecration offerings or any of the bread is left over until morning, then you are to burn up what is left over. It must not be eaten, because it is holy. 29:35 "Thus you are to do for Aaron and for his sons, according to all that I have commanded you; you are to consecrate them for seven days. 29:36 Every day you are to prepare a bull for a purification offering for atonement. You are to purge the altar by making atonement for it, and you are to anoint it to set it apart as holy. 29:37 For seven days you are to make atonement for the altar and set it apart as holy. Then the altar will be most holy. Anything that touches the altar will be holy. 29:38 "Now this is what you are to prepare on the altar every day continually: two lambs a year old. 29:39 The first lamb you are to prepare in the morning, and the second lamb you are to prepare around sundown. 29:40 With the first lamb offer a tenth of an ephah of fine flour mixed with a fourth of a hin of oil from pressed olives, and a fourth of a hin of wine as a drink offering. 29:41 The second lamb you are to offer around sundown; you are to prepare for it the same meal offering as for the morning and the same drink offering, for a soothing aroma, an offering made by fire to the Lord. 29:42 "This will be a regular burnt offering throughout your generations at the entrance of the tent of meeting before the Lord, where I will meet with you to speak to you there. 29:43 There I will meet with the Israelites, and it will be set apart as holy by my glory. 29:44 "So I will set apart as holy the tent of meeting and the altar, and I will set apart as holy Aaron and his sons, that they may minister as priests to me. 29:45 I will reside among the Israelites, and I will be their God, 29:46 and they will know that I am the Lord their God, who brought them out from the land of Egypt, so that I may reside among them. I am the Lord their God. Prayer Lord, You drew me near and offered me the gift provided by Jesus, then You washed me clean of my past -- You own me and have set me apart as holy. May I be found faithful. Commentary It took more than clothes to prepare Aaron and his sons to serve in God's tabernacle, He instructed Moses "... consecrate them so that they may minister as my priests." Aaron and his sons were prepared somewhat like the sacrificial offerings they were being consecrated to handle on behalf of the Israelite people /"... present Aaron and his sons at the entrance of the tent of meeting. You are to wash them with water"/ Everything that was handled in the consecration received a status of holy, so that the bread and the meat could only be eaten by Aaron and his sons, leftovers had to be burned. Aaron's specially designed robes were to be passed to his sons and then to those who followed, to be worn for 7 days. The Lord God established the tabernacle as "/... the tent of meeting before the Lord, where I will meet with you to speak to you there. 29:43 There I will meet with the Israelites, and it will be set apart as holy by my glory."/ Interaction Consider this: The covenant to which the elders (the leaders of the 12 tribes) agreed on behalf of their people required their assent to be a priest-led people, so here the Lord God established that priesthood. Discuss this: One wonders how long it took the Israelites to discover that their lives just became more accountable and complex with the establishment of rules and rile-keepers? Reflect on this: The Lord God is no longer a stranger to most of the Israelites, He now "... /will meet with the Israelites"/ Share this: When did you discover a way that you prepare yourself to really come-apart with the Lord that helped you to make the most of that time? Perhaps fasting, perhaps going to a certain location, perhaps listening to certain music, perhaps reciting certain Bible text; not to create a rigid ritual but more-so learning how you focus on Him and disconnect from the busyness and noise of the world. Faith in Action Prayer: Ask the Holy Spirit to show you how to prepare yourself to be set apart for holy service. Action: Today I will humbly acknowledge my artificial piety, my carelessness, my distractedness, my rigid religiosity, or whatever other impediment to a full surrender to fellowship with the Holy Spirit during my time(s) apart with God. I will joyfully follow the leading of the Holy Spirit to a healthier means of preparing my special time with the Lord. Be Specific ______________________________________________________ Wednesday's text will be: *Exodus 30* -- Have an http://Ultrafidian.com Day! Pastor David ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Personal Site: http://bibleseven.com Bible Resources: http://bible.org ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From pastordavid at bibleseven.com Tue Aug 31 21:55:26 2010 From: pastordavid at bibleseven.com (pastordavid at bibleseven.com) Date: Tue, 31 Aug 2010 21:55:26 -0400 Subject: [Linux4christians] Wednesday - Exodus 30 Message-ID: <4C7DB28E.5070507@bibleseven.com> Wednesday *Exodus 30* The Altar of Incense 30:1 "You are to make an altar for burning incense; you are to make it of acacia wood. 30:2 Its length is to be a foot and a half and its width a foot and a half; it will be square. Its height is to be three feet, with its horns of one piece with it. 30:3 You are to overlay it with pure gold -- its top, its four walls, and its horns -- and make a surrounding border of gold for it. 30:4 You are to make two gold rings for it under its border, on its two flanks; you are to make them on its two sides. The rings will be places for poles to carry it with. 30:5 You are to make the poles of acacia wood and overlay them with gold. 30:6 "You are to put it in front of the curtain that is before the ark of the testimony (before the atonement lid that is over the testimony), where I will meet you. 30:7 Aaron is to burn sweet incense on it morning by morning; when he attends to the lamps he is to burn incense. 30:8 When Aaron sets up the lamps around sundown he is to burn incense on it; it is to be a regular incense offering before the Lord throughout your generations. 30:9 You must not offer strange incense on it, nor burnt offering, nor meal offering, and you must not pour out a drink offering on it. 30:10 Aaron is to make atonement on its horns once in the year with some of the blood of the sin offering for atonement; once in the year he is to make atonement on it throughout your generations. It is most holy to the Lord." The Ransom Money 30:11 The Lord spoke to Moses: 30:12 "When you take a census of the Israelites according to their number, then each man is to pay a ransom for his life to the Lord when you number them, so that there will be no plague among them when you number them. 30:13 Everyone who crosses over to those who are numbered is to pay this: a half shekel according to the shekel of the sanctuary (a shekel weighs twenty gerahs). The half shekel is to be an offering to the Lord. 30:14 Everyone who crosses over to those numbered, from twenty years old and up, is to pay an offering to the Lord. 30:15 The rich are not to increase it, and the poor are not to pay less than the half shekel when giving the offering of the Lord, to make atonement for your lives. 30:16 You are to receive the atonement money from the Israelites and give it for the service of the tent of meeting. It will be a memorial for the Israelites before the Lord, to make atonement for your lives." The Bronze Laver 30:17 The Lord spoke to Moses: 30:18 "You are also to make a large bronze basin with a bronze stand for washing. You are to put it between the tent of meeting and the altar and put water in it, 30:19 and Aaron and his sons must wash their hands and their feet from it. 30:20 When they enter the tent of meeting, they must wash with water so that they do not die. Also, when they approach the altar to minister by burning incense as an offering made by fire to the Lord, 30:21 they must wash their hands and their feet so that they do not die. And this will be a perpetual ordinance for them and for their descendants throughout their generations." Oil and Incense 30:22 The Lord spoke to Moses: 30:23 "Take choice spices: twelve and a half pounds of free-flowing myrrh, half that -- about six and a quarter pounds -- of sweet-smelling cinnamon, six and a quarter pounds of sweet-smelling cane, 30:24 and twelve and a half pounds of cassia, all weighed according to the sanctuary shekel, and four quarts of olive oil. 30:25 You are to make this into a sacred anointing oil, a perfumed compound, the work of a perfumer. It will be sacred anointing oil. 30:26 "With it you are to anoint the tent of meeting, the ark of the testimony, 30:27 the table and all its utensils, the lampstand and its utensils, the altar of incense, 30:28 the altar for the burnt offering and all its utensils, and the laver and its base. 30:29 So you are to sanctify them, and they will be most holy; anything that touches them will be holy. 30:30 "You are to anoint Aaron and his sons and sanctify them, so that they may minister as my priests. 30:31 And you are to tell the Israelites: 'This is to be my sacred anointing oil throughout your generations. 30:32 It must not be applied to people's bodies, and you must not make any like it with the same recipe. It is holy, and it must be holy to you. 30:33 Whoever makes perfume like it and whoever puts any of it on someone not a priest will be cut off from his people.'" 30:34 The Lord said to Moses: "Take spices, gum resin, onycha, galbanum, and pure frankincense of equal amounts 30:35 and make it into an incense, a perfume, the work of a perfumer. It is to be finely ground, and pure and sacred. 30:36 You are to beat some of it very fine and put some of it before the ark of the testimony in the tent of meeting where I will meet with you; it is to be most holy to you. 30:37 And the incense that you are to make, you must not make for yourselves using the same recipe; it is to be most holy to you, belonging to the Lord. 30:38 Whoever makes anything like it, to use as perfume, will be cut off from his people." Prayer Lord, may the incense of my obedience and the anointing oil of my service to fellow believers be a sweet offering to You. Commentary Continuing His pattern the Lord God described in careful detail the incense and anointing oil and how it is to be handled. He insisted that the recipe of both be reserved exclusively to their priestly purposes, preventing either from being demeaned in common use. He required the washing of priestly hands and feet prior to any service, adding to the high standards of everything associated with God's tabernacle presence. He also required the payment of an atonement-ransom "Everyone who crosses over to those numbered, from twenty years old and up, is to pay an offering to the Lord ... a half shekel when giving the offering of the Lord, to make atonement for your lives." It is unclear as to how often this was done. Some (see NET translators notes) have speculated it was only for the purpose of raising an army, but this text does not support that. Tradition suggests an annual census, which would have a multiple value: counting the new males just turned 20 which could generally be extrapolated-out to estimate growth in the tribes, knowing who would be available should an army need to be mustered, as a sociological check-point in their individual maturity, and as a means to raise funds to maintain the tabernacle. The money itself did not buy peace with God, it was a token of submission and part of the larger system of sacrifice. Interaction Consider this: God's instructions to Moses in the preparation of Aaron and his sons then became patterns for their lifelong priestly service. Discuss this: How exciting must it have been for a young man to approach the age of twenty and the atonement-ransom. For some it may have been a difficult financial sacrifice but for all it much have become an important transitional moment in life. Reflect on this: At twenty years old the Lord God established a new level of responsibility for ones sin and for ones place within the larger Israelite civilization. Share this: When have you experienced a transitional moment like that of the twenty year old male under the OT old covenant? Faith in Action Prayer: Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a transition moment where He would like you to pause and celebrate. Action: Today I will ask a Biblical elder or other mature Christian friend to pray in-agreement with me to know what is a transitional moment in my life where the Holy Spirit has led me to a new step of more-mature faith. I will celebrate by doing something for another in His name, and by committing myself to push on toward the next step in my spiritual growth. Be Specific ______________________________________________________ Thursday's text will be: *Exodus 31* -- Have an http://Ultrafidian.com Day! Pastor David ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Personal Site: http://bibleseven.com Bible Resources: http://bible.org ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: