From fmiller at lightlink.com Thu Dec 1 09:02:06 2011 From: fmiller at lightlink.com (Fred A. Miller) Date: Thu, 01 Dec 2011 09:02:06 -0500 Subject: [Linux4christians] OT: Israel, Iran, Armageddon and the Coming War of Gog and Magog Message-ID: <4ED788DE.4000801@lightlink.com> Israel, Iran, Armageddon and the Coming War of Gog and Magog It is interesting to note that the prophet Ezekiel in Ezekiel 38 predicts a last days' invasion of Israel, led by Russia, Iran and other Middle Eastern nations. The Ezekiel 38 invasion is also known as the War of Gog and Magog. Bible scholars disagree as to whether the War of Gog and Magog happens before Armageddon or towards the end of Armageddon. Military generals from around the world refer to this coming conflict as World War III. This is why there is a mad rush around the world to build massive..... http://www.newswithviews.com/McGuire/paul106.htm by Paul McGuire -- Liberal ideology and political correctness, infused with public policy, begets social insanity. - Michael Savage -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From fmiller at lightlink.com Fri Dec 2 13:30:26 2011 From: fmiller at lightlink.com (Fred A. Miller) Date: Fri, 02 Dec 2011 13:30:26 -0500 Subject: [Linux4christians] OT: Biblical literacy and spiritual growth Message-ID: <4ED91942.5080801@lightlink.com> Biblical literacy and spiritual growth As research shows the correlation between spiritual maturity and reading the Bible, one organization is addressing the significant lack of biblical literacy within the Christian community, as few Christians take time to make Bible study a daily practice. *Bible course's growing popularity* -- Liberal ideology and political correctness, infused with public policy, begets social insanity. - Michael Savage -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From karl at kleinpaste.org Fri Dec 2 16:37:09 2011 From: karl at kleinpaste.org (Karl Kleinpaste) Date: Fri, 02 Dec 2011 16:37:09 -0500 Subject: [Linux4christians] OT: Biblical literacy and spiritual growth In-Reply-To: <4ED91942.5080801@lightlink.com> (Fred A. Miller's message of "Fri, 02 Dec 2011 13:30:26 -0500") References: <4ED91942.5080801@lightlink.com> Message-ID: Alternatively, try The Theology Program, motivated similarly by the dreadful state of most Christians' understanding of their own faith. http://www.reclaimingthemind.org/what-we-do/the-theology-program/ From dcolburn at bibleseven.com Fri Dec 2 21:28:49 2011 From: dcolburn at bibleseven.com (dcolburn at bibleseven.com) Date: Fri, 02 Dec 2011 21:28:49 -0500 Subject: [Linux4christians] Saturday - Romans 16 Message-ID: <4ED98961.6070500@bibleseven.com> Saturday Romans 16 Personal Greetings 16:1 Now I commend to you our sister Phoebe, who is a servant of the church in Cenchrea, 16:2 so that you may welcome her in the Lord in a way worthy of the saints and provide her with whatever help she may need from you, for she has been a great help to many, including me. 16:3 Greet Prisca and Aquila, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus, 16:4 who risked their own necks for my life. Not only I, but all the churches of the Gentiles are grateful to them. 16:5 Also greet the church in their house. Greet my dear friend Epenetus, who was the first convert to Christ in the province of Asia. 16:6 Greet Mary, who has worked very hard for you. 16:7 Greet Andronicus and Junia, my compatriots and my fellow prisoners. They are well known to the apostles, and they were in Christ before me. 16:8 Greet Ampliatus, my dear friend in the Lord. 16:9 Greet Urbanus, our fellow worker in Christ, and my good friend Stachys. 16:10 Greet Apelles, who is approved in Christ. Greet those who belong to the household of Aristobulus. 16:11 Greet Herodion, my compatriot. Greet those in the household of Narcissus who are in the Lord. 16:12 Greet Tryphena and Tryphosa, laborers in the Lord. Greet my dear friend Persis, who has worked hard in the Lord. 16:13 Greet Rufus, chosen in the Lord, and his mother who was also a mother to me. 16:14 Greet Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermes, Patrobas, Hermas, and the brothers and sisters with them. 16:15 Greet Philologus and Julia, Nereus and his sister, and Olympas, and all the believers who are with them. 16:16 Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the churches of Christ greet you. 16:17 Now I urge you, brothers and sisters, to watch out for those who create dissensions and obstacles contrary to the teaching that you learned. Avoid them! 16:18 For these are the kind who do not serve our Lord Christ, but their own appetites. By their smooth talk and flattery they deceive the minds of the naive. 16:19 Your obedience is known to all and thus I rejoice over you. But I want you to be wise in what is good and innocent in what is evil. 16:20 The God of peace will quickly crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you. 16:21 Timothy, my fellow worker, greets you; so do Lucius, Jason, and Sosipater, my compatriots. 16:22 I, Tertius, who am writing this letter, greet you in the Lord. 16:23 Gaius, who is host to me and to the whole church, greets you. Erastus the city treasurer and our brother Quartus greet you. 16:24 [[EMPTY]] 16:25 Now to him who is able to strengthen you according to my gospel and the proclamation of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery that had been kept secret for long ages, 16:26 but now is disclosed, and through the prophetic scriptures has been made known to all the nations, according to the command of the eternal God, to bring about the obedience of faith -- 16:27 to the only wise God, through Jesus Christ, be glory forever! Amen. Prayer Lord, You drew both men and women into fellowship and many went beyond mere membership to active and sacrificial service to one-another and to the cause of spreading Your gospel. May I be counted among their number. Summary & Commentary Paul shared a lengthy list of men and women whom he respected as faithful and mature servants of Christ and commended them to the believers in Rome. In the case of Phoebe he identifies her as serving a ministry role in the fellowship at Cenchrea. [Note: There is some debate as to if her role was that of a Biblically defined "deacon"(ess) or some other significant role other than deacon(ess). In either case God decided that her ministry role was significant enough to be recorded in His Bible.] From the Bible.org Greek/Hebrew translation notes Paul's reference to Rufus as "chosen of God ..." 16:13 is worth a pause: /???????? 1) picked out, chosen 1a) chosen by God, 1a1) to obtain salvation through Christ 1a1a) Christians are called "chosen or elect" of God 1a2) the Messiah in called "elect", as appointed by God to the most exalted office conceivable 1a3) choice, select, i.e. the best of its kind or class, excellence preeminent: applied to certain individual Christians/ This text and translation suggests that the term "chosen" or "elect", the same in Greek, does not mean predestined but one of many who are saved who are for reasons of the Lord God elevated somehow within the family. Paul warned "... watch out for those who create dissensions and obstacles contrary to the teaching that you have learned ... I want you to be wise in what is good and innocent in what is evil." Paul noted that such people "... do not serve our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own appetites. By their smooth talk and flattery they deceive the minds of the naive. Paul concluded this chapter, and the Book of Romans, with a word of encouragement in the spiritual battle; "The God of grace will quickly crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you." Interaction Consider Paul re-emphasized the parity between Jew and Gentile, a very touchy subject in his day. Discuss Could Paul's warnings against smooth talkers, flatterers, those who create dissension and obstacles - defined as selfish and self-serving - to be resisted and avoided -- apply to the fellowship of believers today? Reflect upon the consistency of the message of God - here Paul, in the service of God paralleled the writing of Luke in intentionally citing the ministry role of a woman, thereby reinforcing again the teaching of Jesus that in His family there is no division between Jew or Gentile, male or female. Share When have you observed that the importance of grace to the Lord God resulted in His intervention to "crush Satan" when prayer was raised against his evil attacks? Faith in Action Prayer: Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a circumstance where "... smooth talkers, flatterers, those who create dissension and obstacles" may be harming a fellowship in your area. Action: Today I will pray for protection of the fellowship under siege and that the leadership will respond Biblically -- in prayer and action. Be Specific ______________________________________________________ Sunday's text will be: 1 Corinthians 1 -- Draw nearer to the Lord and He will bless you, Have an http://Ultrafidian.com Day! David M. Colburn, DMin. MaCo ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Savannah-Statesboro needs a Bible College/Seminary! Personal Site: http://bibleseven.com Bible Resources: http://bible.org Teacher's Verse: John 7:16 I don't google I SEARCH! Yippy.com ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From dcolburn at bibleseven.com Sat Dec 3 22:28:51 2011 From: dcolburn at bibleseven.com (dcolburn at bibleseven.com) Date: Sat, 03 Dec 2011 22:28:51 -0500 Subject: [Linux4christians] Sunday - 1 Corinthians 1 Message-ID: <4EDAE8F3.90706@bibleseven.com> Sunday 1 Corinthians 1 Salutation 1:1 From Paul, called to be an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Sosthenes, our brother, 1:2 to the church of God that is in Corinth, to those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus, and called to be saints, with all those in every place who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours. 1:3 Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ! Thanksgiving 1:4 I always thank my God for you because of the grace of God that was given to you in Christ Jesus. 1:5 For you were made rich in every way in him, in all your speech and in every kind of knowledge -- 1:6 just as the testimony about Christ has been confirmed among you -- 1:7 so that you do not lack any spiritual gift as you wait for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ. 1:8 He will also strengthen you to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. 1:9 God is faithful, by whom you were called into fellowship with his son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Divisions in the Church 1:10 I urge you, brothers and sisters, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, to agree together, to end your divisions, and to be united by the same mind and purpose. 1:11 For members of Chloe's household have made it clear to me, my brothers and sisters, that there are quarrels among you. 1:12 Now I mean this, that each of you is saying, "I am with Paul," or "I am with Apollos," or "I am with Cephas," or "I am with Christ." 1:13 Is Christ divided? Paul wasn't crucified for you, was he? Or were you in fact baptized in the name of Paul? 1:14 I thank God that I did not baptize any of you except Crispus and Gaius, 1:15 so that no one can say that you were baptized in my name! 1:16 (I also baptized the household of Stephanus. Otherwise, I do not remember whether I baptized anyone else.) 1:17 For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel -- and not with clever speech, so that the cross of Christ would not become useless. The Message of the Cross 1:18 For the message about the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 1:19 For it is written, "/*I will destroy the wisdom of the wise*//, //*and I will thwart the cleverness of the intelligent*/." 1:20 Where is the wise man? Where is the expert in the Mosaic law? Where is the debater of this age? Has God not made the wisdom of the world foolish? 1:21 For since in the wisdom of God the world by its wisdom did not know God, God was pleased to save those who believe by the foolishness of preaching. 1:22 For Jews demand miraculous signs and Greeks ask for wisdom, 1:23 but we preach about a crucified Christ, a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles. 1:24 But to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God. 1:25 For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength. 1:26 Think about the circumstances of your call, brothers and sisters. Not many were wise by human standards, not many were powerful, not many were born to a privileged position. 1:27 But God chose what the world thinks foolish to shame the wise, and God chose what the world thinks weak to shame the strong. 1:28 God chose what is low and despised in the world, what is regarded as nothing, to set aside what is regarded as something, 1:29 so that no one can boast in his presence. 1:30 He is the reason you have a relationship with Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification and redemption, 1:31 so that, as it is written, "/*Let the one who boasts*//, //*boast in the Lord*/." Prayer Lord, Your gift to us may have been communicated through a fellow human but it is You-alone Whom we should worship. May I keep my eyes on You and not on human leaders. Summary & Commentary Paul reiterated one of the titles of Christians as "saints", noting their parity "... with all those in every place who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours." Paul affirmed that the believers in Corinth had received the indwelling Holy Spirit of God and therefore "... were made rich in every way in Him". [Note: Paul didn't list any special gifts, he merely celebrated that they were filled with the presence of the Holy Spirit and therefore had access to very gift God gives to all believers - in order to serve Him.] Paul confronted them for their idolatry of leaders "I am with Paul, or I am with Apollos, or I am with Cephas, or I am with Christ", challenging them "Is Christ divided?" [Note: A letter of reference from an established leader, e.g. when Barnabas spoke on Paul's behalf or Paul spoke on behalf of Cephas, may lend to one some degree of credibility, but when any Christian leader allows him or herself to be idolized in the same manner as Paul criticized they are clearly in rebellion against the Word of God.] Paul reminded them that they were not saved as a result of a mere pagan-like emotional response to "miraculous signs", as many of the Jews demanded, or clever-sounding human wisdom, as the Greeks sought. For those who accepted the invitation of the Lord "Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God." Paul also reminded them that most Christians were not from clever or powerful or wealthy backgrounds, as one might expect of the traditional identity of persons in a royal family, but rather were children "adopted" based on their faith-response to the truth of God. After their faith-response they were "called" or 'invited' or 'summoned' to be His children for an eternity beyond-time. Interaction Consider The Lord God levels the social boundaries and traditions, making all who are in His family peers, and providing gifts for ministry to all. Discuss How can Christ truly be preached and people still make idols of the preacher? Reflect The Enemy uses our worldly conditioning to create distractions and dissension inside of the family of believers; looking at mere humans as idols requires one to look away from God. Share When have you experienced or observed the idolatry of a religious leader? Faith in Action Prayer: Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you someone in the business, entertainment, religious, or political world at whom you tend to look at in awe and to whom you give too much power to influence choices that you make. Action: Today I will reconsider fashion choices I would not make were Jesus standing visibly before me, or entertainment choices, or language I know Jesus would find disagreeable, or political actions in opposition to Biblical teaching, or priority-given to the less-important to the detriment of the more-important (perhaps man's traditions or buildings or religious institutions). I will ask a fellow believer to pray in agreement that I break free of any human influence that leads me away from Jesus as the only Lord of my life. Be Specific ______________________________________________________ Monday's text will be: 1 Corinthians 2 -- Draw nearer to the Lord and He will bless you, Have an http://Ultrafidian.com Day! David M. Colburn, DMin. MaCo ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Savannah-Statesboro needs a Bible College/Seminary! Personal Site: http://bibleseven.com Bible Resources: http://bible.org Teacher's Verse: John 7:16 I don't google I SEARCH! Yippy.com ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From dcolburn at bibleseven.com Sun Dec 4 19:59:56 2011 From: dcolburn at bibleseven.com (dcolburn at bibleseven.com) Date: Sun, 04 Dec 2011 19:59:56 -0500 Subject: [Linux4christians] Monday - 1 Corinthians 2 Message-ID: <4EDC178C.6070108@bibleseven.com> Monday 1 Corinthians 2 2:1 When I came to you, brothers and sisters, I did not come with superior eloquence or wisdom as I proclaimed the testimony of God. 2:2 For I decided to be concerned about nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and him crucified. 2:3 And I was with you in weakness and in fear and with much trembling. 2:4 My conversation and my preaching were not with persuasive words of wisdom, but with a demonstration of the Spirit and of power, 2:5 so that your faith would not be based on human wisdom but on the power of God. Wisdom from God 2:6 Now we do speak wisdom among the mature, but not a wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are perishing. 2:7 Instead we speak the wisdom of God, hidden in a mystery, that God determined before the ages for our glory. 2:8 None of the rulers of this age understood it. If they had known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. 2:9 But just as it is written, "/*Things*//**//*that*//**//*no*//**//*eye*//**//*has*//**//*seen*//,////*or*//**//*ear*//**//*heard*//,////*or*//**//*mind*//**//*imagined*//,/ /*are*//**//*the*//**//*things*//**//*God*//**//*has*//**//*prepared*//**//*for*//**//*those*//**//*who*//**//*love*//**//*him*//./" 2:10 God has revealed these to us by the Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. 2:11 For who among men knows the things of a man except the man's spirit within him? So too, no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God. 2:12 Now we have not received the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may know the things that are freely given to us by God. 2:13 And we speak about these things, not with words taught us by human wisdom, but with those taught by the Spirit, explaining spiritual things to spiritual people. 2:14 The unbeliever does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him. And he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned. 2:15 The one who is spiritual discerns all things, yet he himself is understood by no one. 2:16 /*For*//**//*who*//**//*has*//**//*known*//**//*the*//**//*mind*//**//*of*//**//*the*//**//*Lord*//,////*so*//**//*as*//**//*to*//**//*advise*//**//*him?*/ But we have the mind of Christ. Prayer Lord, You have given to humankind a very simple and repeated Word of Your wisdom -- to listen to and obey You and You will provide a way back -- yet we have refused to listen and obey. May I listen and obey, not merely rest on Your assurance of my salvation, but to share with others Your Gospel. Summary & Commentary Paul avoided the use of human wisdom or clever persuasion but the pure Word of God, "... Jesus Christ, and Him crucified ... so that your faith would not be based on human wisdom but on the power of God." [Note: Paul draws a clear line of delineation between what is taught to potential seekers and "baby" believers and what to "the mature". A non-believer has no chance, without the indwelling Holy Spirit, of comprehending "wisdom" but only the simple saving message of power of God. The baby believer is capable of moving beyond that but few ever choose to do so.] He taught that believers received the indwelling Spirit of God so that He may teach the things that have been hidden for a time, things that the unbeliever cannot comprehend or accept. [Note: Paul affirms the "personhood" of the Holy Spirit in verses 2:10-11 "God has revealed these things to us by the Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. For who among men knows the things of a man except the man's spirit within him? So too, no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God."] Paul also explained the difference between a saved and unsaved person, the reason why he elsewhere teaches that a believer and unbeliever should never marry and never be joined in a business partnership, the unbeliever will never understand the reasons why a believer lives as he or she does. [Note: There is no Biblical concept as "missionary dating" or "missionary dealing".] Interaction Consider The Lord God provides wisdom that cannot be found in any human source. Discuss What was the key difference, as Paul presented it, between expectations between the unsaved (perhaps those considering-Christ), baby/new believers, and more-mature believers? Reflect There are different perspectives and priorities between a saved versus an unsaved person and that has an impact on a business partnership or a marriage relationship. Share In the fellowships with which you have been familiar, was it clear that the leadership understood Paul's teaching as to differences between unsaved people versus baby believers versus mature believers? Faith in Action Prayer: Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you anything about the way that you interact with "baby" believers, more-mature believers, and non-believers that needs to change. Are my expectations appropriate to what Paul taught about these three different populations? Do I choose my words and the nature of my interactions appropriately? Action: Today I will alter my interaction, as the Holy Spirit leads, so that I am a more-valuable instrument in His ministry. Be Specific ______________________________________________________ Tuesday's text will be: 1 Corinthians 3 -- Draw nearer to the Lord and He will bless you, Have an http://Ultrafidian.com Day! David M. Colburn, DMin. MaCo ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Savannah-Statesboro needs a Bible College/Seminary! Personal Site: http://bibleseven.com Bible Resources: http://bible.org Teacher's Verse: John 7:16 I don't google I SEARCH! Yippy.com ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From dcolburn at bibleseven.com Mon Dec 5 23:01:16 2011 From: dcolburn at bibleseven.com (dcolburn at bibleseven.com) Date: Mon, 05 Dec 2011 23:01:16 -0500 Subject: [Linux4christians] Tuesday - 1 Corinthians 3 Message-ID: <4EDD938C.9050304@bibleseven.com> Tuesday 1 Corinthians 3 Immaturity and Self-deception 3:1 So, brothers and sisters, I could not speak to you as spiritual people, but instead as people of the flesh, as infants in Christ. 3:2 I fed you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready. In fact, you are still not ready, 3:3 for you are still influenced by the flesh. For since there is still jealousy and dissension among you, are you not influenced by the flesh and behaving like unregenerate people? 3:4 For whenever someone says, "I am with Paul," or "I am with Apollos," are you not merely human? 3:5 What is Apollos, really? Or what is Paul? Servants through whom you came to believe, and each of us in the ministry the Lord gave us. 3:6 I planted, Apollos watered, but God caused it to grow. 3:7 So neither the one who plants counts for anything, nor the one who waters, but God who causes the growth. 3:8 The one who plants and the one who waters work as one, but each will receive his reward according to his work. 3:9 We are coworkers belonging to God. You are God's field, God's building. 3:10 According to the grace of God given to me, like a skilled master-builder I laid a foundation, but someone else builds on it. And each one must be careful how he builds. 3:11 For no one can lay any foundation other than what is being laid, which is Jesus Christ. 3:12 If anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, or straw, 3:13 each builder's work will be plainly seen, for the Day will make it clear, because it will be revealed by fire. And the fire will test what kind of work each has done. 3:14 If what someone has built survives, he will receive a reward. 3:15 If someone's work is burned up, he will suffer loss. He himself will be saved, but only as through fire. 3:16 Do you not know that you are God's temple and that God's Spirit lives in you? 3:17 If someone destroys God's temple, God will destroy him. For God's temple is holy, which is what you are. 3:18 Guard against self-deception, each of you. If someone among you thinks he is wise in this age, let him become foolish so that he can become wise. 3:19 For the wisdom of this age is foolishness with God. As it is written, "/*He catches the wise in their craftiness*/." 3:20 And again, "/*The Lord knows that the thoughts of the wise are futile*/." 3:21 So then, no more boasting about mere mortals! For everything belongs to you, 3:22 whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or the present or the future. Everything belongs to you, 3:23 and you belong to Christ, and Christ belongs to God. Prayer Lord, You teach through mere humans but the Word of truth is still from You alone. May I be watchful not to allow respect for a good teacher to take my eyes off of You-alone. Summary & Commentary Because the Corinthians had resisted separation from the world they had not grown - Paul expressed frustration that he could not lead them to greater maturity because they lacked a foundation upon which to build. Paul used an agricultural illustration, "I planted, Apollos watered, but God caused it to grow." The human servants are nothing, what is important comes from God alone. "So then, no more boasting about mere mortals!" Paul called them to seek maturity "Do you not know that you are God's temple and that God's Spirit lives in you? Finally, Paul warned against self-deception, that baby-believers must never imagine themselves to be wise or mature or strong in-their-flesh, but only wise, mature, and strong because of what they have received from the Lord God. Interaction Consider The reason so many who attend fellowships, mislabeled "churches", do not grow is because they look to other humans and their institutions to give growth instead of the Lord God. Discuss When you think about your early walk with Christ and some of the ways that you "got out ahead" of God, presuming maturity, strength, and/or wisdom you did not yet possess - and how the enemy used that to lead you into some difficult situations - what role did the support of fellow believers and the power and wisdom of the Holy Spirit play in moving you to maturity? Reflect Spiritual growth is a voluntary partnership between the believer and the Holy Spirit. Share When have you observed the idolatry of human leaders in a religious context? Faith in Action Prayer: Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a place your life where you are either looking too much to a human leader than directly to God, are resisting the Holy Spirit's obvious efforts to lead you to greater maturity, or are presuming upon more maturity than you have yet received from the Lord God. Action: Today I will humbly acknowledge where I am repeatedly finding myself in overwhelming situations. I will ask a fellow believer to pray in agreement that I reconcile myself to a more Biblical standing. Be Specific ______________________________________________________ Wednesday's text will be: 1 Corinthians 4 -- Draw nearer to the Lord and He will bless you, Have an http://Ultrafidian.com Day! David M. Colburn, DMin. MaCo ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Savannah-Statesboro needs a Bible College/Seminary! Personal Site: http://bibleseven.com Bible Resources: http://bible.org Teacher's Verse: John 7:16 I don't google I SEARCH! Yippy.com ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From dcolburn at bibleseven.com Tue Dec 6 20:07:01 2011 From: dcolburn at bibleseven.com (dcolburn at bibleseven.com) Date: Tue, 06 Dec 2011 20:07:01 -0500 Subject: [Linux4christians] Wednesday - 1 Corinthians 4 Message-ID: <4EDEBC35.4060604@bibleseven.com> Wednesday 1 Corinthians 4 The Apostles' Ministry 4:1 One should think about us this way -- as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. 4:2 Now what is sought in stewards is that one be found faithful. 4:3 So for me, it is a minor matter that I am judged by you or by any human court. In fact, I do not even judge myself. 4:4 For I am not aware of anything against myself, but I am not acquitted because of this. The one who judges me is the Lord. 4:5 So then, do not judge anything before the time. Wait until the Lord comes. He will bring to light the hidden things of darkness and reveal the motives of hearts. Then each will receive recognition from God. 4:6 I have applied these things to myself and Apollos because of you, brothers and sisters, so that through us you may learn "not to go beyond what is written," so that none of you will be puffed up in favor of the one against the other. 4:7 For who concedes you any superiority? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you received it, why do you boast as though you did not? 4:8 Already you are satisfied! Already you are rich! You have become kings without us! I wish you had become kings so that we could reign with you! 4:9 For, I think, God has exhibited us apostles last of all, as men condemned to die, because we have become a spectacle to the world, both to angels and to people. 4:10 We are fools for Christ, but you are wise in Christ! We are weak, but you are strong! You are distinguished, we are dishonored! 4:11 To the present hour we are hungry and thirsty, poorly clothed, brutally treated, and without a roof over our heads. 4:12 We do hard work, toiling with our own hands. When we are verbally abused, we respond with a blessing, when persecuted, we endure, 4:13 when people lie about us, we answer in a friendly manner. We are the world's dirt and scum, even now. A Father's Warning 4:14 I am not writing these things to shame you, but to correct you as my dear children. 4:15 For though you may have ten thousand guardians in Christ, you do not have many fathers, because I became your father in Christ Jesus through the gospel. 4:16 I encourage you, then, be imitators of me. 4:17 For this reason, I have sent Timothy to you, who is my dear and faithful son in the Lord. He will remind you of my ways in Christ, as I teach them everywhere in every church. 4:18 Some have become arrogant, as if I were not coming to you. 4:19 But I will come to you soon, if the Lord is willing, and I will find out not only the talk of these arrogant people, but also their power. 4:20 For the kingdom of God is demonstrated not in idle talk but with power. 4:21 What do you want? Shall I come to you with a rod of discipline or with love and a spirit of gentleness? Prayer Lord, You expect anyone in leadership to be as humble as those whom they are entrusted to lead. May I always remember my complete reliance upon You for everything of value in my life. Summary & Commentary Paul taught that "... what is sought in stewards is that one be found faithful". He rejected those who condemned him for some worldly reason, saying "The one who judges me is the Lord ...". Paul warned teachers to "... learn not to go beyond what is written". He challenged them to avoid pride since nothing they had of eternal value came from their own resources "... What do you have that you did not receive?" Paul explained his authority to oversee them "... I became your Father in Christ Jesus through the gospel". He offered to serve as a role model of one who was himself humbled by the Lord God "... I have sent Timothy to you ... He will remind you of my ways in Christ ... I encourage you, then, be imitators of me. " Paul cautioned them that Jesus did not come to start a debating-society or a religious institution but rather came with the power to set the captives of sin free and to transform people from meaningless pawns of Satan to purposeful instruments of hope "... the kingdom of God is demonstrated not in idle talk but with power." He warned that none should presume to judge the eternal standing of another but to wait and allow the Lord to do so at the Final Judgment. Paul noted that he and Apollos held themselves to the same standard of humility that they asked of others. Interaction Consider Faithfulness to the Word, nothing added or subtracted, is a high priority. Discuss What is the evidence, or lack of evidence, in your current fellowship of a powerful call to all believers to emphasize growth in faithfulness to God and to the priorities of Christ? Reflect Among the religious leaders whom you have observed, do they show the level of humility modeled by Paul or have they fallen prey to a temptation-to-pride? Share When have you observed a humble and Biblically-faithful leader -- what impact did that have on the health of the fellowship? Faith in Action Prayer: Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a place in your walk with the Lord God where your faithfulness is weak and that you instead turn to worldly sources for provision and 'wisdom'. Action: Today I will humbly ask a fellow believer to pray in agreement with me for greater surrender to the Lordship of Christ through the Holy Spirit. Be Specific ______________________________________________________ Thursday's text will be: 1 Corinthians 5 -- Draw nearer to the Lord and He will bless you, Have an http://Ultrafidian.com Day! David M. Colburn, DMin. MaCo ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Savannah-Statesboro needs a Bible College/Seminary! Personal Site: http://bibleseven.com Bible Resources: http://bible.org Teacher's Verse: John 7:16 I don't google I SEARCH! Yippy.com ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From dcolburn at bibleseven.com Wed Dec 7 21:28:41 2011 From: dcolburn at bibleseven.com (dcolburn at bibleseven.com) Date: Wed, 07 Dec 2011 21:28:41 -0500 Subject: [Linux4christians] Thursday - 1 Corinthians 5 Message-ID: <4EE020D9.1070503@bibleseven.com> Thursday 1 Corinthians 5 Church Discipline 5:1 It is actually reported that sexual immorality exists among you, the kind of immorality that is not permitted even among the Gentiles, so that someone is cohabiting with his father's wife. 5:2 And you are proud! Shouldn't you have been deeply sorrowful instead and removed the one who did this from among you? 5:3 For even though I am absent physically, I am present in spirit. And I have already judged the one who did this, just as though I were present. 5:4 When you gather together in the name of our Lord Jesus, and I am with you in spirit, along with the power of our Lord Jesus, 5:5 turn this man over to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord. 5:6 Your boasting is not good. Don't you know that a little yeast affects the whole batch of dough? 5:7 Clean out the old yeast so that you may be a new batch of dough -- you are, in fact, without yeast. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed. 5:8 So then, let us celebrate the festival, not with the old yeast, the yeast of vice and evil, but with the bread without yeast, the bread of sincerity and truth. 5:9 I wrote you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people. 5:10 In no way did I mean the immoral people of this world, or the greedy and swindlers and idolaters, since you would then have to go out of the world. 5:11 But now I am writing to you not to associate with anyone who calls himself a Christian who is sexually immoral, or greedy, or an idolater, or verbally abusive, or a drunkard, or a swindler. Do not even eat with such a person. 5:12 For what do I have to do with judging those outside? Are you not to judge those inside? 5:13 But God will judge those outside. /Remove the evil person from among you/. Prayer Lord, You offered us salvation for the same reason that You set-apart Israel, to draw us into an intimate and righteous relationship with You. May I be watchful that I hold myself and fellow-believers accountable for right-relationship rather than pointing fingers at the unsaved. Summary & Commentary Paul expressed shock and disappointment that "... sexual immorality exists among you, the kind of immorality that is not permitted even among the Gentiles ... someone is cohabiting with his father's wife" He challenged them for and attitude of pride rather than of deep sorrow. Their attitude was much like that of Israel when they criticized their pagan neighbors, or the Pharisees when they prayed pridefully that they were glad not to be like "those others". Paul instructed them to " ... turn this man over to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord" He warned them that ... a little yeast affects the whole batch" so they needed to remove him from the fellowship, that allowing unrepentant believers, actively engaged in behaviors offensive to God, will poison the spiritual well-being of the entire fellowship. Paul instructed them do " ... not associate with anyone who calls himself a Christian who is sexually immoral, or greedy, or an idolater, or verbally abusive, or a drunkard, or a swindler ... judge those inside ... Remove the evil person from among you", to expel an unrepentant member for sexual misbehavior. Paul challenged the institutional arrogance of a local fellowship that was more proud of their numbers and their vaunted-tolerance than of their maturity and righteousness. Paul called for discipline to be exercised by the local fellowship as a warning to others that the same discipline faced them if they were engaged in unrepentant sin. Interaction Consider The Lord God wants us to make two connected-choices, first to repent and to accept His restorative-gift of salvation, and second to surrender to His active Lordship. Discuss What is likely to happen in a situation where an unrepentant believer, actively engaged in behaviors offensive to God, is offered loving reconciliation but refuses and is expelled. Will others decide to break-away from their sin, confess and seek forgiveness, and be reconciled? Reflect How can one criticize the sin of the unsaved, who lack the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit, and then engage in (or tolerate in other believers) the very same sin? Share When have you observed a situation where an unrepentant believer, actively engaged in behaviors offensive to God, was not expelled but allowed to remain. What was the result? Faith in Action Prayer: Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a member of your fellowship who is resisting God's call to repent of their evil conduct. Action: Today I will pray for a member of my fellowship who is resisting God's call to repent of their evil conduct, who has been disciplined, and who is therefore also resisting the opportunity to be reconciled and restored to full fellowship. Or, I will pray for leaders to accept God's wisdom and that they will deal appropriately with an unrepentant believer-in-sin who is poisoning the fellowship. Be Specific ______________________________________________________ Friday's text will be: 1 Corinthians 6 -- Draw nearer to the Lord and He will bless you, Have an http://Ultrafidian.com Day! David M. Colburn, DMin. MaCo ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Savannah-Statesboro needs a Bible College/Seminary! Personal Site: http://bibleseven.com Bible Resources: http://bible.org Teacher's Verse: John 7:16 I don't google I SEARCH! Yippy.com ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From fmiller at lightlink.com Wed Dec 7 21:31:08 2011 From: fmiller at lightlink.com (Fred A. Miller) Date: Wed, 07 Dec 2011 21:31:08 -0500 Subject: [Linux4christians] OT: Common Threads between Islam and Mormonism Message-ID: <4EE0216C.6090800@lightlink.com> http://www.virtueonline.org/portal/modules/news/article.php?storyid=15245 -- Liberal ideology and political correctness, infused with public policy, begets social insanity. - Michael Savage -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From dcolburn at bibleseven.com Thu Dec 8 22:23:48 2011 From: dcolburn at bibleseven.com (dcolburn at bibleseven.com) Date: Thu, 08 Dec 2011 22:23:48 -0500 Subject: [Linux4christians] Friday - 1 Corinthians 6 Message-ID: <4EE17F44.8020308@bibleseven.com> Friday 1 Corinthians 6 Lawsuits 6:1 When any of you has a legal dispute with another, does he dare go to court before the unrighteous rather than before the saints? 6:2 Or do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world is to be judged by you, are you not competent to settle trivial suits? 6:3 Do you not know that we will judge angels? Why not ordinary matters! 6:4 So if you have ordinary lawsuits, do you appoint as judges those who have no standing in the church? 6:5 I say this to your shame! Is there no one among you wise enough to settle disputes between fellow Christians? 6:6 Instead, does a Christian sue a Christian, and do this before unbelievers? 6:7 The fact that you have lawsuits among yourselves demonstrates that you have already been defeated. Why not rather be wronged? Why not rather be cheated? 6:8 But you yourselves wrong and cheat, and you do this to your brothers and sisters! 6:9 Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived! The sexually immoral, idolaters, adulterers, passive homosexual partners, practicing homosexuals, 6:10 thieves, the greedy, drunkards, the verbally abusive, and swindlers will not inherit the kingdom of God. 6:11 Some of you once lived this way. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God. Flee Sexual Immorality 6:12 "All things are lawful for me" -- but not everything is beneficial. "All things are lawful for me" -- but I will not be controlled by anything. 6:13 "Food is for the stomach and the stomach is for food, but God will do away with both." The body is not for sexual immorality, but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body. 6:14 Now God indeed raised the Lord and he will raise us by his power. 6:15 Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Should I take the members of Christ and make them members of a prostitute? Never! 6:16 Or do you not know that anyone who is united with a prostitute is one body with her? For it is said, "/*The two will become one flesh*/." 6:17 But the one united with the Lord is one spirit with him. 6:18 Flee sexual immorality! "Every sin a person commits is outside of the body" -- but the immoral person sins against his own body. 6:19 Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? 6:20 For you were bought at a price. Therefore glorify God with your body. Prayer Lord, because Your Holy Spirit dwells in every believer, we have each become "... the temple of the Holy Spirit". May I be mindful that there are many things that I choose which offend Him and some places He will not go with me. Summary & Commentary Paul chastised the Corinthians for the absence of Christian conciliation, reconciliation, remediation and arbitration but for instead taking one another before a non-Christian authority for the judgment of disputes. He reminded them that those who are unrepentant in their sin would not be allowed into Heaven. Paul reminded them that the repentance of believers is a testimony to their salvation, so the corollary was also true, the absence of repentance testified to the absence of salvation. Paul again challenged them to live righteously as the children of God, and dwelling-place of the Holy Spirit of God, honoring rather than dishonoring their bodies. Interaction Consider The very Holy Spirit of the Lord God dwells in every believer. Discuss How does knowing that the Holy Spirit of God dwells in you help you to make more God-honoring choices? Reflect There is power from viewing every decision with a true sense of the presence of Jesus and the Holy Spirit of God -- in the context that they see you as already sanctified and made holy in Heaven. Share When have you experienced of observed believers taking fellow believers to court? What was the consequence to the fellowship, or fellowships, involved? What was the context of the perceptions of the community? Faith in Action Prayer: Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a bad choice you made because you forgot that the Holy Spirit lives in you and desires that you not take Him into unrighteousness. Action: Today I will revisit a bad choice that I have been making from the prayerfully-considered perspective that Jesus and the Holy Spirit of God see me as already sanctified and made holy in Heaven. I will describe that experience with a fellow believer and ask them to pray in agreement that I will bring all of my decisions into the same context. Be Specific ______________________________________________________ Saturday's text will be: 1 Corinthians 7 -- Draw nearer to the Lord and He will bless you, Have an http://Ultrafidian.com Day! David M. Colburn, DMin. MaCo ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Savannah-Statesboro needs a Bible College/Seminary! Personal Site: http://bibleseven.com Bible Resources: http://bible.org Teacher's Verse: John 7:16 I don't google I SEARCH! Yippy.com ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From dcolburn at bibleseven.com Fri Dec 9 23:53:40 2011 From: dcolburn at bibleseven.com (dcolburn at bibleseven.com) Date: Fri, 09 Dec 2011 23:53:40 -0500 Subject: [Linux4christians] Saturday - 1 Corinthians 7 Message-ID: <4EE2E5D4.3080304@bibleseven.com> Saturday 1 Corinthians 7 Celibacy and Marriage 7:1 Now with regard to the issues you wrote about: "It is good for a man not to have sexual relations with a woman." 7:2 But because of immoralities, each man should have relations with his own wife and each woman with her own husband. 7:3 A husband should give to his wife her sexual rights, and likewise a wife to her husband. 7:4 It is not the wife who has the rights to her own body, but the husband. In the same way, it is not the husband who has the rights to his own body, but the wife. 7:5 Do not deprive each other, except by mutual agreement for a specified time, so that you may devote yourselves to prayer. Then resume your relationship, so that Satan may not tempt you because of your lack of self-control. 7:6 I say this as a concession, not as a command. 7:7 I wish that everyone was as I am. But each has his own gift from God, one this way, another that. 7:8 To the unmarried and widows I say that it is best for them to remain as I am. 7:9 But if they do not have self-control, let them get married. For it is better to marry than to burn with sexual desire. 7:10 To the married I give this command -- not I, but the Lord -- a wife should not divorce a husband 7:11 (but if she does, let her remain unmarried, or be reconciled to her husband), and a husband should not divorce his wife. 7:12 To the rest I say -- I, not the Lord -- if a brother has a wife who is not a believer and she is happy to live with him, he should not divorce her. 7:13 And if a woman has a husband who is not a believer and he is happy to live with her, she should not divorce him. 7:14 For the unbelieving husband is sanctified because of the wife, and the unbelieving wife because of her husband. Otherwise your children are unclean, but now they are holy. 7:15 But if the unbeliever wants a divorce, let it take place. In these circumstances the brother or sister is not bound. God has called you in peace. 7:16 For how do you know, wife, whether you will bring your husband to salvation? Or how do you know, husband, whether you will bring your wife to salvation? The Circumstances of Your Calling 7:17 Nevertheless, as the Lord has assigned to each one, as God has called each person, so must he live. I give this sort of direction in all the churches. 7:18 Was anyone called after he had been circumcised? He should not try to undo his circumcision. Was anyone called who is uncircumcised? He should not get circumcised. 7:19 Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing. Instead, keeping God's commandments is what counts. 7:20 Let each one remain in that situation in life in which he was called. 7:21 Were you called as a slave? Do not worry about it. But if indeed you are able to be free, make the most of the opportunity. 7:22 For the one who was called in the Lord as a slave is the Lord's freedman. In the same way, the one who was called as a free person is Christ's slave. 7:23 You were bought with a price. Do not become slaves of men. 7:24 In whatever situation someone was called, brothers and sisters, let him remain in it with God. Remaining Unmarried 7:25 With regard to the question about people who have never married, I have no command from the Lord, but I give my opinion as one shown mercy by the Lord to be trustworthy. 7:26 Because of the impending crisis I think it best for you to remain as you are. 7:27 The one bound to a wife should not seek divorce. The one released from a wife should not seek marriage. 7:28 But if you marry, you have not sinned. And if a virgin marries, she has not sinned. But those who marry will face difficult circumstances, and I am trying to spare you such problems. 7:29 And I say this, brothers and sisters: The time is short. So then those who have wives should be as those who have none, 7:30 those with tears like those not weeping, those who rejoice like those not rejoicing, those who buy like those without possessions, 7:31 those who use the world as though they were not using it to the full. For the present shape of this world is passing away. 7:32 And I want you to be free from concern. An unmarried man is concerned about the things of the Lord, how to please the Lord. 7:33 But a married man is concerned about the things of the world, how to please his wife, 7:34 and he is divided. An unmarried woman or a virgin is concerned about the things of the Lord, to be holy both in body and spirit. But a married woman is concerned about the things of the world, how to please her husband. 7:35 I am saying this for your benefit, not to place a limitation on you, but so that without distraction you may give notable and constant service to the Lord. 7:36 If anyone thinks he is acting inappropriately toward his virgin, if she is past the bloom of youth and it seems necessary, he should do what he wishes; he does not sin. Let them marry. 7:37 But the man who is firm in his commitment, and is under no necessity but has control over his will, and has decided in his own mind to keep his own virgin, does well. 7:38 So then, the one who marries his own virgin does well, but the one who does not, does better. 7:39 A wife is bound as long as her husband is living. But if her husband dies, she is free to marry anyone she wishes (only someone in the Lord). 7:40 But in my opinion, she will be happier if she remains as she is -- and I think that I too have the Spirit of God! Prayer Lord, Your greatest desire is that we be in the most-intimate relationship with You, but You will share us with a peer-believer in marriage. May I always has as my first love the Lord God. Summary & Commentary Paul calls each to serve God as best they can as He found and saved them "... as God has called each person, so must he [or she] live", slave or free, married or single, to not be obsessed with altering their worldly condition but to focus on how to best serve the Lord. He reiterates that the Lord God does not want people to be divorced but that He does allow for divorce, in two illustrations in the case of the unbeliever choosing to leave the believing spouse, and the other the one who divorces a believing-spouse may not marry another so long as the spouse lives -- but they may re-marry their spouse. [Note: Deuteronomy describes a limitation to marrying a former spouse who has been married to another since the divorce. It does not describe "marriage" such that one may consider a 'marriage-equivalent' relationship as fitting the limitation. There is no language describing if the restriction of marriage to another exists if the former spouse marries another.] Paul explains that his recommendation of singleness is "Because of the impending crisis ... I want you to be free from concern ...", that he wants them to be undistracted by a spouse or children, and less vulnerable to threats against their loved ones. [Note: Paul's reference to getting married is not intended to suggest that people with a lust problem rush into marriage, as that would continue within the marriage and likely tear it apart. He was speaking mostly to engaged couples who - in those times - were all-but married and were highly tempted. Thus his reference to "his virgin" in verse 7:38] Interaction Consider There is potential for a healthier new perspective in the lives of believers if they will place the Lord God ahead of romantic relationships. Discuss How are romantic relationships, both as youth and adults, distracting from spiritual maturity and how does that remain even in a Biblical-Christian marriage? Reflect upon the Reflect It is important for a couple in marital conflict to engage more-mature members of the fellowship to assist them in an intentional process of reconciliation with a limited time of separation - to prevent a third-party romance from interfering while they are weak and apart. Share When have you experienced or observed a romantic relationship interfering with a healthy relationship with the Lord God? Faith in Action Prayer: Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a current, or past, circumstance where a romantic relationship interfered with your relationship with the Lord God. Action: Today I will pray that I will place God first, in my marriage, or if single in every relationship - that I will desperately seek God instead of a fellow human. Be Specific ______________________________________________________ Sunday's text will be: 1 Corinthians 8 -- Draw nearer to the Lord and He will bless you, Have an http://Ultrafidian.com Day! David M. Colburn, DMin. MaCo ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Savannah-Statesboro needs a Bible College/Seminary! Personal Site: http://bibleseven.com Bible Resources: http://bible.org Teacher's Verse: John 7:16 I don't google I SEARCH! Yippy.com ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From fmiller at lightlink.com Sat Dec 10 14:37:07 2011 From: fmiller at lightlink.com (Fred A. Miller) Date: Sat, 10 Dec 2011 14:37:07 -0500 Subject: [Linux4christians] OT: Late Great Planet Church Message-ID: <4EE3B4E3.9090508@lightlink.com> *Late Great Planet Church (DVD) * ------------------------------------------------------------------------ How to Argue with a Liberal *Purchase /Late Great Planet Church/ DVD now & receive /Is Jesus Coming Soon?/ FREE* Volume One of The Late Great Planet Church: The Rise of Dispensationalism is the first documentary of its kind. It exposes this erroneous system of thought as breaking continuity with history --- and even the very Word of God. It is my conviction that many who are presently disposed toward Dispensationalism would not be victims of the system if they were better acquainted and informed about the system and its history - its theological roots and the doctrinal errors it has spawned. --- The Late Ernest Reisinger, Pastor Emeritus, Grace Baptist Church, Coral Springs, FL Many Christians today read their Bibles through the lens of pop-prophecy books like The Late Great Planet Earth and the Left Behind series. They naively believe the prophetic schemes and theological presuppositions expressed in these and other fictional writings represent the doctrinal positions that Christians down through the centuries have embraced. However, that is far from the truth. Volume One of The Late Great Planet Church: The Rise of Dispensationalism is the first documentary of its kind. It exposes this erroneous system of thought as breaking continuity with history --- and even the very Word of God. In this first volume we will examine the beginnings, beliefs, and motivations of this innovative movement by focusing on its relatively recent development, stormy history and its most influential proponents. Hosted by Jerry Johnson, President of NiceneCouncil.com and The Apologetics Group, this documentary features pastors, theologians, and historians, who at one time were strongly committed dispensationalists. Several of these men even trained at dispensational academic institutions before abandoning the system. They have since rejected this system as thoroughly unbiblical, viewing it as a stumbling block to the Church and a distraction from the Great Commission. *Purchase /Late Great Planet Church/ DVD now & receive /Is Jesus Coming Soon?/ FREE* ------------------------------------------------------------------------ RETAIL $29.95 *. NOW ONLY $24.95! .* ORDER NOW -- Liberal ideology and political correctness, infused with public policy, begets social insanity. - Michael Savage -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: LateGreatPlanetChurch__55197_zoom.jpg Type: image/jpeg Size: 34881 bytes Desc: not available URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: IJCSNewCoverart__65968__81722_zoom.jpg Type: image/jpeg Size: 24177 bytes Desc: not available URL: From dcolburn at bibleseven.com Sat Dec 10 21:17:39 2011 From: dcolburn at bibleseven.com (dcolburn at bibleseven.com) Date: Sat, 10 Dec 2011 21:17:39 -0500 Subject: [Linux4christians] Sunday - 1 Corinthians 8 Message-ID: <4EE412C3.2090201@bibleseven.com> Sunday 1 Corinthians 8 Food Sacrificed to Idols 8:1 With regard to food sacrificed to idols, we know that "we all have knowledge." Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up. 8:2 If someone thinks he knows something, he does not yet know to the degree that he needs to know. 8:3 But if someone loves God, he is known by God. 8:4 With regard then to eating food sacrificed to idols, we know that "an idol in this world is nothing," and that "there is no God but one." 8:5 If after all there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth (as there are many gods and many lords), 8:6 yet for us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we live, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we live. 8:7 But this knowledge is not shared by all. And some, by being accustomed to idols in former times, eat this food as an idol sacrifice, and their conscience, because it is weak, is defiled. 8:8 Now food will not bring us close to God. We are no worse if we do not eat and no better if we do. 8:9 But be careful that this liberty of yours does not become a hindrance to the weak. 8:10 For if someone weak sees you who possess knowledge dining in an idol's temple, will not his conscience be "strengthened" to eat food offered to idols? 8:11 So by your knowledge the weak brother or sister, for whom Christ died, is destroyed. 8:12 If you sin against your brothers or sisters in this way and wound their weak conscience, you sin against Christ. 8:13 For this reason, if food causes my brother or sister to sin, I will never eat meat again, so that I may not cause one of them to sin. Prayer Lord, You are the only True God, all other claims to "god" are false and are of the Enemy, the devil. May I be careful to never give-away power to any sort of an idol nor to confuse a brother or sister through carelessness in the use of things that they still associate with idols. Summary & Commentary Idols are nothing in reality but to the unsaved and the immature believer some are confused by the things associated with them. Paul challenged the more mature believers to be alert to the potential that their conduct may have, thought not necessarily bad in and of itself, to the easily confused unsaved person or immature believer. It is better to avoid being observed or known to engage in some activities if they may be used by the Enemy to harm the vulnerable - it is a voluntary sacrifice as an act of caring about others. Interaction Consider The Lord God is the only True God and all others are deceivers. Discuss How could actions, places, and words be used by the Enemy to confuse potential believers about Christ or His power to bring freedom from sin? Reflect How might an immature believer or a potential believer be confused watching you yelling at a clerk in a store or at a referee at a ball game, behaving disrespectfully toward your spouse, mistreating your children, asking someone to help you to cheat on your taxes, downloading entertainment or other computer-base software illegally, observing you drunk in a bar room or wasting God's money in a casino or on lottery tickets, boasting, gossiping, lying. or threatening a brother or a non-believer with legal or physical or social violence? Share When have you observed a believer being careless in their choices? Did it confuse you or someone else about the Lord God or about the nature of that person's faith? Faith in Action Prayer: Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a place where your "witness for Christ" needs some help. Action: Today I promise to partner with Him to repent (turn away) and mature. I will ask a fellow believer to pray in agreement and to walk with me to greater maturity. Be Specific ______________________________________________________ Monday's text will be: 1 Corinthians 9 -- Draw nearer to the Lord and He will bless you, Have an http://Ultrafidian.com Day! David M. Colburn, DMin. MaCo ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Savannah-Statesboro needs a Bible College/Seminary! Personal Site: http://bibleseven.com Bible Resources: http://bible.org Teacher's Verse: John 7:16 I don't google I SEARCH! Yippy.com ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From dcolburn at bibleseven.com Sun Dec 11 17:52:00 2011 From: dcolburn at bibleseven.com (dcolburn at bibleseven.com) Date: Sun, 11 Dec 2011 17:52:00 -0500 Subject: [Linux4christians] Monday - 1 Corinthians 9 Message-ID: <4EE53410.3080205@bibleseven.com> Monday 1 Corinthians 9 The Rights of an Apostle 9:1 Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? Are you not my work in the Lord? 9:2 If I am not an apostle to others, at least I am to you, for you are the confirming sign of my apostleship in the Lord. 9:3 This is my defense to those who examine me. 9:4 Do we not have the right to financial support? 9:5 Do we not have the right to the company of a believing wife, like the other apostles and the Lord's brothers and Cephas? 9:6 Or do only Barnabas and I lack the right not to work? 9:7 Who ever serves in the army at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard and does not eat its fruit? Who tends a flock and does not consume its milk? 9:8 Am I saying these things only on the basis of common sense, or does the law not say this as well? 9:9 For it is written in the law of Moses, "/*Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain*/." God is not concerned here about oxen, is he? 9:10 Or is he not surely speaking for our benefit? It was written for us, because the one plowing and threshing ought to work in hope of enjoying the harvest. 9:11 If we sowed spiritual blessings among you, is it too much to reap material things from you? 9:12 If others receive this right from you, are we not more deserving? But we have not made use of this right. Instead we endure everything so that we may not be a hindrance to the gospel of Christ. 9:13 Don't you know that those who serve in the temple eat food from the temple, and those who serve at the altar receive a part of the offerings? 9:14 In the same way the Lord commanded those who proclaim the gospel to receive their living by the gospel. 9:15 But I have not used any of these rights. And I am not writing these things so that something will be done for me. In fact, it would be better for me to die than -- no one will deprive me of my reason for boasting! 9:16 For if I preach the gospel, I have no reason for boasting, because I am compelled to do this. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel! 9:17 For if I do this voluntarily, I have a reward. But if I do it unwillingly, I am entrusted with a responsibility. 9:18 What then is my reward? That when I preach the gospel I may offer the gospel free of charge, and so not make full use of my rights in the gospel. 9:19 For since I am free from all I can make myself a slave to all, in order to gain even more people. 9:20 To the Jews I became like a Jew to gain the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law) to gain those under the law. 9:21 To those free from the law I became like one free from the law (though I am not free from God's law but under the law of Christ) to gain those free from the law. 9:22 To the weak I became weak in order to gain the weak. I have become all things to all people, so that by all means I may save some. 9:23 I do all these things because of the gospel, so that I can be a participant in it. 9:24 Do you not know that all the runners in a stadium compete, but only one receives the prize? So run to win. 9:25 Each competitor must exercise self-control in everything. They do it to receive a perishable crown, but we an imperishable one. 9:26 So I do not run uncertainly or box like one who hits only air. 9:27 Instead I subdue my body and make it my slave, so that after preaching to others I myself will not be disqualified. Prayer Lord, You call a few to a higher-level of sacrificial ministry, though You call every believer to a lifetime of daily ministry. May I be watchful for faithful servants who may have needs, in addition encouragement and prayer, which You wish me to help meet. Summary & Commentary Paul reminded them that the true Christian is "compelled" to preach Christ. He observed that among the apostles, the Lord's [biological/legal] brothers, and Cephas only he and Barnabas were without "the company of a believing wife." Paul addressed the reasonable and Biblical expectation that the members of a fellowship provide for the needs of those sent by God to lead them. Paul concluded that he chose not to accept regular support [he did accept occasional gifts, especially when imprisoned] so that he was unencumbered by human expectations. Interaction Consider If ministry were simplified to parallel the apostle Paul's, "preaching nothing but Christ and Him crucified" (to the unsaved) and challenging the saved to a Biblical standard of maturity, perhaps the opportunities for manipulation might be reduced. Discuss How might a pastor, or others in ministry leadership be supported so that they are not distracted by unmet physical needs, yet are protected from institutional manipulation? Reflect The sacrifices made by all of the early leaders called by Jesus are a stark contrast to the way that many of us complain of the least inconvenience. Share When have you observed a highly-structured religious organization, with salaried pastors and staff, begins to misuse the pastor and staff's financial and organizational dependence to manipulate how they functioned as leaders? Faith in Action Prayer: Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a leader or leader to whom I should give special support for their ministry for the Lord God. Action: Today I will consider how I support the spiritual leaders of my fellowship. If I believe that they were called to leadership and are being Biblically-faithful in their teaching then I will invest in their effectiveness for Christ. If I am a leader I will reflect upon the stewardship of the support God has led His children to provide and be certain that my choices do not impose unnecessary burdens upon those whom I serve. Be Specific ______________________________________________________ Tuesday's text will be: 1 Corinthians 10 -- Draw nearer to the Lord and He will bless you, Have an http://Ultrafidian.com Day! David M. Colburn, DMin. MaCo ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Savannah-Statesboro needs a Bible College/Seminary! Personal Site: http://bibleseven.com Bible Resources: http://bible.org Teacher's Verse: John 7:16 I don't google I SEARCH! Yippy.com ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From usacomputertech at mindblowingidea.com Sun Dec 11 00:27:19 2011 From: usacomputertech at mindblowingidea.com (usacomputertech) Date: Sat, 10 Dec 2011 21:27:19 -0800 Subject: [Linux4christians] Get Fired Up For God! Message-ID: <4EE43F37.6010007@mindblowingidea.com> Want to get encouraged, and Fired Up For God and His Spirit? Check out Open Source Christian Community Episode 13 http://opensourcechristiancommunity.blogspot.com/2011/12/episode-13-politically-correct-socially.html -- http://www.youtube.com/usacomputertec Watch My Youtube Videos USA COMPUTER TECH COMPUTER RESCUE Justin Breithaupt (509) 730-5576 (208) 750-5628 e-mail: usacomputertech at mindblowingidea.com website: www.mindblowingidea.com/ComputerRescue.html JULinux http://www.justuselinux.com Support Forum: http://justuselinux.iboards.us/ They say that money talks, if so what does it say? IN GOD WE TRUST Pastor's Sermons: www.mindblowingidea.com/LutheranTV.html Open Source Christian Community Blog: http://opensourcechristiancommunity.blogspot.com Open Source Christian Community Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/justin.breithaupt Support Freedom: http://www.defectivebydesign.org/ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: 760x100_watchmyvideos.png Type: image/png Size: 16309 bytes Desc: not available URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: in_god_we_trust.jpg Type: image/jpeg Size: 16087 bytes Desc: not available URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: OSCC3.png Type: image/png Size: 47891 bytes Desc: not available URL: From l4c at thelinuxlink.net Sun Dec 11 19:20:21 2011 From: l4c at thelinuxlink.net (linc) Date: Sun, 11 Dec 2011 19:20:21 -0500 Subject: [Linux4christians] Get Fired Up For God! In-Reply-To: <4EE43F37.6010007@mindblowingidea.com> References: <4EE43F37.6010007@mindblowingidea.com> Message-ID: <4EE548C5.4050202@thelinuxlink.net> On 12/11/2011 12:27 AM, usacomputertech wrote: > Want to get encouraged, and Fired Up For God and His Spirit? > Check out Open Source Christian Community Episode 13 > http://opensourcechristiancommunity.blogspot.com/2011/12/episode-13-politically-correct-socially.html > OK, so I watched this video. Quite interesting. Some things I got from it: 1) People (like me) who prefer the AKJV, use the (difficult to understand?) language as an avenue to rewrite the Bible to mean what we want it to. 2) Drinking alcohol is a sin. 3) Being Fat is a sin (and can be rebuked, just like Acne). 4) It is God's will for us all to live in Divine Health and have every spiritual gift and wealth and providence and blessings and you can achieve that by asking God to overcome the things in your life that are blocking those blessings. (I'm sorry has anyone ever read Job?) 5) A lot of "Thou shalt not kill" references that some study would reveal as *"ratsach"*and *"phonen**o-" *which clearly mean murder... 6) We are living in heaven now if we want to be. I couldn't listen to the rest... -- -- -Linc Fessenden In the Beginning there was nothing, which exploded - Yeah right... -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From fmiller at lightlink.com Sun Dec 11 19:52:58 2011 From: fmiller at lightlink.com (Fred A. Miller) Date: Sun, 11 Dec 2011 19:52:58 -0500 Subject: [Linux4christians] Get Fired Up For God! In-Reply-To: <4EE548C5.4050202@thelinuxlink.net> References: <4EE43F37.6010007@mindblowingidea.com> <4EE548C5.4050202@thelinuxlink.net> Message-ID: <4EE5506A.2070000@lightlink.com> On 12/11/2011 07:20 PM, linc wrote: > On 12/11/2011 12:27 AM, usacomputertech wrote: >> Want to get encouraged, and Fired Up For God and His Spirit? >> Check out Open Source Christian Community Episode 13 >> http://opensourcechristiancommunity.blogspot.com/2011/12/episode-13-politically-correct-socially.html >> > > OK, so I watched this video. Quite interesting. Some things I got > from it: > 1) People (like me) who prefer the AKJV, use the (difficult to > understand?) language as an avenue to rewrite the Bible to mean what > we want it to. > 2) Drinking alcohol is a sin. > 3) Being Fat is a sin (and can be rebuked, just like Acne). > 4) It is God's will for us all to live in Divine Health and have every > spiritual gift and wealth and providence and blessings and you can > achieve that by asking God to overcome the things in your life that > are blocking those blessings. (I'm sorry has anyone ever read Job?) > 5) A lot of "Thou shalt not kill" references that some study would > reveal as *"ratsach"*and *"phonen**o-" *which clearly mean murder... > 6) We are living in heaven now if we want to be. > I couldn't listen to the rest... A LOT that isn't Scriptural from what I could tell. Fred -- Liberal ideology and political correctness, infused with public policy, begets social insanity. - Michael Savage -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From dcolburn at bibleseven.com Sun Dec 11 20:11:22 2011 From: dcolburn at bibleseven.com (dcolburn at bibleseven.com) Date: Sun, 11 Dec 2011 20:11:22 -0500 Subject: [Linux4christians] Get Fired Up For God! In-Reply-To: <4EE548C5.4050202@thelinuxlink.net> References: <4EE43F37.6010007@mindblowingidea.com> <4EE548C5.4050202@thelinuxlink.net> Message-ID: <4EE554BA.5060000@bibleseven.com> Why do we keep returning, like dogs to their vomit, to the same apostate nonsense? Any and every version of the Word of God may be misused by the careless and the venal. The very words of Jesus in the flesh were misused to His face. I was at a Christian homeschool Christmas party and some of the men, one a current KJV-only pastor, another a former not-KJV-only pastor, start a discussion of versions and I made an excuse to wander off to another room. Across most of the major translations there isn't enough difference to matter - it is what the teacher does with it that matters. Jesus made alcohol. Let's try not to be profanely and profoundly stupid. Magical-thinking is a form of witchcraft and imposing it on the Lord God is worse than apostasy. One does not "rebuke" fat or acne. Sigh. It is God's will that we take up our crosses daily and do what He asks us to do the way He asks us to do it - no matter the cost. The prosperity gospel is another apostasy and more magical-thinking. If this is Heaven ... oh, never mind. Not all of it is incorrect, since the best deception is mostly-truth with a little bit of "yeast" slipped in. I agree that "kill" in the 10 Commandments is most-accurately translated as "murder" (it is the heart-condition/intent that drives the meaning). Another video to avoid ... (I chose to not include the link as I don't want to promote it in any way.) > OK, so I watched this video. Quite interesting. Some things I got from it: > 1) People (like me) who prefer the AKJV, use the (difficult to > understand?) language as an avenue to rewrite the Bible to mean what > we want it to. 2) Drinking alcohol is a sin. 3) Being Fat is a sin > (and can be rebuked, just like Acne). 4) It is God's will for us all > to live in Divine Health and have every spiritual gift and wealth and > providence and blessings and you can achieve that by asking God to > overcome the things in your life that are blocking those blessings. > (I'm sorry has anyone ever read Job?) 5) A lot of "Thou shalt not > kill" references that some study would reveal as *"ratsach"*and > *"phonen**o-" *which clearly mean murder... 6) We are living in heaven > now if we want to be. I couldn't listen to the rest... > > -- -- -Linc Fessenden > > In the Beginning there was nothing, which exploded - Yeah right... -- Draw nearer to the Lord and He will bless you, Have an http://Ultrafidian.com Day! David M. Colburn, DMin. MaCo ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Savannah-Statesboro needs a Bible College/Seminary! Personal Site: http://bibleseven.com Bible Resources: http://bible.org Teacher's Verse: John 7:16 I don't google I SEARCH! Yippy.com ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From usacomputertech at mindblowingidea.com Sun Dec 11 19:49:14 2011 From: usacomputertech at mindblowingidea.com (usacomputertech) Date: Sun, 11 Dec 2011 16:49:14 -0800 Subject: [Linux4christians] Get Fired Up For God! In-Reply-To: <4EE548C5.4050202@thelinuxlink.net> References: <4EE43F37.6010007@mindblowingidea.com> <4EE548C5.4050202@thelinuxlink.net> Message-ID: <4EE54F8A.7020502@mindblowingidea.com> On 12/11/2011 04:20 PM, linc wrote: > On 12/11/2011 12:27 AM, usacomputertech wrote: >> Want to get encouraged, and Fired Up For God and His Spirit? >> Check out Open Source Christian Community Episode 13 >> http://opensourcechristiancommunity.blogspot.com/2011/12/episode-13-politically-correct-socially.html >> > > OK, so I watched this video. Quite interesting. Some things I got > from it: > 1) People (like me) who prefer the AKJV, use the (difficult to > understand?) language as an avenue to rewrite the Bible to mean what > we want it to. What I'm saying is that if you want to manipulate the scripture and make it say what you want it to say, all you have to do is find a translation that is hard to understand to begin with, and then you can make it say anything you want it to. > 2) Drinking alcohol is a sin. Drinking "Strong Drink" is a sin. > 3) Being Fat is a sin (and can be rebuked, just like Acne). Being Fat is a sin if it's as a result of not obeying God, He said everything in moderation. Disobedience is a sin. Acne isn't a sin, but it is an affliction and can be caused by sin. Any symptom can be caused by sin. Sickness, disease, and other things can be caused by sin. Wrath comes bundled and packaged in sin. > 4) It is God's will for us all to live in Divine Health and have every > spiritual gift and wealth and providence and blessings and you can > achieve that by asking God to overcome the things in your life that > are blocking those blessings. (I'm sorry has anyone ever read Job?) Everyone has a Job experience sooner or later, when you are getting things you haven't earned as far as wrath, but all sickness originated with the original sin. There would be no sickness or death if Adam wouldn't have sinned. There are consequences for our actions, and those consequences come bundled with sin. So if we see sickness in our lives, we should ask God and look for mistakes we might have made. I'd say 75% of the time in "MY" life if I'm sick there is something I've done wrong, and God is getting my attention. > 5) A lot of "Thou shalt not kill" references that some study would > reveal as *"ratsach"*and *"phonen**o-" *which clearly mean murder... What is the difference between killing someone and murdering them? > 6) We are living in heaven now if we want to be. Ya, if you want to, you can live in the kingdom of Heaven now. > I couldn't listen to the rest... > > -- > -- > -Linc Fessenden > > In the Beginning there was nothing, which exploded - Yeah right... > > > > _______________________________________________ > Linux4christians mailing list > Linux4christians at thelinuxlink.net > http://www.thelinuxlink.net/mailman/listinfo/linux4christians -- http://www.youtube.com/usacomputertec Watch My Youtube Videos USA COMPUTER TECH COMPUTER RESCUE Justin Breithaupt (509) 730-5576 (208) 750-5628 e-mail: usacomputertech at mindblowingidea.com website: www.mindblowingidea.com/ComputerRescue.html JULinux http://www.justuselinux.com Support Forum: http://justuselinux.iboards.us/ They say that money talks, if so what does it say? IN GOD WE TRUST Pastor's Sermons: www.mindblowingidea.com/LutheranTV.html Open Source Christian Community Blog: http://opensourcechristiancommunity.blogspot.com Open Source Christian Community Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/justin.breithaupt Support Freedom: http://www.defectivebydesign.org/ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: 760x100_watchmyvideos.png Type: image/png Size: 16309 bytes Desc: not available URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: in_god_we_trust.jpg Type: image/jpeg Size: 16087 bytes Desc: not available URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: OSCC3.png Type: image/png Size: 47891 bytes Desc: not available URL: From usacomputertech at mindblowingidea.com Sun Dec 11 20:32:03 2011 From: usacomputertech at mindblowingidea.com (usacomputertech) Date: Sun, 11 Dec 2011 17:32:03 -0800 Subject: [Linux4christians] Get Fired Up For God! In-Reply-To: <4EE554BA.5060000@bibleseven.com> References: <4EE43F37.6010007@mindblowingidea.com> <4EE548C5.4050202@thelinuxlink.net> <4EE554BA.5060000@bibleseven.com> Message-ID: <4EE55993.8030602@mindblowingidea.com> On 12/11/2011 05:11 PM, dcolburn at bibleseven.com wrote: > Why do we keep returning, like dogs to their vomit, to the same > apostate nonsense? > > Any and every version of the Word of God may be misused by the > careless and the > venal. The very words of Jesus in the flesh were misused to His face. True, but Jesus wasn't confused, or caught off guard. > > I was at a Christian homeschool Christmas party and some of the men, > one a current > KJV-only pastor, another a former not-KJV-only pastor, start a > discussion of versions > and I made an excuse to wander off to another room. Across most of > the major > translations there isn't enough difference to matter - it is what the > teacher does with > it that matters. True, if they are led by the Spirit that's all that matters. > > Jesus made alcohol. Let's try not to be profanely and profoundly stupid. Correct, but the Jews often mixed their alcohol with water so it wasn't "Strong Drink" so anything stronger than Wine is probably not what God wants you to have, however if you don't get drunk as a result of drinking a small amount of alcahol, and don't loose your mind, or become vulnerable to evil influences, then great. > > Magical-thinking is a form of witchcraft and imposing it on the Lord > God is worse > than apostasy. One does not "rebuke" fat or acne. Sigh. You don't rebuke evil, sin, and sickness? Sorry, I guess that goes against your "Religion" and "Theology". I don't know abut Magic, I don't practice it. I do however see people healed instantly, not every time, some times God does it after a week or two, and some times after a month, but He heals everyone I pray for that doesn't reject the blessing. If I hear someone say that they don't believe God will heal them just because of prayer, or that they say anything negative against it, then it doesn't happen. It requires Faith. "Your Faith Has Made You Well" ~Jesus Christ. Jesus just touched people and they were healed, are you saying he was magical? He spoke to illness and it went away. He also rebuked evil in many forms. > > It is God's will that we take up our crosses daily and do what He asks > us to do > the way He asks us to do it - no matter the cost. The prosperity > gospel is another > apostasy and more magical-thinking. What are you talking about? What Prosperity Gospel? All I'm saying is God can bless us. Is that wrong? > > If this is Heaven ... oh, never mind. We can live in the Kingdom of Heaven now "His kingdom come, His Will be done." His kingdom was brought with Him. His Kingdom is in the hearts / throne rooms where people accept Him and let Him rule over their lives and bodies in obedience to Him. > > Not all of it is incorrect, since the best deception is mostly-truth > with a little bit of > "yeast" slipped in. I agree that "kill" in the 10 Commandments is > most-accurately > translated as "murder" (it is the heart-condition/intent that drives > the meaning). If you kill someone without intending to, you haven't sinned. So by your definition all intended killing is murder right? Of course Jesus added anger to = Murder as well. > > Another video to avoid ... > > (I chose to not include the link as I don't want to promote it in any > way.) Ok. Well may Jesus Bless You ! > > > OK, so I watched this video. Quite interesting. Some things I got > from it: > > 1) People (like me) who prefer > the AKJV, use the (difficult to > > > understand?) language as an avenue to rewrite the Bible to > mean what > > > we want it to. 2) Drinking alcohol is a sin. 3) Being Fat is > a sin > > > (and can be rebuked, just like Acne). 4) It is God's will for > us all > > > to live in Divine Health and have every spiritual gift and > wealth and > > > providence and blessings and you can achieve that by asking > God to > > > overcome the things in your life that are blocking those > blessings. > > > (I'm sorry has anyone ever read Job?) 5) A lot of "Thou shalt > not > > > kill" references that some study would reveal as > *"ratsach"*and > > > *"phonen**o-" *which clearly mean murder... 6) We are living > in heaven > > > now if we want to be. I couldn't listen to the rest... > > > > > > -- -- -Linc Fessenden > > > > > > In the Beginning there was nothing, which exploded - Yeah > right... > > > > -- > > Draw nearer to the Lord and He will bless you, > Have an http://Ultrafidian.com Day! > David M. Colburn, DMin. MaCo > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ > Savannah-Statesboro needs a Bible College/Seminary! > Personal Site: http://bibleseven.com > Bible Resources: http://bible.org > Teacher's Verse: John 7:16 > I don't google I SEARCH! Yippy.com > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ > > > _______________________________________________ > Linux4christians mailing list > Linux4christians at thelinuxlink.net > http://www.thelinuxlink.net/mailman/listinfo/linux4christians -- http://www.youtube.com/usacomputertec Watch My Youtube Videos USA COMPUTER TECH COMPUTER RESCUE Justin Breithaupt (509) 730-5576 (208) 750-5628 e-mail: usacomputertech at mindblowingidea.com website: www.mindblowingidea.com/ComputerRescue.html JULinux http://www.justuselinux.com Support Forum: http://justuselinux.iboards.us/ They say that money talks, if so what does it say? IN GOD WE TRUST Pastor's Sermons: www.mindblowingidea.com/LutheranTV.html Open Source Christian Community Blog: http://opensourcechristiancommunity.blogspot.com Open Source Christian Community Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/justin.breithaupt Support Freedom: http://www.defectivebydesign.org/ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: 760x100_watchmyvideos.png Type: image/png Size: 16309 bytes Desc: not available URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: in_god_we_trust.jpg Type: image/jpeg Size: 16087 bytes Desc: not available URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: OSCC3.png Type: image/png Size: 47891 bytes Desc: not available URL: From usacomputertech at mindblowingidea.com Sun Dec 11 20:34:55 2011 From: usacomputertech at mindblowingidea.com (usacomputertech) Date: Sun, 11 Dec 2011 17:34:55 -0800 Subject: [Linux4christians] Get Fired Up For God! In-Reply-To: <4EE554BA.5060000@bibleseven.com> References: <4EE43F37.6010007@mindblowingidea.com> <4EE548C5.4050202@thelinuxlink.net> <4EE554BA.5060000@bibleseven.com> Message-ID: <4EE55A3F.4080904@mindblowingidea.com> Wow, I thought by posting a link to the OSCC videos in this channel I might be greated with enthusiasm for what I'm trying to do, not anger. Jesus said He would not return until the Religious people said "Blessed is He who comes in the Name of the Lord!" Are you being an adversary, or an accuser of the brothern? I gave you some spiritual meat, but maybe you are still on milk. -- http://www.youtube.com/usacomputertec Watch My Youtube Videos USA COMPUTER TECH COMPUTER RESCUE Justin Breithaupt (509) 730-5576 (208) 750-5628 e-mail: usacomputertech at mindblowingidea.com website: www.mindblowingidea.com/ComputerRescue.html JULinux http://www.justuselinux.com Support Forum: http://justuselinux.iboards.us/ They say that money talks, if so what does it say? IN GOD WE TRUST Pastor's Sermons: www.mindblowingidea.com/LutheranTV.html Open Source Christian Community Blog: http://opensourcechristiancommunity.blogspot.com Open Source Christian Community Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/justin.breithaupt Support Freedom: http://www.defectivebydesign.org/ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: 760x100_watchmyvideos.png Type: image/png Size: 16309 bytes Desc: not available URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: in_god_we_trust.jpg Type: image/jpeg Size: 16087 bytes Desc: not available URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: OSCC3.png Type: image/png Size: 47891 bytes Desc: not available URL: From usacomputertech at mindblowingidea.com Sun Dec 11 20:38:20 2011 From: usacomputertech at mindblowingidea.com (usacomputertech) Date: Sun, 11 Dec 2011 17:38:20 -0800 Subject: [Linux4christians] Get Fired Up For God! In-Reply-To: <4EE548C5.4050202@thelinuxlink.net> References: <4EE43F37.6010007@mindblowingidea.com> <4EE548C5.4050202@thelinuxlink.net> Message-ID: <4EE55B0C.3020408@mindblowingidea.com> This is for some of you: http://www.godtube.com/watch/?v=FFCM2CNU On 12/11/2011 04:20 PM, linc wrote: > On 12/11/2011 12:27 AM, usacomputertech wrote: >> Want to get encouraged, and Fired Up For God and His Spirit? >> Check out Open Source Christian Community Episode 13 >> http://opensourcechristiancommunity.blogspot.com/2011/12/episode-13-politically-correct-socially.html >> > > OK, so I watched this video. Quite interesting. Some things I got > from it: > 1) People (like me) who prefer the AKJV, use the (difficult to > understand?) language as an avenue to rewrite the Bible to mean what > we want it to. > 2) Drinking alcohol is a sin. > 3) Being Fat is a sin (and can be rebuked, just like Acne). > 4) It is God's will for us all to live in Divine Health and have every > spiritual gift and wealth and providence and blessings and you can > achieve that by asking God to overcome the things in your life that > are blocking those blessings. (I'm sorry has anyone ever read Job?) > 5) A lot of "Thou shalt not kill" references that some study would > reveal as *"ratsach"*and *"phonen**o-" *which clearly mean murder... > 6) We are living in heaven now if we want to be. > I couldn't listen to the rest... > > -- > -- > -Linc Fessenden > > In the Beginning there was nothing, which exploded - Yeah right... > > > > _______________________________________________ > Linux4christians mailing list > Linux4christians at thelinuxlink.net > http://www.thelinuxlink.net/mailman/listinfo/linux4christians -- http://www.youtube.com/usacomputertec Watch My Youtube Videos USA COMPUTER TECH COMPUTER RESCUE Justin Breithaupt (509) 730-5576 (208) 750-5628 e-mail: usacomputertech at mindblowingidea.com website: www.mindblowingidea.com/ComputerRescue.html JULinux http://www.justuselinux.com Support Forum: http://justuselinux.iboards.us/ They say that money talks, if so what does it say? IN GOD WE TRUST Pastor's Sermons: www.mindblowingidea.com/LutheranTV.html Open Source Christian Community Blog: http://opensourcechristiancommunity.blogspot.com Open Source Christian Community Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/justin.breithaupt Support Freedom: http://www.defectivebydesign.org/ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: 760x100_watchmyvideos.png Type: image/png Size: 16309 bytes Desc: not available URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: in_god_we_trust.jpg Type: image/jpeg Size: 16087 bytes Desc: not available URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: OSCC3.png Type: image/png Size: 47891 bytes Desc: not available URL: From l4c at thelinuxlink.net Sun Dec 11 21:38:00 2011 From: l4c at thelinuxlink.net (Lincoln Fessenden) Date: Sun, 11 Dec 2011 21:38:00 -0500 Subject: [Linux4christians] Get Fired Up For God! In-Reply-To: <4EE55A3F.4080904@mindblowingidea.com> References: <4EE43F37.6010007@mindblowingidea.com> <4EE548C5.4050202@thelinuxlink.net> <4EE554BA.5060000@bibleseven.com> <4EE55A3F.4080904@mindblowingidea.com> Message-ID: <20111212023800.GA10561@kraken> On Sun, Dec 11, 2011 at 05:34:55PM -0800, usacomputertech wrote: > Wow, I thought by posting a link to the OSCC videos in this channel > I might be greated with enthusiasm for what I'm trying to do, not > anger. > > Jesus said He would not return until the Religious people said > "Blessed is He who comes in the Name of the Lord!" > Are you being an adversary, or an accuser of the brothern? > > I gave you some spiritual meat, but maybe you are still on milk. Justin, I applaud you for your efforts, and I was once young in Christ and overenthusiastic. In fact, I was called things like "terrorist for Christ" by some people. I can see you are learning sooo much, and that is good. I do want to caution you, though, to temper your enthusiasm with wisdom and research/study. It is not good to alienate your brothers and sisters by implying that they use their particular favoured translation to help them twist the word. It is very dangerous to push the "prosperity gospel". It is not good to accuse your elder brothers of being your adversary. Perhaps, just perhaps, you have a little to learn. What you gave was not meat. What you gave was a little misguided youthful enthusiasm. I wholly appreciate the effort, and hope that it stirs some of the cobwebs here so that everyone can share and learn. You might be interested to know there are a variety of pastors and ministers on this list with gobs of experience dealing with anything you can think of and a wealth of expertise on many subjects. Just ask around! :) -- -Rev. Linc Fessenden In the Beginning there was nothing, which exploded - Yeah right... From karl at kleinpaste.org Sun Dec 11 21:53:56 2011 From: karl at kleinpaste.org (Karl Kleinpaste) Date: Sun, 11 Dec 2011 21:53:56 -0500 Subject: [Linux4christians] Get Fired Up For God! In-Reply-To: <4EE55993.8030602@mindblowingidea.com> (usacomputertech@mindblowingidea.com's message of "Sun, 11 Dec 2011 17:32:03 -0800") References: <4EE43F37.6010007@mindblowingidea.com> <4EE548C5.4050202@thelinuxlink.net> <4EE554BA.5060000@bibleseven.com> <4EE55993.8030602@mindblowingidea.com> Message-ID: usacomputertech writes: > Correct, but the Jews often mixed their alcohol with water so it wasn't > "Strong Drink" so anything stronger than Wine is probably not what God > wants you to have There are some days when I feel that revisionist linguistic history combined with scriptural ignorance will be the death of the faith. Deut 14:26 [NASB], discussing feast of tithes: You may spend the money for whatever your heart desires: for oxen, or sheep, or wine, or *STRONG DRINK*, or whatever your heart desires; and there you shall eat in the presence of the LORD your God and rejoice, you and your household. [emph.added] Now, that's scripture itself, specifically and explicitly providing for use of "strong drink." There are other examples available. As to how that phrase got chosen, it's the Hebrew "shekar" (H7941), in turn from "shakar" (H7937), "to become drunk." That is, shekar is a noun derived from a verb, such that it could be fairly rendered "drunk-making stuff." But that's awkward, so "strong drink" is how it was typically rendered over quite a long time. Interestingly, in the LXX, we see that Greek inherited the word by transliteration, not translation: "sikera" (G4608), xref'd in Strong's as derived from H7941. The word (and English phrase) means hard liquor. If this old canard about "Jews diluted their alcohol" is the level of analysis you offer...well, small wonder that people are rejecting it. Take your own advice, regarding who's eating meat and who's still drinking milk. From tbutler at ofb.biz Mon Dec 12 01:46:55 2011 From: tbutler at ofb.biz (Timothy Butler) Date: Mon, 12 Dec 2011 00:46:55 -0600 Subject: [Linux4christians] Get Fired Up For God! In-Reply-To: <20111212023800.GA10561@kraken> References: <4EE43F37.6010007@mindblowingidea.com> <4EE548C5.4050202@thelinuxlink.net> <4EE554BA.5060000@bibleseven.com> <4EE55A3F.4080904@mindblowingidea.com> <20111212023800.GA10561@kraken> Message-ID: <4010235C-842F-4457-9A59-7CF5027B6557@ofb.biz> On Dec 11, 2011, at 8:38 PM, Lincoln Fessenden wrote: > What you gave was a little misguided youthful enthusiasm. I wholly appreciate the effort, and hope that it stirs some of the cobwebs here so that everyone can share and learn. You might be interested to know there are a variety of pastors and ministers on this list with gobs of experience dealing with anything you can think of and a wealth of expertise on many subjects. Just ask around! :) Well said, Linc. Justin, one thing wise folks have reminded me of over the years is the value of studying the Bible in community. It is easy to get off the wall ideas (indeed, I have and still do at times!) when studying in isolation and that's why there's so much value to bringing ideas to the brethren and then being willing to hear the (hopefully) loving, helpful critique of the rest of the Body. That shows the sort of maturity associated with meat and not milk. While one should be open to the idea that the Body can suffer from groupthink, we ought not start by assuming our brothers are wrong when they disagree with us. Blessings, Tim From fmiller at lightlink.com Mon Dec 12 17:31:12 2011 From: fmiller at lightlink.com (Fred A. Miller) Date: Mon, 12 Dec 2011 17:31:12 -0500 Subject: [Linux4christians] Get Fired Up For God! In-Reply-To: <20111212023800.GA10561@kraken> References: <4EE43F37.6010007@mindblowingidea.com> <4EE548C5.4050202@thelinuxlink.net> <4EE554BA.5060000@bibleseven.com> <4EE55A3F.4080904@mindblowingidea.com> <20111212023800.GA10561@kraken> Message-ID: <4EE680B0.50004@lightlink.com> On 12/11/2011 09:38 PM, Lincoln Fessenden wrote: >> Jesus said He would not return until the Religious people said >> > "Blessed is He who comes in the Name of the Lord!" >> > Are you being an adversary, or an accuser of the brothern? >> > >> > I gave you some spiritual meat, but maybe you are still on milk. > Justin, I applaud you for your efforts, and I was once young in Christ and overenthusiastic. In fact, I was called things like "terrorist for Christ" by some people. I can see you are learning sooo much, and that is good. I do want to caution you, though, to temper your enthusiasm with wisdom and research/study. It is not good to alienate your brothers and sisters by implying that they use their particular favoured translation to help them twist the word. It is very dangerous to push the "prosperity gospel". It is not good to accuse your elder brothers of being your adversary. Perhaps, just perhaps, you have a little to learn. What you gave was not meat. What you gave was a little misguided youthful enthusiasm. I wholly appreciate the effort, and hope that it stirs some of the cobwebs here so that everyone can share and learn. You might be interested to know there are a variety of pastors and ministers on this list with gobs of experience dealing with anything you can think of and a wealth of expertise on many subjects. Just ask around!:) In additiion, for anyone seeking the truth, an in depth study of Scripture will ALWAYS show just how twisted ANY "prosperity gospel" really is! Fred -- Liberal ideology and political correctness, infused with public policy, begets social insanity. - Michael Savage -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From fmiller at lightlink.com Mon Dec 12 17:36:31 2011 From: fmiller at lightlink.com (Fred A. Miller) Date: Mon, 12 Dec 2011 17:36:31 -0500 Subject: [Linux4christians] Get Fired Up For God! In-Reply-To: References: <4EE43F37.6010007@mindblowingidea.com> <4EE548C5.4050202@thelinuxlink.net> <4EE554BA.5060000@bibleseven.com> <4EE55993.8030602@mindblowingidea.com> Message-ID: <4EE681EF.8000404@lightlink.com> On 12/11/2011 09:53 PM, Karl Kleinpaste wrote: > usacomputertech writes: >> > Correct, but the Jews often mixed their alcohol with water so it wasn't >> > "Strong Drink" so anything stronger than Wine is probably not what God >> > wants you to have > There are some days when I feel that revisionist linguistic history > combined with scriptural ignorance will be the death of the faith. > > Deut 14:26 [NASB], discussing feast of tithes: > You may spend the money for whatever your heart desires: for oxen, or > sheep, or wine, or*STRONG DRINK*, or whatever your heart desires; and > there you shall eat in the presence of the LORD your God and rejoice, you > and your household. [emph.added] > > Now, that's scripture itself, specifically and explicitly providing for > use of "strong drink." > > There are other examples available. [snip] Yes, there are.....marriage feast, etc. It has been for a long time, and still IS practiced in many parts of Europe to serve wine at the table either diluted by 30 to 40% water, or serve both at the table. Also, don't forget the last supper, and last but not least, Christ said to have "wine for thy stomach's sake." What is condemned is drunkenness, NOT the drink. Fred -- Liberal ideology and political correctness, infused with public policy, begets social insanity. - Michael Savage -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From webservant at trinitybclaramie.org Mon Dec 12 19:04:35 2011 From: webservant at trinitybclaramie.org (Peter B. Steiger) Date: Mon, 12 Dec 2011 17:04:35 -0700 Subject: [Linux4christians] Get Fired Up For God! In-Reply-To: <4EE681EF.8000404@lightlink.com> References: <4EE43F37.6010007@mindblowingidea.com> <4EE548C5.4050202@thelinuxlink.net> <4EE554BA.5060000@bibleseven.com> <4EE55993.8030602@mindblowingidea.com> <4EE681EF.8000404@lightlink.com> Message-ID: Just to clarify, Fred, it was not Jesus but Paul who prescribed wine for Timothy's upset stomach, not Jesus. But you're quite right -- the problem is with drunkenness, not drinking. Shalom, *PBS* On Mon, Dec 12, 2011 at 3:36 PM, Fred A. Miller wrote: > > Yes, there are.....marriage feast, etc. It has been for a long time, and > still IS practiced in many parts of Europe to serve wine at the table > either diluted by 30 to 40% water, or serve both at the table. Also, don't > forget the last supper, and last but not least, Christ said to have "wine > for thy stomach's sake." What is condemned is drunkenness, NOT the drink. > > Fred > > -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From dcolburn at bibleseven.com Mon Dec 12 23:37:00 2011 From: dcolburn at bibleseven.com (dcolburn at bibleseven.com) Date: Mon, 12 Dec 2011 23:37:00 -0500 Subject: [Linux4christians] Tuesday - 1 Corinthians 10 Message-ID: <4EE6D66C.7000106@bibleseven.com> Tuesday 1 Corinthians 10 Learning from Israel's Failures 10:1 For I do not want you to be unaware, brothers and sisters, that our fathers were all under the cloud and all passed through the sea, 10:2 and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, 10:3 and all ate the same spiritual food, 10:4 and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they were all drinking from the spiritual rock that followed them, and the rock was Christ. 10:5 But God was not pleased with most of them, for they were cut down in the wilderness. 10:6 These things happened as examples for us, so that we will not crave evil things as they did. 10:7 So do not be idolaters, as some of them were. As it is written, "/*The people sat down to eat and drink and rose up to play*/." 10:8 And let us not be immoral, as some of them were, and twenty-three thousand died in a single day. 10:9 And let us not put Christ to the test, as some of them did, and were destroyed by snakes. 10:10 And do not complain, as some of them did, and were killed by the destroying angel. 10:11 These things happened to them as examples and were written for our instruction, on whom the ends of the ages have come. 10:12 So let the one who thinks he is standing be careful that he does not fall. 10:13 No trial has overtaken you that is not faced by others. And God is faithful: He will not let you be tried beyond what you are able to bear, but with the trial will also provide a way out so that you may be able to endure it. Avoid Idol Feasts 10:14 So then, my dear friends, flee from idolatry. 10:15 I am speaking to thoughtful people. Consider what I say. 10:16 Is not the cup of blessing that we bless a sharing in the blood of Christ? Is not the bread that we break a sharing in the body of Christ? 10:17 Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all share the one bread. 10:18 Look at the people of Israel. Are not those who eat the sacrifices partners in the altar? 10:19 Am I saying that idols or food sacrificed to them amount to anything? 10:20 No, I mean that what the pagans sacrifice is to demons and not to God. I do not want you to be partners with demons. 10:21 You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons. You cannot take part in the table of the Lord and the table of demons. 10:22 Or are we trying to provoke the Lord to jealousy? Are we really stronger than he is? Live to Glorify God 10:23 "Everything is lawful," but not everything is beneficial. "Everything is lawful," but not everything builds others up. 10:24 Do not seek your own good, but the good of the other person. 10:25 Eat anything that is sold in the marketplace without questions of conscience, 10:26 for /the earth and its abundance are the Lord's/. 10:27 If an unbeliever invites you to dinner and you want to go, eat whatever is served without asking questions of conscience. 10:28 But if someone says to you, "This is from a sacrifice," do not eat, because of the one who told you and because of conscience -- 10:29 I do not mean yours but the other person's. For why is my freedom being judged by another's conscience? 10:30 If I partake with thankfulness, why am I blamed for the food that I give thanks for? 10:31 So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do everything for the glory of God. 10:32 Do not give offense to Jews or Greeks or to the church of God, 10:33 just as I also try to please everyone in all things. I do not seek my own benefit, but the benefit of many, so that they may be saved. Prayer Lord, You gave Adam and Eve freedom to make choices in the Garden and they chose wrongly, and continuously over history You did so with humankind. May I learn from history and make an intentional effort to not repeat the errors of the past. Summary & Commentary Paul reminded the believers that Christ was the "rock" from which the people who followed the leadership of Moses "drank the water of life", but many were rebellious and the consequence was death. In 1Cor10:9 he identified Numbers 21:5-9 as a direct reference to Christ, a testimony to the pre-existence of Christ that also occurs in Jude 5. Paul explained the purpose of the Lord God allowing choices and consequences in the Old Testament times "These things happened to them as examples and were written for our instruction ..." He gave them a word of wisdom to prevent them both from arrogant or careless failure "No trial has overtaken you that is not faced by others. And God is faithful: He will not let you be tried beyond what you are able to bear, but with the trial will also provide a way out so that you may be able to endure it." 1 Cor. 13 Paul warned them to not participate in activities honoring evil, while the mere physical elements (food and drink) may be harmless, the sociological and spiritual elements are not. He reinforced the teaching of freedom-with-responsibility for Christians; one may freely "Eat anything that is sold in the marketplace without questions of conscience ..." and may also eat freely when the guest of an unbeliever, but should an immature believer raise a concern that the food had been sacrificed to idols one should refrain from eating in their presence. [Note: Paul is not intending to say that everything in the marketplace is equally healthy, as relates to "taking care of the Temple", but is clearly restricting his meaning to spiritual matters or "conscience".] Interaction Consider There is nothing new about the ways that we "set ourselves up to fail" through choices that are clearly not God-honoring and/or are carelessly made without pausing to consult God though His indwelling Holy Spirit. Discuss How does a believer separate the "tests" or faithfulness to which Paul referred from the day-to-day challenges of life in a fallen world? Isn't there a difficult balance between freedom and responsibility? Reflect There is great value in the assurance and strength-for-endurance-in-righteousness which flows from the promise of God in 1 Cor. 10:13. Share When have you found the Lord God's assurance in 1 Cor. 10:13 just what you needed to endure a difficult life-challenge? Faith in Action Prayer: Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you one area of your life where you all-too-often repeat a poor decision and set yourself up to fail as a good witness to Christ and as a more-mature believer pursuing an intentionally-righteous life. Action: Today I will ask a fellow believer to pray in agreement that I recognize the gift of discernment which is promised by the Holy Spirit for those who need it, and for the courage to repent and to mature. Be Specific ______________________________________________________ Wednesday's text will be: 1 Corinthians 11 -- Draw nearer to the Lord and He will bless you, Have an http://Ultrafidian.com Day! David M. Colburn, DMin. MaCo ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Savannah-Statesboro needs a Bible College/Seminary! Personal Site: http://bibleseven.com Bible Resources: http://bible.org Teacher's Verse: John 7:16 I don't google I SEARCH! Yippy.com ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From usacomputertech at mindblowingidea.com Mon Dec 12 18:43:44 2011 From: usacomputertech at mindblowingidea.com (usacomputertech) Date: Mon, 12 Dec 2011 15:43:44 -0800 Subject: [Linux4christians] Get Fired Up For God! In-Reply-To: References: <4EE43F37.6010007@mindblowingidea.com> <4EE548C5.4050202@thelinuxlink.net> <4EE554BA.5060000@bibleseven.com> <4EE55993.8030602@mindblowingidea.com> Message-ID: <4EE691B0.6040407@mindblowingidea.com> On 12/11/2011 06:53 PM, Karl Kleinpaste wrote: > usacomputertech writes: >> Correct, but the Jews often mixed their alcohol with water so it wasn't >> "Strong Drink" so anything stronger than Wine is probably not what God >> wants you to have > There are some days when I feel that revisionist linguistic history > combined with scriptural ignorance will be the death of the faith. > > Deut 14:26 [NASB], discussing feast of tithes: > You may spend the money for whatever your heart desires: for oxen, or > sheep, or wine, or *STRONG DRINK*, or whatever your heart desires; and > there you shall eat in the presence of the LORD your God and rejoice, you > and your household. [emph.added] Don't take that out of context. That was the way farmers would get right with God. By having a celebration in his honor. That's the only place in the Bible where it says it's ok. > Now, that's scripture itself, specifically and explicitly providing for > use of "strong drink." > > There are other examples available. > > As to how that phrase got chosen, it's the Hebrew "shekar" (H7941), in > turn from "shakar" (H7937), "to become drunk." That is, shekar is a > noun derived from a verb, such that it could be fairly rendered > "drunk-making stuff." But that's awkward, so "strong drink" is how it > was typically rendered over quite a long time. Interestingly, in the > LXX, we see that Greek inherited the word by transliteration, not > translation: "sikera" (G4608), xref'd in Strong's as derived from H7941. > > The word (and English phrase) means hard liquor. > > If this old canard about "Jews diluted their alcohol" is the level of > analysis you offer...well, small wonder that people are rejecting it. > > Take your own advice, regarding who's eating meat and who's still > drinking milk. > _______________________________________________ > Linux4christians mailing list > Linux4christians at thelinuxlink.net > http://www.thelinuxlink.net/mailman/listinfo/linux4christians > -- http://www.youtube.com/usacomputertec Watch My Youtube Videos USA COMPUTER TECH COMPUTER RESCUE Justin Breithaupt (509) 730-5576 (208) 750-5628 e-mail: usacomputertech at mindblowingidea.com website: www.mindblowingidea.com/ComputerRescue.html JULinux http://www.justuselinux.com Support Forum: http://justuselinux.iboards.us/ They say that money talks, if so what does it say? IN GOD WE TRUST Pastor's Sermons: www.mindblowingidea.com/LutheranTV.html Open Source Christian Community Blog: http://opensourcechristiancommunity.blogspot.com Open Source Christian Community Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/justin.breithaupt Support Freedom: http://www.defectivebydesign.org/ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: 760x100_watchmyvideos.png Type: image/png Size: 16309 bytes Desc: not available URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: in_god_we_trust.jpg Type: image/jpeg Size: 16087 bytes Desc: not available URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: OSCC3.png Type: image/png Size: 47891 bytes Desc: not available URL: From dcolburn at bibleseven.com Tue Dec 13 21:12:06 2011 From: dcolburn at bibleseven.com (dcolburn at bibleseven.com) Date: Tue, 13 Dec 2011 21:12:06 -0500 Subject: [Linux4christians] Wednesday - 1 Corinthians 11 Message-ID: <4EE805F6.8040002@bibleseven.com> Wednesday 1 Corinthians 11 11:1 Be imitators of me, just as I also am of Christ. Women's Head Coverings 11:2 I praise you because you remember me in everything and maintain the traditions just as I passed them on to you. 11:3 But I want you to know that Christ is the head of every man, and the man is the head of a woman, and God is the head of Christ. 11:4 Any man who prays or prophesies with his head covered disgraces his head. 11:5 But any woman who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered disgraces her head, for it is one and the same thing as having a shaved head. 11:6 For if a woman will not cover her head, she should cut off her hair. But if it is disgraceful for a woman to have her hair cut off or her head shaved, she should cover her head. 11:7 For a man should not have his head covered, since he is the image and glory of God. But the woman is the glory of the man. 11:8 For man did not come from woman, but woman from man. 11:9 Neither was man created for the sake of woman, but woman for man. 11:10 For this reason a woman should have a symbol of authority on her head, because of the angels. 11:11 In any case, in the Lord woman is not independent of man, nor is man independent of woman. 11:12 For just as woman came from man, so man comes through woman. But all things come from God. 11:13 Judge for yourselves: Is it proper for a woman to pray to God with her head uncovered? 11:14 Does not nature itself teach you that if a man has long hair, it is a disgrace for him, 11:15 but if a woman has long hair, it is her glory? For her hair is given to her for a covering. 11:16 If anyone intends to quarrel about this, we have no other practice, nor do the churches of God. The Lord's Supper 11:17 Now in giving the following instruction I do not praise you, because you come together not for the better but for the worse. 11:18 For in the first place, when you come together as a church I hear there are divisions among you, and in part I believe it. 11:19 For there must in fact be divisions among you, so that those of you who are approved may be evident. 11:20 Now when you come together at the same place, you are not really eating the Lord's Supper. 11:21 For when it is time to eat, everyone proceeds with his own supper. One is hungry and another becomes drunk. 11:22 Do you not have houses so that you can eat and drink? Or are you trying to show contempt for the church of God by shaming those who have nothing? What should I say to you? Should I praise you? I will not praise you for this! 11:23 For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night in which he was betrayed took bread, 11:24 and after he had given thanks he broke it and said, "This is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me." 11:25 In the same way, he also took the cup after supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, every time you drink it, in remembrance of me." 11:26 For every time you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes. 11:27 For this reason, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. 11:28 A person should examine himself first, and in this way let him eat the bread and drink of the cup. 11:29 For the one who eats and drinks without careful regard for the body eats and drinks judgment against himself. 11:30 That is why many of you are weak and sick, and quite a few are dead. 11:31 But if we examined ourselves, we would not be judged. 1 1:32 But when we are judged by the Lord, we are disciplined so that we may not be condemned with the world. 11:33 So then, my brothers and sisters, when you come together to eat, wait for one another. 11:34 If anyone is hungry, let him eat at home, so that when you assemble it does not lead to judgment. I will give directions about other matters when I come. Prayer Lord, You value men and women equally, but assign to them differing roles within Your fellowship. You also desire that we honor one-another and that we do not dishonor times set-apart for special worship of You. May I be careful to respect and to teach respect. Summary & Commentary Paul addressed a local conflict, but one with meaning to all of the churches [fellowships of believers]; how to manage the relationship of (believing) husbands and wives within the church [fellowship of believers]. He noted that those who chose to be joined in [Biblical Christian] marriage agreed that the male would be the spiritual leader of the home and within the church [fellowship of believers] the wife would not act without consultation with him. [Note 1: Paul carefully qualifies this instruction in three ways; it appears to be confined to married couples - extrapolating to all males and females in the church is awkward and not required by the text, verse 11:3 demands that the husband be submitted to Christ as a condition of his authority, and verses 11:11-12 that the husband and wife recognize their interdependence from both the order of Creation and the process of physical birth.] [Note 2: Paul's instructions re. the "covering" of the head appears to be illustrative rather than regulatory else he would have included instructions to define the type of covering. Given Paul's repeated emphasis upon "freedom" from legalism such a regulation would clearly have been contradictory.] Paul addressed another local conflict; when believers gathered in fellowship some arrived hungry without food or drink, others brought and hoarded their food and/or drink, in this way there were "haves" and "have-nots", hungry and gorged, sober and drunk believers in the midst of a gathering Jesus had commanded for the worship of God. Paul instructed that people eat prior to arriving for fellowship so that "the Lord's Supper" [perhaps a euphemism here for worship] be the focus and not mere human dining. [Note: Even if Paul were not using "the Lord's Supper" here as a euphemism for worship he was still instructing them as to how they might remove a terrible distraction which was compromising the quality of their fellowship with one another and with God.] Interaction Consider Paul gives a good example of the distractions people brought to a time of worship for the gathered believers - similar distractions still happen today. Discuss What are some ways that the verses about men and women can be misunderstood and misapplied out of their full Biblical context? Reflect There is a Biblical context of marriage and understanding that is critical for potential married couples. The "elders" must be involved in a process of prayer and teaching prior to any decision to seek marriage to avoid allowing emotions to overwhelm good judgment. Share When have you experienced or observed couples so overwhelmed by romantic thoughts that they failed to consult the Lord God -- and the pastor, "elders", and their peers all failed to counsel them to slow down and seek His wisdom? Faith in Action Prayer: Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you His desire for you in respectful worship, honoring one-another, and/or responsible choices in romantic relationship. Action: Today I will, if I am a single person involved in any sort of romantic or potentially romantic relationship, ask a fellow believer to pray in agreement that I will consult one or more persons who meet the Biblical qualification of "elder" prior to making any decisions to consider engagement and marriage. Today, if I am married I will prayerfully reflect upon God's teaching to discover the following: If I am the husband my life is increasingly submitted to Christ such as to earn the right to be trusted as the spiritual leader of my home; If I am the wife that I honor Christ in the way that I honor my husband. Today I will also look closely to discover if there is anything about my attitude, clothing, or participation in our fellowship which may create a distraction - and repent of it. Be Specific ______________________________________________________ Thursday's text will be: 1 Corinthians 12 -- Draw nearer to the Lord and He will bless you, Have an http://Ultrafidian.com Day! David M. Colburn, DMin. MaCo ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Savannah-Statesboro needs a Bible College/Seminary! Personal Site: http://bibleseven.com Bible Resources: http://bible.org Teacher's Verse: John 7:16 I don't google I SEARCH! Yippy.com ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From karl at kleinpaste.org Tue Dec 13 22:06:11 2011 From: karl at kleinpaste.org (Karl Kleinpaste) Date: Tue, 13 Dec 2011 22:06:11 -0500 Subject: [Linux4christians] Get Fired Up For God! In-Reply-To: <4EE691B0.6040407@mindblowingidea.com> (usacomputertech@mindblowingidea.com's message of "Mon, 12 Dec 2011 15:43:44 -0800") References: <4EE43F37.6010007@mindblowingidea.com> <4EE548C5.4050202@thelinuxlink.net> <4EE554BA.5060000@bibleseven.com> <4EE55993.8030602@mindblowingidea.com> <4EE691B0.6040407@mindblowingidea.com> Message-ID: usacomputertech writes: > Don't take that out of context. That was the way farmers would get > right with God. *sIGh* Right back at ya, son: Don't read into the text what's not there. The feast of tithes was not a sin offering, so as to "get right with God." It was a tribute feast, for reverence of God for his provision. And it was a party, plain and simple: "eat...and rejoice, you and your household." Such a claim is the sort of thing that might go into a dictionary definition of eisegesis, as an example of why eisegesis is wrong: There is no context in Deut 14:22-27 that even begins to suggest a sin offering, or any similar "get right with God" context, where "getting right" would be necessary because of having been wrong. From dcolburn at bibleseven.com Wed Dec 14 21:48:29 2011 From: dcolburn at bibleseven.com (dcolburn at bibleseven.com) Date: Wed, 14 Dec 2011 21:48:29 -0500 Subject: [Linux4christians] Thursday - 1 Corinthians 12 Message-ID: <4EE95FFD.1000008@bibleseven.com> Thursday 1 Corinthians 12 Spiritual Gifts 12:1 With regard to spiritual gifts, brothers and sisters, I do not want you to be uninformed. 12:2 You know that when you were pagans you were often led astray by speechless idols, however you were led. 12:3 So I want you to understand that no one speaking by the Spirit of God says, "Jesus is cursed," and no one can say, "Jesus is Lord," except by the Holy Spirit. 12:4 Now there are different gifts, but the same Spirit. 12:5 And there are different ministries, but the same Lord. 12:6 And there are different results, but the same God who produces all of them in everyone. 12:7 To each person the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the benefit of all. 12:8 For one person is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, and another the message of knowledge according to the same Spirit, 12:9 to another faith by the same Spirit, and to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, 12:10 to another performance of miracles, to another prophecy, and to another discernment of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, and to another the interpretation of tongues. 12:11 It is one and the same Spirit, distributing as he decides to each person, who produces all these things. Different Members in One Body 12:12 For just as the body is one and yet has many members, and all the members of the body -- though many -- are one body, so too is Christ. 12:13 For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body. Whether Jews or Greeks or slaves or free, we were all made to drink of the one Spirit. 12:14 For in fact the body is not a single member, but many. 12:15 If the foot says, "Since I am not a hand, I am not part of the body," it does not lose its membership in the body because of that. 12:16 And if the ear says, "Since I am not an eye, I am not part of the body," it does not lose its membership in the body because of that. 12:17 If the whole body were an eye, what part would do the hearing? If the whole were an ear, what part would exercise the sense of smell? 12:18 But as a matter of fact, God has placed each of the members in the body just as he decided. 12:19 If they were all the same member, where would the body be? 12:20 So now there are many members, but one body. 12:21 The eye cannot say to the hand, "I do not need you," nor in turn can the head say to the foot, "I do not need you." 12:22 On the contrary, those members that seem to be weaker are essential, 12:23 and those members we consider less honorable we clothe with greater honor, and our unpresentable members are clothed with dignity, 12:24 but our presentable members do not need this. Instead, God has blended together the body, giving greater honor to the lesser member, 12:25 so that there may be no division in the body, but the members may have mutual concern for one another. 12:26 If one member suffers, everyone suffers with it. If a member is honored, all rejoice with it. 12:27 Now you are Christ's body, and each of you is a member of it. 12:28 And God has placed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, gifts of healing, helps, gifts of leadership, different kinds of tongues. 12:29 Not all are apostles, are they? Not all are prophets, are they? Not all are teachers, are they? Not all perform miracles, do they? 12:30 Not all have gifts of healing, do they? Not all speak in tongues, do they? Not all interpret, do they? 12:31 But you should be eager for the greater gifts. And now I will show you a way that is beyond comparison. Prayer Lord, You give us gifts because You have chosen to do Your work through us as a blessing to others (and to us in passing). May I always remember that Your gifts are for others, they do not make me special, and are not intended to bring any fame or glory to me. Summary & Commentary Paul addressed the matter of spiritual gifts, beginning with the reminder that many had been "led astray" by "speechless idols" when they "were pagans" and that he did not want them to again be led astray a believers. Paul noted that all gifts are given by God "for the benefit of all", the different gifts come from the same Spirit, and the different ministries with different results belong to one Lord. Paul lists several gifts: * "... the message of wisdom * "... the message of knowledge * "... faith" * "... gifts of healing" * "... performance of miracles" * "... prophesy" * "... discernment of spirits" * "... different kinds of tongues" * "... interpretation of tongues" Paul noted that the Holy Spirit was the distributing source "... as He decides to each person, Who produces all these things." and that every part of the "body" of believers was equally valuable and to be equally honored and valued. Paul also provided a chronology of God's provision to the fellowship; apostles, prophets, teachers, miracles, gifts of healing, helps, gifts of leadership, different kinds of tongues. Note: This is not intended to be a hierarchy of value.] Paul then noted that no one received all of the gifts and no gift was common to all, that that they should seek after "the greater gifts" [defined in chapter 14 as those which "instruct others" such as prophesy rather than the more self-focused gift of tongues]. [Note: This is the first place in the NT where a form of the general gift of tongues is referenced that is in need of "interpretation", in this case because it is a private communication with God not usually intended for public utterance.] Interaction Consider The Lord God's often-repeated priority is that all that we do, including the use of the gifts He provides, is that they be used by Him to serve others through us. Discuss How have the various gifts the Lord God has given you, and how He has used them to mature you, been an encouragement to you to then teach others? Reflect Paul upon accountability, through independent interpretation and balance, to keep "experiential emotionalism" and "show-boat boasting" away from the fellowship. Share When have you observed the misuse of gifts, displayed as a way to draw attention to the person, rather than to bless others and to bring glory to the Lord God? Faith in Action Prayer: Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you any way that your use of His gifts has somehow drifted into a self-serving and/or attention-getting tool. Action: Today I will prayerfully reflect on the gifts God has given me and with the help of the Holy Spirit discern if my use of those gifts mostly serves others and brings glory to God or tends to be more self-serving and/or draw attention to me. I will ask a fellow believer to pray in agreement that I persevere in realigning my priorities as necessary. Be Specific ______________________________________________________ Friday's text will be: 1 Corinthians 13 -- Draw nearer to the Lord and He will bless you, Have an http://Ultrafidian.com Day! David M. Colburn, DMin. MaCo ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Savannah-Statesboro needs a Bible College/Seminary! Personal Site: http://bibleseven.com Bible Resources: http://bible.org Teacher's Verse: John 7:16 I don't google I SEARCH! Yippy.com ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From dcolburn at bibleseven.com Thu Dec 15 23:39:48 2011 From: dcolburn at bibleseven.com (dcolburn at bibleseven.com) Date: Thu, 15 Dec 2011 23:39:48 -0500 Subject: [Linux4christians] Friday - 1 Corinthians 13 Message-ID: <4EEACB94.4000205@bibleseven.com> Friday 1 Corinthians 13 The Way of Love 13:1 If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but I do not have love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. 13:2 And if I have prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith so that I can remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. 13:3 If I give away everything I own, and if I give over my body in order to boast, but do not have love, I receive no benefit. 13:4 Love is patient, love is kind, it is not envious. Love does not brag, it is not puffed up. 13:5 It is not rude, it is not self-serving, it is not easily angered or resentful. 13:6 It is not glad about injustice, but rejoices in the truth. 13:7 It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 13:8 Love never ends. But if there are prophecies, they will be set aside; if there are tongues, they will cease; if there is knowledge, it will be set aside. 13:9 For we know in part, and we prophesy in part, 13:10 but when what is perfect comes, the partial will be set aside. 13:11 When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. But when I became an adult, I set aside childish ways. 13:12 For now we see in a mirror indirectly, but then we will see face to face. Now I know in part, but then I will know fully, just as I have been fully known. 13:13 And now these three remain: faith, hope, and love. But the greatest of these is love. Prayer Lord, You have chosen to use us in Your great plan and give to us gifts and talents and opportunity. May I be alert to opportunity, generous with talents, and careful to give You all-glory for gifts. Summary & Commentary At the conclusion of Chapter 12 Paul wrote "/12:31////But////you////should////be////eager////for////the////greater////gifts. And////now////I////will////show////you////a////way////that////is////beyond////comparison."/ Having just explained the purpose and value of the "gifts of the Holy Spirit" he then placed them in proper Biblical perspective. He concluded that by comparison none of the gifts have any implicit value, the only things of lasting and implicit-value are "... faith, hope, and love" ... "But the greatest of these is love." Paul further explained that where love was absent in the exercise of spiritual gifts a wrong heart-attitude poisoned and nullified the value of the gifts -- because the expression and impact of love was their purpose. He listed examples of what love looked like in practice; "patient ... kind ... not envious ... does not brag ... not puffed-up ... not rude ... not self-serving ... not easily angered or resentful ... not glad about injustice ... rejoices in the truth ... bears all things [without complaining based on 1 Cor. 10:13], believes all things [of the Lord], hopes all things [promised by God], endures all things [that come from life in this fallen world and additional specific attacks because one is a Christian]. Paul noted that all things but love will come to an end as they only have temporary value outside of Heaven, that as maturity grows so does our ability to love well, and though we are limited in our vision and comprehension now - in Heaven we will "know fully". Interaction Consider Gifts are only given as a tool of the Lord God's expression of love through saving-grace. Discuss Study some examples of individuals and circumstances with fellowships where believers have demonstrated right and loving and wrong and unloving attitudes. Reflect The attribute of love in our lives is blessed by the Lord God. Share When have you observed the misuse of gifts? Faith in Action Prayer: Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal a wrong attitude in you with a love-attitude. Action: Today I will prayerfully seek an opportunity to replace a wrong attitude in me with a love-attitude. I will share the experience and the result with a fellow believer. Be Specific ______________________________________________________ Saturday's text will be: 1 Corinthians 14 -- Draw nearer to the Lord and He will bless you, Have an http://Ultrafidian.com Day! David M. Colburn, DMin. MaCo ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Savannah-Statesboro needs a Bible College/Seminary! Personal Site: http://bibleseven.com Bible Resources: http://bible.org Teacher's Verse: John 7:16 I don't google I SEARCH! Yippy.com ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From dcolburn at bibleseven.com Fri Dec 16 22:27:42 2011 From: dcolburn at bibleseven.com (dcolburn at bibleseven.com) Date: Fri, 16 Dec 2011 22:27:42 -0500 Subject: [Linux4christians] Saturday - 1 Corinthians 14 Message-ID: <4EEC0C2E.4020205@bibleseven.com> Saturday 1 Corinthians 14 Prophecy and Tongues 14:1 Pursue love and be eager for the spiritual gifts, especially that you may prophesy. 14:2 For the one speaking in a tongue does not speak to people but to God, for no one understands; he is speaking mysteries by the Spirit. 14:3 But the one who prophesies speaks to people for their strengthening, encouragement, and consolation. 14:4 The one who speaks in a tongue builds himself up, but the one who prophesies builds up the church. 14:5 I wish you all spoke in tongues, but even more that you would prophesy. The one who prophesies is greater than the one who speaks in tongues, unless he interprets so that the church may be strengthened. 14:6 Now, brothers and sisters, if I come to you speaking in tongues, how will I help you unless I speak to you with a revelation or with knowledge or prophecy or teaching? 14:7 It is similar for lifeless things that make a sound, like a flute or harp. Unless they make a distinction in the notes, how can what is played on the flute or harp be understood? 14:8 If, for example, the trumpet makes an unclear sound, who will get ready for battle? 14:9 It is the same for you. If you do not speak clearly with your tongue, how will anyone know what is being said? For you will be speaking into the air. 14:10 There are probably many kinds of languages in the world, and none is without meaning. 14:11 If then I do not know the meaning of a language, I will be a foreigner to the speaker and the speaker a foreigner to me. 14:12 It is the same with you. Since you are eager for manifestations of the Spirit, seek to abound in order to strengthen the church. 14:13 So then, one who speaks in a tongue should pray that he may interpret. 14:14 If I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unproductive. 14:15 What should I do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will also pray with my mind. I will sing praises with my spirit, but I will also sing praises with my mind. 14:16 Otherwise, if you are praising God with your spirit, how can someone without the gift say "Amen" to your thanksgiving, since he does not know what you are saying? 14:17 For you are certainly giving thanks well, but the other person is not strengthened. 14:18 I thank God that I speak in tongues more than all of you, 14:19 but in the church I want to speak five words with my mind to instruct others, rather than ten thousand words in a tongue. 14:20 Brothers and sisters, do not be children in your thinking. Instead, be infants in evil, but in your thinking be mature. 14:21 It is written in the law: "/*By people with strange tongues and by the lips of strangers*////*I will speak to this people*//, //*yet not even in this way will they listen to me*/," says the Lord. 14:22 So then, tongues are a sign not for believers but for unbelievers. Prophecy, however, is not for unbelievers but for believers. 14:23 So if the whole church comes together and all speak in tongues, and unbelievers or uninformed people enter, will they not say that you have lost your minds? 14:24 But if all prophesy, and an unbeliever or uninformed person enters, he will be convicted by all, he will be called to account by all. 14:25 The secrets of his heart are disclosed, and in this way he will fall down with his face to the ground and worship God, declaring, "God is really among you." Church Order 14:26 What should you do then, brothers and sisters? When you come together, each one has a song, has a lesson, has a revelation, has a tongue, has an interpretation. Let all these things be done for the strengthening of the church. 14:27 If someone speaks in a tongue, it should be two, or at the most three, one after the other, and someone must interpret. 14:28 But if there is no interpreter, he should be silent in the church. Let him speak to himself and to God. 14:29 Two or three prophets should speak and the others should evaluate what is said. 14:30 And if someone sitting down receives a revelation, the person who is speaking should conclude. 14:31 For you can all prophesy one after another, so all can learn and be encouraged. 14:32 Indeed, the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets, 14:33 for God is not characterized by disorder but by peace. As in all the churches of the saints, 14:34 the women should be silent in the churches, for they are not permitted to speak. Rather, let them be in submission, as in fact the law says. 14:35 If they want to find out about something, they should ask their husbands at home, because it is disgraceful for a woman to speak in church. 14:36 Did the word of God begin with you, or did it come to you alone? 14:37 If anyone considers himself a prophet or spiritual person, he should acknowledge that what I write to you is the Lord's command. 14:38 If someone does not recognize this, he is not recognized. 14:39 So then, brothers and sisters, be eager to prophesy, and do not forbid anyone from speaking in tongues. 14:40 And do everything in a decent and orderly manner. Prayer Lord, You give most gifts so that You may bless others through us, and You give a few rare gifts that are primarily for our communication with You. May I always seek what is best for others and what matures my relationship with You. Summary & Commentary Paul explained that the form of tongues where people spoke "by the Spirit" to God was good for them (in their private communications with Him) but was not a blessing to others; however, the gift of prophesy was given to bless others, so while the gift of private-tongues was good - prophesy was preferred. [Note: The form of tongues described in Acts was different in nature as it was a known language and given for the benefit of others.] He allowed that with an interpreter one may communicate "... with a revelation, with knowledge, with prophesy, or with teaching" [using the spiritual form of tongues] but that "... in the church [among gathered believers -- he specified] I [Paul] want to speak five words with my mind to instruct others, rather than ten thousand words in a tongue." Paul noted that a gathering of believers all speaking in spirit-tongues, visited by non-believers or the "uninformed" [immature/incompletely discipled believers], would not be edifying for believers; however, such an activity may be a sign of power, albeit confusing, to unbelievers. He said that the same gathering filled with prophesy would "convict" the uninformed and the unbeliever, calling them "to account". Paul explained "The secrets of his heart [the listener] are disclosed, and in this way he will fall down with his face to the ground and worship God, declaring, "God is really among you."" Paul called for order, peace, and priorities in the gatherings of believers; a song and a lesson, very few [if any] speaking in spirit-tongues (and only when an interpreter is present), at most two or three prophets [if any] (with what they say evaluated by fellow believers), and if a revelation comes to someone they are to be heard. The goal is learning and encouragement. He addressed the conduct of wives in fellowship gatherings, re-emphasizing his prior teaching as to wives not challenging or displacing their husbands in a public gathering but inquiring of them in privacy at home. Paul noted that once submitted to the headship of their Christ-honoring husband [this is not about husbands in rebellion or unsaved husbands] a wife must not then presume to have headship-knowledge or unique knowledge from the Lord God. He concluded with the reminder that his teaching would only be affirmed and understood by "a prophet or spiritual person". Interaction Consider Paul communicated the Lord God's emphasis upon what is most valuable to others and on the need for accountability for the right-use of gifts among believers. Discuss What are the keys to Paul's guidelines for the expression of the spiritual gifts in a fellowship gathering? Reflect Paul's emphasized that during fellowship gatherings the wife of a leader respect her husband and reserve comments and questions for home. He also noted that a husband who is deserving of submission must himself first be submitted to Christ. Share When have you observed the misuse of spiritual gifts? Faith in Action Prayer: Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to me any place in my public worship where my practice of spiritual gifts may disrupt order and/or serve me more than others, This may include teaching where someone else has been appointed to teach, forcing myself into a role in worship music where others are meeting the need and are doing so in a more culturally-relevant way, etc. Action: Today I will be more-certain that my gifts are never exercised in public without accountability and evaluation. I will celebrate where God has used those gifts to bless others and mature where I may have misused the gifts in any way. Be Specific ______________________________________________________ Sunday's text will be: 1 Corinthians 15 -- Draw nearer to the Lord and He will bless you, Have an http://Ultrafidian.com Day! David M. Colburn, DMin. MaCo ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Savannah-Statesboro needs a Bible College/Seminary! Personal Site: http://bibleseven.com Bible Resources: http://bible.org Teacher's Verse: John 7:16 I don't google I SEARCH! Yippy.com ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From dcolburn at bibleseven.com Sat Dec 17 21:14:59 2011 From: dcolburn at bibleseven.com (dcolburn at bibleseven.com) Date: Sat, 17 Dec 2011 21:14:59 -0500 Subject: [Linux4christians] Sunday - 1 Corinthians 15 Message-ID: <4EED4CA3.2080406@bibleseven.com> Sunday 1 Corinthians 15 Christ's Resurrection 15:1 Now I want to make clear for you, brothers and sisters, the gospel that I preached to you, that you received and on which you stand, 15:2 and by which you are being saved, if you hold firmly to the message I preached to you -- unless you believed in vain. 15:3 For I passed on to you as of first importance what I also received -- that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures, 15:4 and that he was buried, and that he was raised on the third day according to the scriptures, 15:5 and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. 15:6 Then he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers and sisters at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. 15:7 Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. 15:8 Last of all, as though to one born at the wrong time, he appeared to me also. 15:9 For I am the least of the apostles, unworthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. 15:10 But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me has not been in vain. In fact, I worked harder than all of them -- yet not I, but the grace of God with me. 15:11 Whether then it was I or they, this is the way we preach and this is the way you believed. No Resurrection? 15:12 Now if Christ is being preached as raised from the dead, how can some of you say there is no resurrection of the dead? 15:13 But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. 15:14 And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is futile and your faith is empty. 15:15 Also, we are found to be false witnesses about God, because we have testified against God that he raised Christ from the dead, when in reality he did not raise him, if indeed the dead are not raised. 15:16 For if the dead are not raised, then not even Christ has been raised. 15:17 And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is useless; you are still in your sins. 15:18 Furthermore, those who have fallen asleep in Christ have also perished. 15:19 For if only in this life we have hope in Christ, we should be pitied more than anyone. 15:20 But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. 15:21 For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead also came through a man. 15:22 For just as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive. 15:23 But each in his own order: Christ, the firstfruits; then when Christ comes, those who belong to him. 15:24 Then comes the end, when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father, when he has brought to an end all rule and all authority and power. 15:25 For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. 15:26 The last enemy to be eliminated is death. 15:27 For /*he has put everything in subjection under his feet*/. But when it says "everything" has been put in subjection, it is clear that this does not include the one who put everything in subjection to him. 15:28 And when all things are subjected to him, then the Son himself will be subjected to the one who subjected everything to him, so that God may be all in all. 15:29 Otherwise, what will those do who are baptized for the dead? If the dead are not raised at all, then why are they baptized for them? 15:30 Why too are we in danger every hour? 15:31 Every day I am in danger of death! This is as sure as my boasting in you, which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord. 15:32 If from a human point of view I fought with wild beasts at Ephesus, what did it benefit me? If the dead are not raised, /let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die/. 15:33 Do not be deceived: "Bad company corrupts good morals." 15:34 Sober up as you should, and stop sinning! For some have no knowledge of God -- I say this to your shame! The Resurrection Body 15:35 But someone will say, "How are the dead raised? With what kind of body will they come?" 15:36 Fool! What you sow will not come to life unless it dies. 15:37 And what you sow is not the body that is to be, but a bare seed -- perhaps of wheat or something else. 15:38 But God gives it a body just as he planned, and to each of the seeds a body of its own. 15:39 All flesh is not the same: People have one flesh, animals have another, birds and fish another. 15:40 And there are heavenly bodies and earthly bodies. The glory of the heavenly body is one sort and the earthly another. 15:41 There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon and another glory of the stars, for star differs from star in glory. 15:42 It is the same with the resurrection of the dead. What is sown is perishable, what is raised is imperishable. 15:43 It is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; 15:44 it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body. 15:45 So also it is written, "/*The first man*//, //*Adam*//, //*became a living person*/"; the last Adam became a life-giving spirit. 15:46 However, the spiritual did not come first, but the natural, and then the spiritual. 15:47 The first man is from the earth, made of dust; the second man is from heaven. 15:48 Like the one made of dust, so too are those made of dust, and like the one from heaven, so too those who are heavenly. 15:49 And just as we have borne the image of the man of dust, let us also bear the image of the man of heaven. 15:50 Now this is what I am saying, brothers and sisters: Flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. 15:51 Listen, I will tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed -- 15:52 in a moment, in the blinking of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. 15:53 For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality. 15:54 Now when this perishable puts on the imperishable, and this mortal puts on immortality, then the saying that is written will happen, "/*Death has been swallowed up in victory*//./" 15:55 "/*Where*//, //*O death*//, //*is your victory? Where*//, //*O death*//, //*is your sting?*/" 15:56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 15:57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ! 15:58 So then, dear brothers and sisters, be firm. Do not be moved! Always be outstanding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord. Prayer Lord, Your gift of salvation is both necessary and unique. May I not question Your means but rather celebrate Your grace. Summary & Commentary Paul reminded his readers that they must hold fast to his teaching that Christ not only came as the Biblically-prophesied redeemer but He both died and was resurrected - for without the resurrection He accomplished nothing that could alter their eternal destinies as sinners hopelessly condemned. Paul continued his argument by using two illustrations; the first is that Jesus will return as the One Who conquered death and will then remove the Enemy and finally turn His "Church" over to the Father, in this Paul wants them to see that the resurrection is critical to the power of Christ to save. The second illustration is the odd practice of some in Corinth who practiced substitutionary- baptisms for the dead - to publicly affirm their confessions of faith while living. [Note: One may not be baptized for another as a substitutionary act of obedience nor may one do so to cause the retroactive salvation of another. Such an absurd notion is reportedly part of the Mormon cult practices.] In this second case Paul again notes that baptism merely symbolizes the death and resurrection of Christ and the saved persons agreement to themselves die to the world and surrender to the Lordship of Christ here and in Heaven. Paul reminded them that without the resurrection the Christian faith is empty and everything sacrificed due to it is wasted - people may as well have partied until they died as they had not and could not be redeemed from their sins. Paul addressed a point of confusion about the resurrection as it applied to the physical body; first he noted the fundamental difference between humans and the rest of "fleshy" creation, humans are unique, animals are unique, birds and fish are unique, second he noted that our human form will be replaced with an immortal and imperishable spiritual form. Death is powerless. Interaction Consider There is an obvious silliness to the practice of "baptism in place on behalf of the dead"- it displays the eccentricities some people impose upon the clear and simple message of Christ. Discuss Would it not be folly to surrendering ones worldly-life for the sacrificial-life of a genuine Christian faith unless one was assured of the saving power of the resurrection? Reflect The bodies of humankind (beginning with Adam and Eve) came first and then the Lord God added a spirit. At the resurrection our spirits will be preserved but our bodies will be replaced. Share Describe your baptism and your voluntary surrender, death-like, to everything of this fallen- world in exchange for Christ-alone. Faith in Action Prayer: Ask the Holy Spirit to remind you of one especially powerful moment where the He touched you and reminded you of His presence. Action: Today I will share my faith-testimony with one or more other Christians, including my baptism experience and highlights of my early walk with Christ. Be Specific ______________________________________________________ Monday's text will be: 1 Corinthians 16 -- Draw nearer to the Lord and He will bless you, Have an http://Ultrafidian.com Day! David M. Colburn, DMin. MaCo ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Savannah-Statesboro needs a Bible College/Seminary! Personal Site: http://bibleseven.com Bible Resources: http://bible.org Teacher's Verse: John 7:16 I don't google I SEARCH! Yippy.com ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From dcolburn at bibleseven.com Sun Dec 18 20:05:34 2011 From: dcolburn at bibleseven.com (dcolburn at bibleseven.com) Date: Sun, 18 Dec 2011 20:05:34 -0500 Subject: [Linux4christians] Monday - 1 Corinthians 16 Message-ID: <4EEE8DDE.3050707@bibleseven.com> Monday 1 Corinthians 16 A Collection to Aid Jewish Christians 16:1 With regard to the collection for the saints, please follow the directions that I gave to the churches of Galatia: 16:2 On the first day of the week, each of you should set aside some income and save it to the extent that God has blessed you, so that a collection will not have to be made when I come. 16:3 Then, when I arrive, I will send those whom you approve with letters of explanation to carry your gift to Jerusalem. 16:4 And if it seems advisable that I should go also, they will go with me. Paul's Plans to Visit 16:5 But I will come to you after I have gone through Macedonia -- for I will be going through Macedonia -- 16:6 and perhaps I will stay with you, or even spend the winter, so that you can send me on my journey, wherever I go. 16:7 For I do not want to see you now in passing, since I hope to spend some time with you, if the Lord allows. 16:8 But I will stay in Ephesus until Pentecost, 16:9 because a door of great opportunity stands wide open for me, but there are many opponents. 16:10 Now if Timothy comes, see that he has nothing to fear among you, for he is doing the Lord's work, as I am too. 16:11 So then, let no one treat him with contempt. But send him on his way in peace so that he may come to me. For I am expecting him with the brothers. 16:12 With regard to our brother Apollos: I strongly encouraged him to visit you with the other brothers, but it was simply not his intention to come now. He will come when he has the opportunity. Final Challenge and Blessing 16:13 Stay alert, stand firm in the faith, show courage, be strong. 16:14 Everything you do should be done in love. 16:15 Now, brothers and sisters, you know about the household of Stephanus, that as the first converts of Achaia, they devoted themselves to ministry for the saints. I urge you 16:16 also to submit to people like this, and to everyone who cooperates in the work and labors hard. 16:17 I was glad about the arrival of Stephanus, Fortunatus, and Achaicus because they have supplied the fellowship with you that I lacked. 16:18 For they refreshed my spirit and yours. So then, recognize people like this. 16:19 The churches in the province of Asia send greetings to you. Aquila and Prisca greet you warmly in the Lord, with the church that meets in their house. 16:20 All the brothers and sisters send greetings. Greet one another with a holy kiss. 16:21 I, Paul, send this greeting with my own hand. 16:22 Let anyone who has no love for the Lord be accursed. Our Lord, come! 16:23 The grace of the Lord Jesus be with you. 16:24 My love be with all of you in Christ Jesus. Prayer Lord, You send Your instruments of the gospel where You choose them to labor, and You bless obedience while You do not bless disobedience. May I be ready to serve, careful to pursue obedience, and receive the Holy Spirit's wisdom to recognize the difference. Summary & Commentary Paul referenced a voluntary collection for the fellowship at Jerusalem. [Note: This is gift-giving, not tithe-related.] Paul reminded them to do all things in love, as he had previously described in his letter, and to welcome those who come to serve them. He encouraged them to "Stay alert" to threats to the true teaching [a warning he had previously given in greater detail], to "stand firm in the faith", to "show courage" [a step beyond having courage is to demonstrate evidence of it], and to be strong. In verse 16:19 Paul made specific reference to Aquila and Prisca and "the church" [fellowship of believers] "that meets in their house". [Note: To this point there has been no positive reference in the NT to fellowship resources such as buildings, staff, or to elaborate local or associational/denominational dogma.] Interaction Consider Paul challenged us to "do all things in love". What would that look like in your life? What might it change? Discuss There are threats to Biblical truth that we have all experienced or observed in fellowships, or in books and media represented as "Christian", but which are not Biblical-Christian. How does that bad teaching cause confusion and conflict? Reflect There are examples of "standing firm" (e.g. against pressures to go along to get along with the world instead of living as God teaches), showing the courage which we receive from the Holy Spirit (e.g. speaking boldly for Christ, in an appropriate context, even when it may make some people uncomfortable), and being strong (even when others panic). Share When have you experienced a small group and/or a home-based fellowship? How did that increased-level of intimacy contribute to your growth as a mature believer and deepen your ability to know and to be known, to care and to be cared for by fellow believers? Faith in Action Prayer: Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a place in your life where you struggle to "do all things in love". Action: Today I will ask a fellow believer to pray in agreement with me to change. It may be my attitude toward a certain person, the way I approach politics or sports, a tendency to hold people at a distance, a too-shy or too-bold style which keeps me from speaking truth when I should (which is unloving as it allows people to remain in darkness) or prompts me to cross boundaries and bully or displace others inappropriately, or some other unloving characteristic or habit. Be Specific ______________________________________________________ Tuesday's text will be: 2 Corinthians 1 -- Draw nearer to the Lord and He will bless you, Have an http://Ultrafidian.com Day! David M. Colburn, DMin. MaCo ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Savannah-Statesboro needs a Bible College/Seminary! Personal Site: http://bibleseven.com Bible Resources: http://bible.org Teacher's Verse: John 7:16 I don't google I SEARCH! Yippy.com ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From dcolburn at bibleseven.com Mon Dec 19 20:28:20 2011 From: dcolburn at bibleseven.com (dcolburn at bibleseven.com) Date: Mon, 19 Dec 2011 20:28:20 -0500 Subject: [Linux4christians] A Reasonable Request [Was: Monday - Romans 8:1-30] In-Reply-To: <4EEE2679.6040204@yahoo.com> References: <4EC9B101.8060705@bibleseven.com> <4EEE2679.6040204@yahoo.com> Message-ID: <4EEFE4B4.1090603@bibleseven.com> I apologize for my delayed reply - we are working on a long- delayed home addition here and I have been flat-out. Your request is a reasonable one. I made a similar request on some Amateur Radio digital modes lists - in that case for people to flag their posts as for Linux, Mac, or MS - and it has worked well for everyone. I will add B7 to the beginning of all of the future Bible study posts to assist list members to filter them to a folder ... or trash ... however the Spirit leads. :-) David > Hi, > > I appreciate your scripture posts to linux4christians, but I follow my > own reading plan. > > Is there anyway you can modify your posts to include some repeated > unique text in the title so I can setup a rule in my mailbox to > channel these to a folder titled appropriately? I'm pushing most mail > from linux4christians into a folder called 'BibleTech' which is for me > a discussion on technology and its application in Christian ministry. > It includes posts from linux4christians as well as from other group > lists. Your daily reading posts belong in another box which is about > scripture itself. I don't want to setup a rule based only on weekdays > or many emails that are about schedules may end up in my folder for > scripture. > > That is, could you include the text "Daily Scripture Reading for "+ > your current title "Monday - Romans 8:1-30" or "Colburn's Daily > Devotional for", Etc. > > Thanks, > > Michael > -- Draw nearer to the Lord and He will bless you, Have an http://Ultrafidian.com Day! David M. Colburn, DMin. MaCo ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Savannah-Statesboro needs a Bible College/Seminary! Personal Site: http://bibleseven.com Bible Resources: http://bible.org Teacher's Verse: John 7:16 I don't google I SEARCH! Yippy.com ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ From dcolburn at bibleseven.com Mon Dec 19 20:55:58 2011 From: dcolburn at bibleseven.com (dcolburn at bibleseven.com) Date: Mon, 19 Dec 2011 20:55:58 -0500 Subject: [Linux4christians] B7 - Tuesday - 2 Corinthians 1 Message-ID: <4EEFEB2E.4010400@bibleseven.com> Tuesday 2 Corinthians 1 Salutation 1:1 From Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, to the church of God that is in Corinth, with all the saints who are in all Achaia. 1:2 Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ! Thanksgiving for God's Comfort 1:3 Blessed is the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, 1:4 who comforts us in all our troubles so that we may be able to comfort those experiencing any trouble with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. 1:5 For just as the sufferings of Christ overflow toward us, so also our comfort through Christ overflows to you. 1:6 But if we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it is for your comfort that you experience in your patient endurance of the same sufferings that we also suffer. 1:7 And our hope for you is steadfast because we know that as you share in our sufferings, so also you will share in our comfort. 1:8 For we do not want you to be unaware, brothers and sisters, regarding the affliction that happened to us in the province of Asia, that we were burdened excessively, beyond our strength, so that we despaired even of living. 1:9 Indeed we felt as if the sentence of death had been passed against us, so that we would not trust in ourselves but in God who raises the dead. 1:10 He delivered us from so great a risk of death, and he will deliver us. We have set our hope on him that he will deliver us yet again, 1:11 as you also join in helping us by prayer, so that many people may give thanks to God on our behalf for the gracious gift given to us through the help of many. Paul Defends His Changed Plans 1:12 For our reason for confidence is this: the testimony of our conscience, that with pure motives and sincerity which are from God -- not by human wisdom but by the grace of God -- we conducted ourselves in the world, and all the more toward you. 1:13 For we do not write you anything other than what you can read and also understand. But I hope that you will understand completely 1:14 just as also you have partly understood us, that we are your source of pride just as you also are ours in the day of the Lord Jesus. 1:15 And with this confidence I intended to come to you first so that you would get a second opportunity to see us, 1:16 and through your help to go on into Macedonia and then from Macedonia to come back to you and be helped on our way into Judea by you. 1:17 Therefore when I was planning to do this, I did not do so without thinking about what I was doing, did I? Or do I make my plans according to mere human standards so that I would be saying both "Yes, yes" and "No, no" at the same time? 1:18 But as God is faithful, our message to you is not "Yes" and "No." 1:19 For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, the one who was proclaimed among you by us -- by me and Silvanus and Timothy -- was not "Yes" and "No," but it has always been "Yes" in him. 1:20 For every one of God's promises are "Yes" in him; therefore also through him the "Amen" is spoken, to the glory we give to God. 1:21 But it is God who establishes us together with you in Christ and who anointed us, 1:22 who also sealed us and gave us the Spirit in our hearts as a down payment. Why Paul Postponed His Visit 1:23 Now I appeal to God as my witness, that to spare you I did not come again to Corinth. 1:24 I do not mean that we rule over your faith, but we are workers with you for your joy, because by faith you stand firm. Prayer Lord, You are the one true God and You give us comfort, deliverance from danger, and purpose in Your service. May I rest in Your comfort, be bold knowing that You are with me, and encouraged that You choose to use me -- in my obedience -- for Your good purposes. Summary & Commentary Paul celebrated the blessedness of the Lord Who comforts those who suffer - for His name - so that they may in turn comfort others who suffer. He illustrated with his own experience -- reaching the point where he "despaired even of living" but that God comforted and delivered him -- he then solicited their prayers that God would again deliver him. Paul emphasized that it was he-alone (not the Lord God) who had communicated an intention to come to them but that he found his course altered by God. [He wanted to leave no opportunity for the Enemy to misrepresent the facts and thereby create doubt as to the perfect record of God's promise-keeping.] Paul appealed to God to assure them in the Spirit that he was being fully honest with them about his desire to visit and his valid reason to postpone that visit. Interaction Consider The pure heart of Paul. He was intentionally-careful to assure that nothing imperfect in him could be imposed upon the perfection of God in the minds of those over whom God had given him spiritual authority. Discuss How many times can you recall, in the Bible and reported by people whom you know, that the Lord God has comforted His children in times of trouble? Reflect Paul's certainty was remarkable - that the Lord God Who had comforted and delivered Him in the past would do so again and his intentional-request for the believers in Corinth to pray in-agreement - so they might share in God's miracle for Paul. Share When have you, or someone you know well, experienced God's comfort and delivery from a time of trouble? Faith in Action Prayer: Ask the Holy Spirit to remind you of His provision of comfort and deliverance in your life. Action: Today I will share the story of God's comfort and delivery in my life with a fellow believer as a means of celebration and encouragement. Be Specific ______________________________________________________ Wednesday's text will be: 2 Corinthians 2 -- Draw nearer to the Lord and He will bless you, Have an http://Ultrafidian.com Day! David M. Colburn, DMin. MaCo ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Savannah-Statesboro needs a Bible College/Seminary! Personal Site: http://bibleseven.com Bible Resources: http://bible.org Teacher's Verse: John 7:16 I don't google I SEARCH! Yippy.com ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From dcolburn at bibleseven.com Tue Dec 20 20:50:33 2011 From: dcolburn at bibleseven.com (dcolburn at bibleseven.com) Date: Tue, 20 Dec 2011 20:50:33 -0500 Subject: [Linux4christians] B7 - Wednesday - 2 Corinthians 2 Message-ID: <4EF13B69.2000103@bibleseven.com> Wednesday 2 Corinthians 2 A Living Letter 3:1 Are we beginning to commend ourselves again? We don't need letters of recommendation to you or from you as some other people do, do we? 3:2 You yourselves are our letter, written on our hearts, known and read by everyone, 3:3 revealing that you are a letter of Christ, delivered by us, written not with ink but by the Spirit of the living God, not /on stone tablets/ but on tablets of human hearts. 3:4 Now we have such confidence in God through Christ. 3:5 Not that we are adequate in ourselves to consider anything as if it were coming from ourselves, but our adequacy is from God, 3:6 who made us adequate to be servants of a new covenant not based on the letter but on the Spirit, for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life. The Greater Glory of the Spirit's Ministry 3:7 But if the ministry that produced death -- carved in letters on stone tablets -- came with glory, so that the Israelites could not keep their eyes fixed on the face of Moses because of the glory of his face (a glory which was made ineffective), 3:8 how much more glorious will the ministry of the Spirit be? 3:9 For if there was glory in the ministry that produced condemnation, how much more does the ministry that produces righteousness excel in glory! 3:10 For indeed, what had been glorious now has no glory because of the tremendously greater glory of what replaced it. 3:11 For if what was made ineffective came with glory, how much more has what remains come in glory! 3:12 Therefore, since we have such a hope, we behave with great boldness, 3:13 and not like Moses who used to put a veil over his face to keep the Israelites from staring at the result of the glory that was made ineffective. 3:14 But their minds were closed. For to this very day, the same veil remains when they hear the old covenant read. It has not been removed because only in Christ is it taken away. 3:15 But until this very day whenever Moses is read, a veil lies over their minds, 3:16 but when one turns to the Lord, /the veil is removed/. 3:17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is present, there is freedom. 3:18 And we all, with unveiled faces reflecting the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another, which is from the Lord, who is the Spirit. Prayer Lord, You walked with Adam and Eve, spoke to Noah and Jacob, gave the Law to Israel via Moses, proclaimed the coming of the Messiah via Isaiah and John the Baptist, came in human form as Jesus the Christ, and when He returned Home You indwelt believes as the Holy Spirit. It has always been You showing us the way Home from the Fall, You empowering human leaders to exhort and to teach, and You Who transforms us from death to life. May I gift You all of the glory and all of myself. Summary & Commentary Paul further explained that he wanted to avoid a second visit where his need to challenge them to deal with extreme sin in their fellowship might harm their sense of joy in the Lord and damage his relationship with them. Paul reminded them that their obedience "in everything" required them to offer forgiveness to the member who had sinned so blatantly so as to not cause him grief which could lead to "despair". Paul added an odd and incompletely explained parenthetical in 2:12-13 where he acknowledges a provision from the Lord of "a door of opportunity" in Troas "to proclaim the gospel of Christ" yet due to the absence of Titus he "had no relief in his spirit" and thus moved on to Macedonia. [It is reasonable to speculate that he may have been paralleling his experience of longing for the positive encouragement of a brother (for affirmation) to that of the fellowship in Corinth struggling due to the failed visit of Paul. It may also be that there was some cultural affirmation of his call to minister in Troas that could come through Titus and not directly to Paul alone. Recall Jesus' instruction to the disciples that should they not be welcomed in a town they should move on as the Holy Spirit had not yet prepared it.] Paul concluded with a celebration that those who are "speaking in Christ before God as persons of sincerity, as persons sent from God" are a "sweet aroma of Christ to God" in the midst of the saved and the unsaved alike. Interaction Consider The challenge of Paul was to be obedient to God in all things, not just the comfortable or convenient, but in all things. Discuss Isn't it an amazing presence of the Lord God through His Holy Spirit that when a person speaks so purely from the Word of God, not in style but in integrity of content and life-example, that they are a "sweet aroma of Christ to God"? Reflect How would you decide when discipline and "putting-out" an unrepentant sinner had been concluded and you would deliver forgiveness without any confusion that about the intent of the fellowship; that it was in no way downplaying or endorsing the seriousness of unrepentant sin? Share When have you had an experience where you'd planned a challenging ministry outreach, and believed that God had prepared it, but the absence of a partner in that ministry caused you to hesitate and/or postpone? Faith in Action Prayer: Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you one area where you have chosen comfort or convenience over obedience to God Action: Today I will ask a fellow believer to pray in agreement with me for the strength and persistence to take a new step toward maturity in my walk. Be Specific ______________________________________________________ Thursday's text will be: 2 Corinthians 3 -- Draw nearer to the Lord and He will bless you, Have an http://Ultrafidian.com Day! David M. Colburn, DMin. MaCo ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Savannah-Statesboro needs a Bible College/Seminary! Personal Site: http://bibleseven.com Bible Resources: http://bible.org Teacher's Verse: John 7:16 I don't google I SEARCH! Yippy.com ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From fmiller at lightlink.com Tue Dec 20 22:10:09 2011 From: fmiller at lightlink.com (Fred A. Miller) Date: Tue, 20 Dec 2011 22:10:09 -0500 Subject: [Linux4christians] OT: This is cute should and brighten your day. Message-ID: <4EF14E11.70605@lightlink.com> This is cute should brighten your day. A father was approached by his small son who told him proudly, "I know what the Bible means!" His father smiled and replied, "What do you mean, you 'know' what the Bible means? The son replied, "I do know!" "Okay," said his father. "What does the Bible mean?" "That's easy, Daddy..." the young boy replied excitedly," It stands for 'Basic Information Before Leaving Earth.' (This one is my favorite) ======= There was a very gracious lady who was mailing an old family Bible to her brother in another part of the country. "Is there anything breakable in here?" asked the postal clerk. "Only the Ten Commandments," answered the lady. ======== "Somebody has said there are only two kinds of people in the world. There are those who wake up in the morning and say, "Good morning, Lord," and there are those who wake up in the morning and say, "Good Lord, it's morning." ======== A minister parked his car in a no-parking zone in a large city because he was short of time and couldn't find a space with a meter. Then he put a note under the windshield wiper that read: "I have circled the block 10 times. If I don't park here, I'll miss my appointment. Forgive us our trespasses." When he returned, he found a citation from a police officer along with this note. "I've circled this block for 10 years. If I don't give you a ticket I'll lose my job. Lead us not into temptation." ======== There is the story of a pastor who got up one Sunday and announced to his congregation: "I have good news and bad news. The good news is, we have enough money to pay for our new building program. The bad news is, it's still out there in your pockets." ======== While driving in Pennsylvania, a family caught up to an Amish carriage. The owner of the carriage obviously had a sense of humor, because attached to the back of the carriage was a hand printed sign. "Energy efficient vehicle: Runs on oats and grass. Caution: Do not step in exhaust." ======== A Sunday School teacher began her lesson with a question, "Boys and girls, what do we know about God?" A hand shot up in the air. "He is an artist," said the kindergarten boy. "Really? How do you know," the teacher asked. "You know - Our Father, who does art in Heaven..." ======== A minister waited in line to have his car filled with gas just before a long holiday weekend. The attendant worked quickly, but there were many cars ahead of him. Finally, the attendant motioned him toward a vacant pump. "Reverend," said the young man, "I'm so sorry about the delay. It seems as if everyone waits until the last minute to get ready for a long trip." The minister chuckled. "I know what you mean. It's the same in my business." ======== People want the front of the bus, the back of the church, and the center of attention. ======== Sunday after church, a Mom asked her very young daughter what the lesson was about. The daughter answered, "Don't be scared, you'll get your quilt." Needless to say, the Mom was perplexed. Later in the day, the pastor stopped by for tea and the Mom asked him what that morning's Sunday school lesson was about. He said "Be not afraid, thy comforter is coming." ======== The minister was preoccupied with thoughts of how he was going to ask the congregation to come up with more money than they were expecting for repairs to the church building. Therefore, he was annoyed to find that the regular organist was sick and a substitute had been brought in at the last minute. The substitute wanted to know what to play. "Here's a copy of the service," he said impatiently. "But, you'll have to think of something to play after I make the announcement about the finances." During the service, the minister paused and said, "Brothers and Sisters, we are in great difficulty; the roof repairs cost twice as much as we expected and we need $4,000 more. Any of you who can pledge $100 or more, please stand up." At that moment, the substitute organist played "The Star Spangled Banner." And that is how the substitute became the regular organist! -- Liberal ideology and political correctness, infused with public policy, begets social insanity. - Michael Savage -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From dcolburn at bibleseven.com Wed Dec 21 19:43:36 2011 From: dcolburn at bibleseven.com (dcolburn at bibleseven.com) Date: Wed, 21 Dec 2011 19:43:36 -0500 Subject: [Linux4christians] B7 - Thursday - 2 Corinthians 3 Message-ID: <4EF27D38.5000709@bibleseven.com> NOTE: I apologize that in my tiredness I mistakenly pasted-in the 2 Corinthians 3 text rather than 2 Cor 2 yesterday. Thursday 2 Corinthians 3 A Living Letter 3:1 Are we beginning to commend ourselves again? We don't need letters of recommendation to you or from you as some other people do, do we? 3:2 You yourselves are our letter, written on our hearts, known and read by everyone, 3:3 revealing that you are a letter of Christ, delivered by us, written not with ink but by the Spirit of the living God, not /on stone tablets/ but on tablets of human hearts. 3:4 Now we have such confidence in God through Christ. 3:5 Not that we are adequate in ourselves to consider anything as if it were coming from ourselves, but our adequacy is from God, 3:6 who made us adequate to be servants of a new covenant not based on the letter but on the Spirit, for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life. The Greater Glory of the Spirit's Ministry 3:7 But if the ministry that produced death -- carved in letters on stone tablets -- came with glory, so that the Israelites could not keep their eyes fixed on the face of Moses because of the glory of his face (a glory which was made ineffective), 3:8 how much more glorious will the ministry of the Spirit be? 3:9 For if there was glory in the ministry that produced condemnation, how much more does the ministry that produces righteousness excel in glory! 3:10 For indeed, what had been glorious now has no glory because of the tremendously greater glory of what replaced it. 3:11 For if what was made ineffective came with glory, how much more has what remains come in glory! 3:12 Therefore, since we have such a hope, we behave with great boldness, 3:13 and not like Moses who used to put a veil over his face to keep the Israelites from staring at the result of the glory that was made ineffective. 3:14 But their minds were closed. For to this very day, the same veil remains when they hear the old covenant read. It has not been removed because only in Christ is it taken away. 3:15 But until this very day whenever Moses is read, a veil lies over their minds, 3:16 but when one turns to the Lord, /the veil is removed/. 3:17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is present, there is freedom. 3:18 And we all, with unveiled faces reflecting the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another, which is from the Lord, who is the Spirit. Prayer Lord, You replace he Law with Grace. May I praise You with my life for that freedom. Summary & Commentary Paul observed that he no longer required a letter of reference since the very existence of a fellowship of believers in Corinth, the fruits of his faithful service to God, was his living reference. [The Net translator's Notes speculate that this was in response to some apparent challenge to his credentials.] The "new covenant" was not, Paul reminded them, a new law ("for the letter kills") it was of "the Spirit [Who] brings life". Paul reminded them that Moses bore a shadow of the glory of God when he returned from the mountain and his ministry, the bringing of the Law, also possessed Glory. He elaborated that such glory faded as it was associated with the conviction of the Law - which none but Jesus could ever have kept perfectly. Paul then compared it to the "ministry of the Spirit" - which replaced the ineffectiveness of the Law with "the ministry that produces righteousness". He observed that the same veil that Moses bore to keep the Israelites from staring at his shining face, rather to focus them on the Law, is like the veil on the hearts of those who hear the words of Moses yet fail to see Christ in them. Paul concluded, noting that the presence of the Spirit [in every true believer] transformed one from the glory of the promise given to Moses into the fulfillment of that promise in Christ. Interaction Consider The credentials of Paul are found in the testimony of those whom God had drawn near in salvation and discipleship as a result of his faithful service. Discuss How do you explain to someone considering-Christ, or a new (or stuck at new) believer the amazing transition from pre-resurrection to post-resurrection where God delivered His new covenant of grace - displacing the old covenant of law? Reflect Freedom from the convicting and impossible-to-achieve challenge of the Law into the completing and freedom-bringing blessing of grace is an incredible gift of the Lord God. Share Your experience of being "veiled" from a full appreciation of, and empowerment by, the Lord God -- which comes only from salvation and the indwelling Holy Spirit. What happened when you finally surrendered and received the gift of salvation? Faith in Action Prayer: Ask the Holy Spirit to remind you of your experience of transition from "veiled" to "seeing clearly" as a result of your salvation. Action: Today I will share with a potential believer, via E-mail (or other electronic communication), letter, phone call, or face-to-face conversation, my experience of transition from "veiled" to "seeing clearly" as a result of my salvation. Be Specific ______________________________________________________ Friday's text will be: 2 Corinthians 4 -- Draw nearer to the Lord and He will bless you, Have an http://Ultrafidian.com Day! David M. Colburn, DMin. MaCo ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Savannah-Statesboro needs a Bible College/Seminary! Personal Site: http://bibleseven.com Bible Resources: http://bible.org Teacher's Verse: John 7:16 I don't google I SEARCH! Yippy.com ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From parrisdc at gmail.com Thu Dec 22 13:04:56 2011 From: parrisdc at gmail.com (Don Parris) Date: Thu, 22 Dec 2011 13:04:56 -0500 Subject: [Linux4christians] OpenSSH on CentOS 6.2 Message-ID: Hi all, I am feeling extremely humble right about now. I installed CentOS 6.2 (just came out) and cannot get connect to the CentOS box remotely via OpenSSH on my own internal network. I don't think I've ever had issues with OpenSSH before, but I've never tried using it in a Red Hat/CentOS SELinux context, either. I am new to both IPTables and SELinux, but I certainly need to learn them. (1) It is a default installation - I have only changed sshd_config to prevent root logins. Still using port 22 - will change once I know I can connect at a basic level. (2) sshd service is running (3) SELinux is enabled/enforcing (4) ip_tables shows 1 iptable_filter, but there is no x_tables entry when I run 'lsmod | grep ip_tables' (don't know if the missing x_tables entry is relevant, but saw it in the CentOS iptables howto) (5) iptables -L has a line 'ACCEPT tcp -- anywhere anywhere state NEW tcp dpt:ssh (but this may not be the only relevant entry) (6) I can login to my laptop from my CentOS box via ssh, after having just installed Openssh Server - works out of the box. I did this to be sure I could go the other way. When I attempt to connect from my Kubuntu laptop, I get "connection refused" - not even able to try and login. I am 95% certain that the problem lies in the default security settings of CentOS 6.2, but have no idea where to begin. CentOS has a "SecuringSSH" howto, but not the instructions for simply connecting "out of the box" - at least, not that I could find. Thanks, Don -- D.C. Parris, FMP, LEED AP O+M, ESL Certificate Minister, Security/FM Coordinator, Free Software Advocate https://www.xing.com/profile/Don_Parris | http://www.linkedin.com/in/dcparris GPG Key ID: F5E179BE -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From bstaggs at staggs.net Thu Dec 22 13:39:03 2011 From: bstaggs at staggs.net (Billy Staggs) Date: Thu, 22 Dec 2011 12:39:03 -0600 Subject: [Linux4christians] OpenSSH on CentOS 6.2 In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: <4EF37947.3030309@staggs.net> Don, Oddly enough I have been in the process of setting up a CentOS 6 server to eventually replace my Ubuntu server and I did not experience any problems connecting via SSH from the default install. I did install 6.0 and then updated during my setup process (working in my spare time so I have been at it for a week or two). Installing directly to 6.2 you may have something that I did not see by upgrading to get there. I have modified the /etc/ssh/sshd.conf to prevent root logons and resticted by group (AllowGroup) but otherwise pretty much stock. I "believe" the default install included the iptables entry that you described and work "out of the box" for me. Neither SElinux or iptables caused me any of the grief that you seem to be having.... Have you tried disabling iptables and testing? God Bless, -- Billy F. Staggs <>< On 12/22/2011 12:04 PM, Don Parris wrote: > Hi all, > > I am feeling extremely humble right about now. I installed CentOS 6.2 > (just came out) and cannot get connect to the CentOS box remotely via > OpenSSH on my own internal network. I don't think I've ever had > issues with OpenSSH before, but I've never tried using it in a Red > Hat/CentOS SELinux context, either. I am new to both IPTables and > SELinux, but I certainly need to learn them. > > (1) It is a default installation - I have only changed sshd_config to > prevent root logins. Still using port 22 - will change once I know I > can connect at a basic level. > (2) sshd service is running > (3) SELinux is enabled/enforcing > (4) ip_tables shows 1 iptable_filter, but there is no x_tables entry > when I run 'lsmod | grep ip_tables' (don't know if the missing > x_tables entry is relevant, but saw it in the CentOS iptables howto) > (5) iptables -L has a line 'ACCEPT tcp -- anywhere anywhere state NEW > tcp dpt:ssh (but this may not be the only relevant entry) > (6) I can login to my laptop from my CentOS box via ssh, after having > just installed Openssh Server - works out of the box. I did this to > be sure I could go the other way. > > When I attempt to connect from my Kubuntu laptop, I get "connection > refused" - not even able to try and login. I am 95% certain that the > problem lies in the default security settings of CentOS 6.2, but have > no idea where to begin. CentOS has a "SecuringSSH" howto, but not the > instructions for simply connecting "out of the box" - at least, not > that I could find. > > Thanks, > Don > -- > D.C. Parris, FMP, LEED AP O+M, ESL Certificate > Minister, Security/FM Coordinator, Free Software Advocate > https://www.xing.com/profile/Don_Parris | > http://www.linkedin.com/in/dcparris > GPG Key ID: F5E179BE > > > > _______________________________________________ > Linux4christians mailing list > Linux4christians at thelinuxlink.net > http://www.thelinuxlink.net/mailman/listinfo/linux4christians -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From parrisdc at gmail.com Thu Dec 22 14:27:28 2011 From: parrisdc at gmail.com (Don Parris) Date: Thu, 22 Dec 2011 14:27:28 -0500 Subject: [Linux4christians] OpenSSH on CentOS 6.2 In-Reply-To: <4EF37947.3030309@staggs.net> References: <4EF37947.3030309@staggs.net> Message-ID: On Thu, Dec 22, 2011 at 13:39, Billy Staggs wrote: > Don, > > Oddly enough I have been in the process of setting up a CentOS 6 server to > eventually replace my Ubuntu server and I did not experience any problems > connecting via SSH from the default install. I did install 6.0 and then > updated during my setup process (working in my spare time so I have been at > it for a week or two). Installing directly to 6.2 you may have something > that I did not see by upgrading to get there. I have modified the > /etc/ssh/sshd.conf to prevent root logons and resticted by group > (AllowGroup) but otherwise pretty much stock. I "believe" the default > install included the iptables entry that you described and work "out of the > box" for me. Neither SElinux or iptables caused me any of the grief that > you seem to be having.... > > Have you tried disabling iptables and testing? > > Thanks Billy. I just tried that and was able to login just fine. Any thoughts on the iptables rules? Should I share more info on my rules? -- D.C. Parris, FMP, LEED AP O+M, ESL Certificate Minister, Security/FM Coordinator, Free Software Advocate https://www.xing.com/profile/Don_Parris | http://www.linkedin.com/in/dcparris GPG Key ID: F5E179BE -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From parrisdc at gmail.com Thu Dec 22 14:30:37 2011 From: parrisdc at gmail.com (Don Parris) Date: Thu, 22 Dec 2011 14:30:37 -0500 Subject: [Linux4christians] (SOLVED) OpenSSH on CentOS 6.2 Message-ID: Ah, never mind! After starting the iptables again, I can still login just fine. I guess maybe I just needed to restart iptables. On Thu, Dec 22, 2011 at 14:27, Don Parris wrote: > On Thu, Dec 22, 2011 at 13:39, Billy Staggs wrote: > >> Don, >> >> Oddly enough I have been in the process of setting up a CentOS 6 server >> to eventually replace my Ubuntu server and I did not experience any >> problems connecting via SSH from the default install. I did install 6.0 >> and then updated during my setup process (working in my spare time so I >> have been at it for a week or two). Installing directly to 6.2 you may >> have something that I did not see by upgrading to get there. I have >> modified the /etc/ssh/sshd.conf to prevent root logons and resticted by >> group (AllowGroup) but otherwise pretty much stock. I "believe" the >> default install included the iptables entry that you described and work >> "out of the box" for me. Neither SElinux or iptables caused me any of the >> grief that you seem to be having.... >> >> Have you tried disabling iptables and testing? >> >> Thanks Billy. I just tried that and was able to login just fine. Any > thoughts on the iptables rules? Should I share more info on my rules? > > > -- > D.C. Parris, FMP, LEED AP O+M, ESL Certificate > Minister, Security/FM Coordinator, Free Software Advocate > https://www.xing.com/profile/Don_Parris | > http://www.linkedin.com/in/dcparris > GPG Key ID: F5E179BE > > -- D.C. Parris, FMP, LEED AP O+M, ESL Certificate Minister, Security/FM Coordinator, Free Software Advocate https://www.xing.com/profile/Don_Parris | http://www.linkedin.com/in/dcparris GPG Key ID: F5E179BE -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From bstaggs at staggs.net Thu Dec 22 14:42:32 2011 From: bstaggs at staggs.net (Billy Staggs) Date: Thu, 22 Dec 2011 13:42:32 -0600 Subject: [Linux4christians] (SOLVED) OpenSSH on CentOS 6.2 In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: <4EF38828.3050002@staggs.net> Don, Good deal. If you have to re-add the SSH rule I think "iptables -A INPUT -p tcp -m state --state NEW --dport 22 -j ACCEPT" should work. I don't know if it considered kosher or not but I prefer to edit the /etc/sysconfig/iptables files directly and then just "service iptables reload". (mush easier to reorder rules than using the iptables commands, in my opinion) Be sure and save you current iptables before tweaking though: "service iptables save", which saves to the /etc/sysconfig/iptables file. -- bstaggs <>< On 12/22/2011 1:30 PM, Don Parris wrote: > Ah, never mind! After starting the iptables again, I can still login > just fine. I guess maybe I just needed to restart iptables. > > On Thu, Dec 22, 2011 at 14:27, Don Parris > wrote: > > On Thu, Dec 22, 2011 at 13:39, Billy Staggs > wrote: > > Don, > > Oddly enough I have been in the process of setting up a CentOS > 6 server to eventually replace my Ubuntu server and I did not > experience any problems connecting via SSH from the default > install. I did install 6.0 and then updated during my setup > process (working in my spare time so I have been at it for a > week or two). Installing directly to 6.2 you may have > something that I did not see by upgrading to get there. I > have modified the /etc/ssh/sshd.conf to prevent root logons > and resticted by group (AllowGroup) but otherwise pretty much > stock. I "believe" the default install included the iptables > entry that you described and work "out of the box" for me. > Neither SElinux or iptables caused me any of the grief that > you seem to be having.... > > Have you tried disabling iptables and testing? > > Thanks Billy. I just tried that and was able to login just fine. > Any thoughts on the iptables rules? Should I share more info on > my rules? > > -- > D.C. Parris, FMP, LEED AP O+M, ESL Certificate > Minister, Security/FM Coordinator, Free Software Advocate > https://www.xing.com/profile/Don_Parris | > http://www.linkedin.com/in/dcparris > GPG Key ID: F5E179BE > > > > > -- > D.C. Parris, FMP, LEED AP O+M, ESL Certificate > Minister, Security/FM Coordinator, Free Software Advocate > https://www.xing.com/profile/Don_Parris | > http://www.linkedin.com/in/dcparris > GPG Key ID: F5E179BE > > > > _______________________________________________ > Linux4christians mailing list > Linux4christians at thelinuxlink.net > http://www.thelinuxlink.net/mailman/listinfo/linux4christians -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From parrisdc at gmail.com Thu Dec 22 14:52:08 2011 From: parrisdc at gmail.com (Don Parris) Date: Thu, 22 Dec 2011 14:52:08 -0500 Subject: [Linux4christians] (SOLVED) OpenSSH on CentOS 6.2 In-Reply-To: <4EF38828.3050002@staggs.net> References: <4EF38828.3050002@staggs.net> Message-ID: Hi Billy, Thanks for your help! I did not make any changes to the rules, just simply stopped the service, logged in as a test, and then started the service again, and can still login. But I will likely want to update the rules when I change the port. I'd rather use a higher port number on my system. So I assume when I change the port number in sshd_config, I will need to update the iptables rule to allow ssh connections on the new port as well. And, of course reload or restart the service. :-) Sound about right to you? Blessings, Don On Thu, Dec 22, 2011 at 14:42, Billy Staggs wrote: > Don, > > Good deal. > > If you have to re-add the SSH rule I think "iptables -A INPUT -p tcp -m > state --state NEW --dport 22 -j ACCEPT" should work. I don't know if it > considered kosher or not but I prefer to edit the /etc/sysconfig/iptables > files directly and then just "service iptables reload". (mush easier to > reorder rules than using the iptables commands, in my opinion) Be sure and > save you current iptables before tweaking though: "service iptables save", > which saves to the /etc/sysconfig/iptables file. > > -- > bstaggs <>< > > > > On 12/22/2011 1:30 PM, Don Parris wrote: > > Ah, never mind! After starting the iptables again, I can still login just > fine. I guess maybe I just needed to restart iptables. > > On Thu, Dec 22, 2011 at 14:27, Don Parris wrote: > >> On Thu, Dec 22, 2011 at 13:39, Billy Staggs wrote: >> >>> Don, >>> >>> Oddly enough I have been in the process of setting up a CentOS 6 server >>> to eventually replace my Ubuntu server and I did not experience any >>> problems connecting via SSH from the default install. I did install 6.0 >>> and then updated during my setup process (working in my spare time so I >>> have been at it for a week or two). Installing directly to 6.2 you may >>> have something that I did not see by upgrading to get there. I have >>> modified the /etc/ssh/sshd.conf to prevent root logons and resticted by >>> group (AllowGroup) but otherwise pretty much stock. I "believe" the >>> default install included the iptables entry that you described and work >>> "out of the box" for me. Neither SElinux or iptables caused me any of the >>> grief that you seem to be having.... >>> >>> Have you tried disabling iptables and testing? >>> >>> Thanks Billy. I just tried that and was able to login just fine. >> Any thoughts on the iptables rules? Should I share more info on my rules? >> >> >> -- >> D.C. Parris, FMP, LEED AP O+M, ESL Certificate >> Minister, Security/FM Coordinator, Free Software Advocate >> https://www.xing.com/profile/Don_Parris | >> http://www.linkedin.com/in/dcparris >> GPG Key ID: F5E179BE >> >> > > > -- > D.C. Parris, FMP, LEED AP O+M, ESL Certificate > Minister, Security/FM Coordinator, Free Software Advocate > https://www.xing.com/profile/Don_Parris | > http://www.linkedin.com/in/dcparris > GPG Key ID: F5E179BE > > > > _______________________________________________ > Linux4christians mailing listLinux4christians at thelinuxlink.nethttp://www.thelinuxlink.net/mailman/listinfo/linux4christians > > > > _______________________________________________ > Linux4christians mailing list > Linux4christians at thelinuxlink.net > http://www.thelinuxlink.net/mailman/listinfo/linux4christians > > -- D.C. Parris, FMP, LEED AP O+M, ESL Certificate Minister, Security/FM Coordinator, Free Software Advocate https://www.xing.com/profile/Don_Parris | http://www.linkedin.com/in/dcparris GPG Key ID: F5E179BE -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From bstaggs at staggs.net Thu Dec 22 15:18:11 2011 From: bstaggs at staggs.net (Billy Staggs) Date: Thu, 22 Dec 2011 14:18:11 -0600 Subject: [Linux4christians] (SOLVED) OpenSSH on CentOS 6.2 In-Reply-To: References: <4EF38828.3050002@staggs.net> Message-ID: <4EF39083.8010808@staggs.net> Don, Yes, for instance to use say tcp 9522 you will run : "iptables -A INPUT -p tcp -m state --state NEW --dport 9522 -j ACCEPT" and to delete the old ssh rule on port 22: "iptables -D INPUT -p tcp -m state --state NEW --dport 22 -j ACCEPT" In the process of switching to CentOS I perused the online RedHat docs and discovered TCP Wrappers. I setup a cron job (every x mins) to get my current home PC IP address (dynamic IP because I am too poor for a static one...) and save it to a file (/etc/home.hosts): "dig +short host.domain.com >/etc/home.hosts" To the /etc/hosts.allow I added : SSHD : 172.22.100. : spawn /bin/echo `/bin/date +%%D" "%%T` %d Allow Trusted %a - %c>>/var/log/tcpwrap.log : allow SSHD : /etc/home.hosts : spawn /bin/echo `/bin/date +%%D" "%%T` %d Allow Home %a - %c>>/var/log/tcpwrap.log : allow SSHD : ALL : deny The first line allows the local subnet (172.22.100.0/24) ssh access, the second allows my home PC's IP address (via file updated by cron) ssh access and the third line denies all other ssh access. You could remove the ": spawn /bin/echo..... tcpwrap.log" to remove the logging. Perhaps this could be acomplished in better ways, but this appears to be working. I can't believe I have ignored TCP Wrappers for this in the past..... -- bstaggs <>< On 12/22/2011 1:52 PM, Don Parris wrote: > Hi Billy, > > Thanks for your help! > > I did not make any changes to the rules, just simply stopped the > service, logged in as a test, and then started the service again, and > can still login. But I will likely want to update the rules when I > change the port. I'd rather use a higher port number on my system. > So I assume when I change the port number in sshd_config, I will need > to update the iptables rule to allow ssh connections on the new port > as well. And, of course reload or restart the service. :-) Sound > about right to you? > > Blessings, > Don > From parrisdc at gmail.com Thu Dec 22 15:28:46 2011 From: parrisdc at gmail.com (Don Parris) Date: Thu, 22 Dec 2011 15:28:46 -0500 Subject: [Linux4christians] (SOLVED) OpenSSH on CentOS 6.2 In-Reply-To: <4EF39083.8010808@staggs.net> References: <4EF38828.3050002@staggs.net> <4EF39083.8010808@staggs.net> Message-ID: I will definitely take the TCP Wrappers to heart. I am opting for a ZoneEdit account - just have to buy a domain name. I need to learn all the serious system admin tools - I want to be able to certify. On Thu, Dec 22, 2011 at 15:18, Billy Staggs wrote: > Don, > > Yes, for instance to use say tcp 9522 you will run : > "iptables -A INPUT -p tcp -m state --state NEW --dport 9522 -j ACCEPT" > > and to delete the old ssh rule on port 22: > "iptables -D INPUT -p tcp -m state --state NEW --dport 22 -j ACCEPT" > > In the process of switching to CentOS I perused the online RedHat docs and > discovered TCP Wrappers. > > I setup a cron job (every x mins) to get my current home PC IP address > (dynamic IP because I am too poor for a static one...) and save it to a > file (/etc/home.hosts): > "dig +short host.domain.com >/etc/home.hosts" > > To the /etc/hosts.allow I added : > SSHD : 172.22.100. : spawn /bin/echo `/bin/date +%%D" "%%T` %d Allow > Trusted %a - %c>>/var/log/tcpwrap.log : allow > SSHD : /etc/home.hosts : spawn /bin/echo `/bin/date +%%D" "%%T` %d Allow > Home %a - %c>>/var/log/tcpwrap.log : allow > SSHD : ALL : deny > > The first line allows the local subnet (172.22.100.0/24) ssh access, the > second allows my home PC's IP address (via file updated by cron) ssh access > and the third line denies all other ssh access. You could remove the ": > spawn /bin/echo..... tcpwrap.log" to remove the logging. Perhaps this > could be acomplished in better ways, but this appears to be working. I > can't believe I have ignored TCP Wrappers for this in the past..... > > -- > bstaggs <>< > > > > > > On 12/22/2011 1:52 PM, Don Parris wrote: > >> Hi Billy, >> >> Thanks for your help! >> >> I did not make any changes to the rules, just simply stopped the service, >> logged in as a test, and then started the service again, and can still >> login. But I will likely want to update the rules when I change the port. >> I'd rather use a higher port number on my system. So I assume when I >> change the port number in sshd_config, I will need to update the iptables >> rule to allow ssh connections on the new port as well. And, of course >> reload or restart the service. :-) Sound about right to you? >> >> Blessings, >> Don >> >> > ______________________________**_________________ > Linux4christians mailing list > Linux4christians at thelinuxlink.**net > http://www.thelinuxlink.net/**mailman/listinfo/**linux4christians > -- D.C. Parris, FMP, LEED AP O+M, ESL Certificate Minister, Security/FM Coordinator, Free Software Advocate https://www.xing.com/profile/Don_Parris | http://www.linkedin.com/in/dcparris GPG Key ID: F5E179BE -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From dcolburn at bibleseven.com Thu Dec 22 22:39:41 2011 From: dcolburn at bibleseven.com (dcolburn at bibleseven.com) Date: Thu, 22 Dec 2011 22:39:41 -0500 Subject: [Linux4christians] B7 - Friday - 2 Corinthians 4 Message-ID: <4EF3F7FD.3020603@bibleseven.com> Friday 2 Corinthians 4 Paul's Perseverance in Ministry 4:1 Therefore, since we have this ministry, just as God has shown us mercy, we do not become discouraged. 4:2 But we have rejected shameful hidden deeds, not behaving with deceptiveness or distorting the word of God, but by open proclamation of the truth we commend ourselves to everyone's conscience before God. 4:3 But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled only to those who are perishing, 4:4 among whom the god of this age has blinded the minds of those who do not believe so they would not see the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God. 4:5 For we do not proclaim ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your slaves for Jesus' sake. 4:6 For God, who said "/Let light shine out of darkness/," is the one who shined in our hearts to give us the light of the glorious knowledge of God in the face of Christ. An Eternal Weight of Glory 4:7 But we have this treasure in clay jars, so that the extraordinary power belongs to God and does not come from us. 4:8 We are experiencing trouble on every side, but are not crushed; we are perplexed, but not driven to despair; 4:9 we are persecuted, but not abandoned; we are knocked down, but not destroyed, 4:10 always carrying around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be made visible in our body. 4:11 For we who are alive are constantly being handed over to death for Jesus' sake, so that the life of Jesus may also be made visible in our mortal body. 4:12 As a result, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you. 4:13 But since we have the same spirit of faith as that shown in what has been written, "/*I believed; therefore I spoke*/," we also believe, therefore we also speak. 4:14 We do so because we know that the one who raised up Jesus will also raise us up with Jesus and will bring us with you into his presence. 4:15 For all these things are for your sake, so that the grace that is including more and more people may cause thanksgiving to increase to the glory of God. 4:16 Therefore we do not despair, but even if our physical body is wearing away, our inner person is being renewed day by day. 4:17 For our momentary, light suffering is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison 4:18 because we are not looking at what can be seen but at what cannot be seen. For what can be seen is temporary, but what cannot be seen is eternal. Prayer Lord, You give so much to use and ask that we be careful to tell Your story truthfully, and that we be humble at all times. May I be found faithful in both. Summary & Commentary Paul contrasted the positive virtue of faithfulness to the Word against the sin of those who engage in "shameful hidden deeds ... behaving with deceptiveness ... distorting the Word of God". He reminded them that those who are unable to perceive "the light of the glorious gospel" are those "who do not believe", that it is God Who said "Let light shine out of darkness" Who "shined in our hearts to give us the light of the glorious knowledge of God in the face of Christ." Paul re-emphasized the need for humility, using the illustration of "clay jars" to describe believers [especially those who dedicate themselves to preaching and teaching Christ], and noted that "the extraordinary power belongs to God". Paul provided a checklist of struggles and of the Lord God's power: * "We are experiencing trouble on every side, but are not crushed" * "we are perplexed, but not driven to despair" * "we are persecuted, but not abandoned" * "we are knocked down, but not destroyed" * always carrying around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be visible in our body" Paul observed two final things; that many more are joining in "thanksgiving ... to the glory of God", and that "our momentary, light suffering, is producing for us an eternal weight of glory" Interaction Consider It is an amazing truth that, despite our humble standing as like the simple clay jar of Paul's time, God chooses to pour Himself out through us. We have a responsibility to remain humble as none of it is from us. Discuss How should believers respond to the problem of people claiming the name of Christ and then engaging in "shameful hidden deeds ... behaving with deceptiveness ... distorting the Word of God"? Reflect Is is humbling to read the list Paul provided of struggles faced by serious Christians and of the provision of God. Share When have you experienced the Lord God causing "light [to] shine out of darkness" through you for the benefit of another? Faith in Action Prayer: Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you an example in your life from the list Paul provided of struggles faced by Christians Action: Today I will celebrate together with a fellow believer the awesome God who makes provision for me. Be Specific ______________________________________________________ Saturday's text will be: 2 Corinthians 5 -- Draw nearer to the Lord and He will bless you, Have an http://Ultrafidian.com Day! David M. Colburn, DMin. MaCo ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Savannah-Statesboro needs a Bible College/Seminary! Personal Site: http://bibleseven.com Bible Resources: http://bible.org Teacher's Verse: John 7:16 I don't google I SEARCH! Yippy.com ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From dcolburn at bibleseven.com Fri Dec 23 19:32:48 2011 From: dcolburn at bibleseven.com (dcolburn at bibleseven.com) Date: Fri, 23 Dec 2011 19:32:48 -0500 Subject: [Linux4christians] B7 - Saturday - 2 Corinthians 5 Message-ID: <4EF51DB0.3030103@bibleseven.com> Saturday 2 Corinthians 5 Living by Faith, Not by Sight 5:1 For we know that if our earthly house, the tent we live in, is dismantled, we have a building from God, a house not built by human hands, that is eternal in the heavens. 5:2 For in this earthly house we groan, because we desire to put on our heavenly dwelling, 5:3 if indeed, after we have put on our heavenly house, we will not be found naked. 5:4 For we groan while we are in this tent, since we are weighed down, because we do not want to be unclothed, but clothed, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. 5:5 Now the one who prepared us for this very purpose is God, who gave us the Spirit as a down payment. 5:6 Therefore we are always full of courage, and we know that as long as we are alive here on earth we are absent from the Lord -- 5:7 for we live by faith, not by sight. 5:8 Thus we are full of courage and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord. 5:9 So then whether we are alive or away, we make it our ambition to please him. 5:10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be paid back according to what he has done while in the body, whether good or evil. The Message of Reconciliation 5:11 Therefore, because we know the fear of the Lord, we try to persuade people, but we are well known to God, and I hope we are well known to your consciences too. 5:12 We are not trying to commend ourselves to you again, but are giving you an opportunity to be proud of us, so that you may be able to answer those who take pride in outward appearance and not in what is in the heart. 5:13 For if we are out of our minds, it is for God; if we are of sound mind, it is for you. 5:14 For the love of Christ controls us, since we have concluded this, that Christ died for all; therefore all have died. 5:15 And he died for all so that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised. 5:16 So then from now on we acknowledge no one from an outward human point of view. Even though we have known Christ from such a human point of view, now we do not know him in that way any longer. 5:17 So then, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; what is old has passed away -- look, what is new has come! 5:18 And all these things are from God who reconciled us to himself through Christ, and who has given us the ministry of reconciliation. 5:19 In other words, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting people's trespasses against them, and he has given us the message of reconciliation. 5:20 Therefore we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making His plea through us. We plead with you on Christ's behalf, "Be reconciled to God!" 5:21 God made the one who did not know sin to be sin for us, so that in him we would become the righteousness of God. Prayer Lord, You created us to dwell in the Garden of Eden, and after the Fall destroyed that in the new Heaven and the new Earth where there is no sin and there is no temptation. May I remember that I was not made for the imperfect place and that it is right that I never feel quite at home here. Summary & Commentary Paul challenges his readers to acknowledge their temporary physical condition in fallen bodies in a fallen world and our natural groaning for Heaven. He reminds them that the indwelling Holy Spirit of God is a "down payment" from God upon our guaranteed place in Heaven. He notes that once we are saved we are eternal citizens of Heaven and while here we are "absent from the Lord", therefore we live "by faith" [in the Lord Who awaits our arrival] "not by sight" [because we cannot see Him]. He challenges his readers to "make it our ambition to please Him", whether on earth or in Heaven, and to chose carefully what we do "while in the body". [Note: Paul used himself as an example in these verses and stood as a role model for those who would follow. He said as much in his instructions to the Corinthians about singleness and also when writing to Timothy and Titus.] Paul notes that the world judges by human appearance and that he had seen Christ on the road to Damascus, but that now all believers must join him in seeing Christ and fellow believers through the eternal perspective of Heaven. Paul wrote the following series of steps to understanding: * "... if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; * "what is old has passed away -- look, what is new has come!" * "... all these things are from God Who reconciled us to Himself through Christ" * "... Who has given us the ministry of reconciliation" * "... not counting people's trespasses against them" * "He has given us the message of reconciliation" * "... we are ambassadors of Christ" * "as though God were making His plea through us" Interaction Consider Paul challenged us to "make it our ambition to please Him", whether on earth or in Heaven, and to chose carefully what we do "while in the body". Discuss How do Paul's steps to understanding help you? Reflect Paul's words are encouraging - it is appropriate that we "groan" for Heaven as the new person-in-Christ that we are no longer belongs to this world, that we live by faith having not seen Christ but knowing Him through the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit, and that we be intentional about seeing everything through the lens of Heaven and not earth. Share When have you had an experience where viewing things here on earth through the lens of Heaven brought comfort and understanding where before there was fear and confusion? Faith in Action Prayer: Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a particularly challenging relationship in your life to which He wants me to apply this subset of Paul's steps to understanding; "... the ministry of reconciliation ... not counting people's trespasses against them ... the message of reconciliation". Action: Today I will submit to the Holy Spirit as He walks with me through the process of reconciliation. I will share the result with a fellow believer, whom I will also ask (in advance), to pray for courage and wisdom as I do this. Be Specific ______________________________________________________ Sunday's text will be: 2 Corinthians 6 -- Draw nearer to the Lord and He will bless you, Have an http://Ultrafidian.com Day! David M. Colburn, DMin. MaCo ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Savannah-Statesboro needs a Bible College/Seminary! Personal Site: http://bibleseven.com Bible Resources: http://bible.org Teacher's Verse: John 7:16 I don't google I SEARCH! Yippy.com ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From dcolburn at bibleseven.com Sat Dec 24 10:58:22 2011 From: dcolburn at bibleseven.com (dcolburn at bibleseven.com) Date: Sat, 24 Dec 2011 10:58:22 -0500 Subject: [Linux4christians] Wise Men Lay Their Treasures Down Message-ID: <4EF5F69E.6010609@bibleseven.com> My editor wrote this back in 2001. It is worth revisiting annually. CHRIST-mas blessings to all for faithful obedience this year, David _Wise Men Lay Their Treasures Down_ "They came in to the house and saw the Child with Mary His mother; and they fell down and worshipped Him; and opening their treasures they presented to Himgifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh." Matthew 2:11 Wise men and women /still/lay their treasures down at the feet of Jesus. The "treasures" wise men willingly lay down, surrender, and give to God daily are figuratively similar to the treasures the wise men brought to the baby Jesus, the gifts of /gold/, /frankincense, /and /myrrh/." The gift of /Gold /we lay at His feet is our love of worldly wealth, which is often how we and others measure our worth. If we lay down before God our love of wealth and possessions we are left with measuring our worth using God's "yardstick" which marks off our righteousness, faith, obedience, love, charity, et cetera. These are more precious to wise men than gold. It is not what//we /have/but who//we /are/that speaks of our value to God, ourselves, and others. The gift of /Frankincense /we lay at His feet is our fragrance in the world. A sweet aroma is given when, laying down our desire to do /what/we want /when/we want, we choose instead to live as God calls us to. This is a lifestyle witness with the pleasing fragrance of Love which attracts others to God. The gift of /Myrrh /we lay at His feet is our willingness to die to "self," evidenced by laying down and burying our own wants and self-focused actions. Wise men put others' needs, wants, and good before their own, preparing who they /were/for burial so that they may be "born again" in service to God. By laying down our gifts at the feet of Jesus, we offer to Him /what we have/, treasuring more our value to Him; /how we live/, attracting others to Him; and /who we are/, allowing Him to live in us by death to self. Merrilee Clark, Christmas 2001 -- Draw nearer to the Lord and He will bless you, Have an http://Ultrafidian.com Day! David M. Colburn, DMin. MaCo ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Savannah-Statesboro needs a Bible College/Seminary! Personal Site: http://bibleseven.com Bible Resources: http://bible.org Teacher's Verse: John 7:16 I don't google I SEARCH! Yippy.com ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From dcolburn at bibleseven.com Sat Dec 24 11:50:21 2011 From: dcolburn at bibleseven.com (dcolburn at bibleseven.com) Date: Sat, 24 Dec 2011 11:50:21 -0500 Subject: [Linux4christians] Christmas began in the Garden of Eden Message-ID: <4EF602CD.9030704@bibleseven.com> I share this with a fervent prayer that it may be a blessing to someone somewhere ... *Christmas began in the Garden of Eden* Christmas began in the Garden of Eden, and it ended in a Manger in Bethlehem. All sin leads back to that awful moment in the Garden when Adam and Eve rebelled against the Lord God ... but our loving Lord chose to temper His response with Grace. Understanding that, joined with a clear understanding of Who Jesus really is (from John 1:1-18), will help us to understand the meaning of Christmas. "/In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was fully God. The Word was with God in the beginning. All things were created by him, and apart from him not one thing was created that has been created. In him was life, and the life was the light of mankind. And the light shines on in the darkness, but the darkness has not mastered it. "/ [John 1:1-5 NET] In verses 1:1-5 John inexorably linked Jesus the Christ, the Word, to Creation and he paralleled the first physical and spiritual Creation to the new physical Creation (new Heaven and new Earth and new bodies) as well as the redemption of man from the condemnation of sin through the work of Christ. Verses 1:4-5 described the post-Fall promise of God in Eden that there would be a Redeemer "the light of mankind", plus a reminder that "the light" itself never died or disappeared merely because man chose darkness in his rebellion. "/A man came, sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify about the light, so that everyone might believe through him. He himself was not the light, but he came to testify about the light. The true light, who gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was created by him, but the world did not recognize him. He came to what was his own, but his own people did not receive him."/ [John 1:6-11 NET] Verses 6-8 introduce the ministry of John "the Baptist/Baptizer", a truly humble man who would proclaim the coming of The Christ. Verse. 9 is a reminder that The Christ was the light and He was bringing the light and that He was on His way. Verses. 10-11 note that while He Created the Earth, and everything in it, man failed to recognize Him. "/But to all who have received him -- those who believe in his name -- he has given the right to become God's children -- children not born by human parents or by human desire or a husband's decision, but by God. "/ [John 1:12-13 NET] Verses 12-13 note that the provision of redemption-salvation by accepting the Lordship of Christ is the sovereign provision of God irrespective of to- whom one was related, or what man wants or does not want, nor of any mandate of ones spouse. Salvation is a purely-individual choice, it may not be coerced, and it is provided for only by the sovereign grace of the Lord God. "/Now the Word became flesh and took up residence among us. We saw his glory -- the glory of the one and only, full of grace and truth, who came from the Father. John testified about him and shouted out, "This one was the one about whom I said, 'He who comes after me is greater than I am, because he existed before me.'" For we have all received from his fullness one gracious gift after another. For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came about through Jesus Christ. 1:18 No one has ever seen God. The only one, himself God, who is in closest fellowship with the Father, has made God known. "/ [John 1:14-18 NET] John concluded in verse 1:14-17 by linking back to 1:1 to remind his readers that the "Logos", the "Word", Who was The Creator had humbled Himself to mere human flesh, has demonstrated His glory, and Who was an absolutely unique being sent by God the Father. *Now that we have a clear understanding of Who it is Who was "born of flesh" on Christmas Day [all academic debate about the precise timing aside] we are prepared to contemplate that event ...* Mary was a young girl of amazing faith and courage. After making a promise to God in the presence of the angel Gabriel, she set out to confidently see things through, no matter what. There is no evidence that she ever doubted, ever feared, or ever sought an easy way out. If one accepts the traditional teaching that the "manger" was located close to the "inn", it would have been kept very neat and clean else potential customers of the inn would have gone elsewhere. The "discomfort" of the manger would thus have been that it was intended for animals and not humans -- it would have been a humbling place to rest and to give birth even though neat and clean. One fascinating study suggests that Old Testament Bible prophesy had specified "Migdal Edar" [mig-dawl ay-der] as the birthplace of Jesus. Migdal Edar is located one mile North of present day Bethlehem, and four miles from Jerusalem, in an area believed to be part of the much larger region known as ancient Bethlehem. (Genesis 35:16-20; 48:7) After reviewing evidence from traditional Jewish books, including the Mishnah and Targums, the author wrote /"... we know that Migdal Edar was the watchtower that guarded the Temple flocks that were being raised to serve as sacrificial animals in the Temple. These were not just any flock and herd. The shepherds who kept them were men who were specifically trained for this royal task. They were educated in what an animal, that was to be sacrificed, had to be and it was their job to make sure that none of the animals were hurt, damaged, or blemished."/ These lambs were apparently wrapped in "swaddling cloths" to protect them from injury and the same cloths were also used to wrap the Lord Jesus. [Similar material may have been used to wrap Him after the crucifixion.] The author continued /"Thus, with the establishment of Temple worship in Jerusalem, the fields outside of Bethlehem became the place where a special group of shepherds raised the lambs that were sacrificed in the Temple. Being themselves under special Rabbinical care, they would strictly maintain a ceremonially clean stable for a birthing place. The Tower of the Flock was used for birthing ewes, and the surround fields were where these shepherds grazed their flocks."/ "/These shepherds customarily kept their flocks outdoors twenty-four hours a day every day of the year, but brought the ewes in to deliver their lambs where they could be carefully cared for. It was to this place that Joseph took Mary. It was in this special stable at "Migdal Edar" that Christ was born! How do we know? Micah 4:8 tells us so!"/ "/Luke 2:8-18 records that there were shepherds in the fields keeping watch over their sheep by night. Who then were these shepherds? Without question these were shepherds who resided near Bethlehem -- They were none other but the shepherds from "Migdal Edar" who were well aware that the Targum hinted, and many of the rabbis taught, that Messiah might well be announced from "Migdal Edar" at Bethlehem." / "/The angels only told the shepherds that they would find the Babe wrapped in "swaddling cloths and lying in a manger." There was no need for the angels to give these shepherds directions to the birth place because they already knew. These were the men who raised sacrificial lambs that were sacrificed in the Temple. When the angelic announcement came, they knew exactly where to go, as Luke 2 indicates, for the sign of a manger could only mean their manger at the tower of the flock! You cannot explain the meaning or direction of the sign they were given or their response unless you have the right manger and the right shepherds! "/ "/Typically, "Migdal Edar", (the tower of the flock) at Bethlehem is the perfect place for Christ to be born. He was born in the very birthplace where tens of thousands of lambs, which had been sacrificed to prefigure Him. God promised it, pictured it and performed it at "Migdal Edar". It all fits together, for that's the place the place where sacrificial lambs were born! Jesus was not born behind an inn, in a smelly stable where the donkeys of travelers and other animals were kept. He was born in Bethlehem, at the birthing place of the sacrificial lambs that were offered in the Temple in Jerusalem which Micah 4:8 calls the "tower of the flock." "/ "/John the Baptist in John 1:29 proclaimed of Jesus, "Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world." Jesus is presented in the Bible as being "in type" as a sacrificial lamb. It was not by chance but by choice that Christ identified His death with the time of the observance of the Passover. Peter spoke of our redemption as wrought by the "precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot"( 1 Pet. 1:19); and Paul told us that "Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us" ( 1 Cor. 5:7). Even the first fulfilled type by which Christ is to be revealed in Heaven is as the Lamb (Rev. 5:6-13)"/ Source: _http://www.bible-truth.org/BirthPlaceofJesus.html_ /[Note: This author does not endorse any of the content of this site beyond what has been included here.]/ __ There is a wonderful spiritual Christmas Carol 'Go tell it to the Mountain ' by John W. Work, Jr. who lived from 1872-1925. According to one Web site John Work was famous for his collection titled "Folk Songs of the American Negro", published in Nashville, Tennessee in 1907. His song echoes the humble standing of the Christian, the all-important message of the birth of the Messiah, and the Great Commission from Jesus to tell the whole world of His birth (and the rest of His Gospel). Go tell it on the mountain, Over the hills and everywhere, Go tell it on the mountain, Our Jesus Christ is born. When I was a seeker I sought both night and day, I asked the Lord to help me, And he showed me the way. Go tell it on the mountain, Over the hills and everywhere, Go tell it on the mountain, Our Jesus Christ is born. He made me a watchman Upon a city wall, And if I am a Christian, I am the least of all. Go tell it on the mountain, Over the hills and everywhere, Go tell it on the mountain, Our Jesus Christ is born. *And now, the Christmas Story* "/Now the birth of Jesus Christ happened this way. While his mother Mary was engaged to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit. Because Joseph, her husband to be, was a righteous man, and because he did not want to disgrace her, he intended to divorce her privately. When he had contemplated this, an 15 angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, because the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son and you will name him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins." This all happened so that what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet would be fulfilled: "Look! The virgin will conceive and bear a son, and they will call him Emmanuel," which means "God with us." When Joseph awoke from sleep he did what the angel of the Lord told him. He took his wife, but did not have marital relations with her until she gave birth to a son, whom he named Jesus. "/ [Matthew 1:18-25 NET] Over to Luke ... "/Now in those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus to register all the empire for taxes. This was the first registration, taken when Quirinius was governor of Syria. Everyone went to his own town to be registered. So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the city of David called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family line of David. He went to be registered with Mary, who was promised in marriage to him, and who was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for her to deliver her child. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn. "/ "/Now there were shepherds nearby living out in the field, keeping guard over their flock at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were absolutely terrified. But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid! Listen carefully, for I proclaim to you good news that brings great joy to all the people: Today your Savior is born in the city of David. He is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign for you: You will find a baby wrapped in strips of cloth and lying in a manger." Suddenly a vast, heavenly army appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among people with whom he is pleased!" "/ "/When the angels left them and went back to heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place, that the Lord has made known to us." So they hurried off and located Mary and Joseph, and found the baby lying in a manger. When they saw him, they related what they had been told about this child, and all who heard it were astonished at what the shepherds said. But Mary treasured up all these words, pondering in her heart what they might mean. So the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen; everything was just as they had been told. "/ Luke 2:1-20 NET] Back to Matthew ... "/After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, in the time of King Herod, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem saying, "Where is the one who is born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him." When King Herod heard this he was alarmed, and all Jerusalem with him. After assembling all the chief priests and experts in the law, he asked them where the Christ was to be born. "In Bethlehem of Judea," they said, "for it is written this way by the prophet: / '/And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are in no way least among the rulers of Judah, for out of you will come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.'""/ "/Then Herod privately summoned the wise men and determined from them when the star had appeared. He sent them to Bethlehem and said, "Go and look carefully for the child. When you find him, inform me so that I can go and worship him as well." After listening to the king they left, and once again the star they saw when it rose led them until it stopped above the place where the child was. When they saw the star they shouted joyfully. As they came into the house and saw the child with Mary his mother, they bowed down and worshiped him. They opened their treasure boxes and gave him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. "/ [Matthew 2:1-11 NET] *Wise Men Lay Their Treasures Down* /"//As they came into the house and saw the child with Mary his mother, / /they bowed down and worshiped him. They opened their treasure boxes / /and gave him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. //"/ [Matthew 2:11 NET] Wise men and women /still/lay their treasures down at the feet of Jesus. The "treasures" wise men willingly lay down, surrender, and give to God daily are figuratively similar to the treasures the wise men brought to the baby Jesus, the gifts of /gold/, /frankincense, /and /myrrh/." The gift of /Gold /we lay at His feet is our love of worldly wealth, which is often how we and others measure our worth. If we lay down before God our love of wealth and possessions we are left with measuring our worth using God's "yardstick" which marks off our righteousness, faith, obedience, love, charity, et cetera. These are more precious to wise men than gold. It is not what//we /have/ but who//we /are/ that speaks of our value to God, ourselves, and others. The gift of /Frankincense /we lay at His feet is our fragrance in the world. A sweet aroma is given when, laying down our desire to do /what/we want /when/we want, we choose instead to live as God calls us to. This is a lifestyle witness with the pleasing fragrance of Love which attracts others to God. The gift of /Myrrh /we lay at His feet is our willingness to die to "self," evidenced by laying down and burying our own wants and self-focused actions. Wise men put others' needs, wants, and good before their own, preparing who they /were/for burial so that they may be "born again" in service to God. By laying down our gifts at the feet of Jesus, we offer to Him /what we have/, treasuring more our value to Him; /how we live/, attracting others to Him; and /who we are/, allowing Him to live in us by death to self. {Merrilee Clark, Christmas 2001} We return to Luke to wrap up the Christmas Story ... "/At the end of eight days, when he was circumcised, he was named Jesus, the name given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb. / /Jesus' Presentation at the Temple . Now when the time came for their purification according to the law of Moses, Joseph and Mary brought Jesus up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord (just as it is written in the law of the Lord, "Every firstborn male will be set apart to the Lord"), and to offer a sacrifice according to what is specified in the law of the Lord, a pair of doves or two young pigeons. "/ [Luke 2:21 -24 NET] *IN CONCLUSION* *Why Did Jesus Come?* *To save us from our sin* *To empower us to serve* *To bring us His eternal peace* *How are we to respond?* *Go Tell It On The Mountain!* /Much of this article originated from a sermon delivered at Bethel Missisonary Baptist in Statesboro, GA on Sunday December 20, 2009/ *Christmas 2011* *David M. Colburn, D.Min.* *Nevils, Georgia* /Non-commercial educational use is permitted. This text may not be included in any format for sale without prior written consent of the author. Copyright 2011./ -- Draw nearer to the Lord and He will bless you, Have an http://Ultrafidian.com Day! David M. Colburn, DMin. MaCo ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Savannah-Statesboro needs a Bible College/Seminary! Personal Site: http://bibleseven.com Bible Resources: http://bible.org Teacher's Verse: John 7:16 I don't google I SEARCH! Yippy.com ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From okie2003 at gmail.com Sat Dec 24 12:39:28 2011 From: okie2003 at gmail.com (Rob Matlack) Date: Sat, 24 Dec 2011 11:39:28 -0600 Subject: [Linux4christians] Christmas began in the Garden of Eden In-Reply-To: <4EF602CD.9030704@bibleseven.com> References: <4EF602CD.9030704@bibleseven.com> Message-ID: <1324748368.18375.5.camel@Mint-9-Rob> On Sat, 2011-12-24 at 11:50 -0500, dcolburn at bibleseven.com wrote: > I share this with a fervent prayer that it may be a blessing to > someone somewhere ... > > > > Christmas began in the Garden of Eden > > > Christmas began in the Garden of Eden, and it ended in a Manger in > Bethlehem. > > > All sin leads back to that awful moment in the Garden when Adam and > Eve rebelled against the Lord God ? but our loving Lord chose to > temper His response with Grace. > > > Understanding that, joined with a clear understanding of Who Jesus > really is (from John 1:1-18), will help us to understand the meaning > of Christmas. > > > ?In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the > Word was fully God. The Word was with God in the beginning. All things > were created by him, and apart from him not one thing was created that > has been created. In him was life, and the life was the light of > mankind. And the light shines on in the darkness, but the darkness has > not mastered it. ? [John 1:1-5 NET] > > > In verses 1:1-5 John inexorably linked Jesus the Christ, the Word, to > Creation and he paralleled the first physical and spiritual Creation > to the new physical Creation (new Heaven and new Earth and new bodies) > as well as the redemption of man from the condemnation of sin through > the work of Christ. > > Verses 1:4-5 described the post-Fall promise of God in Eden that there > would be a Redeemer ?the light of mankind?, plus a reminder that ?the > light? itself never died or disappeared merely because man chose > darkness in his rebellion. > > > ?A man came, sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness > to testify about the light, so that everyone might believe through > him. He himself was not the light, but he came to testify about the > light. The true light, who gives light to everyone, was coming into > the world. He was in the world, and the world was created by him, but > the world did not recognize him. He came to what was his own, but his > own people did not receive him.? [John 1:6-11 NET] > > > Verses 6-8 introduce the ministry of John ?the Baptist/Baptizer?, a > truly humble man who would proclaim the coming of The Christ. > > > Verse. 9 is a reminder that The Christ was the light and He was > bringing the light and that He was on His way. > > > Verses. 10-11 note that while He Created the Earth, and everything in > it, man failed to recognize Him. > > > ?But to all who have received him ? those who believe in his name ? he > has given the right to become God?s children ? children not born by > human parents or by human desire or a husband?s decision, but by God. > ? [John 1:12-13 NET] > > > Verses 12-13 note that the provision of redemption-salvation by > accepting the Lordship of Christ is the sovereign provision of God > irrespective of to- whom one was related, or what man wants or does > not want, nor of any mandate of ones spouse. Salvation is a > purely-individual choice, it may not be coerced, and it is provided > for only by the sovereign grace of the Lord God. > > ?Now the Word became flesh and took up residence among us. We saw his > glory ? the glory of the one and only, full of grace and truth, who > came from the Father. John testified about him and shouted out, ?This > one was the one about whom I said, ?He who comes after me is greater > than I am, because he existed before me.?? For we have all received > from his fullness one gracious gift after another. For the law was > given through Moses, but grace and truth came about through Jesus > Christ. 1:18 No one has ever seen God. The only one, himself God, who > is in closest fellowship with the Father, has made God known. ? [John > 1:14-18 NET] > > > John concluded in verse 1:14-17 by linking back to 1:1 to remind his > readers that the ?Logos?, the ?Word?, Who was The Creator had humbled > Himself to mere human flesh, has demonstrated His glory, and Who was > an absolutely unique being sent by God the Father. > > > Now that we have a clear understanding of Who it is Who was ?born of > flesh? on Christmas Day [all academic debate about the precise timing > aside] we are prepared to contemplate that event ... > > > Mary was a young girl of amazing faith and courage. After making a > promise to God in the presence of the angel Gabriel, she set out to > confidently see things through, no matter what. There is no evidence > that she ever doubted, ever feared, or ever sought an easy way out. > > > If one accepts the traditional teaching that the ?manger? was located > close to the ?inn?, it would have been kept very neat and clean else > potential customers of the inn would have gone elsewhere. The > ?discomfort? of the manger would thus have been that it was intended > for animals and not humans -- it would have been a humbling place to > rest and to give birth even though neat and clean. > > > One fascinating study suggests that Old Testament Bible prophesy had > specified ?Migdal Edar? [mig-dawl ay-der] as the birthplace of Jesus. > > > Migdal Edar is located one mile North of present day Bethlehem, and > four miles from Jerusalem, in an area believed to be part of the much > larger region known as ancient Bethlehem. (Genesis 35:16-20; 48:7) > > > After reviewing evidence from traditional Jewish books, including the > Mishnah and Targums, the author wrote ?... we know that Migdal Edar > was the watchtower that guarded the Temple flocks that were being > raised to serve as sacrificial animals in the Temple. These were not > just any flock and herd. The shepherds who kept them were men who were > specifically trained for this royal task. They were educated in what > an animal, that was to be sacrificed, had to be and it was their job > to make sure that none of the animals were hurt, damaged, or > blemished.? These lambs were apparently wrapped in "swaddling cloths" > to protect them from injury and the same cloths were also used to wrap > the Lord Jesus. [Similar material may have been used to wrap Him after > the crucifixion.] > > The author continued ?Thus, with the establishment of Temple worship > in Jerusalem, the fields outside of Bethlehem became the place where a > special group of shepherds raised the lambs that were sacrificed in > the Temple. Being themselves under special Rabbinical care, they would > strictly maintain a ceremonially clean stable for a birthing place. > The Tower of the Flock was used for birthing ewes, and the surround > fields were where these shepherds grazed their flocks.? > > > ?These shepherds customarily kept their flocks outdoors twenty-four > hours a day every day of the year, but brought the ewes in to deliver > their lambs where they could be carefully cared for. It was to this > place that Joseph took Mary. It was in this special stable at ?Migdal > Edar? that Christ was born! How do we know? Micah 4:8 tells us so!? > > > ?Luke 2:8-18 records that there were shepherds in the fields keeping > watch over their sheep by night. Who then were these shepherds? > Without question these were shepherds who resided near Bethlehem ? > They were none other but the shepherds from ?Migdal Edar? who were > well aware that the Targum hinted, and many of the rabbis taught, that > Messiah might well be announced from ?Migdal Edar? at Bethlehem.? > > > ?The angels only told the shepherds that they would find the Babe > wrapped in "swaddling cloths and lying in a manger." There was no need > for the angels to give these shepherds directions to the birth place > because they already knew. These were the men who raised sacrificial > lambs that were sacrificed in the Temple. When the angelic > announcement came, they knew exactly where to go, as Luke 2 indicates, > for the sign of a manger could only mean their manger at the tower of > the flock! You cannot explain the meaning or direction of the sign > they were given or their response unless you have the right manger and > the right shepherds! ? > > > ?Typically, ?Migdal Edar?, (the tower of the flock) at Bethlehem is > the perfect place for Christ to be born. He was born in the very > birthplace where tens of thousands of lambs, which had been sacrificed > to prefigure Him. God promised it, pictured it and performed it at > ?Migdal Edar?. It all fits together, for that's the place the place > where sacrificial lambs were born! Jesus was not born behind an inn, > in a smelly stable where the donkeys of travelers and other animals > were kept. He was born in Bethlehem, at the birthing place of the > sacrificial lambs that were offered in the Temple in Jerusalem which > Micah 4:8 calls the "tower of the flock." ? > > ?John the Baptist in John 1:29 proclaimed of Jesus, "Behold the Lamb > of God, which taketh away the sin of the world." Jesus is presented in > the Bible as being ?in type? as a sacrificial lamb. It was not by > chance but by choice that Christ identified His death with the time of > the observance of the Passover. Peter spoke of our redemption as > wrought by the "precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish > and without spot"( 1 Pet. 1:19); and Paul told us that "Christ our > Passover is sacrificed for us" ( 1 Cor. 5:7). Even the first fulfilled > type by which Christ is to be revealed in Heaven is as the Lamb (Rev. > 5:6-13)? > > > Source: http://www.bible-truth.org/BirthPlaceofJesus.html > [Note: This author does not endorse any of the content of this site > beyond what has been included here.] > > > > There is a wonderful spiritual Christmas Carol 'Go tell it to the > Mountain ' by John W. Work, Jr. who lived from 1872-1925. According to > one Web site John Work was famous for his collection titled ?Folk > Songs of the American Negro?, published in Nashville, Tennessee in > 1907. > > > His song echoes the humble standing of the Christian, the > all-important message of the birth of the Messiah, and the Great > Commission from Jesus to tell the whole world of His birth (and the > rest of His Gospel). > > > Go tell it on the mountain, > > Over the hills and everywhere, > > Go tell it on the mountain, > > Our Jesus Christ is born. > > When I was a seeker > > I sought both night and day, > > I asked the Lord to help me, > > And he showed me the way. > > Go tell it on the mountain, > > Over the hills and everywhere, > > Go tell it on the mountain, > > Our Jesus Christ is born. > > He made me a watchman > > Upon a city wall, > > And if I am a Christian, > > I am the least of all. > > Go tell it on the mountain, > > Over the hills and everywhere, > > Go tell it on the mountain, > > Our Jesus Christ is born. > > > And now, the Christmas Story > > > ?Now the birth of Jesus Christ happened this way. While his mother > Mary was engaged to Joseph, but before they came together, she was > found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit. Because Joseph, her > husband to be, was a righteous man, and because he did not want to > disgrace her, he intended to divorce her privately. When he had > contemplated this, an 15 angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream > and said, ?Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your > wife, because the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She > will give birth to a son and you will name him Jesus, because he will > save his people from their sins.? This all happened so that what was > spoken by the Lord through the prophet would be fulfilled: ?Look! The > virgin will conceive and bear a son, and they will call him Emmanuel,? > which means ?God with us.? When Joseph awoke from sleep he did what > the angel of the Lord told him. He took his wife, but did not have > marital relations with her until she gave birth to a son, whom he > named Jesus. ? [Matthew 1:18-25 NET] > > Over to Luke ... > > > ?Now in those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus to register > all the empire for taxes. This was the first registration, taken when > Quirinius was governor of Syria. Everyone went to his own town to be > registered. So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in > Galilee to Judea, to the city of David called Bethlehem, because he > was of the house and family line of David. He went to be registered > with Mary, who was promised in marriage to him, and who was expecting > a child. While they were there, the time came for her to deliver her > child. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in > strips of cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no place > for them in the inn. ? > > > ?Now there were shepherds nearby living out in the field, keeping > guard over their flock at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to > them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were > absolutely terrified. But the angel said to them, ?Do not be afraid! > Listen carefully, for I proclaim to you good news that brings great > joy to all the people: Today your Savior is born in the city of David. > He is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign for you: You will find a > baby wrapped in strips of cloth and lying in a manger.? Suddenly a > vast, heavenly army appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, > ?Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among people with > whom he is pleased!? ? > > > ?When the angels left them and went back to heaven, the shepherds said > to one another, ?Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that > has taken place, that the Lord has made known to us.? So they hurried > off and located Mary and Joseph, and found the baby lying in a manger. > When they saw him, they related what they had been told about this > child, and all who heard it were astonished at what the shepherds > said. But Mary treasured up all these words, pondering in her heart > what they might mean. So the shepherds returned, glorifying and > praising God for all they had heard and seen; everything was just as > they had been told. ? Luke 2:1-20 NET] > > Back to Matthew ? > > > ?After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, in the time of King > Herod, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem saying, ?Where is the > one who is born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and > have come to worship him.? When King Herod heard this he was alarmed, > and all Jerusalem with him. After assembling all the chief priests and > experts in the law, he asked them where the Christ was to be born. ?In > Bethlehem of Judea,? they said, ?for it is written this way by the > prophet: > > ?And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are in no way least among > the rulers of Judah, for out of you will come a ruler who will > shepherd my people Israel.??? > > ?Then Herod privately summoned the wise men and determined from them > when the star had appeared. He sent them to Bethlehem and said, ?Go > and look carefully for the child. When you find him, inform me so that > I can go and worship him as well.? After listening to the king they > left, and once again the star they saw when it rose led them until it > stopped above the place where the child was. When they saw the star > they shouted joyfully. As they came into the house and saw the child > with Mary his mother, they bowed down and worshiped him. They opened > their treasure boxes and gave him gifts of gold, frankincense, and > myrrh. ? [Matthew 2:1-11 NET] > > > > Wise Men Lay Their Treasures Down > > > "As they came into the house and saw the child with Mary his mother, > > they bowed down and worshiped him. They opened their treasure boxes > > and gave him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. " > > [Matthew 2:11 NET] > > > Wise men and women still lay their treasures down at the feet of > Jesus. The ?treasures? wise men willingly lay down, surrender, and > give to God daily are figuratively similar to the treasures the wise > men brought to the baby Jesus, the gifts of gold, frankincense, and > myrrh." > > The gift of Gold we lay at His feet is our love of worldly wealth, > which is often how we and others measure our worth. If we lay down > before God our love of wealth and possessions we are left with > measuring our worth using God's "yardstick" which marks off our > righteousness, faith, obedience, love, charity, et cetera. These are > more precious to wise men than gold. It is not what we have but who we > are that speaks of our value to God, ourselves, and others. > > > The gift of Frankincense we lay at His feet is our fragrance in the > world. A sweet aroma is given when, laying down our desire to do what > we want when we want, we choose instead to live as God calls us to. > This is a lifestyle witness with the pleasing fragrance of Love which > attracts others to God. > > > The gift of Myrrh we lay at His feet is our willingness to die to > "self," evidenced by laying down and burying our own wants and > self-focused actions. Wise men put others' needs, wants, and good > before their own, preparing who they were for burial so that they may > be "born again" in service to God. > > > By laying down our gifts at the feet of Jesus, we offer to Him > > what we have, treasuring more our value to Him; > > how we live, attracting others to Him; and > > who we are, allowing Him to live in us by death to self. > > {Merrilee Clark, Christmas 2001} > > > We return to Luke to wrap up the Christmas Story ... > > ?At the end of eight days, when he was circumcised, he was named > Jesus, the name given by the angel before he was conceived in the > womb. > > Jesus? Presentation at the Temple . Now when the time came for their > purification according to the law of Moses, Joseph and Mary brought > Jesus up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord (just as it is > written in the law of the Lord, ?Every firstborn male will be set > apart to the Lord?), and to offer a sacrifice according to what is > specified in the law of the Lord, a pair of doves or two young > pigeons. ? [Luke 2:21 -24 NET] > > > IN CONCLUSION > > > Why Did Jesus Come? > > > To save us from our sin > > To empower us to serve > > To bring us His eternal peace > > > How are we to respond? > > > Go Tell It On The Mountain! > > > Much of this article originated from a sermon delivered at Bethel > Missisonary Baptist in Statesboro, GA on Sunday December 20, 2009 > > > Christmas 2011 > > David M. Colburn, D.Min. > > Nevils, Georgia > > Non-commercial educational use is permitted. This text may not be > included in any format for sale without prior written consent of the > author. Copyright 2011. David, Your thoughts have been a blessing & I will use some of them in our bulletin. Small suggestion: Christmas began in a garden and will end in a kingdom. -- Rob Matlack "It is not our task to secure the triumph of truth, but merely to fight on its behalf."--Blaise Pascal From dcolburn at bibleseven.com Sat Dec 24 19:22:15 2011 From: dcolburn at bibleseven.com (dcolburn at bibleseven.com) Date: Sat, 24 Dec 2011 19:22:15 -0500 Subject: [Linux4christians] B7 - Sunday - 2 Corinthians 6 Message-ID: <4EF66CB7.6050504@bibleseven.com> Sunday 2 Corinthians 6 God's Suffering Servants 6:1 Now because we are fellow workers, we also urge you not to receive the grace of God in vain. 6:2 For he says, "/*I heard you at the acceptable time*//, //*and in the day of salvation I helped you*/." Look, now is /*the acceptable time*/; look, now is /*the day of salvation*/! 6:3 We do not give anyone an occasion for taking an offense in anything, so that no fault may be found with our ministry. 6:4 But as God's servants, we have commended ourselves in every way, with great endurance, in persecutions, in difficulties, in distresses, 6:5 in beatings, in imprisonments, in riots, in troubles, in sleepless nights, in hunger, 6:6 by purity, by knowledge, by patience, by benevolence, by the Holy Spirit, by genuine love, 6:7 by truthful teaching, by the power of God, with weapons of righteousness both for the right hand and for the left, 6:8 through glory and dishonor, through slander and praise; regarded as impostors, and yet true; 6:9 as unknown, and yet well-known; as dying and yet -- see! -- we continue to live; as those who are scourged and yet not executed; 6:10 as sorrowful, but always rejoicing, as poor, but making many rich, as having nothing, and yet possessing everything. 6:11 We have spoken freely to you, Corinthians; our heart has been opened wide to you. 6:12 Our affection for you is not restricted, but you are restricted in your affections for us. 6:13 Now as a fair exchange -- I speak as to my children -- open wide your hearts to us also. Unequal Partners 6:14 Do not become partners with those who do not believe, for what partnership is there between righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship does light have with darkness? 6:15 And what agreement does Christ have with Beliar? Or what does a believer share in common with an unbeliever? 6:16 And what mutual agreement does the temple of God have with idols? For we are the temple of the living God, just as God said, "/*I will live in them*/ /*and will walk among them*//, //*and I will be their God*//, //*and they will be my people*/." 6:17 Therefore "/*come out from their midst*//, //*and be separate*/," says the Lord, "/*and touch no unclean thing*//,/ /and I will welcome/ /you/, 6:18 /and I will be a father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters/," says the All-Powerful Lord. Prayer Lord, You have drawn us near to You and indwell us through Your Holy Spirit, and so we have become eternally-separated from the world and it's temporary Prince, Satan. May I avoid "partnerships" with unbelievers, as they cannot comprehend why I make many of the decisions that I do, and avoid "partnership" with anything that is sinful. Summary & Commentary Paul described the sacrifices he had made to be certain that nothing in him could give cause for anyone to question his preaching and teaching of Christ. He challenged them "... not to receive the grace of God in vain" but to accept and live in the freedom of grace and making sacrifices - so that they neither squander the gift through unrighteous living or fail to make it attractive to others. He also challenged them "Do not become partners with those who do not believe ..." because they cannot comprehend the reasons that a believer chooses righteous and sacrificial living in the absence of the Holy Spirit and His inspiration of the Word of God. Interaction Consider Paul ascribes great importance to an intentionally faithful witness for the presence and power of the Lord God through His Holy Spirit in a believer's daily walk. Discuss How might one not "... receive the grace of God in vain"? List some ways that a believer may live in grace and avoid drifting into life choices which misrepresent Christ. Reflect Paul's challenge was to "... not become partners with those who do not believe", which refers to both business and romance. Share When have you had an experience "partnered" with a non-believer where they simply could not comprehend your Holy Spirit-guided choices for righteousness over profit or fame or pleasure. Faith in Action Prayer: Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a place in your life where you drift into non-Christlike choices Action: Today I will ask a fellow believer to pray in agreement with me that I accept the wisdom and strength of the Holy Spirit to repent and move toward maturity through more righteous living. Be Specific ______________________________________________________ Monday's text will be: 2 Corinthians 7 -- Draw nearer to the Lord and He will bless you, Have an http://Ultrafidian.com Day! David M. Colburn, DMin. MaCo ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Savannah-Statesboro needs a Bible College/Seminary! Personal Site: http://bibleseven.com Bible Resources: http://bible.org Teacher's Verse: John 7:16 I don't google I SEARCH! Yippy.com ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From fmiller at lightlink.com Sat Dec 24 20:19:51 2011 From: fmiller at lightlink.com (Fred A. Miller) Date: Sat, 24 Dec 2011 20:19:51 -0500 Subject: [Linux4christians] Best Linux Devices of 2011 | Linux.com Message-ID: <4EF67A37.9060404@lightlink.com> https://www.linux.com/news/galleries/best-linux-devices-of-2011/cadillac-cue -- Liberal ideology and political correctness, infused with public policy, begets social insanity. - Michael Savage -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From l4c at thelinuxlink.net Sun Dec 25 04:53:22 2011 From: l4c at thelinuxlink.net (Lincoln Fessenden) Date: Sun, 25 Dec 2011 04:53:22 -0500 Subject: [Linux4christians] Ho Ho Ho Message-ID: <20111225095322.GA9798@kraken> Ho Ho Ho. Lincoln Claus up early filling stockings and making sure Christmas will be special for my girls and I just wanted to wish you all a very merry Christmas! -- -Linc Fessenden In the Beginning there was nothing, which exploded - Yeah right... From treed873 at gmail.com Sun Dec 25 07:04:50 2011 From: treed873 at gmail.com (Todd Reed) Date: Sun, 25 Dec 2011 07:04:50 -0500 Subject: [Linux4christians] Ho Ho Ho In-Reply-To: <20111225095322.GA9798@kraken> References: <20111225095322.GA9798@kraken> Message-ID: Merry Christmas! :) On Dec 25, 2011 4:53 AM, "Lincoln Fessenden" wrote: > > Ho Ho Ho. Lincoln Claus up early filling stockings and making sure Christmas will be special for my girls and I just wanted to wish you all a very merry Christmas! > > -- > -Linc Fessenden > > In the Beginning there was nothing, which exploded - Yeah right... > > _______________________________________________ > Linux4christians mailing list > Linux4christians at thelinuxlink.net > http://www.thelinuxlink.net/mailman/listinfo/linux4christians -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From dcolburn at bibleseven.com Sun Dec 25 18:24:54 2011 From: dcolburn at bibleseven.com (dcolburn at bibleseven.com) Date: Sun, 25 Dec 2011 18:24:54 -0500 Subject: [Linux4christians] B7 - Monday - 2 Corinthians 7 Message-ID: <4EF7B0C6.1020002@bibleseven.com> Monday 2 Corinthians 7 Self-Purification 7:1 Therefore, since we have these promises, dear friends, let us cleanse ourselves from everything that could defile the body and the spirit, and thus accomplish holiness out of reverence for God. 7:2 Make room for us in your hearts; we have wronged no one, we have ruined no one, we have exploited no one. 7:3 I do not say this to condemn you, for I told you before that you are in our hearts so that we die together and live together with you. A Letter That Caused Sadness 7:4 I have great confidence in you; I take great pride on your behalf. I am filled with encouragement; I am overflowing with joy in the midst of all our suffering. 7:5 For even when we came into Macedonia, our body had no rest at all, but we were troubled in every way -- struggles from the outside, fears from within. 7:6 But God, who encourages the downhearted, encouraged us by the arrival of Titus. 7:7 We were encouraged not only by his arrival, but also by the encouragement you gave him, as he reported to us your longing, your mourning, your deep concern for me, so that I rejoiced more than ever. 7:8 For even if I made you sad by my letter, I do not regret having written it (even though I did regret it, for I see that my letter made you sad, though only for a short time). 7:9 Now I rejoice, not because you were made sad, but because you were made sad to the point of repentance. For you were made sad as God intended, so that you were not harmed in any way by us. 7:10 For sadness as intended by God produces a repentance that leads to salvation, leaving no regret, but worldly sadness brings about death. 7:11 For see what this very thing, this sadness as God intended, has produced in you: what eagerness, what defense of yourselves, what indignation, what alarm, what longing, what deep concern, what punishment! In everything you have proved yourselves to be innocent in this matter. 7:12 So then, even though I wrote to you, it was not on account of the one who did wrong, or on account of the one who was wronged, but to reveal to you your eagerness on our behalf before God. 7:13 Therefore we have been encouraged. And in addition to our own encouragement, we rejoiced even more at the joy of Titus, because all of you have refreshed his spirit. 7:14 For if I have boasted to him about anything concerning you, I have not been embarrassed by you, but just as everything we said to you was true, so our boasting to Titus about you has proved true as well. 7:15 And his affection for you is much greater when he remembers the obedience of you all, how you welcomed him with fear and trembling. 7:16 I rejoice because in everything I am fully confident in you. Prayer Lord, You convict us of sin, which makes us sad due to the unease of the Holy Spirit within. May I respond with renewed vigor toward righteousness rather than sulking like Cain or Judas or even King David (before he repented because he had a teachable-heart). Summary & Commentary Paul issues yet another call to righteous living "... let us cleanse ourselves from everything that could defile the body and spirit, and thus accomplish holiness out of reverence for God." He notes that while in Macedonia he was "troubled in every way-- struggles from the outside, fears from within" but that the arrival of Titus and word of caring from the fellowship in Corinth encouraged him. He also notes that his letter of challenge brought them to repentance and therefore led to maturity rather than his fear that it might have caused them to withdraw. He describes their treatment of Titus "... you have refreshed his spirit", followed by "... you welcomed him with fear and trembling", an indication that they were concerned that he would find them to be making an intentional effort to live rightly before God. Interaction Consider Paul's role model for leaders "... we have wronged no one, we have ruined no one, we have exploited no one." Discuss What things "... could defile the body and spirit" and how may one may drift into them? How how does one avoid and/or escape them? Reflect The is great power for good in the encouragement of fellow believers. Share When has a word of rebuke, though hard to hear, helped you to recognize a problem and to move toward repentance? Faith in Action Prayer: Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a fellow believer who needs a word of encouragement. Action: Today I will encourage a fellow believer. I will also thank a fellow believer who was, in the past, the Lord God's messenger of rebuke - and as a result I repented and became a more mature believer. Be Specific ______________________________________________________ Tuesday's text will be: 2 Corinthians 8 -- Draw nearer to the Lord and He will bless you, Have an http://Ultrafidian.com Day! David M. Colburn, DMin. MaCo ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Savannah-Statesboro needs a Bible College/Seminary! Personal Site: http://bibleseven.com Bible Resources: http://bible.org Teacher's Verse: John 7:16 I don't google I SEARCH! Yippy.com ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From fmiller at lightlink.com Sun Dec 25 23:38:17 2011 From: fmiller at lightlink.com (Fred A. Miller) Date: Sun, 25 Dec 2011 23:38:17 -0500 Subject: [Linux4christians] Ho Ho Ho In-Reply-To: <20111225095322.GA9798@kraken> References: <20111225095322.GA9798@kraken> Message-ID: <4EF7FA39.8060506@lightlink.com> On 12/25/2011 04:53 AM, Lincoln Fessenden wrote: > Ho Ho Ho. Lincoln Claus up early filling stockings and making sure Christmas will be special for my girls and I just wanted to wish you all a very merry Christmas! 'Hope everyone had a great day! Fred -- Liberal ideology and political correctness, infused with public policy, begets social insanity. - Michael Savage -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From dcolburn at bibleseven.com Mon Dec 26 19:08:11 2011 From: dcolburn at bibleseven.com (dcolburn at bibleseven.com) Date: Mon, 26 Dec 2011 19:08:11 -0500 Subject: [Linux4christians] B7 - Tuesday - 2 Corinthians 8 Message-ID: <4EF90C6B.4040708@bibleseven.com> Tuesday 2 Corinthians 8 Completing the Collection for the Saints 8:1 Now we make known to you, brothers and sisters, the grace of God given to the churches of Macedonia, 8:2 that during a severe ordeal of suffering, their abundant joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in the wealth of their generosity. 8:3 For I testify, they gave according to their means and beyond their means. They did so voluntarily, 8:4 begging us with great earnestness for the blessing and fellowship of helping the saints. 8:5 And they did this not just as we had hoped, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and to us by the will of God. 8:6 Thus we urged Titus that, just as he had previously begun this work, so also he should complete this act of kindness for you. 8:7 But as you excel in everything -- in faith, in speech, in knowledge, and in all eagerness and in the love from us that is in you -- make sure that you excel in this act of kindness too. 8:8 I am not saying this as a command, but I am testing the genuineness of your love by comparison with the eagerness of others. 8:9 For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that although he was rich, he became poor for your sakes, so that you by his poverty could become rich. 8:10 So here is my opinion on this matter: It is to your advantage, since you made a good start last year both in your giving and your desire to give, 8:11 to finish what you started, so that just as you wanted to do it eagerly, you can also complete it according to your means. 8:12 For if the eagerness is present, the gift itself is acceptable according to whatever one has, not according to what he does not have. 8:13 For I do not say this so there would be relief for others and suffering for you, but as a matter of equality. 8:14 At the present time, your abundance will meet their need, so that one day their abundance may also meet your need, and thus there may be equality, 8:15 as it is written: "/*The one who gathered*/ /*much did not have too much*//, //*and the one who gathered*/ /*little did not have too little*/." The Mission of Titus 8:16 But thanks be to God who put in the heart of Titus the same devotion I have for you, 8:17 because he not only accepted our request, but since he was very eager, he is coming to you of his own accord. 8:18 And we are sending along with him the brother who is praised by all the churches for his work in spreading the gospel. 8:19 In addition, this brother has also been chosen by the churches as our traveling companion as we administer this generous gift to the glory of the Lord himself and to show our readiness to help. 8:20 We did this as a precaution so that no one should blame us in regard to this generous gift we are administering. 8:21 For we are /concerned about what is right not only before the Lord but also before men/. 8:22 And we are sending with them our brother whom we have tested many times and found eager in many matters, but who now is much more eager than ever because of the great confidence he has in you. 8:23 If there is any question about Titus, he is my partner and fellow worker among you; if there is any question about our brothers, they are messengers of the churches, a glory to Christ. 8:24 Therefore show them openly before the churches the proof of your love and of our pride in you. Prayer Lord, You call upon believers to give from hearts of gratitude and love, not coerced by political or religious leaders. May I be found generous without coercion, seeking-out what are the needs, giving as Your blessing to others from the surplus You have given to me. Summary & Commentary Paul reports the generosity of the Macedonian fellowship, even as they were impoverished, and the past generosity of the Corinthian fellowship to the Macedonians. He asks that they "... complete it according to your means". One may observe in this chapter the origins of a couple of elements of philosophy in the vernacular of many cultures with a historic awareness of Paul's writing; "What goes around comes around", and caring for the poor. Paul discusses "equity", not in a political-socialist construct where it is forced upon an unwilling populace by a secular authority, but in a purely voluntary way and for those with whom they shared a Christian faith. Paul reminds them that today they are generous toward the brothers in Macedonia during their financially troubled times and tomorrow the circumstances may be reversed. Paul notes that he has delegated oversight of the distribution of their donated funds to someone generally held in high esteem for his independence and integrity so as to prevent any cause for distrust or false accusation that could undermine the primary mission of sharing Christ. Paul observes that God wants them to give based on a loving response to the observed necessity among their brothers and sisters in Macedonia and not begrudgingly out of an artificial sense of duty so that God may bless them and provide also for them. Interaction Consider A blessing comes to both the giver and the recipient when assistance is provided from a heart of love for brothers and sisters. Discuss In what ways has caring for others, with an expectation of returned-favors distorted Paul's message, especially in the hands of non-believers and governments? Reflect In what ways may you and your fellowship support believers whom you know to be truly in need as you avoid diverting God's resources to non-believers and causes that are not of Christ. Share When have you given sacrificially to assist a believer, not asking to be recognized and not anticipating any worldly blessing, and God blessed you in some way that was even more than you blessed another. Faith in Action Prayer: Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a way to bless a fellow believer in need Action: Today I will assist a fellow-believer, asking for no recognition, seeking no reward. I will pray for them in their need that others will also come alongside. Be Specific ______________________________________________________ Wednesday's text will be: 2 Corinthians 9 -- Draw nearer to the Lord and He will bless you, Have an http://Ultrafidian.com Day! David M. Colburn, DMin. MaCo ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Savannah-Statesboro needs a Bible College/Seminary! Personal Site: http://bibleseven.com Bible Resources: http://bible.org Teacher's Verse: John 7:16 I don't google I SEARCH! Yippy.com ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From fmiller at lightlink.com Mon Dec 26 21:58:24 2011 From: fmiller at lightlink.com (Fred A. Miller) Date: Mon, 26 Dec 2011 21:58:24 -0500 Subject: [Linux4christians] OT: INSPIRING STORY, SOW ON! Message-ID: <4EF93450.5000207@lightlink.com> Whether you believe in Him or not, this is a kindly reminder that we are all human...be kind, judge not, lend a hand for there by the Grace of God go we. YOU REAP WHAT YOU SOW Good morning said a woman as she walked up to the man sitting on ground. The man slowly looked up. This was a woman clearly accustomed to the finer things of life. Her coat was new. She looked like she had never missed a meal in her life. His first thought was that she wanted to make fun of him, like so many others had done before. "Leave me alone," he growled. To his amazement, the woman continued standing. She was smiling -- her even white teeth displayed in dazzling rows. "Are you hungry?" she asked. "No," he answered sarcastically. "I've just come from dining with the president. Now go away." The woman's smile became even broader. Suddenly the man felt a gentle hand under his arm. "What are you doing, lady?" the man asked angrily. "I said to leave me alone. Just then a policeman came up. "Is there any problem, ma'am?" he asked. "No problem here, officer," the woman answered. "I'm just trying to get this man to his feet. Will you help me?" The officer scratched his head. "That's old Jack. He's been a fixture around here for a couple of years. What do you want with him?" "See that cafeteria over there?" she asked. "I'm going to get him something to eat and get him out of the cold for awhile." "Are you crazy, lady?" the homeless man resisted. "I don't want to go in there!" Then he felt strong hands grab his other arm and lift him up. "Let me go, officer. I didn't do anything." "This is a good deal for you, Jack" the officer answered. "Don't blow it." Finally, and with some difficulty, the woman and the police officer got Jack into the cafeteria and sat him at a table in a remote corner. It was the middle of the morning, so most of the breakfast crowd had already left and the lunch bunch had not yet arrived. The manager strode across the cafeteria and stood by his table. "What's going on here, officer?" he asked. "What is all this, is this man in trouble?" "This lady brought this man in here to be fed," the policeman answered. "Not in here!" the manager replied angrily. "Having a person like that here is bad for business." Old Jack smiled a toothless grin. "See, lady. I told you so. Now if you'll let me go. I didn't want to come here in the first place." The woman turned to the cafeteria manager and smiled. "Sir, are you familiar with Eddy and Associates, the banking firm down the street?" "Of course I am," the manager answered impatiently. "They hold their weekly meetings in one of my banquet rooms." "And do you make a goodly amount of money providing food at these weekly meetings?" "What business is that of yours?" I, sir, am Penelope Eddy, president and CEO of the company." "Oh." The woman smiled again. "I thought that might make a difference." She glanced at the cop who was busy stifling a giggle. "Would you like to join us in a cup of coffee and a meal, officer?" "No thanks, ma'am," the officer replied. "I'm on duty." "Then, perhaps, a cup of coffee to go?" "Yes, maam. That would be very nice." The cafeteria manager turned on his heel, "I'll get your coffee for you right away, officer." The officer watched him walk away. "You certainly put him in his place," he said. "That was not my intent. Believe it or not, I have a reason for all this." She sat down at the table across from her amazed dinner guest. She stared at him intently. "Jack, do you remember me?" Old Jack searched her face with his old, rheumy eyes. "I think so -- I mean you do look familiar." "I'm a little older perhaps," she said. "Maybe I've even filled out more than in my younger days when you worked here, and I came through that very door, cold and hungry." "Ma'am?" the officer said questioningly. He couldn't believe that such a magnificently turned out woman could ever have been hungry. "I was just out of college," the woman began. "I had come to the city looking for a job, but I couldn't find anything. Finally I was down to my last few cents and had been kicked out of my apartment. I walked the streets for days. It was February and I was cold and nearly starving. I saw this place and walked in on the off chance that I could get something to eat." Jack lit up with a smile. "Now I remember," he said. "I was behind the serving counter. You came up and asked me if you could work for something to eat. I said that it was against company policy." "I know," the woman continued. "Then you made me the biggest roast beef sandwich that I had ever seen, gave me a cup of coffee, and told me to go over to a corner table and enjoy it. I was afraid that you would get into trouble, then when I looked over and saw you put the price of my food in the cash register, I knew that everything would be all right." "So you started your own business?" Old Jack said. "I got a job that very afternoon. I worked my way up. Eventually I started my own business that, with the help of God, prospered." She opened her purse and pulled out a business card. "When you are finished here, I want you to pay a visit to a Mr. Lyons. He's the personnel director of my company. I'll go talk to him now and I'm certain he'll find something for you to do around the office." She smiled. "I think he might even find the funds to give you a little advance so that you can buy some clothes and get a place to live until you get on your feet. If you ever need anything, my door always opened to you." There were tears in the old man's eyes. "How can I ever thank you?" he said. "Don't thank me," the woman answered. "To God goes the glory. Thank Jesus! He led me to you." Outside the cafeteria, the officer and the woman paused at the entrance before going their separate ways. "Thank you for all your help, officer," she said. "On the contrary, Ms. Eddy," he answered. "Thank you. I saw a miracle today, something that I will never forget. And thank you for the coffee." God closes doors no man can open, and God opens doors no man can close! If you need God to open some doors for you, just talk to him about it. Have a blessed day and remember to be a blessing to someone else, today and every day. -- Liberal ideology and political correctness, infused with public policy, begets social insanity. - Michael Savage -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From fmiller at lightlink.com Mon Dec 26 22:13:17 2011 From: fmiller at lightlink.com (Fred A. Miller) Date: Mon, 26 Dec 2011 22:13:17 -0500 Subject: [Linux4christians] OT: Christmas Flash Mob by Journey of Faith at South Bay Galleria - official video Message-ID: <4EF937CD.80005@lightlink.com> http://patriotsforamerica.ning.com/video/video/show?id=2734278%3AVideo%3A314537&xgs=1&xg_source=msg_share_video -- Liberal ideology and political correctness, infused with public policy, begets social insanity. - Michael Savage -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From dcolburn at bibleseven.com Tue Dec 27 20:56:13 2011 From: dcolburn at bibleseven.com (dcolburn at bibleseven.com) Date: Tue, 27 Dec 2011 20:56:13 -0500 Subject: [Linux4christians] B7 - Wednesday - 2 Corinthians 10 Message-ID: <4EFA773D.3010104@bibleseven.com> Note: Yesterday 2 Corinthians 9 was not included with 2Cor8, even though the Summary & Commentary, Interaction, and Faith in Action sections all addressed both 8 & 9. Sorry for the error. Wednesday 2 Corinthians 10 Paul's Authority from the Lord 10:1 Now I, Paul, appeal to you personally by the meekness and gentleness of Christ (I who am meek when present among you, but am full of courage toward you when away!) -- 10:2 now I ask that when I am present I may not have to be bold with the confidence that (I expect) I will dare to use against some who consider us to be behaving according to human standards. 10:3 For though we live as human beings, we do not wage war according to human standards, 10:4 for the weapons of our warfare are not human weapons, but are made powerful by God for tearing down strongholds. We tear down arguments 10:5 and every arrogant obstacle that is raised up against the knowledge of God, and we take every thought captive to make it obey Christ. 10:6 We are also ready to punish every act of disobedience, whenever your obedience is complete. 10:7 You are looking at outward appearances. If anyone is confident that he belongs to Christ, he should reflect on this again: Just as he himself belongs to Christ, so too do we. 10:8 For if I boast somewhat more about our authority that the Lord gave us for building you up and not for tearing you down, I will not be ashamed of doing so. 10:9 I do not want to seem as though I am trying to terrify you with my letters, 10:10 because some say, "His letters are weighty and forceful, but his physical presence is weak and his speech is of no account." 10:11 Let such a person consider this: What we say by letters when we are absent, we also are in actions when we are present. Paul's Mission 10:12 For we would not dare to classify or compare ourselves with some of those who recommend themselves. But when they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they are without understanding. 10:13 But we will not boast beyond certain limits, but will confine our boasting according to the limits of the work to which God has appointed us, that reaches even as far as you. 10:14 For we were not overextending ourselves, as though we did not reach as far as you, because we were the first to reach as far as you with the gospel about Christ. 10:15 Nor do we boast beyond certain limits in the work done by others, but we hope that as your faith continues to grow, our work may be greatly expanded among you according to our limits, 10:16 so that we may preach the gospel in the regions that lie beyond you, and not boast of work already done in another person's area. 10:17 But /*the one who boasts must boast in the Lord*/. 10:18 For it is not the person who commends himself who is approved, but the person the Lord commends. Prayer Lord, You call for unity and for a process of accountability and discipline among believers in fellowships, and that all is done with the recognition that You are the source of truth and the object of worship. May I encourage unity-in-truth and be unafraid to discipline those who refuse to be accountable, to confess, and to repent of sin. Summary & Commentary Paul asked them to recognize that he had been consistent in letters and when physically present - that he had challenged them about the same matters of righteousness - and that he had done so as God has commanded, intentionally avoiding any human-based alterations to His Word. He explained that those he needed to discipline would only be effectively disciplined when the rest of the fellowship had completed their confession and repentance and were in-agreement with the discipline. [Constable's Notes from bible.org observes that even today there is little point to a leader attempting discipline of a member of a fellowship unless the fellowship is in-agreement.] Paul provided a checklist for them to evaluate his methods: * "... we live as human beings, we do not wage war according to human standards" * "... the weapons of our warfare are not human weapons" * "... but are made powerful by God for tearing down strongholds" * "We tear down arguments ... raised up against the knowledge of God" * "... and every arrogant obstacle ... raised up against the knowledge of God" * "... and we take every thought captive to make it obey Christ" * "We are also ready to punish every act of disobedience" * "... if I boast somewhat more about our authority that the Lord gave us for building you up and not for tearing you down, I will not be ashamed of doing so." Paul addressed an apparent problem with others who boasted about themselves and who were accountable only to themselves, saying "they are without understanding". He notes that within the area of influence assigned by God he had pressed to the edge and prayed that their maturity would result in further growth within that same area. Paul concluded with a double challenge, that one boast only in the Lord, and that one is only approved by the Lord and never by his own claims about himself. Interaction Consider Paul's instruction that "... we take every thought captive to make it obey Christ". Every sin begins with a thought, David on the roof of the castle, Peter reacting fearfully and denying Christ, Ananias and Sapphira lying about their gift to God's ministry. Discuss In what ways may the Lord God use knowledge of Christ to tear down the strongholds of ignorance and arrogant human wisdom? Perhaps referring to non-Biblical religions, the zealotry of proponents of the theory of evolution, of people in fellowships who value man-made traditions over the truth of God? Reflect There is a perplexing problem when some in leadership are arrogant and boastful yet careless with the Word of God; not only does that cause them to fail those who trust them, it also brings confusion about and shame to the name of Christ. Share When have you experienced or observed a situation where a leader's careful witness of an intentionally righteous life has reinforced their teaching of God's Word? How that impacted your faith and walk in a positive way? Faith in Action Prayer: Ask the Holy Spirit to "shine a light and reveal any dark place" in my life. Action: Today I will take a hard look at my thought life for any dark places -- as the Holy Spirit guides - then I will repent (turn away) from it/them. I will ask a fellow believer to pray in agreement for a fearless look and a courageous response. I share with them my victory through Christ. Be Specific ______________________________________________________ Thursday's text will be: 2 Corinthians 11 -- Draw nearer to the Lord and He will bless you, Have an http://Ultrafidian.com Day! David M. Colburn, DMin. MaCo ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Savannah-Statesboro needs a Bible College/Seminary! Personal Site: http://bibleseven.com Bible Resources: http://bible.org Teacher's Verse: John 7:16 I don't google I SEARCH! Yippy.com ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From dcolburn at bibleseven.com Wed Dec 28 21:24:53 2011 From: dcolburn at bibleseven.com (dcolburn at bibleseven.com) Date: Wed, 28 Dec 2011 21:24:53 -0500 Subject: [Linux4christians] B7 - Thursday - 2 Corinthians 11 Message-ID: <4EFBCF75.2040004@bibleseven.com> Thursday 2 Corinthians 11 Paul and His Opponents 11:1 I wish that you would be patient with me in a little foolishness, but indeed you are being patient with me! 11:2 For I am jealous for you with godly jealousy, because I promised you in marriage to one husband, to present you as a pure virgin to Christ. 11:3 But I am afraid that just as the serpent deceived Eve by his treachery, your minds may be led astray from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ. 11:4 For if someone comes and proclaims another Jesus different from the one we proclaimed, or if you receive a different spirit than the one you received, or a different gospel than the one you accepted, you put up with it well enough! 11:5 For I consider myself not at all inferior to those "super-apostles." 11:6 And even if I am unskilled in speaking, yet I am certainly not so in knowledge. Indeed, we have made this plain to you in everything in every way. 11:7 Or did I commit a sin by humbling myself so that you could be exalted, because I proclaimed the gospel of God to you free of charge? 11:8 I robbed other churches by receiving support from them so that I could serve you! 11:9 When I was with you and was in need, I was not a burden to anyone, for the brothers who came from Macedonia fully supplied my needs. I kept myself from being a burden to you in any way, and will continue to do so. 11:10 As the truth of Christ is in me, this boasting of mine will not be stopped in the regions of Achaia. 11:11 Why? Because I do not love you? God knows I do! 11:12 And what I am doing I will continue to do, so that I may eliminate any opportunity for those who want a chance to be regarded as our equals in the things they boast about. 11:13 For such people are false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. 11:14 And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. 11:15 Therefore it is not surprising his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness, whose end will correspond to their actions. Paul's Sufferings for Christ 11:16 I say again, let no one think that I am a fool. But if you do, then at least accept me as a fool, so that I too may boast a little. 11:17 What I am saying with this boastful confidence I do not say the way the Lord would. Instead it is, as it were, foolishness. 11:18 Since many are boasting according to human standards, I too will boast. 11:19 For since you are so wise, you put up with fools gladly. 11:20 For you put up with it if someone makes slaves of you, if someone exploits you, if someone takes advantage of you, if someone behaves arrogantly toward you, if someone strikes you in the face. 11:21 (To my disgrace I must say that we were too weak for that!) But whatever anyone else dares to boast about (I am speaking foolishly), I also dare to boast about the same thing. 11:22 Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they descendants of Abraham? So am I. 11:23 Are they servants of Christ? (I am talking like I am out of my mind!) I am even more so: with much greater labors, with far more imprisonments, with more severe beatings, facing death many times. 11:24 Five times I received from the Jews forty lashes less one. 11:25 Three times I was beaten with a rod. Once I received a stoning. Three times I suffered shipwreck. A night and a day I spent adrift in the open sea. 11:26 I have been on journeys many times, in dangers from rivers, in dangers from robbers, in dangers from my own countrymen, in dangers from Gentiles, in dangers in the city, in dangers in the wilderness, in dangers at sea, in dangers from false brothers, 11:27 in hard work and toil, through many sleepless nights, in hunger and thirst, many times without food, in cold and without enough clothing. 11:28 Apart from other things, there is the daily pressure on me of my anxious concern for all the churches. 11:29 Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is led into sin, and I do not burn with indignation? 11:30 If I must boast, I will boast about the things that show my weakness. 11:31 The God and Father of the Lord Jesus, who is blessed forever, knows I am not lying. 11:32 In Damascus, the governor under King Aretas was guarding the city of Damascus in order to arrest me, 11:33 but I was let down in a rope-basket through a window in the city wall, and escaped his hands. Prayer Lord, You gave us life with You in the Garden of Eden -- Satan manipulated Eve (then Adam) into destroying that, You gave us Jesus and His saving truth -- Satan manipulated many into lying about that to confuse people, and You gave us Your Word so that we could know the difference between truth and lies. May I be a good Berean and, in with the guidance of Your Holy Spirit, check the teaching of everyone against You whole Word. Summary & Commentary Paul took on the "false apostles", sarcastically labeling them "super-apostles". As he had previously warned them - believers must beware the deception of the Enemy, just as he had deceived Eve. He noted, as he had previously, the skills of the "super-apostles" at speaking were not matched by their felicity to Christ; he declared that they taught "another Jesus ... a different spirit ... a different gospel" and he cautioned them to remember that "... even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light." Paul wondered if maybe not requiring the Corinthians to contribute something to his support may have undermined his credibility with them, or perhaps their need for an investment in his teaching, since the "super-apostles" were accepting support and were being trusted by many. He refused to alter his no-support policy as it was a buffer against efforts to manipulate him. He listed his many sacrifices for Christ, in order to neutralize the false worldly claims of the false apostles in their deceptive efforts to supplant him. Interaction Consider Paul's admonition that we beware deceivers and that we ask the Holy Spirit to give us the discernment to root-out the subtle deceptions of smooth-talking leaders whose representation of Christ may be careless or worse. Discuss What are some of the positives and negatives of giving - as it impacts your sense of investment in, and ownership of, the success of God's ministry? Reflect When has a gifted orator captured your imagination but caused you to accept something you later discovered to be untrue? How might you have better defended yourself against that false teacher or teaching? Share When have you experienced a situation where someone who had sacrificed much for the ministry of Christ and was protected from false attack because of their history of faithful service? Faith in Action Prayer: Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a false teachers who needs to be exposed and expelled and a true teachers who needs to be recognized and supported. Action: Today I will pray for faithful leaders among believers and that the Lord God's message will be received with new vigor. I will share a word of encouragement with one who has been especially faithful. Be Specific ______________________________________________________ Friday's text will be: 2 Corinthians 12 -- Draw nearer to the Lord and He will bless you, Have an http://Ultrafidian.com Day! David M. Colburn, DMin. MaCo ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Savannah-Statesboro needs a Bible College/Seminary! Personal Site: http://bibleseven.com Bible Resources: http://bible.org Teacher's Verse: John 7:16 I don't google I SEARCH! Yippy.com ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From dcolburn at bibleseven.com Thu Dec 29 21:40:15 2011 From: dcolburn at bibleseven.com (dcolburn at bibleseven.com) Date: Thu, 29 Dec 2011 21:40:15 -0500 Subject: [Linux4christians] B7 - Friday - 2 Corinthians 12 Message-ID: <4EFD248F.9010705@bibleseven.com> Friday 2 Corinthians 12 Paul's Thorn in the Flesh 12:1 It is necessary to go on boasting. Though it is not profitable, I will go on to visions and revelations from the Lord. 12:2 I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago (whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows) was caught up to the third heaven. 12:3 And I know that this man (whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know, God knows) 12:4 was caught up into paradise and heard things too sacred to be put into words, things that a person is not permitted to speak. 12:5 On behalf of such an individual I will boast, but on my own behalf I will not boast, except about my weaknesses. 12:6 For even if I wish to boast, I will not be a fool, for I would be telling the truth, but I refrain from this so that no one may regard me beyond what he sees in me or what he hears from me, 12:7 even because of the extraordinary character of the revelations. Therefore, so that I would not become arrogant, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to trouble me -- so that I would not become arrogant. 12:8 I asked the Lord three times about this, that it would depart from me. 12:9 But he said to me, "My grace is enough for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." So then, I will boast most gladly about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may reside in me. 12:10 Therefore I am content with weaknesses, with insults, with troubles, with persecutions and difficulties for the sake of Christ, for whenever I am weak, then I am strong. The Signs of an Apostle 12:11 I have become a fool. You yourselves forced me to do it, for I should have been commended by you. For I lack nothing in comparison to those "super-apostles," even though I am nothing. 12:12 Indeed, the signs of an apostle were performed among you with great perseverance by signs and wonders and powerful deeds. 12:13 For how were you treated worse than the other churches, except that I myself was not a burden to you? Forgive me this injustice! 12:14 Look, for the third time I am ready to come to you, and I will not be a burden to you, because I do not want your possessions, but you. For children should not have to save up for their parents, but parents for their children. 12:15 Now I will most gladly spend and be spent for your lives! If I love you more, am I to be loved less? 12:16 But be that as it may, I have not burdened you. Yet because I was a crafty person, I took you in by deceit! 12:17 I have not taken advantage of you through anyone I have sent to you, have I? 12:18 I urged Titus to visit you and I sent our brother along with him. Titus did not take advantage of you, did he? Did we not conduct ourselves in the same spirit? Did we not behave in the same way? 12:19 Have you been thinking all this time that we have been defending ourselves to you? We are speaking in Christ before God, and everything we do, dear friends, is to build you up. 12:20 For I am afraid that somehow when I come I will not find you what I wish, and you will find me not what you wish. I am afraid that somehow there may be quarreling, jealousy, intense anger, selfish ambition, slander, gossip, arrogance, and disorder. 12:21 I am afraid that when I come again, my God may humiliate me before you, and I will grieve for many of those who previously sinned and have not repented of the impurity, sexual immorality, and licentiousness that they have practiced. Prayer Lord, You called and equipped and sent the apostle Paul, yet the Corinthians preferred false teachers. May I always be careful to "test the Spirit" before trusting any leader. Summary & Commentary Paul reiterated that his boasting was only in Christ because there is no limit to the sacrifices any true Christian would make for the cause of Jesus. He testified to the comfort and provision of God to those who trust Him - no matter what. Paul reminded them in a third-person style that he could boast of having been taken up "to the third heaven" but noted that such would not benefit anyone and so, unlike the super-apostles, he would not. He shared with them that God had allowed him to suffer "a thorn in the flesh ... a messenger of Satan to trouble me--so I would not become arrogant" then shared "I asked the Lord three times about this, that it would depart from me. But He said to me, "My grace is perfect [or perfected] in weakness ... Therefore I am content with weaknesses, with insults, with troubles, with persecutions, and difficulties for the sake of Christ" Paul clarified for them that he had not been defending himself but "... speaking in Christ before God, and everything we do, dear friends is to build you up." He expressed a concern that upon his visit there may be disappointment and conflict because they were stuck in their sin, that the Lord God might "humiliate" him in order to teach them, and that it would be his duty to discipline them. Interaction Consider The tension between Paul's humility before Christ and his need to expose the false teachers though comparison of faith-walk credentials. Discuss Isn't the challenge of confronting believers who are stuck in sin, with the hope that they will confess and repent, and the fear that they will defend and rebel what causes many in leadership o look the other way -- to avoid conflict? Reflect Paul's "thorn in the flesh from Satan" was not revealed in a specific form of the thorn so would remain a principle, humility, and not a distraction. Share When have you experienced a situation where a thorn in your flesh was used by God to keep you from arrogance? Perhaps a visible flaw, a flaw in your speech, a flaw in your ability to master some area of learning, or a limitation on your income. Faith in Action Prayer: Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a thorn in your flesh, from which I have been pleading with God for relief, but which is your 'humbleness-thorn'. Action: Today I will cease asking for relief and will instead thank Him for my 'humbleness-thorn'. I will share this with a fellow believer. Be Specific ______________________________________________________ Saturday's text will be: 2 Corinthians 13 -- Draw nearer to the Lord and He will bless you, Have an http://Ultrafidian.com Day! David M. Colburn, DMin. MaCo ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Savannah-Statesboro needs a Bible College/Seminary! Personal Site: http://bibleseven.com Bible Resources: http://bible.org Teacher's Verse: John 7:16 I don't google I SEARCH! Yippy.com ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From dcolburn at bibleseven.com Fri Dec 30 21:56:08 2011 From: dcolburn at bibleseven.com (dcolburn at bibleseven.com) Date: Fri, 30 Dec 2011 21:56:08 -0500 Subject: [Linux4christians] B7 - Saturday - 2 Corinthians 13 Message-ID: <4EFE79C8.50907@bibleseven.com> Saturday 2 Corinthians 13 Paul's Third Visit to Corinth 13:1 This is the third time I am coming to visit you. /*By the testimony*/ /*of two or three witnesses every matter will be established*/. 13:2 I said before when I was present the second time and now, though absent, I say again to those who sinned previously and to all the rest, that if I come again, I will not spare anyone, 13:3 since you are demanding proof that Christ is speaking through me. He is not weak toward you but is powerful among you. 13:4 For indeed he was crucified by reason of weakness, but he lives because of God's power. For we also are weak in him, but we will live together with him, because of God's power toward you. 13:5 Put yourselves to the test to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves! Or do you not recognize regarding yourselves that Jesus Christ is in you -- unless, indeed, you fail the test! 13:6 And I hope that you will realize that we have not failed the test! 13:7 Now we pray to God that you may not do anything wrong, not so that we may appear to have passed the test, but so that you may do what is right even if we may appear to have failed the test. 13:8 For we cannot do anything against the truth, but only for the sake of the truth. 13:9 For we rejoice whenever we are weak, but you are strong. And we pray for this: that you may become fully qualified. 13:10 Because of this I am writing these things while absent, so that when I arrive I may not have to deal harshly with you by using my authority -- the Lord gave it to me for building up, not for tearing down! Final Exhortations and Greetings 13:11 Finally, brothers and sisters, rejoice, set things right, be encouraged, agree with one another, live in peace, and the God of love and peace will be with you. 13:12 Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the saints greet you. 13:13 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. 13:14 [[EMPTY]] Prayer Lord, You are the arbiter of good and evil, right and wrong, You bless obedience and withhold blessing for disobedience, You encourage righteousness and punish unrighteousness. May I choose to live a Biblically-disciplined life so that I do not have to be-disciplined by You. Summary & Commentary Paul predicted that his third visit would be one in which they would be without excuse and one where "I will not spare anyone since you are demanding proof that Christ is speaking through me." He challenged them to test themselves as possessing the presence of God though the Holy Spirit and that His power was visible in their right-living. Paul warned them to apply what he had told them in his letter and to get themselves right before the Lord God so that when he arrived he would not have to "deal harshly" with them using his "authority" because "... the Lord gave it to me for building up, not tearing down!" Paul concluded the final chapter of his second letter to the Corinthians with several exhortations and greetings: * "Finally, brothers and sisters, rejoice ..." * "... set things right" * "... be encouraged" * "... agree with one another" * "... live in peace" * "... and the God of love and peace will be with you." * "Greet one another with a holy kiss ..." * "All the saints greet you." And finally a prayer of blessing or "benediction": /"The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the /fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all." Interaction Consider Paul's desire that his authority from God be used to build up, yet his recognition that it may need to be used as a rod of discipline for the well-being of the fellowship. Discipline is part of the process of discipleship and if we do not discipline ourselves then the Lord God may choose to bring discipline upon us. Discuss Why would those who were under the leadership authority of one called by the Lord God constantly challenge his authority? Did they not understand that the Lord God had empowered Paul to chastise and discipline them as necessary? Reflect Paul's exhortation was for them to rejoice, to set things right, to be encouraged, to agree with one another, and to live in peace. Share Share your heart-reaction to Paul's closing prayer. Does the Holy Spirit stir your spirit when you read those words? Faith in Action Prayer: Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal, from my words and deeds and heart any evidence that once agreeing to submission to the leader under whose shepherding the Lord God has placed me I am then challenging his authority and/or teaching. Action: Today, unless I have a Biblical cause to raise such a challenge - and I am doing so respectfully and through the proper Biblical process - I will repent of any form of rebellion and I will seek forgiveness and reconciliation. Be Specific ______________________________________________________ Sunday's text will be: Galatians -- Draw nearer to the Lord and He will bless you, Have an http://Ultrafidian.com Day! David M. Colburn, DMin. MaCo ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Savannah-Statesboro needs a Bible College/Seminary! Personal Site: http://bibleseven.com Bible Resources: http://bible.org Teacher's Verse: John 7:16 I don't google I SEARCH! Yippy.com ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From dcolburn at bibleseven.com Sat Dec 31 21:36:22 2011 From: dcolburn at bibleseven.com (dcolburn at bibleseven.com) Date: Sat, 31 Dec 2011 21:36:22 -0500 Subject: [Linux4christians] B7 - Sunday Galatians Message-ID: <4EFFC6A6.3070502@bibleseven.com> Sunday Galatians Salutation 1:1 From Paul, an apostle (not from men, nor by human agency, but by Jesus Christ and God the Father who raised him from the dead) 1:2 and all the brothers with me, to the churches of Galatia. 1:3 Grace and peace to you from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ, 1:4 who gave himself for our sins to rescue us from this present evil age according to the will of our God and Father, 1:5 to whom be glory forever and ever! Amen. Occasion of the Letter 1:6 I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you by the grace of Christ and are following a different gospel -- 1:7 not that there really is another gospel, but there are some who are disturbing you and wanting to distort the gospel of Christ. 1:8 But even if we (or an angel from heaven) should preach a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be condemned to hell! 1:9 As we have said before, and now I say again, if any one is preaching to you a gospel contrary to what you received, let him be condemned to hell! 1:10 Am I now trying to gain the approval of people, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a slave of Christ! Paul's Vindication of His Apostleship 1:11 Now I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that the gospel I preached is not of human origin. 1:12 For I did not receive it or learn it from any human source; instead I received it by a revelation of Jesus Christ. 1:13 For you have heard of my former way of life in Judaism, how I was savagely persecuting the church of God and trying to destroy it. 1:14 I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my contemporaries in my nation, and was extremely zealous for the traditions of my ancestors. 1:15 But when the one who set me apart from birth and called me by his grace was pleased 1:16 to reveal his Son in me so that I could preach him among the Gentiles, I did not go to ask advice from any human being, 1:17 nor did I go up to Jerusalem to see those who were apostles before me, but right away I departed to Arabia, and then returned to Damascus. 1:18 Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to visit Cephas and get information from him, and I stayed with him fifteen days. 1:19 But I saw none of the other apostles except James the Lord's brother. 1:20 I assure you that, before God, I am not lying about what I am writing to you! 1:21 Afterward I went to the regions of Syria and Cilicia. 1:22 But I was personally unknown to the churches of Judea that are in Christ. 1:23 They were only hearing, "The one who once persecuted us is now proclaiming the good news of the faith he once tried to destroy." 1:24 So they glorified God because of me. Prayer Lord, Yours is the one and only Gospel, all others are frauds designed by the enemy to deceive people to block their path to truth and to salvation. May I be faithful in sharing and teaching Your Gospel that many will be saved and then also equipped to "go forth". Summary & Commentary Paul greeted the fellowship of believers in Galatia emphasizing that he spoke only from God, Who "raised (him) from the dead" [dead in sin], and that it was Jesus the Christ Who sacrificed to save them from "this present evil age" [Note: This phrase is variously understood by some to refer to the "end times", that period of history from the ascension of Jesus to His return, and by others to the larger time-span of alienation of humankind from the Lord God - beginning with the Fall in Eden and onward to the heavenly-admission of those whose names are written in "The Lamb's Book of Life". Paul chastised them for tolerating false teachings since they knew what was right from him. He declared that any being, man or angel, who preached a gospel other than the one God had given him to give to them, should be "condemned to hell". Paul reminded them of his former persecution of Christians, and of the Lord God's call that he become an ally instead. He also explained that he was not subservient to other apostles as the Lord God had sent him to preach, and that "... they Glorified God because of me" when they heard the reports of his [Paul's] conversion and preaching. [Note: Paul refers to "Arabia" in 1:17. The NET translator's Notes explain "As a geographical region /Arabia/ included the territory west of Mesopotamia, east and south of Syria and Palestine, extending to the isthmus of Suez. During the Roman occupation, some independent kingdoms arose like that of the Nabateans south of Damascus, and these could be called simply Arabia. In light of the proximity to Damascus, this may well be the territory Paul says he visited here."] Interaction Consider Why the relative ease with which believers may be lured into a faulty gospel by a clever orator? Discuss Can an individual believer, or a body of believers, best defend themselves against false teaching through the knowledge of the Word? Reflect The anger of the Lord God at false teachers must have been great to cause Him to instruct Paul to identify them as worthy of condemnation to hell. Share When have you observed an effort made by a clever speaker to "preach another gospel"? How was a fellowship, or an individual, either led astray or able to stand on truth and overcome the deception? Faith in Action Prayer: Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you, from among the sources you trust for Biblical counsel and teaching, any that are providing deliberately-false and/or carelessly-faulty content. Action: Today I will Biblically-challenge anyone who is deliberately distorting the gospel and if they prove unteachable when shown their error, I will make their error known to others and I will flee their influence. Be Specific ______________________________________________________ Monday's text will be: Galatians 2 -- Draw nearer to the Lord and He will bless you, Have an http://Ultrafidian.com Day! David M. Colburn, DMin. MaCo ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Savannah-Statesboro needs a Bible College/Seminary! Personal Site: http://bibleseven.com Bible Resources: http://bible.org Teacher's Verse: John 7:16 I don't google I SEARCH! Yippy.com ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: