When, for example, recognition on the job becomes more important than character on the job, is this not a sign that reputation is displacing the love of God as the ultimate concern?
Theology of Work
Showing posts with label Exodus. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Exodus. Show all posts
Sunday, August 02, 2015
Saturday, December 01, 2012
God is listening
Millions of Americans, on a regular, daily (hourly?), consistent basis, proclaim, "God Damn!". American television, movies, music, radio, and all forms of entertainment use His Holy Name as an expression of disgust, of anger, and of condemnation. "God Damn" is only followed by "Jesus Christ" and the "F" word as "acceptable" cursing for our eager ears.
Might He be answering America's "prayers"?
Exo 15:3 The LORD is a man of war: the LORD is his name.
Exo 15:4 Pharaoh's chariots and his host hath he cast into the sea: his chosen captains also are drowned in the Red sea.
Exo 15:5 The depths have covered them: they sank into the bottom as a stone.
Exo 15:6 Thy right hand, O LORD, is become glorious in power: thy right hand, O LORD, hath dashed in pieces the enemy.
Exo 15:7 And in the greatness of thine excellency thou hast overthrown them that rose up against thee: thou sentest forth thy wrath, which consumed them as stubble.
Exo_20:7 Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.
Lev_18:21 And thou shalt not let any of thy seed pass through the fire to Molech, neither shalt thou profane the name of thy God: I am the LORD.
Lev_19:12 And ye shall not swear by my name falsely, neither shalt thou profane the name of thy God: I am the LORD.
But those who call on Him for salvation, shall not fear, but ready for the next life, His glorious return and a new life on a new earth.
Mal_3:16 Then they that feared the LORD spake often one to another: and the LORD hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the LORD, and that thought upon his name.
Rev 21:1 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.
Rev 21:2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
Rev 21:3 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.
Rev 21:4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.
Rev 21:5 And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.
Rev 21:6 And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.
Rev 21:7 He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.
Psa_72:19 And blessed be his glorious name for ever: and let the whole earth be filled with his glory; Amen, and Amen.
Psa_113:2 Blessed be the name of the LORD from this time forth and for evermore.
Might He be answering America's "prayers"?
Exo 15:3 The LORD is a man of war: the LORD is his name.
Exo 15:4 Pharaoh's chariots and his host hath he cast into the sea: his chosen captains also are drowned in the Red sea.
Exo 15:5 The depths have covered them: they sank into the bottom as a stone.
Exo 15:6 Thy right hand, O LORD, is become glorious in power: thy right hand, O LORD, hath dashed in pieces the enemy.
Exo 15:7 And in the greatness of thine excellency thou hast overthrown them that rose up against thee: thou sentest forth thy wrath, which consumed them as stubble.
Exo_20:7 Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.
Lev_18:21 And thou shalt not let any of thy seed pass through the fire to Molech, neither shalt thou profane the name of thy God: I am the LORD.
Lev_19:12 And ye shall not swear by my name falsely, neither shalt thou profane the name of thy God: I am the LORD.
But those who call on Him for salvation, shall not fear, but ready for the next life, His glorious return and a new life on a new earth.
Mal_3:16 Then they that feared the LORD spake often one to another: and the LORD hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the LORD, and that thought upon his name.
Rev 21:1 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.
Rev 21:2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
Rev 21:3 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.
Rev 21:4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.
Rev 21:5 And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.
Rev 21:6 And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.
Rev 21:7 He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.
Psa_72:19 And blessed be his glorious name for ever: and let the whole earth be filled with his glory; Amen, and Amen.
Psa_113:2 Blessed be the name of the LORD from this time forth and for evermore.
Friday, October 07, 2011
"competent christian vs competent non-christian"
In an interview with CNN, mega church pastor Robert Jeffress said Republicans shouldn't vote for White House hopeful Mitt Romney because he's a Mormon and described the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as a "cult".
Are Mormons a "cult"? Based upon the Biblical standard of one true God, they are not a "Christian" denomination as defined by the protestant faith. Their "Jesus" is not Jesus, the Biblical Son of the One True God, but another man altogether. Their religion is based upon the premise that man may become "god", by following the precepts of their faith. They may well follow " a Christ", but he is not The Christ as defined in the Holy Bible.
Mormonism Research Ministry
Stepping back to the central question of whether or not a Bible believer should vote for a Mormon, or for any non-Christian, I think we need to separate our intentions. Are we electing a civil leader or a religious leader? The Constitution is quite clear that our government shall establish no religion" and "no religious test shall ever be required" for public office; I think we need to set the issue aside unless and until we can make a clear determination of "who follows what". At least, in Romney, we know what we're getting, as opposed to so many "Christians on the surface" who vote and represent us in a manner clearly contradictory to the teachings of the Bible.
Amendment 1 - Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
Article Six (part three) - The Senators and Representatives before mentioned, and the Members of the several State Legislatures, and all executive and judicial Officers, both of the United States and of the several States, shall be bound by Oath or Affirmation, to support this Constitution; but no religious Test shall ever be required as a Qualification to any Office or public Trust under the United States.
That being said, I would not cast a ballot for an avowed atheist because this candidate clearly would be an immoral person and that would be reflected in every decision he or she made. "Immoral" in this context is defined by me as subscribing to no definable standard of conduct.
If the choices are a "hypothetical christian" (as in Obama) vs a "cult christian", (as in Romney), I think we have to let the issue of religion drop and look to their platform on the issues alone. Clearly, from the perspective of a protestant Bible believer, neither candidate will reflect the God of Abraham and Isaac, God the Father, "I Am".
"And behold, the LORD stood above it and said, "I am the LORD, the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac; the land on which you lie, I will give it to you and to your descendants." ~ Genesis 28:13
Are Mormons a "cult"? Based upon the Biblical standard of one true God, they are not a "Christian" denomination as defined by the protestant faith. Their "Jesus" is not Jesus, the Biblical Son of the One True God, but another man altogether. Their religion is based upon the premise that man may become "god", by following the precepts of their faith. They may well follow " a Christ", but he is not The Christ as defined in the Holy Bible.
Mormonism Research Ministry
Stepping back to the central question of whether or not a Bible believer should vote for a Mormon, or for any non-Christian, I think we need to separate our intentions. Are we electing a civil leader or a religious leader? The Constitution is quite clear that our government shall establish no religion" and "no religious test shall ever be required" for public office; I think we need to set the issue aside unless and until we can make a clear determination of "who follows what". At least, in Romney, we know what we're getting, as opposed to so many "Christians on the surface" who vote and represent us in a manner clearly contradictory to the teachings of the Bible.
Amendment 1 - Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
Article Six (part three) - The Senators and Representatives before mentioned, and the Members of the several State Legislatures, and all executive and judicial Officers, both of the United States and of the several States, shall be bound by Oath or Affirmation, to support this Constitution; but no religious Test shall ever be required as a Qualification to any Office or public Trust under the United States.
That being said, I would not cast a ballot for an avowed atheist because this candidate clearly would be an immoral person and that would be reflected in every decision he or she made. "Immoral" in this context is defined by me as subscribing to no definable standard of conduct.
If the choices are a "hypothetical christian" (as in Obama) vs a "cult christian", (as in Romney), I think we have to let the issue of religion drop and look to their platform on the issues alone. Clearly, from the perspective of a protestant Bible believer, neither candidate will reflect the God of Abraham and Isaac, God the Father, "I Am".
"And behold, the LORD stood above it and said, "I am the LORD, the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac; the land on which you lie, I will give it to you and to your descendants." ~ Genesis 28:13
"And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you." Exodus 3:14
Monday, July 19, 2010
Standing In The Gap
Derek Prince provides a quick and decisive lesson on intercession.
Lesson link: The Teaching Legacy of Derek Prince: Standing in the Gap.
Excerpt:
"Ezekiel 22:23–31 records a different scene - similar to the last one in that it portrays the sins of God’s people, yet it is different in that no intercessor was found to stand between the sin of the people and God’s judgement.
And the word of the LORD came to me, saying, “Son of man, say to her [the land of Israel]: ‘You are a land that is not cleansed or rained on in the day of indignation.’ The conspiracy of her prophets in her midst... Her priests have violated My law... Her princes in her midst are like wolves... The people of the land have used oppressions, committed robbery, and mistreated the poor and needy... So I sought for a man among them who would make a wall, and stand in the gap before Me on behalf of the land, that I should not destroy it: but I found no one. Therefore I have poured out My indignation on them.”
All sections of the population had utterly failed— prophets, priests, princes, people. Each of these stands for a certain element in society. The “prophets” are those responsible to bring a message direct from God. The “priests” are the leaders of institutional religion. The “princes” are the secular rulers. The “people” are the rest of the population, the common people. The order in which these four
elements are listed is significant. The process of decay began with the spiritual leadership; then the secular government was corrupted; finally the whole nation was affected. (This has been the order in modern America and many other nations.) Even though every part of society was corrupted, the situation was not yet hopeless. God looked for one man, an intercessor, to stand in the gap and make up the hedge so that He could spare the whole nation. But because He could find none, He poured out
upon them His indignation and “consumed them with the fire of [His] wrath.” One man—one intercessor— could have saved an entire nation from judgement!"
Scripture References:
1 Timothy 2:1
Isaiah 53:12
Luke 23:34
Hebrews 7:25
Genesis 18:20-33
Exodus 32:7-14, 32-35
Psalms 106:19-23
Numbers 16:41-47
Ezekiel 22:23-31
Lesson link: The Teaching Legacy of Derek Prince: Standing in the Gap.
Excerpt:
"Ezekiel 22:23–31 records a different scene - similar to the last one in that it portrays the sins of God’s people, yet it is different in that no intercessor was found to stand between the sin of the people and God’s judgement.
And the word of the LORD came to me, saying, “Son of man, say to her [the land of Israel]: ‘You are a land that is not cleansed or rained on in the day of indignation.’ The conspiracy of her prophets in her midst... Her priests have violated My law... Her princes in her midst are like wolves... The people of the land have used oppressions, committed robbery, and mistreated the poor and needy... So I sought for a man among them who would make a wall, and stand in the gap before Me on behalf of the land, that I should not destroy it: but I found no one. Therefore I have poured out My indignation on them.”
All sections of the population had utterly failed— prophets, priests, princes, people. Each of these stands for a certain element in society. The “prophets” are those responsible to bring a message direct from God. The “priests” are the leaders of institutional religion. The “princes” are the secular rulers. The “people” are the rest of the population, the common people. The order in which these four
elements are listed is significant. The process of decay began with the spiritual leadership; then the secular government was corrupted; finally the whole nation was affected. (This has been the order in modern America and many other nations.) Even though every part of society was corrupted, the situation was not yet hopeless. God looked for one man, an intercessor, to stand in the gap and make up the hedge so that He could spare the whole nation. But because He could find none, He poured out
upon them His indignation and “consumed them with the fire of [His] wrath.” One man—one intercessor— could have saved an entire nation from judgement!"
Scripture References:
1 Timothy 2:1
Isaiah 53:12
Luke 23:34
Hebrews 7:25
Genesis 18:20-33
Exodus 32:7-14, 32-35
Psalms 106:19-23
Numbers 16:41-47
Ezekiel 22:23-31
Saturday, May 05, 2007
What do you think?
Is an artists rendition of Jesus an idol? Is it, according to the scriptures, offensive to God?
Exo 20:4-6 (KJV) "Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments."
from Strong's Concordance:
H6459 - pesel - peh'-sel From H6458; an idol: - carved (graven) image.
H8544 - temu?na?h temu?na?h - tem-oo-naw', tem-oo-naw' - From H4327; something portioned (that is, fashioned) out, as a shape, that is, (indefinitely) phantom, or (specifically) embodiment, or (figuratively) manifestation (of favor): - image, likeness, similitude.
H834 - 'a?sher - ash-er' - A primitive relative pronoun (of every gender and number); who, which, what, that; also (as adverb and conjunction) when, where, how, because, in order that, etc.: - X after, X alike, as (soon as), because, X every, for, + forasmuch, + from whence, + how (-soever), X if, (so) that ([thing] which, wherein), X though, + until, + whatsoever, when, where (+ -as, -in, -of, -on, -soever, -with), which, whilst, + whither (-soever), who (-m, -soever, -se). As it is indeclinable, it is often accompanied by the personal pronoun expletively, used to show the connection.
H8064 - sha?mayim sha?meh - shaw-mah'-yim, shaw-meh' - The second form being dual of an unused singular; from an unused root meaning to be lofty; the sky (as aloft; the dual perhaps alluding to the visible arch in which the clouds move, as well as to the higher ether where the celestial bodies revolve): - air, X astrologer, heaven (-s).
H776 - 'erets - eh'-rets - From an unused root probably meaning to be firm; the earth (at large, or partitively a land): - X common, country, earth, field, ground, land, X nations, way, + wilderness, world.
Tentative Conclusion
The word usage seems to be prohibiting the creation of idols from created things for the express purpose of worship. Any other meaning would have to indicate that God does not want us to make a likeness of anything for any purpose!
The word used for heaven seems to indicate the expanse where the celestial objects hang, not the physical home of Father God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit.
I do not believe that these scriptures indicate that God prohibits making a physical artist's conceptual likeness of Jesus for the purpose of reflection.
What do you think? Are Pictures of Jesus prohibited idols, according to the scriptures?
examples abound: Art and the Bible
Is an artists rendition of Jesus an idol? Is it, according to the scriptures, offensive to God?
Exo 20:4-6 (KJV) "Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments."
from Strong's Concordance:
H6459 - pesel - peh'-sel From H6458; an idol: - carved (graven) image.
H8544 - temu?na?h temu?na?h - tem-oo-naw', tem-oo-naw' - From H4327; something portioned (that is, fashioned) out, as a shape, that is, (indefinitely) phantom, or (specifically) embodiment, or (figuratively) manifestation (of favor): - image, likeness, similitude.
H834 - 'a?sher - ash-er' - A primitive relative pronoun (of every gender and number); who, which, what, that; also (as adverb and conjunction) when, where, how, because, in order that, etc.: - X after, X alike, as (soon as), because, X every, for, + forasmuch, + from whence, + how (-soever), X if, (so) that ([thing] which, wherein), X though, + until, + whatsoever, when, where (+ -as, -in, -of, -on, -soever, -with), which, whilst, + whither (-soever), who (-m, -soever, -se). As it is indeclinable, it is often accompanied by the personal pronoun expletively, used to show the connection.
H8064 - sha?mayim sha?meh - shaw-mah'-yim, shaw-meh' - The second form being dual of an unused singular; from an unused root meaning to be lofty; the sky (as aloft; the dual perhaps alluding to the visible arch in which the clouds move, as well as to the higher ether where the celestial bodies revolve): - air, X astrologer, heaven (-s).
H776 - 'erets - eh'-rets - From an unused root probably meaning to be firm; the earth (at large, or partitively a land): - X common, country, earth, field, ground, land, X nations, way, + wilderness, world.
Tentative Conclusion
The word usage seems to be prohibiting the creation of idols from created things for the express purpose of worship. Any other meaning would have to indicate that God does not want us to make a likeness of anything for any purpose!
The word used for heaven seems to indicate the expanse where the celestial objects hang, not the physical home of Father God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit.
I do not believe that these scriptures indicate that God prohibits making a physical artist's conceptual likeness of Jesus for the purpose of reflection.
What do you think? Are Pictures of Jesus prohibited idols, according to the scriptures?
examples abound: Art and the Bible
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