Indestructable!!!

This lighthouse looks like it will be overwhelmed by those massive waves, yet somehow it survives.  Christianity is a lot like this lighthouse.  Daily we hear of fresh avenues of attack; new ways Satan is trying to destroy God's work.  The good news is, Satan will continue to fail.  Why?  Because nothing can withstand the will of God; absolutely nothing!!!  If we are within that will, Satan can not get to us either.  The following scriptures give insight to this thought...

WEB: Matthew Chapter 16

[13] Now when Jesus came into the parts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, "“Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?”"

[14] They said, “Some say John the Baptizer, some, Elijah, and others, Jeremiah, or one of the prophets.”

[15] He said to them, "“But who do you say that I am?”"

[16] Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”

[17] Jesus answered him, "“Blessed are you, Simon Bar Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. [18] I also tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my assembly, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it.

Peter actually said something right: he acknowledged that Jesus was the Christ, the Son of the living God.  This, coupled with obedience is the foundation for the assembly (the church) and not can stand against it, absolutely nothing!!!  As Jesus is the light of the world, so is his assembly (or church).  It just occurred to me; the place where Christians meet is a light - house because the light of God shines there!!!

Feb. 28 Exodus 9

Feb. 28

Exodus 9

Exo 9:1 Then Yahweh said to Moses, "Go in to Pharaoh, and tell him, 'This is what Yahweh, the God of the Hebrews, says: "Let my people go, that they may serve me.

Exo 9:2 For if you refuse to let them go, and hold them still,

Exo 9:3 behold, the hand of Yahweh is on your livestock which are in the field, on the horses, on the donkeys, on the camels, on the herds, and on the flocks with a very grievous pestilence.

Exo 9:4 Yahweh will make a distinction between the livestock of Israel and the livestock of Egypt; and there shall nothing die of all that belongs to the children of Israel." ' "

Exo 9:5 Yahweh appointed a set time, saying, "Tomorrow Yahweh shall do this thing in the land."

Exo 9:6 Yahweh did that thing on the next day; and all the livestock of Egypt died, but of the livestock of the children of Israel, not one died.

Exo 9:7 Pharaoh sent, and, behold, there was not so much as one of the livestock of the Israelites dead. But the heart of Pharaoh was stubborn, and he didn't let the people go.

Exo 9:8 Yahweh said to Moses and to Aaron, "Take to you handfuls of ashes of the furnace, and let Moses sprinkle it toward the sky in the sight of Pharaoh.

Exo 9:9 It shall become small dust over all the land of Egypt, and shall be a boil breaking forth with boils on man and on animal, throughout all the land of Egypt."

Exo 9:10 They took ashes of the furnace, and stood before Pharaoh; and Moses sprinkled it up toward the sky; and it became a boil breaking forth with boils on man and on animal.

Exo 9:11 The magicians couldn't stand before Moses because of the boils; for the boils were on the magicians, and on all the Egyptians.

Exo 9:12 Yahweh hardened the heart of Pharaoh, and he didn't listen to them, as Yahweh had spoken to Moses.

Exo 9:13 Yahweh said to Moses, "Rise up early in the morning, and stand before Pharaoh, and tell him, 'This is what Yahweh, the God of the Hebrews, says: "Let my people go, that they may serve me.

Exo 9:14 For this time I will send all my plagues against your heart, against your officials, and against your people; that you may know that there is none like me in all the earth.

Exo 9:15 For now I would have put forth my hand, and struck you and your people with pestilence, and you would have been cut off from the earth;

Exo 9:16 but indeed for this cause I have made you stand: to show you my power, and that my name may be declared throughout all the earth;

Exo 9:17 as you still exalt yourself against my people, that you won't let them go.

Exo 9:18 Behold, tomorrow about this time I will cause it to rain a very grievous hail, such as has not been in Egypt since the day it was founded even until now.

Exo 9:19 Now therefore command that all of your livestock and all that you have in the field be brought into shelter. Every man and animal that is found in the field, and isn't brought home, the hail shall come down on them, and they shall die." ' "

Exo 9:20 Those who feared the word of Yahweh among the servants of Pharaoh made their servants and their livestock flee into the houses.

Exo 9:21 Whoever didn't regard the word of Yahweh left his servants and his livestock in the field.

Exo 9:22 Yahweh said to Moses, "Stretch forth your hand toward the sky, that there may be hail in all the land of Egypt, on man, and on animal, and on every herb of the field, throughout the land of Egypt."

Exo 9:23 Moses stretched forth his rod toward the heavens, and Yahweh sent thunder, hail, and lightning flashed down to the earth. Yahweh rained hail on the land of Egypt.

Exo 9:24 So there was very severe hail, and lightning mixed with the hail, such as had not been in all the land of Egypt since it became a nation.

Exo 9:25 The hail struck throughout all the land of Egypt all that was in the field, both man and animal; and the hail struck every herb of the field, and broke every tree of the field.

Exo 9:26 Only in the land of Goshen, where the children of Israel were, there was no hail.

Exo 9:27 Pharaoh sent, and called for Moses and Aaron, and said to them, "I have sinned this time. Yahweh is righteous, and I and my people are wicked.

Exo 9:28 Pray to Yahweh; for there has been enough of mighty thunderings and hail. I will let you go, and you shall stay no longer."

Exo 9:29 Moses said to him, "As soon as I have gone out of the city, I will spread abroad my hands to Yahweh. The thunders shall cease, neither shall there be any more hail; that you may know that the earth is Yahweh's.

Exo 9:30 But as for you and your servants, I know that you don't yet fear Yahweh God."

Exo 9:31 The flax and the barley were struck, for the barley was in the ear, and the flax was in bloom.

Exo 9:32 But the wheat and the spelt were not struck, for they had not grown up.

Exo 9:33 Moses went out of the city from Pharaoh, and spread abroad his hands to Yahweh; and the thunders and hail ceased, and the rain was not poured on the earth.

Exo 9:34 When Pharaoh saw that the rain and the hail and the thunders were ceased, he sinned yet more, and hardened his heart, he and his servants.

Exo 9:35 The heart of Pharaoh was hardened, and he didn't let the children of Israel go, just as Yahweh had spoken through Moses.

Feb. 28, 29 Mark 2

Feb. 28, 29

Mark 2

Mar 2:1 When he entered again into Capernaum after some days, it was heard that he was in the house.

Mar 2:2 Immediately many were gathered together, so that there was no more room, not even around the door; and he spoke the word to them.

Mar 2:3 Four people came, carrying a paralytic to him.

Mar 2:4 When they could not come near to him for the crowd, they removed the roof where he was. When they had broken it up, they let down the mat that the paralytic was lying on.

Mar 2:5 Jesus, seeing their faith, said to the paralytic, "Son, your sins are forgiven you."

Mar 2:6 But there were some of the scribes sitting there, and reasoning in their hearts,

Mar 2:7 "Why does this man speak blasphemies like that? Who can forgive sins but God alone?"

Mar 2:8 Immediately Jesus, perceiving in his spirit that they so reasoned within themselves, said to them, "Why do you reason these things in your hearts?

Mar 2:9 Which is easier, to tell the paralytic, 'Your sins are forgiven;' or to say, 'Arise, and take up your bed, and walk?'

Mar 2:10 But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins" -he said to the paralytic-

Mar 2:11 "I tell you, arise, take up your mat, and go to your house."

Mar 2:12 He arose, and immediately took up the mat, and went out in front of them all; so that they were all amazed, and glorified God, saying, "We never saw anything like this!"

Mar 2:13 He went out again by the seaside. All the multitude came to him, and he taught them.

Mar 2:14 As he passed by, he saw Levi, the son of Alphaeus, sitting at the tax office, and he said to him, "Follow me." And he arose and followed him.

Mar 2:15 It happened, that he was reclining at the table in his house, and many tax collectors and sinners sat down with Jesus and his disciples, for there were many, and they followed him.

Mar 2:16 The scribes and the Pharisees, when they saw that he was eating with the sinners and tax collectors, said to his disciples, "Why is it that he eats and drinks with tax collectors and sinners?"

Mar 2:17 When Jesus heard it, he said to them, "Those who are healthy have no need for a physician, but those who are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance."

Mar 2:18 John's disciples and the Pharisees were fasting, and they came and asked him, "Why do John's disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees fast, but your disciples don't fast?"

Mar 2:19 Jesus said to them, "Can the groomsmen fast while the bridegroom is with them? As long as they have the bridegroom with them, they can't fast.

Mar 2:20 But the days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them, and then will they fast in that day.

Mar 2:21 No one sews a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment, or else the patch shrinks and the new tears away from the old, and a worse hole is made.

Mar 2:22 No one puts new wine into old wineskins, or else the new wine will burst the skins, and the wine pours out, and the skins will be destroyed; but they put new wine into fresh wineskins."

Mar 2:23 It happened that he was going on the Sabbath day through the grain fields, and his disciples began, as they went, to pluck the ears of grain.

Mar 2:24 The Pharisees said to him, "Behold, why do they do that which is not lawful on the Sabbath day?"

Mar 2:25 He said to them, "Did you never read what David did, when he had need, and was hungry-he, and those who were with him?

Mar 2:26 How he entered into the house of God when Abiathar was high priest, and ate the show bread, which is not lawful to eat except for the priests, and gave also to those who were with him?"

Mar 2:27 He said to them, "The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.

Mar 2:28 Therefore the Son of Man is lord even of the Sabbath."

"THE BOOK OF PSALMS" Psalm 8 - The Song Of The Astronomer by Mark Copeland

 "THE BOOK OF PSALMS"

                 Psalm 8 - The Song Of The Astronomer

OBJECTIVES IN STUDYING THIS PSALM

1) To consider a beautiful example of a hymn of praise

2) To observe the use and possible meaning of the word "Gittith"

3) To note man's dominion over the earth when created by God, but also
   that he lost it and has now been regained by Jesus Christ

SUMMARY

The heading attributes this psalm to David, with instructions to the
Chief Musician to be sung "upon Gittith."  This may mean "after the
tune of the treaders of the winepress" (Leupold) and refer to the
joyful nature in which the workers sung.  The psalm is certainly a hymn
of delight, as are others with this word in the heading (Ps 81, 84).  I
second Spurgeon's suggestion that this psalm can be called "The Song Of
The Astronomer" as it seems to have been prompted while contemplating
the night skies.

It begins praising God for His excellent name (i.e. character) and His
glory in the earth and above the heavens.  God's glory is illustrated
in the way He is able to use "babes" and "infants" (i.e., the frailest
and weakest of men, e.g., Mt 11:25; 1Co 1:27) to silence the enemy and
the avenger (1-2).

David's praise appears to have been sparked by comparing the work of
God in the heavens with the seeming insignificance of man on the earth.
Amazed that God would even be mindful of man, David noted that God
created man a little lower than the angels, and even set man over the
works of His hands, including the animals, birds, and fish (3-8).  Of
course, after the fall of man that dominion was lost, and has since
been regained by Jesus Christ following His resurrection and ascension
to heaven (cf. He 2:5-9; Mt 28:19; Ep 1:20-22; 1Pe 3:22).

The psalm ends the way it began, praising the excellence of God's name
in all the earth, which is the proper response of His creation,
especially man (9).

OUTLINE

I. GOD'S MAJESTY IN CREATION (8:1-2)

   A. HIS NAME AND GLORY (1)
      1. His name (character) exalted in all the earth
      2. His glory set above the heavens

   B. HIS POWER OVER ENEMIES (2)
      1. Able to ordain strength from the mouths of babes and infants
      2. And thereby silence the enemy and the avenger

II. MAN'S DIGNITY OVER CREATION (8:3-9)

   A. MAN'S INSIGNIFICANCE (3-4)
      1. In contrast to the heavens, the moon and stars
      2. Amazed that God would consider man, even less care for him

   B. MAN'S EXALTATION (5-8)
      1. By virtue of his creation by God
         a. Made a little lower than the angels
         b. Crowned with glory and honor
      2. By virtue of his place in creation
         a. Given dominion over the works of God
         b. All things placed under his feet
            1) Sheep, oxen, the beasts of the field
            2) The birds of the air
            3) The fish that pass through the paths of the sea

   C. MAN'S RESPONSE (9)
      1. To praise God!
      2. For His excellent Name in all the earth!

REVIEW QUESTIONS FOR THE PSALM

1) What are the main points of this psalm?
   - God's majesty in creation (1-2)
   - Man's dignity over creation (3-9)

2) Who is the author of this psalm?
   - David

3) For what does the Psalmist praise God? (1)
   - The excellence of His name (character) in all the earth
   - His glory set above the heavens

4) How has God chosen to silence the enemy and the avenger? (2)
   - By working His strength (power) through "babes" and "infants"

5) What prompted the Psalmist's amazement over God's concern for man?
   (3-4)
   - His contemplation of the night skies

6) How was man exalted when God created him? (5-6)
   - God made him a little lower than the angels
   - God crowned him with glory and honor
   - God gave him dominion over the works of His hands
   - God put all things under his feet

7) What things were placed under man's feet? (7-8)
   - All sheep and oxen
   - The beasts of the field
   - The birds of the air
   - The fish that pass through the paths of the sea

8) Has man maintained his dominion over the earth? (cf. He 2:5-8)
   - No

9) Who now has all authority over heaven and earth? (cf. He 2:9; Mt
   28:19; Ep 1:20-22; 1Pe 3:22)
   - Jesus Christ, who became man and for the suffering of death has 
     been crowned with glory and honor; He is now head over all things

10) Contemplating God's majesty and man's dignity, how does David end
    his psalm? (9)
   - With praise for the excellence of God's name (character) in all 
     the earth