3/27/12

Congratulations: YOU are rich!!!


I have never seen a $100,000 bill before.  Woodrow Wilson I recognized and remembered he was the president during World War I, but frankly, not a lot more.  So, I looked up some quick facts about him...

Historical Significance:

Woodrow Wilson played a huge role in determining if and when America would get involved in World War I. He was an isolationist at heart who attempted to keep America out of war. However, with the Lusitania, the continued harassment of American ships by German submarines, and the release of the Zimmerman Telegram, America would not be held back. Wilson fought for the League of Nations to help avert another World War which won him the 1919 Nobel Peace Prize.

Events and Accomplishments of Woodrow Wilson’s Presidency:


One of the first events of Wilson's presidency was the passage of the Underwood Tariff. This reduced tariff rates from 41 to 27%. It also created the first federal income tax after the passage of the 16th Amendment.
 
In 1913, the Federal Reserve Act created the Federal Reserve system to help deal with economic highs and lows. It provided banks with loans and helped smooth out business cycles.

In 1914, the Clayton Anti-Trust Act was passed to help labor have more rights. It allowed important labor tools like strikes, pickets, and boycotts.

During this time, a revolution was occurring in Mexico. In 1914, Venustiano Carranza took over the Mexican government. However, Pancho Villa held much of northern Mexico. When Villa crossed into America in 1916 and killed 17 Americans, Wilson sent 6,000 troops under General John Pershing to the area. Pershing pursued Villa into Mexico upsetting the Mexican government and Carranza.

World War I began in 1914 when Archduke Francis Ferdinand was assassinated by a Serbian nationalist. Due to agreements made amongst the European nations, many eventually joined the war. The Central Powers: Germany, Autstria-Hungary, Turkey, and Bulgaria fought against the Allies: Britain, France, Russia, Italy, Japan, Portugal, China, and Greece. America remained neutral at first but eventually entered the war in 1917 on the side of the allies. Two reasons were the sinking of the British ship Lusitania which killed 120 Americans and the Zimmerman telegram which revealed that Germany was trying to get an agreement with Mexico to form an alliance if the U.S. entered the war. America officially entered the war on April 6, 1917.

Pershing led American troops into battle helping to defeat the Central Powers. An armistice was signed on November 11, 1918. The Treaty of Versailles signed in 1919 blamed the war on Germany and demanded huge reparations. It also created a League of Nations. In the end, the Senate would not ratify the treaty and would never join the League.

In Wilson's day, $100,000 was a huge sum; many decades of earning for the ordinary person.  Today, its still a large sum of money, but many successful people make this much and more in a single year.  If you actually owned a bill this large, even a rich man would be careful with it.  I wonder what people would actually DO TO ACQUIRE IT?  In fact, there is nothing wrong with money; we all have some, but when acquiring and hoarding money becomes an overwhelming desire, THEN WE DO HAVE A PROBLEM!!!  The Bible recognizes this as truth and speaks directly to the problem...

WEB: Hebrews 13:5. Be free from the love of money, content with such things as you have, for he has said, “I will in no way leave you, neither will I in any way forsake you.”

WEB: I Timothy 6:10. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some have been led astray from the faith in their greed, and have pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

If you love and are loved by God, money is not a problem because knowing and obeying God place HIM first.  Because you know that ultimately HE WILL TAKE CARE OF YOUR REAL NEEDS, money has a much lower consideration in the life of a Christian.  God is first, HE rules, not GREED!!!  Greed will cause sorrow and frankly, WHO NEEDS THAT?  Work, be a good steward of whatever God has given you and let the rest go.  You may never be a president or ever have a large denomination bill like the one in the picture but if God is in your life you are rich!!!

Mar. 27 Leviticus 9, 10


Mar. 27
Leviticus 9, 10

Lev 9:1 It happened on the eighth day, that Moses called Aaron and his sons, and the elders of Israel;
Lev 9:2 and he said to Aaron, "Take a calf from the herd for a sin offering, and a ram for a burnt offering, without blemish, and offer them before Yahweh.
Lev 9:3 You shall speak to the children of Israel, saying, 'Take a male goat for a sin offering; and a calf and a lamb, both a year old, without blemish, for a burnt offering;
Lev 9:4 and a bull and a ram for peace offerings, to sacrifice before Yahweh; and a meal offering mixed with oil: for today Yahweh appears to you.' "
Lev 9:5 They brought what Moses commanded before the Tent of Meeting: and all the congregation drew near and stood before Yahweh.
Lev 9:6 Moses said, "This is the thing which Yahweh commanded that you should do: and the glory of Yahweh shall appear to you."
Lev 9:7 Moses said to Aaron, "Draw near to the altar, and offer your sin offering, and your burnt offering, and make atonement for yourself, and for the people; and offer the offering of the people, and make atonement for them; as Yahweh commanded."
Lev 9:8 So Aaron drew near to the altar, and killed the calf of the sin offering, which was for himself.
Lev 9:9 The sons of Aaron presented the blood to him; and he dipped his finger in the blood, and put it on the horns of the altar, and poured out the blood at the base of the altar:
Lev 9:10 but the fat, and the kidneys, and the cover from the liver of the sin offering, he burned upon the altar; as Yahweh commanded Moses.
Lev 9:11 The flesh and the skin he burned with fire outside the camp.
Lev 9:12 He killed the burnt offering; and Aaron's sons delivered the blood to him, and he sprinkled it around on the altar.
Lev 9:13 They delivered the burnt offering to him, piece by piece, and the head: and he burned them upon the altar.
Lev 9:14 He washed the innards and the legs, and burned them on the burnt offering on the altar.
Lev 9:15 He presented the people's offering, and took the goat of the sin offering which was for the people, and killed it, and offered it for sin, like the first.
Lev 9:16 He presented the burnt offering, and offered it according to the ordinance.
Lev 9:17 He presented the meal offering, and filled his hand from there, and burned it upon the altar, besides the burnt offering of the morning.
Lev 9:18 He also killed the bull and the ram, the sacrifice of peace offerings, which was for the people: and Aaron's sons delivered to him the blood, which he sprinkled around on the altar,
Lev 9:19 and the fat of the bull and of the ram, the fat tail, and that which covers the innards, and the kidneys, and the cover of the liver:
Lev 9:20 and they put the fat upon the breasts, and he burned the fat on the altar:
Lev 9:21 and the breasts and the right thigh Aaron waved for a wave offering before Yahweh, as Moses commanded.
Lev 9:22 Aaron lifted up his hands toward the people, and blessed them; and he came down from offering the sin offering, and the burnt offering, and the peace offerings.
Lev 9:23 Moses and Aaron went into the Tent of Meeting, and came out, and blessed the people: and the glory of Yahweh appeared to all the people.
Lev 9:24 There came forth fire from before Yahweh, and consumed the burnt offering and the fat upon the altar: and when all the people saw it, they shouted, and fell on their faces.

Lev 10:1 Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, each took his censer, and put fire in it, and laid incense on it, and offered strange fire before Yahweh, which he had not commanded them.
Lev 10:2 And fire came forth from before Yahweh, and devoured them, and they died before Yahweh.
Lev 10:3 Then Moses said to Aaron, "This is what Yahweh spoke of, saying, 'I will show myself holy to those who come near me, and before all the people I will be glorified.' " Aaron held his peace.
Lev 10:4 Moses called Mishael and Elzaphan, the sons of Uzziel the uncle of Aaron, and said to them, "Draw near, carry your brothers from before the sanctuary out of the camp."
Lev 10:5 So they drew near, and carried them in their coats out of the camp, as Moses had said.
Lev 10:6 Moses said to Aaron, and to Eleazar and to Ithamar, his sons, "Don't let the hair of your heads go loose, neither tear your clothes; that you don't die, and that he not be angry with all the congregation: but let your brothers, the whole house of Israel, bewail the burning which Yahweh has kindled.
Lev 10:7 You shall not go out from the door of the Tent of Meeting, lest you die; for the anointing oil of Yahweh is on you." They did according to the word of Moses.
Lev 10:8 Yahweh spoke to Aaron, saying,
Lev 10:9 "Drink no wine nor strong drink, you, nor your sons with you, when you go into the Tent of Meeting, that you don't die: it shall be a statute forever throughout your generations:
Lev 10:10 and that you are to make a distinction between the holy and the common, and between the unclean and the clean;
Lev 10:11 and that you are to teach the children of Israel all the statutes which Yahweh has spoken to them by Moses."
Lev 10:12 Moses spoke to Aaron, and to Eleazar and to Ithamar, his sons who were left, "Take the meal offering that remains of the offerings of Yahweh made by fire, and eat it without yeast beside the altar; for it is most holy;
Lev 10:13 and you shall eat it in a holy place, because it is your portion, and your sons' portion, of the offerings of Yahweh made by fire: for so I am commanded.
Lev 10:14 The waved breast and the heaved thigh you shall eat in a clean place, you, and your sons, and your daughters with you: for they are given as your portion, and your sons' portion, out of the sacrifices of the peace offerings of the children of Israel.
Lev 10:15 The heaved thigh and the waved breast they shall bring with the offerings made by fire of the fat, to wave it for a wave offering before Yahweh: and it shall be yours, and your sons' with you, as a portion forever; as Yahweh has commanded."
Lev 10:16 Moses diligently inquired about the goat of the sin offering, and, behold, it was burned: and he was angry with Eleazar and with Ithamar, the sons of Aaron who were left, saying,
Lev 10:17 "Why haven't you eaten the sin offering in the place of the sanctuary, seeing it is most holy, and he has given it you to bear the iniquity of the congregation, to make atonement for them before Yahweh?
Lev 10:18 Behold, its blood was not brought into the inner part of the sanctuary: you certainly should have eaten it in the sanctuary, as I commanded."
Lev 10:19 Aaron spoke to Moses, "Behold, this day they have offered their sin offering and their burnt offering before Yahweh; and such things as these have happened to me: and if I had eaten the sin offering today, would it have been pleasing in the sight of Yahweh?"
Lev 10:20 When Moses heard that, it was pleasing in his sight.

Mar. 27, 28 Mark 16


Mar. 27, 28
Mark 16

Mar 16:1 When the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, bought spices, that they might come and anoint him.
Mar 16:2 Very early on the first day of the week, they came to the tomb when the sun had risen.
Mar 16:3 They were saying among themselves, "Who will roll away the stone from the door of the tomb for us?"
Mar 16:4 for it was very big. Looking up, they saw that the stone was rolled back.
Mar 16:5 Entering into the tomb, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, dressed in a white robe, and they were amazed.
Mar 16:6 He said to them, "Don't be amazed. You seek Jesus, the Nazarene, who has been crucified. He has risen. He is not here. Behold, the place where they laid him!
Mar 16:7 But go, tell his disciples and Peter, 'He goes before you into Galilee. There you will see him, as he said to you.' "
Mar 16:8 They went out, and fled from the tomb, for trembling and astonishment had come on them. They said nothing to anyone; for they were afraid.
Mar 16:9 Now when he had risen early on the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, from whom he had cast out seven demons.
Mar 16:10 She went and told those who had been with him, as they mourned and wept.
Mar 16:11 When they heard that he was alive, and had been seen by her, they disbelieved.
Mar 16:12 After these things he was revealed in another form to two of them, as they walked, on their way into the country.
Mar 16:13 They went away and told it to the rest. They didn't believe them, either.
Mar 16:14 Afterward he was revealed to the eleven themselves as they sat at the table, and he rebuked them for their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they didn't believe those who had seen him after he had risen.
Mar 16:15 He said to them, "Go into all the world, and preach the Good News to the whole creation.
Mar 16:16 He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who disbelieves will be condemned.
Mar 16:17 These signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new languages;
Mar 16:18 they will take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it will in no way hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover."
Mar 16:19 So then the Lord Jesus, after he had spoken to them, was received up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God.
Mar 16:20 They went out, and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word by the signs that followed. Amen.

"THE BOOK OF ISAIAH" Early Messages Of Isaiah (2-5) by Mark Copeland

"THE BOOK OF ISAIAH"

                     Early Messages Of Isaiah (2-5)

OBJECTIVES IN STUDYING THIS SECTION

1) To survey several messages of Isaiah, possibly presented in the early
   years of his ministry

2) To consider the first prophesy that looked forward to the age of the
   Messiah in which we now live

3) To introduce "foreshortening" and "figurative language" as concepts
   to understanding Biblical prophecy

SUMMARY

Chapter one (Introduction To The Entire Prophecy) provided an example of
the message God gave Isaiah to proclaim to Judah.  The next four
chapters (2-5) contain messages which speak of both the future and
present of Judah and Jerusalem.  Edward J. Young (The Book Of Isaiah)
proposes that they were Early Messages Of Isaiah presented near the
beginning of his ministry.

The first message is one of great hope, in which Zion's Glorious Future
is foretold.  The mountain of the Lord's house will be established in
the latter days, in which the word of the Lord will go forth from
Jerusalem.  Many will want to go up to the mountain of the Lord to learn
of His ways and walk in His paths of peace.  This message is clearly
Messianic and its fulfillment began with the coming of Christ (cf. Lk
24:46-47) and the establishment of His church, the house of the living
God (cf. 1Ti 3:15; also He 12:22-25).  The culmination of the prophecy
may extend even beyond the second coming of Christ, to the eternal
destiny of the redeemed, depicted in Revelation as the New Jerusalem
coming down out of heaven (Re 21:1-7,10-11,23-27).  If so, then we have
an example of what has been described as "prophetic foreshortening", in
which events far removed in the future are spoken of as if they were
close together (like looking at distant mountains; they may appear close
together, but actually be far apart).  It is in the fulfillment that we
learn various elements of a prophecy may be separated by a long period of
time (e.g., Joel 2:28-32).  Even so, the prophecy like Zion's Glorious
Future would encourage those of Isaiah's day to look forward with hope
(2:1-4).

The future hope of Zion (Jerusalem) is tempered, however, by Isaiah's
message concerning Zion's Inglorious Present.  The people of Judah in
Isaiah's day were being forsaken by God because they had left him to go
after worldliness, materialism, and idolatry.  Thus the "day of the
Lord" was about to come upon them, a time in which the arrogant would be
humbled, good leadership would cease to exist, and the women of Israel
disciplined for their wantonness.  Yet the purpose of this judgment was
to purify, and the remnant could look forward to blessings of "The
Branch" (the Messiah, 11:1), described in figurative terms that could be
understood by and give hope to Isaiah's original audience (2:5-4:6).

The reality of impending judgment is driven home by a message that
begins with a song depicting the relationship between God And Judah.
The Beloved (God) has built a vineyard and planted a choice vine (Judah)
that produced "wild grapes" (sin).  The Beloved is therefore forced to
lay waste the vineyard.  After categorizing the sins of the people upon
whom woe is to befall, judgment is described as nations from afar coming
to carry them away (5:1-30).

OUTLINE

I. ZION'S GLORIOUS FUTURE (2:1-4)

   A. THE MOUNTAIN OF THE LORD'S HOUSE...
      1. A message pertaining to Judah and Jerusalem - 2:1
      2. Events to occur in "the latter days" - 2:2a; cf. Dan 2:28,
         44-45; Ac 2:16-17; He 1:2
      3. The mountain of the Lord's house to be established - 2:2b
         a. On the top of the mountains
         b. Exalted above the hills
         c. All nations shall flow to it - cf. He 12:22-25

   B. THE WORD OF THE LORD FROM JERUSALEM...
      1. Many will want to go up to the mountain of the Lord - 2:3
         a. To the house of God Jacob - cf. Ac 15:14-17
         b. To learn of His ways, to walk in His paths - cf. Mt 11:28-
            30; 28:20
      2. Out of Zion shall go forth the law - 2:4
         a. The word of the Lord from Jerusalem - cf. Lk 24:46-47; Ac
            2,8
         b. He shall judge between the nations, rebuke many people
            1) They shall beat their swords into plowshares, spears into
               pruning hooks
            2) Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, nor learn
               war anymore - cf. Ep 2:11-22; Col 3:11; Ro 12:18; 14:17,
               19; also Re 21:10-11,23-27

II. ZION'S INGLORIOUS PRESENT (2:5-4:6)

   A. DESCRIPTION OF THE PEOPLE...
      1. Perhaps in view of the glorious future, a plea to walk in the
         light of the Lord - 2:5
      2. For God has forsaken them, and for good reasons
         a. They are infatuated with pagan customs and peoples - 2:6
         b. They are filled with symbols of wealth and power - 2:7
         c. The land is filled with idols, to which they worship and bow
            down - 2:8-9a
      3. Even Isaiah has lost his patience - 2:9b

   B. THE COMING OF "THE DAY OF THE LORD"...
      1. Coming upon all that are haughty and their idols - 2:10-18
      2. The fate of the people and their idols - 2:19-21
      3. An admonition to cease trusting in man - 2:22

   C. THE REMOVAL OF GOOD LEADERSHIP...
      1. The Lord will deprive the nation not only of supplies, but of
         good leaders - 3:1-7
      2. Because of Judah and Jerusalem's blatant wickedness - 3:8-9
      3. The righteous will be cared for, but not the wicked! - 3:10-11
      4. So poor leaders will be given to the people, and leaders who
         misused their power will be judged - 3:12-15

   D. THE WOMEN AND THEIR COMING TRAGEDY...
      1. Judgment to come upon them for their haughtiness and wantonness
         - 3:16-17
      2. A detailed description of their loss - 3:18-4:1
         a. The Lord will take away their finery
         b. Their men will fall by the sword and war
         c. They shall be left desolate, and desperate to remove their
            reproach

   E. THE RENEWAL OF ZION...
      1. "The Branch of the Lord shall be beautiful and glorious" - 4:2
         a. "In that day" - in the time of the Messiah
         b. For the Messiah is often depicted as a "branch" - e.g., Isa
            11:1; Jer 23:5; Zech 6:12
      2. Blessings for the remnant, in figures giving hope to Israel
         - 4:3-6
         a. The fruit of the earth shall be excellent and appealing
         b. They shall be holy when the filth and blood has been purged
            by judgment
         c. Above every dwelling place, a cloud of smoke by day, shining
            fire by night, a covering over all the glory
         d. A tabernacle for shade in the daytime heat, a place of
            shelter from storm and rain

III. GOD AND JUDAH (5:1-30)

   A. THE SONG OF THE BELOVED AND HIS VINEYARD...
      1. The Beloved planted a vineyard, but it produced wild grapes
         - 5:1-2
      2. The Lord tells Judah and Jerusalem that He will lay waste His
         vineyard - 5:3-6
      3. The vineyard identified as the house of Israel and the men of
         Judah; what the Lord wanted was justice and righteousness, what
         He got was oppression and cries for help - 5:7

   B. WOES TO THE "WILD GRAPES"...
      1. The rich who overbuild the land, they shall become desolate
         - 5:8-10
      2. The pleasure seekers, who shall go into captivity; they shall
         be humbled while the Lord will be exalted - 5:11-17
      3. The blatant sinners, who dare the Lord to do anything - 5:18-19
      4. The confused moralists, who call evil good and good evil - 5:20
      5. The arrogant and self-righteous - 5:21
      6. The mighty at drinking wine, taking bribes, depriving the
         righteous of justice - 5:22-23

   C. THE IMPENDING JUDGMENT...
      1. For rejecting the law of the Lord, and despising His word
         - 5:24
      2. The Lord's anger is aroused against His people, He has already
         struck the land - 5:25
      3. He will call for mighty nations to invade the land - 5:26-30
         a. Nations from afar, that will not stumble nor sleep
         b. Whose weapons are ready, and will devour like the lion
         c. Who will take them away, while the land is left in darkness
            and sorrow

REVIEW QUESTIONS FOR THIS SECTION

1) What do chapters 2-5 likely contain?
   - Early messages of Isaiah

2) What is foretold at the beginning of this section? (2:1-4)
   - Zion's glorious future

3) When will it happen?  When did it begin? (2:2)
   - In the last days
   - With the coming of Christ and the outpouring of the Spirit (Ac
     2:16-17; He 1:1-2)

4) What will happen in those days? (2:2-3)
   - The mountain of the Lord's house will be established on the top of
     the mountains
   - All nations will flow to it, to learn the ways of the Lord
   - Out of Zion shall go forth the law, the word of the Lord from
     Jerusalem (Lk 24:46-47)

5) What will the Lord do?  What will His people do? (2:4)
   - Judge many nations, rebuke many people
   - Beat their swords into plowshares, their spears into pruning hooks

6) What does Isaiah describe in the rest of chapters 2-4?
   - Zion's inglorious present

7) What was the moral condition of the people in Isaiah's day? (2:5-9)
   - They are infatuated with pagan customs and peoples
   - They are filled with symbols of wealth and power
   - The land is filled with idols, to which they worship and bow down

8) What was coming, and upon whom? (2:10-22)
   - The day of the Lord of hosts
   - Those who were haughty and trusting in idols

9) What would the Lord take away from them?  What would He give them in
   return? (3:1-12)
   - Good leaders; inexperienced and weak leaders

10) What is said concerning the righteous that is comforting? (3:10)
   - It shall be well with them, they shall eat of the fruit of their
     doings

11) Whose is then condemned by the Lord? Why? (3:16-23)
   - The daughters of Zion; for their haughtiness and wantonness

12) What will happen to them? (3:24-4:1)
   - Their finery will be taken away, their men will fall by the sword

13) What is promised for the remnant who survive? (4:2-6)
   - The Branch of the Lord will be beautiful and glorious
   - The fruit of the earth shall be excellent and appealing
   - They will be called holy
   - Above every dwelling place of Mount Zion and her assemblies, a
     cloud of smoke by day and a flaming fire at night
   - A tabernacle for shade in the daytime heat, a shelter from the
     storm and rain

14) What song does Isaiah then sing? What is it about? Who is it
    about? (5:1-7)
   - A song of his Beloved and His vineyard
   - His Beloved built a vineyard and planted the choicest vine, but it
     produced wild grapes
   - His Beloved would therefore lay waste the vineyard
   - The house of Israel and the men of Judah

15)  Upon whom were "woes" to come? (5:8-23)
   - The rich who overbuild the land
   - The pleasure seekers
   - The blatant sinners
   - The confused moralists, who call evil good and good evil
   - The arrogant and self-righteous
   - The mighty at drinking wine, taking bribes, depriving others of
     justice

16) In summary, what was the reason for their impending judgment? (5:24)
   - For rejecting the law of the Lord, and despising His word

17) How was the Lord's anger aroused against His people? (5:25-30)
   - He has already struck the land
   - He would call for mighty nations to invade the land