1/20/13

Listen to Bill


They're standing on the corner and they can't speak English.
I can't even talk the way these people talk:
Why you ain't,
Where you is,
What he drive,
Where he stay,
Where he work,
Who you be...
And I blamed the kid until I heard the mother talk.
And then I heard the father talk.
Everybody knows it's important to speak English except these knuckleheads. You can't be a doctor with that kind of crap coming out of your mouth.
In fact you will never get any kind of job making a decent living.
People marched and were hit in the face with rocks to get an Education, and now we've got these knuckleheads walking around.
The lower economic people are not holding up their end in this deal.
These people are not parenting. They are buying things for kids.
$500 sneakers for what?
And they won't spend $200 for Hooked on Phonics.
I am talking about these people who cry when their son is standing there in an orange suit.
Where were you when he was 2?
Where were you when he was 12?
Where were you when he was 18 and how come you didn't know that he had a pistol?
And where is the father? Or who is his father?
People putting their clothes on backward:
Isn't that a sign of something gone wrong?
People with their hats on backward, pants down around the crack, isn't that a sign of something?
Isn't it a sign of something when she has her dress all the way up and got all type of needles [piercing] going through her body?
What part of Africa did this come from??
We are not Africans. Those people are not Africans; they don't know a thing about Africa .....
I say this all of the time. It would be like white people saying they are European-American. That is totally stupid.
I was born here, and so were my parents and grand parents and, very likely my great grandparents. I don't have any connection to Africa, no more than white Americans have to Germany , Scotland , England , Ireland , or the Netherlands . The same applies to 99 percent of all the black Americans as regards to Africa . So stop, already! ! !
With names like Shaniqua, Taliqua and Mohammed and all of that crap ......... And all of them are in jail.
Brown or black versus the Board of Education is no longer the white person's problem.
We have got to take the neighborhood back.
People used to be ashamed. Today a woman has eight children with eight different 'husbands' -- or men or whatever you call them now.
We have millionaire football players who cannot read.
We have million-dollar basketball players who can't write two paragraphs. We, as black folks have to do a better job.
Someone working at Wal-Mart with seven kids, you are hurting us.
We have to start holding each other to a higher standard..
We cannot blame the white people any longer.'
Dr.. William Henry 'Bill' Cosby, Jr., Ed..D.
WELL SAID, BILL
It's NOT about color...
It's about behavior!!!

 Bill Cosby is more than just a "funny man"!!  What he says makes sense on a common sense level.  Think about it; he is right!!!  And, as for me, I am drawn to this chapter from the New Testament...

Colossians, Chapter 3
 1 If then you were raised together with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated on the right hand of God.  2 Set your mind on the things that are above, not on the things that are on the earth.  3 For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ, our life, is revealed, then you will also be revealed with him in glory.  5 Put to death therefore your members which are on the earth: sexual immorality, uncleanness, depraved passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry;  6 for which things’ sake the wrath of God comes on the children of disobedience.  7 You also once walked in those, when you lived in them;  8 but now you also put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and shameful speaking out of your mouth.  9 Don’t lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old man with his doings,  10 and have put on the new man, who is being renewed in knowledge after the image of his Creator,  11 where there can’t be Greek and Jew, circumcision and uncircumcision, barbarian, Scythian, bondservant, freeman; but Christ is all, and in all. 

  12  Put on therefore, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, a heart of compassion, kindness, lowliness, humility, and perseverance;  13 bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, if any man has a complaint against any; even as Christ forgave you, so you also do. 

  14  Above all these things, walk in love, which is the bond of perfection.  15 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly; in all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your heart to the Lord.

  17  Whatever you do, in word or in deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father, through him. 

  18  Wives, be in subjection to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. 

  19  Husbands, love your wives, and don’t be bitter against them. 

  20  Children, obey your parents in all things, for this pleases the Lord. 
  21  Fathers, don’t provoke your children, so that they won’t be discouraged. 

  22  Servants, obey in all things those who are your masters according to the flesh, not just when they are looking, as men pleasers, but in singleness of heart, fearing God.  23 And whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord, and not for men,  24 knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ.  25 But he who does wrong will receive again for the wrong that he has done, and there is no partiality. 

Listen to Bill, and then read your Bible.  Enough said!!!

Enjoy the Relationship


Spending Time with Jim McGuiggan

Enjoy the Relationship

When you became a Christian in trusting repentance you were baptised into union with the name of Christ or "into the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit." (See Matthew 28:19 and Galatians 3:26-27.) What does that mean? It means a lot of things but it certainly means that you entered into a relation with God. It means that you pledged your heart's allegiance to God but it means you are "in union" with Christ, that you are one with him. You didn't join a club or sign up for some study course. Like the rest of us you were God's child who went astray and the gracious Lord sought you out in Christ and brought you back into oneness with him (the Bible calls that renewed relationship "reconciliation").
God had never ceased loving any of us (no exceptions whatever!) so his task was not to begin to love us but to draw us back to him where his love could express itself in forgiveness and a host of other gracious realities. But it wasn't a place he drew us to or a situation or a condition--it wasn't anything like that. He drew us back to
himself! God called Abraham from Ur and Haran to Canaan (Genesis 11:31--12:1) and he called Israel out of Egypt to mount Sinai but in reality, as he told Israel in Exodus 19:4, he brought them to himself. These weren't geographical moves as much as they were movements of the soul to fellowship with God.
You have begun your Christian life because God wooed and won you and brought you back to him! Jesus spoke of the cross and said, "But I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to myself." (John 12:32) You're not engaged here in a trial of intellectual or religious strength and it's not a test you pass so that God will grant you a status.
Words like "status" and "position" and "place" are good words but they aren't big enough to cover all the truths. Well, in fact, no one word can do that. However we think of ourselves before God we need to see ourselves as the children he loves ceaselessly. We were wayward children that he came in search of and brought us back to himself and to his home.
You are related to God your Holy Father. You're Christ's friend. This being true you'll find you're more sensitive to your sin and more anxious to please--that's true enough but that will be because the friendship already exists. God has befriended us in Jesus Christ. The astonishing truth is that the Holy Father really likes us. So rejoice in that and let the joy of the Lord be your strength.


Bible Reading, Jan. 20


Jan. 20
Genesis 20


Gen 20:1 Abraham traveled from there toward the land of the South, and lived between Kadesh and Shur. He lived as a foreigner in Gerar.
Gen 20:2 Abraham said about Sarah his wife, "She is my sister." Abimelech king of Gerar sent, and took Sarah.
Gen 20:3 But God came to Abimelech in a dream of the night, and said to him, "Behold, you are a dead man, because of the woman whom you have taken. For she is a man's wife."
Gen 20:4 Now Abimelech had not come near her. He said, "Lord, will you kill even a righteous nation?
Gen 20:5 Didn't he tell me, 'She is my sister?' She, even she herself, said, 'He is my brother.' In the integrity of my heart and the innocence of my hands have I done this."
Gen 20:6 God said to him in the dream, "Yes, I know that in the integrity of your heart you have done this, and I also withheld you from sinning against me. Therefore I didn't allow you to touch her.
Gen 20:7 Now therefore, restore the man's wife. For he is a prophet, and he will pray for you, and you will live. If you don't restore her, know for sure that you will die, you, and all who are yours."
Gen 20:8 Abimelech rose early in the morning, and called all his servants, and told all these things in their ear. The men were very scared.
Gen 20:9 Then Abimelech called Abraham, and said to him, "What have you done to us? How have I sinned against you, that you have brought on me and on my kingdom a great sin? You have done deeds to me that ought not to be done!"
Gen 20:10 Abimelech said to Abraham, "What did you see, that you have done this thing?"
Gen 20:11 Abraham said, "Because I thought, 'Surely the fear of God is not in this place. They will kill me for my wife's sake.'
Gen 20:12 Besides, she is indeed my sister, the daughter of my father, but not the daughter of my mother; and she became my wife.
Gen 20:13 It happened, when God caused me to wander from my father's house, that I said to her, 'This is your kindness which you shall show to me. Everywhere that we go, say of me, "He is my brother." ' "
Gen 20:14 Abimelech took sheep and cattle, male servants and female servants, and gave them to Abraham, and restored Sarah, his wife, to him.
Gen 20:15 Abimelech said, "Behold, my land is before you. Dwell where it pleases you."
Gen 20:16 To Sarah he said, "Behold, I have given your brother a thousand pieces of silver. Behold, it is for you a covering of the eyes to all that are with you. In front of all you are vindicated."
Gen 20:17 Abraham prayed to God. God healed Abimelech, and his wife, and his female servants, and they bore children.
Gen 20:18 For Yahweh had closed up tight all the wombs of the house of Abimelech, because of Sarah, Abraham's wife.


Daniel: The Vision Of The Time Of The End (III), Mark Copeland

                          "THE BOOK OF DANIEL"

         The Vision Of The Time Of The End - III (11:36-12:13)

INTRODUCTION

1. We have been studying the final vision recorded in the book of
   Daniel...
   a. Depicting what will affect Daniel's people (i.e., Israel) - Dan 10:14
   b. Describing events "in the latter days, for the vision refers to
      many days yet to come" - Dan 10:14
   c. Its words were closed and sealed "till the time of the end" - Dan 12:9
   -- For such reasons this vision has been called "The Vision Of The
      Time Of The End"

2. In the introductory remarks of the vision, there is a glimpse of
   spiritual warfare...
   a. Angelic forces withstanding each other - Dan 10:13a,20
   b. Angelic forces helping each other - Dan 10:13b,21; 11:1
   -- Such forces affecting the nations of Persia and Greece

3. As the vision unfolds, a series of future conflicts involving
   nations is described...
   a. Between the Persians and the Greeks - Dan 11:2-4
   b. Between kings of the South (Egypt) and kings of the North (Syria)
      - Dan 11:5-35
      1) In this conflict, Israel would be caught in the middle
      2) Israel would suffer extreme blasphemies by one Syrian king
         (Antiochus Epiphanes)

4. Beginning with Dan 11:36, there is a large diversity of opinion...
   a. Regarding the identity of the king described in Dan 11:36-45
   b. The time in which events described in Dan 11:36-12:13 would be
      fulfilled

[As with any difficult portion of Scripture, especially one involving
prophecy, dogmatism should be avoided.  In this study, our final one in
this series of lessons on the Book of Daniel, I shall offer what I
believe is a plausible explanation of the text...]

I. THE IDENTITY OF THE KING AND HIS TIMES

   A. THREE DIFFERENT VIEWS...
      1. The king is Antiochus Epiphanes of Syria
         a. The vile and blasphemous ruler described in Dan 11:21-35
         b. The time of his persecution would therefore be 169-167 B.C.
         c. The time of the Maccabean revolt
         -- This view is espoused by Albert Barnes in his commentary
      2. The king represents the Roman emperors
         a. Who persecuted Christians in the early years of the church
         b. The time of this persecution would therefore be 60-313 A.D.
         -- This view is proposed by Robert Harkrider in his workbook
      3. The king represents the Anti-Christ
         a. A future ruler still to come
         b. The time of this persecution would be shortly before the
            return of Christ
         -- This view is held by pre-millennialists, but also by some
            amillennialists (e.g., Edward Young)

   B. ANTIOCHUS EPIPHANES SEEMS A LIKELY CHOICE...
      1. The allusion in previous verses is undoubtedly to Antiochus
         Epiphanes
      2. There is no indication in the prophetic narrative of any
         change; notice...
         a. "Then the king shall do..." - Dan 11:36
         b. "At the time of the end the king of South shall attack
            him..." - Dan 11:40
         c. "At that time Michael..." - Dan 12:1
         d. "And at that time your people shall be delivered..." - Dan 12:1
      3. A sudden transition, with no given indication, is not in
         accordance with what is usually found in prophetic writings
         (Barnes)
      4. The word "king" is never applied to Antichrist (if there in
         fact be "the Antichrist", as the Bible speaks of many
         antichrists - 1Jn 2:18,22; 4:3; 2Jn 7)
      5. The description that follows can easily be applied to the
         person and times of Antiochus Epiphanes

[This is not imply there is no difficulty with applying this passage to
Antiochus Epiphanes and his times, but I believe it possesses fewer
difficulties than alternative views.  Now let's consider what is
described to come...]

II. THE EVENTS AT "THE TIME OF THE END"

   A. THE BLASPHEMY OF THIS KING...
      1. He shall magnify himself above every god - Dan 11:36-37
         a. Speaking blasphemies against the God of gods
         b. Prospering till the wrath that has been determined is done
            (suggesting that this was allowed by God as part of divine
            judgment against Israel) - cf. Dan 11:35; as with the case
            of Assyria and Israel, Isa 10:5-12
         c. He shall not regard the god of his fathers, nor the desire
            of women, nor any god
      2. He shall honor a god of fortresses - Dan 11:38-39
         a. A god which his fathers did not know (some suggest the
            Roman god Mars, or Jupiter)
         b. He shall act against the strongest fortresses with this
            foreign god, rule over many and divide the land for gain
      -- In his commentary, Albert Barnes explains how this could apply
         to Antiochus

   B. THE CONQUESTS AND END OF THIS KING...
      1. The king of the South (Egypt) shall attack him - Dan 11:40
         a. Note that this will occur "at the time of the end"
         b. This may help pinpoint the meaning of the "latter days" of
            Dan 10:14
      2. The king of the North (Antiochus Epiphanes) will respond and
         overwhelm the countries - Dan 11:40-43
         a. Entering the "Glorious Land" (Israel)
         b. Overthrowing many, while Edom, Moab and Ammon will escape
         c. Egypt will not escape, even Libyans and Ethiopians will
            submit
      3. He shall come to his end - Dan 11:44-45
         a. News from the east and north will trouble him (from Persia)
         b. He shall proceed to destroy and annihilate many, planting
            his tents between the seas and the glorious holy mountain
            (Mt. Zion, Jerusalem?)
         c. Yet he shall come to his end, no one helping him (Antiochus
            died in 163 B.C. of a terrible disease)
      -- Again, Barnes relates in detail how these events could refer
         to Antiochus

   C. THE ULTIMATE VICTORY OF DANIEL'S PEOPLE...
      1. To occur "at that time" - Dan 12:1
         a. To be assisted by "Michael...the great prince who stands
            watch over the sons of your people" - cf. Dan 10:13,21
         b. In a time of a trouble not seen before
         c. Deliverance of Daniel's people "at that time"
            1) I.e., the time just previously described 
            2) I.e., the time of the conflict involving Antiochus
               Epiphanes
      2. Many who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake - Dan 12:2
         a. Some to everlasting life
         b. Some to shame and everlasting contempt
         -- Note that this is not likely the physical resurrection of
            the dead, for then "all" (not "many") shall be raised 
            - Jn 5:28,29
      3. Those who will shine at this time - Dan 12:3
         a. The wise will shine like the brightness of the firmament
         b. Those who turn many to righteousness will shine like the
            stars forever and ever
      -- Using the figure of the resurrection, this may depict the
         Maccabean revolt when the Jews came out of caves and mountain
         hideouts to resist Antiochus - cf. Dan 11:33-35

   D. FINAL INSTRUCTIONS AND ANSWERS GIVEN TO DANIEL...
      1. Shut up the words, and seal the book until the time of the end
         - Dan 12:4
         a. Perhaps what is meant is to stop writing, and secure what
            he has written
         b. Compare this with Dan 8:17,19,26
            1) Both visions (Dan 8, 10-12) were to be sealed up
            2) Both pertained to many days in the future
            3) Yet both visions were fulfilled within 200-400 years
         c. Contrast this with Rev 22:10
            1) The vision of the Revelation was not to be sealed, for
               the time was at hand
            2) How then the explanation of some that the events of
               Revelation have yet to begin, nearly 2000 years later?
      2. Two final questions answered
         a. One question overheard by Daniel - Dan 12:5-7
            1) Daniel saw two others, one on each side of a river bank
            2) One asked the man clothed in linen (cf. Dan 10:5-6)
               above the river:  "How long shall the fulfillment of
               these wonders be?"
            3) The answer: "...a time, times, and half a time; and when
               the power of the holy people has been completely
               shattered, all these things shall be finished."
               a) The "time, times, and half a time" (3 and a half
                  years, 42 months, 1260 days) is commonly used to
                  describe a definite, marked, period of tribulation 
                  - cf. Dan 7:25; Re 11:2,3; 12:6,13-14; 13:5
               b) When the persecution has accomplished its purpose,
                  then the things described will take place
         b. The question asked by Daniel - Dan 12:8-13
            1) Not understanding, Daniel asks:  "...what shall be the
               end of these things?"
            2) Daniel is first told:
               a) To go, for the words are closed and sealed till the
                  time of the end
               b) That many shall be purified, and the wise shall
                  understand - cf. Dan 11:33-35
               c) That the wicked shall do wickedly, and not understand
                  - cf. Dan 11:32
               d) That there will be a period of "1290 days" beginning
                  from:
                  1/ The time the daily sacrifice is taken away - cf.
                     Dan 11:31
                  2/ The abomination of desolation is set up - cf. Dan 11:31
               e) Those who wait and come to "1335 days" will be 
                  blessed
               -- Whether literal or figurative, these numbered days
                  appear to apply to the period of the Antiochian
                  persecution (ca. 168 B.C.)
            3) Daniel is then told:
               a) To go his way till the end
               b) For he shall rest and arise to his inheritance at the
                  end of the days
               -- This "end" or "end of the days" may refer to the
                  actual resurrection on the day of Judgment, not "the
                  time of the end" spoken of throughout this vision

CONCLUSION

1. We have seen that "The Vision Of The Time Of The End" describes
   events that would...
   a  Affect Daniel's people (i.e., Israel) - Dan 10:14
   b. Take place "in the latter days, for the vision refers to many
      days yet to come" - Dan 10:14
   c. Occur in "the time of the end" - Dan 11:35,40; 12:4,9

2. From the context, "the time of the end" likely refers to the closing
   days of God's dealings with Israel as His covenant nation; i.e.,...
   a. The inter-testamental period between Malachi and Matthew
   b. The period involving the Greek-Persian and Egyptian-Syrian
      conflicts
   -- Which is how the phrase is used in "The Vision Of The Ram and The
      Goat" that depicts many of the same events - cf. Dan 8:1-27
      (esp. 17,26)
                  
3. As we conclude our study of the Book of Daniel, we have found it to
   be a book that...
   a. Strengthens faith in God and His Word through its fulfilled
      prophecies
      1) Describing the rise and fall of world empires - Dan 2,4-5
      2) Foretelling the establishment of God's everlasting kingdom 
         - Dan 2,7,9
      3) Depicting the events to befall the people of Israel - Dan 8,9,
         10-12
   b. Inspires faithfulness to God through its examples of dedicated
      faith and service
      1) Of Daniel - Dan 1,6
      2) Of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego - Dan 3

While there is certainly much in this book that challenges our
understanding, may we never neglect to mine its spiritual treasures
preserved for the people of God:

   "For whatever things were written before were written for our
   learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the
   Scriptures might have hope." - Ro 15:4

Executable Outlines, Copyright © Mark A. Copeland, 2011