From Gary... incunable?

Yesterday, I was watching an episode of "Pawn Stars" and I saw an old book.  OK, this is nothing new, but they called it something I had never heard before- an incunable, which they defined as a handwritten book before the year 1500.  So when I saw this picture today, I started to write incunable but was unsure how to spell it, and when my dictionary did not find anything, I went to the web and found the following...

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

"Incunabula" redirects here. For other uses, see Incunabula (disambiguation).

Page from Valerius Maximus,Facta et dicta memorabilia, printed in red and black by Peter Schöffer (Mainz, 1471). The page exhibits a rubricated initial letter "U" and decorations,marginalia, and ownership stamps of the "Bibliotheca Gymnasii Altonani" (Hamburg).

An incunable, or sometimes incunabulum (plural incunables or incunabula, respectively) is a book, pamphlet, or broadside (such as the Almanach cracoviense ad annum 1474) that was printed—not handwritten—before the year 1501 in Europe. "Incunable" is the anglicised singular form of "incunabula", Latin for "swaddling clothes" or "cradle"^[1] which can refer to "the earliest stages or first traces in the development of anything."^[2] A former term for "incunable" is "fifteener," referring to the fifteenth century.

The first recorded use of incunabula as a printing term is in a Latin pamphlet by Bernhard von Mallinckrodt, De ortu et progressu artis typographicae ("Of the rise and progress of the typographic art", Cologne, 1639), which includes the phrase prima typographicae incunabula, "the first infancy of printing", a term to which he arbitrarily set an end, 1500, which still stands as a convention.^[3] The term came to denote the printed books themselves in the late seventeenth century.

The convenient but arbitrarily chosen end date for identifying a printed book as an incunable does not reflect any notable developments in the printing process, and many books printed for a number of years after 1500 continued to be visually indistinguishable from incunables. "Post-incunable" typically refers to books printed after 1500 up to another arbitrary end date such as 1520 or 1540.

As of 2008, there are between 28,000 and 30,000 distinct incunable editions known to be extant, while the number of surviving copies in Germany alone is estimated at around 125,000.^[4][5]

Well, after comparing the picture with that of the article, the picture looks mechanically produced and not what I thought it was.  However, I suppose it could be- after all, even a pawn shop owner had to call in an expert to be sure.  One thing is sure, the book in the topmost picture looks old.  And from the amount of pages opened ,the picture, and the word "porphera", I would guess this is from Isaiah.  If so, then this would be part of what is displayed.  Since I don't read German, remember, this is only a guess.

Isaiah, Chapter 6

  1 In the year that king Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lifted up; and his train filled the temple. 2 Above him stood the seraphim. Each one had six wings. With two he covered his face. With two he covered his feet. With two he flew.  3 One called to another, and said, 

“Holy, holy, holy, is Yahweh of Armies!

The whole earth is full of his glory!”

  4  The foundations of the thresholds shook at the voice of him who called, and the house was filled with smoke.  5 Then I said, “Woe is me! For I am undone, because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for my eyes have seen the King, Yahweh of Armies!” 

  6  Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar. 7 He touched my mouth with it, and said, “Behold, this has touched your lips; and your iniquity is taken away, and your sin forgiven.” 

  8  I heard the Lord’s voice, saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” 

Then I said, “Here I am. Send me!” 

  9  He said, “Go, and tell this people, 

‘You hear indeed,

but don’t understand;

and you see indeed,

but don’t perceive.’

  10 Make the heart of this people fat.

Make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes;

lest they see with their eyes,

and hear with their ears,

and understand with their heart,

and turn again, and be healed.”

God is HOLY; we who have fled to Jesus for refuge are holy because HE is HOLY.  Sometimes, I forget how awesome this fact is and if I do, probably others do as well.  When the prophet saw the great scene described in the verses above, he was MOTIVATED to act.  God of Hosts, referred to as Yahweh of Armies in the World English Version, tells him to "Go".  Since I know that this is none other than the Old Testament manifestation of Jesus, then I must ask myself-- does this apply to me?  The Scriptures from the New Testament immediately come to mind...

Matthew, Chapter 28

 18 Jesus came to them and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth.   19  Go, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,   20  teaching them to observe all things that I commanded you. Behold, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen. 

Now, I could be wrong about the graphic in the top picture, but not about the prophet's attitude or Jesus' command.  Someone said to me the other day, something like... how do you do post every day?  The answer is found in my understanding of the Isaiah and Matthew passages as applied to me.  I do what I can, and encourage you to as well.  It probably won't be blogging, but who knows?  Whatever form your zeal takes, remember that picture in the top graphic and realize you are doing it for Jesus- who is awesome beyond our comprehension!!!!

From Gary V. Womack...FAITH and PERSISTENCE IN PRAYER

FAITH & PERSISTENCE IN PRAYER

Lk. 11:5-13 Parable of the friend at midnight.

Some things to be learned from his example.

1. He went DIRECTLY to his friend

Jn. 16:23-27 Jesus taught His disciples to pray to the Father and ask in His (Jesus') name.

We go to our FRIENDS first

Jn. 15:13-14 "Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends. You are My friends if you do whatever I command you."

Have we laid down our lives for Him? Is He our FRIEND?

Mt. 16:24-26 We must DENY self, take up our cross, and FOLLOW Him.

2 Cor. 8:1-5 The Macedonians "First gave themselves..."

There is a BOND between friends that allows us to CONFIDE in them. (What we might be afraid to ask a stranger, we can ask a friend - even at midnight)

2. He went PERSONALLY to his friend

Mt. 6:6 "But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly."

Not only is prayer intimately personal, but it is CONFIDENTIAL.

(We can bring to Him our most shameful problems - that which we are embarrassed for the world to know - knowing that He will keep them confidential - That's what friends do)

But it will not be so in the judgment where sin will be exposed for all to see

1 Cor. 4:5 "Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord comes, who will both bring to light the hidden things of darkness and reveal the counsels of the hearts; and then each one's praise will come from God."

3. He went with URGENCY & PERSISTENCE

Mt. 7:7-11 Ask, Seek, Knock

He did his part in trying to obtain his need. (The Lord helps those who help themselves)

Mt. 6:11 "Give us this day our daily bread."

2 Thess. 3:10 "For even when we were with you, we commanded you this: If anyone will not work, neither shall we eat."

Jas. 2:14-17 Faith without works is dead (Based on our work - should we eat?)

4. He went INTENDING to receive his request

Jas. 1:5-8 If we lack faith - don't expect to receive our request.

(This is the mark of an unstable, double-minded person.)

Lack of confidence = lack of trust = lack of commitment

Lukewarmness - Indifference - Lack of zeal = Unacceptability to God.

Rev. 3:15-16 "I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spew you out of My mouth."

1 Cor. 15:58 "Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast , immovable , always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in

vain in the Lord."

Are we morally sound - spiritually grounded - faithfully active?

(Firm in conviction - faithful in attendance - responsible - dependable)

Heb. 4:14-16 " ...let us hold fast our confession" COMMITMENT !!! (so we can "...come boldly..." in order to "...obtain..." our requests.)

To abide in Christ & His word in us - is a prerequisite to answered prayer.

Jn. 15:7 "If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what

you desire, and it shall be done for you."

If we are not in Christ - we do not have access to the blessings in Him

Eph. 1:3 "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ."

vs. 7-8 "In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace which He made to abound

toward us in all wisdom and prudence."

vs. 11 "in whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the counsel of His will,"

INVITATION - How do we gain access to these blessings in Christ?

Gal. 3:26-29 "For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ's, then you are Abrahams's seed, and heirs according to the promise."

From Jim McGuiggan... EMPTINESS and THE HUMAN CONDITION

EMPTINESS & THE HUMAN CONDITION

Jesus said he hadn't come to steal from anyone! He came to bring life to the full (John 10). Doctors and physicists, ditch-diggers and bricklayers, school-teachers or auto-mechanics—not one of them is poorer at the job because they meet and embrace Jesus as Lord. It doesn't matter where you find yourself in life, Jesus only enriches you.

Still, for all our talk many of us tire of living. He offers more than we can presently embrace and enjoy all the time. Sometimes it doesn't matter how lovely the meal our host or wife or husband or parent sets before us—we're simply not in the mood, we have no appetite for it. Who knows why this is so when we ourselves can't put our finger on the reason why gloom [or something like it] settles on us? Of course we can make educated guesses, sensible guesses, but in the end it is what it is. The "human condition" is prone to vague [or a deep] sense of emptiness in life [have you read Ecclesiastes lately?].

In Spielberg's E.T. the little alien is befriended by a boy, who, if it came to it, would give his life for the little creature. And what's more ETsenses this and finds a deep pleasure, even joy, in the child's company. However brief the relationship it was one of those that blossomed immediately, as if it was meant to be. You might have seen such a thing or, if you've been very blessed, you might have experienced one like it. A lot depends on the persons involved, doesn't it? It seems some people can love a lifetime in only a few moments and others, poor souls, seem not to be able to commit to love even for a few moments even in a lifetime.

The child asks ET where he lives, pointing to a place on a world map and then to himself, indicating where he lived. That was his home and he asks ET where his home was. The little alien makes some balls float in the air to illustrate galaxies and then waddling to the window he points out into the night sky and with a heart-jerking and mournful tone he says, "Home." Several times in the movie we hear that mournful, missing-home tone as he expresses the hurt he feels, "Home."

I'm not now speaking of those whose lives are one prolonged crucifixion. Most of us have some pain and loss to bear even though we truly believe that all in all we have a good life. But however fine life is for us—if we're not hedonist to the core—don't you experience a weariness sometimes? Some say they never do and I fully believe them and I'm glad for them. But for the rest of us I suspect we get world-weary. Sometimes, however rarely, there comes the distant but definite longing just to lay down "the burden" of existing. Just to go to sleep—permanently! We can all, I'm sure, make a list of possible reasons for those feelings and I'm sure too that some of them would be on target.

It doesn't seem to matter that our finances are adequate, our family is loving and supportive and doing well. It doesn't seem to matter that we have a job that is satisfying in the various ways we think important or that our health is better than we have a right to expect. We're able to enjoy music, creation, friends, political freedom, the respect of our peers and the other things that make life sweet. And yet…here it comes…that sense of…unease or weariness; a loneliness that [in the words of Paul Williams] "fills the wishing well and fills the bars" sets in.

The boy was all to ET that he could be and he would have been more if he could—gladly! But for all his longing to please and satisfy him, he still sees ET waddle to the window, point into the night sky with that long bulbous finger and sadly say, "Home!"

And if it should be that every now and then when, despite your blessings and despite the fact that you know you are richly blessed, you feel an inner emptiness, don't deny it, acknowledge it. It might well be God nibbling at the edges of your mind, telling you that you were made for more than all you now have; that in truth you'll always be "homesick" away from profound fellowship with God. It might well be that while gratefully enjoying what you have some night you should look into the heavens and hear yourself saying, "Home."

©2004 Jim McGuiggan. All materials are free to be copied and used as long as money is not being made.

Many thanks to brother Ed Healy for allowing me to post from his website, the abiding word.com.

From Mark Copeland... The Garden Of Gethsemane

"THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW" 

The Garden Of Gethsemane (26:36-46)

INTRODUCTION

1. The last supper of Jesus with His disciples was finished...
   a. He predicted the betrayal by Judas - Mt 26:21-25
   b. He observed the Passover, instituting the Lord's Supper - Mt 26:
      26-30
   b. He then foretold Peter's denial of Him, as they made their way to
      the Mount of Olives - Mt 26:31-35

2. Jesus and His disciples then came to a place called Gethsemane...
   a. A garden outside the city, across the Kidron brook and on the
      Mount of Olives
   b. It's name means "olive press", and was possibly a remote walled
      garden
   c. A place where Jesus often went with His disciples - Jn 18:1-2

3. Note the contrast between the Garden of Eden, and the Garden of
   Gethsemane...
   a. In the first garden, the first man fell by yielding to temptation
   b. In the second garden, the Second Man (cf. 1Co 15:47) conquered
      by yielding to the will of God

[Yes, "The Garden Of Gethsemane" was a place of victory for Jesus (and
consequently for us as well).  But the victory did not come easy, as we
notice first of all that...]

I. THE GARDEN WAS A PLACE OF SUFFERING

   A. WHERE JESUS EXPERIENCED GREAT DISTRESS...
      1. He went to pray, accompanied only by Peter, James, and John 
         - Mt 26:36-37
      2. Before He began praying, He was "deeply distressed" - Mt 26:37
      3. Mark records that He was "troubled and deeply distressed" - Mk 14:33
      4. Later, Luke records that He was "in agony", and His sweat
         became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground 
         - Lk 22:44
      5. He was likely troubled for He knew that His hour had come 
         - cf. Jn 12:27
         a. He knew what was imminent, for He had told His disciples
            three times - Mt 16:21; 17:22-23; 20:17-19
         b. There was not only physical pain to endure, but also the
            burden of our sins and separation from His Father as He
            bore our sins on the cross! - cf. Isa 53:6; Mt 27:46

   B. WHERE JESUS ENDURED INTENSE SORROW...
      1. He described Himself as "exceedingly sorrowful, even to death"
         - Mt 26:38
      2. The writer of Hebrews refers to His "vehement cries and tears"
         - He 5:7
      3. Again, His grief and sorrow was partly due to the fact that He
         was taking upon Himself our own griefs and sorrows! - cf. Isa 53:4-5

   C. WHERE JESUS ENCOUNTERED SOLEMN LONELINESS...
      1. He wanted His closest disciples to watch with Him - Mt 26:
         37-38
         a. Those who had been with Him from the beginning - Mt 4:18-22
         b. Those who were privy to one of His greatest miracles - Mk 5:37-43
         c. Those who saw Him transfigured on the mountain - Mt 17:1-2
         d. Including the disciple "whom He loved" - Jn 13:23; 19:26;
            20:2; 21:7,20,24
      2. Yet after each episode of praying, He found them sleeping - 
         Mt 26:40-41,43,45
         a. When He desired fellowship for comfort, there was none to
            be found
         b. The Psalmist foretold this would happen - cf. Ps 69:20

[Alone in His distress and sorrow, our Lord found "The Garden Of
Gethsemane" to be a place of great suffering for Him.  Then something
happened.  Before He left to face the mob led by Judas to arrest Him,
Jesus found that...]

II. THE GARDEN WAS A PLACE OF STRENGTH

   A. WHEN JESUS EXPRESSED AGONIZING PRAYER...
      1. The agony in His prayer is:
         a. Seen by His posture:  "He...fell on His face" - Mt 26:39
         b. Heard in His words:  "O My Father, if it is possible, let
            this cup pass from Me" - Mt 26:39,42,44
      2. It was "godly fear" Jesus expressed, and for such His prayer
         was heard - He 5:7
         a. Not that the cup (of suffering) was removed
         b. But that He would be able to drink it

   B. WHEN JESUS EXTENDED ENTIRE RESIGNATION...
      1. As evidenced by His words:
         a. "Not as I will, but as You will." - Mt 26:39
         b. "if this cup cannot pass away from Me unless I drink it,
            Your will be done." - Mt 26:42
      2. When man first said "My will, not Thine be done..."
         a. It opened the flood gate of sin
         b. It turned man out of the Paradise of God
      3. But when Jesus said "Not as I will, but as You will..."
         a. Victory over sin and access to the Tree of Life became
            possible
         b. For it prepared Jesus to go to the cross to make it 
            possible

   C. WHEN JESUS ENJOYED SPECIAL COMFORT...
      1. Jesus received an answer to His prayer - cf. Lk 22:43
         a. Not the answer He requested (let this cup pass from Me)
         b. But strength from an angel!
      2. Like the apostle Paul would pray later - cf. 2Co 12:7-10
         a. Asking the Lord to remove his thorn in the flesh
         b. Receiving an answer different than requested, but more than
            sufficient to meet the need!

   D. WHEN JESUS EVINCED RENEWED RESOLVE...
      1. Strengthened, Jesus was ready to face the hour at hand - Mt 26:45
      2. He was ready to meet His betrayer and those with him - Mt 26:
         46-47

CONCLUSION

1. So "The Garden Of Gethsemane" was a place of both suffering and
   strength...
   a. Jesus entered the garden suffering
   b. He left the garden strengthened in His resolve

2. Notice what turned the place of suffering into a place of strength:
   prayer!
   a. Prayer that is fervent and persistent
   b. Prayer in which one submits to the will of God
   c. Prayer in which one is strengthened
   d. Prayer that enables one to face the cup of life given them

3. There will be times when we must enter our "Garden of Gethsemane"...
   a. Times of distress, sorrow, loneliness
   b. But such times can also be a time of comfort and strength
   -- Provided we spend them in prayer, and be willing to accept the
      Father's will

Jesus found prayer to be the key for turning a garden of suffering into
a garden of strength.  As Christians we have a similar blessing in
prayer:

   "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and
   supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known
   to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding,
   will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus." - Php 4:6-7

May we never neglect to utilize this wonderful gift, especially since
we now have Jesus Himself to intercede on our behalf!

   "Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed
   through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast
   our confession.  For we do not have a High Priest who cannot
   sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted
   as we are, yet without sin.  Let us therefore come boldly to
   the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace
   to help in time of need." - He 4:14-16

   "Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who
   come to God through Him, since He always lives to make
   intercession for them." - He 7:25






Executable Outlines, Copyright © Mark A. Copeland, 2011