6/1/13

From Gary... The path






I liked the first "dog walk" picture so much that I went back for my noontime walk with Buddy carrying my little point and shoot camera.  Today, the skies were cloudy and I almost didn't do anything, but at the last moment, I changed my mind and started snapping the series of pictures necessary for this panoramic "stitch".  Today, the picture was taken from the opposite side as the first one, so something different seemed to stand out.  That something is the path on the right side of the picture, near the fence.  This path is used daily, whereas the left side doesn't have one because it is rarely accessed.  Thinking about the path, the following passage from the book of Jeremiah came to my mind, as it is one of my favorites...

Jeremiah, Chapter 6
16  Thus says Yahweh, “Stand in the ways and see, and ask for the old paths, ‘Where is the good way?’ and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls. 

For thousands of years, the God of Heaven has guided mankind.  The book of Hebrews tells us this...

Hebrews, Chapter 1
  1 God, having in the past spoken to the fathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways,  2 has at the end of these days spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, through whom also he made the worlds. 

And now, we are guided by the words of Jesus, who gives us a new path to follow; one of simplicity and humility.  Jesus puts it this way...

John, Chapter 14
 6  Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father, except through me. 

The word "way" literally means road, so it is a very small expansion of the idea to say that Jesus is the good path.  If you are on his "path", then you are OK, if not, then you have a problem.  Just think about it; Jesus came to this Earth, taught his disciples and they wrote down what God wanted them to (in their own way, of course).  Why would anyone want to stray in their daily walk (or dog-walk, if you will) to do something else.  Follow the path that Jesus has laid out for us; and only that path.  Friends, family, or religious leaders won't do- its all about Jesus and his words.  Once again, these words from the book of Matthew come to my 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. 

Just something to think about on a cloudy day; something to REALLY THINK ABOUT!!!

From Gary... The BIG PICTURE


The above panoramic picture is of the water retention basin at Southfork 55+ retirement community.  Near the right, at the edge of the houses is a dog walk/exercise area where residents take their animals to "do their business".  Needless to say, I am very familiar with the part of the park as Buddy needs about four walks a day!!!  In a way though, I really love going here, because the vistas are pleasant!!!  Changing from scenery that has houses surrounding you to an open area makes a nice change from time to time.  Now, I have traveled through quite a number of states (East of the Mississippi river) but I still have a lot to see in this wonderful country in order to get the BIG PICTURE.  Even if I should eventually make it to all the states in the U.S. I would not have done as much traveling as the Apostle Paul- and he did it by foot!!!  I can only imagine the vistas he saw when he arrived at Athens...

Acts, Chapter 17

 16  Now while Paul waited for them at Athens, his spirit was provoked within him as he saw the city full of idols.  17 So he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and the devout persons, and in the marketplace every day with those who met him. 18 Some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers also were conversing with him. Some said, “What does this babbler want to say?” 

Others said, “He seems to be advocating foreign deities,” because he preached Jesus and the resurrection. 

  19  They took hold of him, and brought him to the Areopagus, saying, “May we know what this new teaching is, which is spoken by you?  20 For you bring certain strange things to our ears. We want to know therefore what these things mean.”  21 Now all the Athenians and the strangers living there spent their time in nothing else, but either to tell or to hear some new thing. 

  22  Paul stood in the middle of the Areopagus, and said, “You men of Athens, I perceive that you are very religious in all things. 23 For as I passed along, and observed the objects of your worship, I found also an altar with this inscription: ‘TO AN UNKNOWN GOD.’ What therefore you worship in ignorance, this I announce to you.  24 The God who made the world and all things in it, he, being Lord of heaven and earth, doesn’t dwell in temples made with hands,  25 neither is he served by men’s hands, as though he needed anything, seeing he himself gives to all life and breath, and all things.  26 He made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the surface of the earth, having determined appointed seasons, and the boundaries of their dwellings, 27 that they should seek the Lord, if perhaps they might reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us.  28 ‘For in him we live, and move, and have our being.’ As some of your own poets have said, ‘For we are also his offspring.’ 29 Being then the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Divine Nature is like gold, or silver, or stone, engraved by art and design of man.  30 The times of ignorance therefore God overlooked. But now he commands that all people everywhere should repent,  31 because he has appointed a day in which he will judge the world in righteousness by the man whom he has ordained; of which he has given assurance to all men, in that he has raised him from the dead.” 

  32  Now when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked; but others said, “We want to hear you again concerning this.” 

  33  Thus Paul went out from among them.  34 But certain men joined with him, and believed, among whom also was Dionysius the Areopagite, and a woman named Damaris, and others with them. 


He saw idols throughout the city.  Idols.  Symbols of Pagan worship to false gods.  What intrigues me about his message to them is that he talks in their language, in a way that they are accustomed to and makes references that they will understand.  But, someone might say- that was then and this is now- its not fair to make any comparison to us.  Wrong.  Look around; look hard and you will see that there are the idols of wealth, sexual immorality and sin pervading the culture of the United States Of America.  And it is becoming worse each year, as this great country willfully denies even the existence of God and embraces sin with enthusiasm. Step back and take in the big picture of how God views America and it will scare you- IT SCARES ME!!!!

From Jim McGuiggan... Tongue Speaking


Tongue Speaking

 On "tongue-speaking" in the NT. Maybe I can just spell out some aspects of my understanding on this matter (such as it is) and engage whoever wishes to pursue it further with me. I’ll simply make the assertions, noting the texts, make a few comments and where readers feel the claims need to be justified further I’ll take that up (God enabling).
I’m going to take it for granted that the "tongue-speaking" throughout the NT is a single phenomenon. That is, what we read about in Acts is what we read about in 1 Corinthians. The settings differed. 1 Corinthians speaks of "tongues" as they relate to the assemblies of believers. But the phenomenon was the same. 
  1. Tongue-speaking was a gift from God.  
  2. Tongue-speaking was a miraculous gift of speech and not a gift of hearing  
  3. "Tongue" speaking was speaking in actual languages (Acts 2:8).  
  4. Tongue-speaking was a gift given essentially to benefit non-believers by convicting them that God was present.  
  5. Tongue-speakers didn’t speak to people; they spoke to God.  
  6. Tongue-speaking wasn’t a gift designed for the edification of the believing assembly.  
  7. Tongue-speakers didn’t know what they were saying.  
  8. Tongue-speaking wasn’t a gift given to people who’d go to foreign lands so that they could preach the gospel in the native language.  
It seems clear from Acts 2:4 and 1 Corinthians 12:7-11 that what is called "tongue speaking" was a gift from God. It’s the Spirit that enabled them in Acts and Paul claims it is a gift given by the Holy Spirit to the church.
It’s equally clear (to me) that the gift was a gift of speech that affected the speaker and not a gift that affected the hearers. Some have held that the speaker spoke (maybe in his own language or he simply made noises) and the hearers heard it as their own language. That won’t do. We’re told that it was a gift of speech. If everyone heard all the "tongues" or noises in their own language it would have been a gift of "hearing" and not speech. And then, there would have been no one to mock, saying that they were in the presence of drunken babbling. In addition, if the miracle were on the hearer there would have been no need for the gift of interpretation.
I’m guessing that this "hearing" view arose because of the number of languages thought to be listed in Acts 2 and the presumption (correct I think) that there were twelve apostles doing the speaking. But this problem is generated by an assumption that I think isn’t correct—that the only way the apostles spoke all at the same time and only in twelve languages. In any case, we’re expressly told that they spoke in languages, even dialects (so the Greek text).
The words used by Luke to describe what happened are words used for languages and dialects within a major language. They weren’t making noises, "speaking" gibberish that many in this huge crowd thought was their own language. Yes, but didn’t some react that way? Yes, but if a dozen men were speaking (a minimum of twelve) foreign languages, presumably there’d be ten or eleven that each hearer would notunderstand. Paul made that point in 1 Corinthians 14:23.
Supposing a visitor happens to visit, maybe he speaks only Cantonese, one of the worshipers in an English-speaking assembly speaks to God in, of all things, Cantonese. The visitor is convicted! Then more and more stand up and speak in languages from here, there and yonder. The visitor doesn’t understand a word and thinks these people are out of their minds. (I’m not too happy with my illustration but I think you get the point.) In any case, tongue-speakers were language-speakers!
The miraculous gift of "language-speaking" wasn’t given for the edification of believers! Paul says the gift was given with the non-believer in mind (1 Corinthians 14:22). "Tongues, then, are a sign, not for believers but unbelievers; prophecy, however, is for believers, not for unbelievers." (From Isaiah 28:11-12, Paul illustrates how foreign languages can bring conviction to people who won’t pay attention to language they can understand.)
This is not to say that tongues could not be utilised; they could be, and interpretation worked to that end (14:5,13,27-28). Prophecy was geared primarily for the believers but under some circumstances could benefit the unbeliever (14:24). Still, the central purpose of language-speaking was not for the assemblies of believers but for situations in which unbelievers were present.
We see this illustrated in Acts 2 and Acts 10. In Acts 2 the apostles were in the temple (they can no longer be in the upper room since thousands are now present), in one of the houses there (compare Luke 24:50-53). The huge crowd does not believe in the gospel about Jesus Christ. The Spirit enables the group of men (2:7) to speak in languages foreign to them, so making it clear that God is in them. This goes on for some time and then the mocking occurs and Peter addresses the vast crowd. He speaks to them the gospel of Christ and apparently speaks to them in a language common to them all (2:14-41). It is only when we reach 2:37 that we discover that non-believers have become believers (2:23,37-41). The point I wish to make is that while the language-speaking was going on it was a crowd of unbelievers who heard what was said in the various languages and dialects. Tongues were being used here to convict unbelievers.

We have a similar situation (with differences) in Acts 10:1—11:18. Up to then Messianic Jews had kept the gospel message for the circumcised (note the instruction by Christ in Acts 1:8 and compare 13:46) but a change was coming.
While Peter spoke of the Messiah the Spirit of God came on an uncircumcised Gentile and his household. These Gentiles spoke in languages they didn’t know—shouldn’t have known. Peter and his strongly Jewish companions were astonished (10:45-46). Up to this time they did not believe that the blessings of the Messiah were open to people other than Jews or Jewish proselytes and now they did. The astounded Peter had come to believe that God had regard to people of any nation that lived righteously (10:34-35), Jews or not! But now he believes something else—you didn’t have to be a Jew to share in the salvation and blessings of the Messiah. He challenges anyone to forbid baptism to Cornelius, there were no takers so he baptized him into the name of Jesus Christ (10:47-48 and compare 2:38-39). When called on the carpet for his conduct Peter rehearsed the whole thing and non-believers became believers (11:1-3,18).
In both these case miraculous language-speaking convicted non-believers. That’s what they were for!
A close look at all the texts makes it clear that those who "spoke in tongues" didn’t address men! Tongue-speakers spoke (or sang) to God and not to people (1 Corinthians 14:2-3). "For anyone who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God...but everyone who prophesies speaks to men..." And note 14:28. The text is plain enough even though it generates a few wrinkles that need to be ironed out.
Those who spoke in tongues might pray, offer thanks or sing (14:14-17). This was all addressed to God. This is what we find in the two actual cases that are developed. In Acts 2:11 God’s glorious works were rehearsed in the hearing of unbelievers (compare Luke 24:53). It’s important to note how the unbelievers described the content of the apostolic tongue-speaking. Though they did not as yet believe the gospel about Christ they did confess that the wonders of God were being proclaimed in foreign languages (2:11). The same is true in Acs 10:46 where Jews that need to be dragged to truth hear Gentiles "praise God". In Acts the multitude heard a prayer meeting. In Acts 10 we have the same thing.
Some have held that the gift of languages was given so that preachers could go to various parts of the world and not have to learn the language. They would be able to preach the gospel right away. I don’t think that’ll work. Tongue speakers didn’t address people! Furthermore, tongue speakers didn’t know what they were saying (1 Corinthians 14:13-19). That was the nature of the gift, don’t you see! If the tongue speaker knew what he was saying why would he need an interpreter? If every tongue speaker knew what he was saying he wouldbe an interpreter, and that would mean he had two miraculous gifts. One, to speak sense in a foreign language he hadn’t learned and, two, to understand the foreign language he hadn’t learned.
This in turn would generate difficulties for a wide-ranging evangelist. He speaks a language he doesn’t know. When the people he’s preaching to respond he wouldn’t know what they were saying. In other words, tongue-speaking alone would be useless for bringing the gospel of Christ home to foreign speakers. Then again, we need to remember that we’re told, "tongue speakers don’t speak to men."
think that tongue speaking is listed down at the bottom of gifts along with interpretation because of its limited value especially relative to the house of faith. But its central function was to startle non-believers and act as a sign that God was making himself present. In an assembly of believers it wasn’t to be used alone (14:28).
Some closing remarks. Tongues weren’t given to believers for the believer’s benefit (14:22). To claim it is given to believers as a part of their equipment, as "a private prayer language," is to completely misconstrue 14:28. That text doesn’t tell us of the positive nature or purpose of the gift. It says that if you have the impulse to pray in a foreign language that doesn’t help the assembly you are not to do it—keep it to yourself. The passage regulates the use of the gift in an assembly and tells us nothing about its purpose. Other texts have to tell us those things.
It’s been demonstrated again and again, in a host of places, that what was called "language speaking" wasn’t "language" speaking. Countless recordings have been made and shown to be "noises" with a few foreign phrases thrown in here and there. When I was younger the defence was that the languages were "pre-Adamite" or long dead languages or angelic languages (compare 1 Corinthians 13:1). In more recent years the stock answer is that it is a "private prayer" language. Perhaps. But all those responses insist that tongues are for believers when Paul says they aren’t 14:22. And how literally unknown languages could convict an unbeliever is another difficulty.
I worked with this topic a bit in a little book on 1 Corinthians (In the US call  877-792-6408 if interested). Maybe I did a bit better there than here. I’m not sure.

©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... Faith And Forgiveness


                          "THE GOSPEL OF MARK"

                    Faith And Forgiveness (11:20-26)

INTRODUCTION

1. So far in Mark’s account of the Last Week, we have considered...
   a. The triumphant entry into Jerusalem on Sunday - Mk 11:1-11
   b. The cursing of the fig tree and cleansing of the temple on Monday
      - Mk 11:12-19

2. On Tuesday, the day begins with Jesus and His disciples passing by
   the fig tree...
   a. Which was withered to its roots - Mk 11:20
   b. Wherein Peter comments, "Rabbi, look! The fig tree which You
      cursed has withered away!" - Mk 11:21

[Jesus uses the opportunity to teach His disciples two important
lessons, both related to prayer.  We do well to give careful heed to
what Jesus taught His disciples, beginning with...]

I. FAITH AND PRAYER

   A. THE NARRATIVE...
      1. Jesus tells His disciples to have faith in God - Mk 11:22
      2. He says that with faith and no doubt, a mountain can be cast
         into the sea - Mk 11:23
      3. He tells them that if they pray believing they will receive,
         whatever they ask will be given them - Mk 11:24

   B. SOME OBSERVATIONS...
      1. This passage clearly teaches the importance of faith in prayer,
         yet many have abused it
         a. Taking it too literally
         b. Ignoring what the Bible teaches elsewhere regarding prayer
      2. Moving a mountain was a metaphor in Jewish literature for doing
         what was seemingly impossible (Isa 40:4; 49:11; 54:10;cf.Mt 11:21-22).         Those who believe in God can have confidence that he
         will accomplish even the impossible, according to his sovereign
         will. - ESV Study Bible
      3. The ESV Study Bible offers further insights worth considering:
         a. God delights to "give good things to those who ask him" (Mt 7:11)
            and is capable of granting any prayer though we must
            ask with godly motives (Jm 4:3) and according to God’s will
            (1Jn 5:14)
         b. Those who trust God for the right things in the right way
            can have confidence that God will "supply every need...
            according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus" (Php 4:19),
            knowing that he will work "all things together for good" and
            will "graciously give us all things" (Ro 8:28,32)
         c. Some have misused this verse by telling people that if they
            pray for physical healing (or for some other specific
            request) and if they just have enough faith, then they can
            have confidence that God has already done (or will do)
            whatever they ask
         d. But we must always have the same perspective that Jesus had
            - that is, confidence in God’s power but also submission to
            his will: "Father, all things are possible for you - Yet not
            what I will, but what you will" (Mk 14:36)
      4. So let us seek to grow in faith as we pray, but also with
         understanding that what we ask must be in harmony with the will
         of God
      5. If we feel that we lack in faith, there are two things we can
         do to grow in faith:
         a. Read the Word of God - cf. Ro 10:17
         b. Pray that the Lord will help increase our faith - cf. 
            Mk 9:24; Lk 17:5

[The importance of faith in prayer cannot be overestimated.  But neither
can the importance of praying with a forgiving spirit...]

II. FORGIVENESS AND PRAYER

   A. THE NARRATIVE...
      1. Jesus enjoins the need to forgive others as we pray - Mk 11:25
      2. Without a forgiving heart, we cannot hope to receive
         forgiveness ourselves - Mk 11:26

   B. SOME OBSERVATIONS...
      1. Forgiving others was very important to Jesus, as stressed time
         and again
         a. In the sermon on the mount - Mt 5:7; 6:12-15
         b. In response to Peter’s question - Mt 18:21-22
         c. In the parable of the unforgiving servant - Mt 18:23-25
         d. In the sermon on the plain - Lk 6:37
         e. In teaching the disciples how to pray - Lk 11:4
         f. In teaching His disciples to forgive - Lk 17:3-4
      2. Jesus and His followers demonstrated the forgiving spirit
         a. Jesus on the cross - Lk 23:34
         b. Stephen as he was being stoned - Ac 7:59-60
         c. Paul when he was abandoned - 2Ti 4:16
      3. We must develop the forgiving spirit, which we can do by:
         a. Focusing on God’s love for us - Ro 5:8; 1Jn 4:10-11
         b. Remembering Christ’s willingness to die and forgive - 
            1Jn 3:16; Lk 23:34
         c. Meditating on the passages above about the importance of
            forgiving others

CONCLUSION

1. We have considered two very important conditions for having our
   prayers answered...
   a. Faith, that we believe what we ask according to God’s will shall
      be done, for God does not answer the prayers of doubters - Jm 1:6-8
   b. Forgiveness, for unless we forgive God will not forgive, and God
      does not hear the prayers of the unrighteous - 1Pe 3:12

2. What Jesus teaches about faith and forgiveness is challenging...
   a. But consider the blessings that will come from acceptable prayer!
   b. Where we must confess a weak faith and an unforgiving spirit, let
      us pray that grace will create in us a new heart!

Such grace comes through responding to the gospel of the grace of God...
- cf. Tit 2:11-14; 3:4-7




Executable Outlines, Copyright © Mark A. Copeland, 2011

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