The priestly blessing by Mark Copeland

Here is today's link... Gary

http://executableoutlines.com/text/num6_22.htm

A test...???

 

One of my granddaughters simply loves IKEA!!!  Practically every time I see her, its IKEA this or IKEA that.  I can't remember the last time she visited and the topic did not come up.  Maybe she should work there; if she did, I wonder if her job interview would be like this?  Here is a test from the OLD testament... could you pass???

 

World English Bible: Exodus Chapter 20
 

[1] God spoke all these words, saying, 

 

[2] “I am Yahweh your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.

[3] “You shall have no other gods before me.

[4] “You shall not make for yourselves an idol, nor any image of anything that is in the heavens above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: 

 

[5] you shall not bow yourself down to them, nor serve them, for I, Yahweh your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, on the third and on the fourth generation of those who hate me, 

 

[6] and showing loving kindness to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments.

[7] “You shall not take the name of Yahweh your God in vain, for Yahweh will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain.

[8] “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. [9] You shall labor six days, and do all your work, [10] but the seventh day is a Sabbath to Yahweh your God. You shall not do any work in it, you, nor your son, nor your daughter, your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your livestock, nor your stranger who is within your gates; [11] for in six days Yahweh made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day; therefore Yahweh blessed the Sabbath day, and made it holy.

[12] “Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land which Yahweh your God gives you.

[13] “You shall not murder.

[14] “You shall not commit adultery.

[15] “You shall not steal.

[16] “You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.

[17] “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, nor his male servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that is your neighbor’s.”

[18] All the people perceived the thunderings, the lightnings, the sound of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking. When the people saw it, they trembled, and stayed at a distance. [19] They said to Moses, “Speak with us yourself, and we will listen; but don’t let God speak with us, lest we die.”

[20] Moses said to the people, “Don’t be afraid, for God has come to test you, and that his fear may be before you, that you won’t sin.” [21] The people stayed at a distance, and Moses drew near to the thick darkness where God was.

[22] Yahweh said to Moses, “This is what you shall tell the children of Israel: ‘You yourselves have seen that I have talked with you from heaven. [23] You shall most certainly not make alongside of me gods of silver, or gods of gold for yourselves. [24] You shall make an altar of earth for me, and shall sacrifice on it your burnt offerings and your peace offerings, your sheep and your cattle. In every place where I record my name I will come to you and I will bless you. [25] If you make me an altar of stone, you shall not build it of cut stones; for if you lift up your tool on it, you have polluted it. [26] Neither shall you go up by steps to my altar, that your nakedness may not be exposed to it.’

God gave Israel the ten commandments and then gave a test.  Would they listen and do his commandments?  Would they put away any and all gods and worship God as he instructed them?  Good question, and over the course of forty years the answer was No.  Except for Joshua and Caleb, all those who took the test failed; but their children did and went into the promised land.  Isn't that the way it always goes, many are interviewed, but only a few get the job.  In my study there is a little slate sign that says "Have you read my #1 best seller... there will be a test...God".  How I hope part of it will not include putting something together, if so, I am in big trouble!!!!

The sin of Nadab and Abihu by Mark Copeland

Enjoy the lesson... Gary

http://executableoutlines.com/text/lev9_22.htm

What you don't have...

Botox for elephants?  What's next, liposuction for bears or instruction in table manners for vultures?  All these human vanities do not happen with animals but they happen with human beings far more than most of us would like to admit.  This particular scene has nothing really to do with Botox, but rather it has to do with jealousy and THAT IS A BIG PROBLEM WHICH HAS SERIOUS CONSEQUENCES!!!  When I think of "Jealousy", this episode from the Bible comes to mind...

World English Bible: Genesis Chapter 37
[1] Jacob lived in the land of his father’s travels, in the land of Canaan. [2] This is the history of the generations of Jacob. Joseph, being seventeen years old, was feeding the flock with his brothers. He was a boy with the sons of Bilhah and Zilpah, his father’s wives. Joseph brought an evil report of them to their father. [3] Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age, and he made him a coat of many colors. [4] His brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, and they hated him, and couldn’t speak peaceably to him.

[5] Joseph dreamed a dream, and he told it to his brothers, and they hated him all the more. [6] He said to them, “Please hear this dream which I have dreamed: [7] for behold, we were binding sheaves in the field, and behold, my sheaf arose and also stood upright; and behold, your sheaves came around, and bowed down to my sheaf.”

[8] His brothers said to him, “Will you indeed reign over us? Or will you indeed have dominion over us?” They hated him all the more for his dreams and for his words. [9] He dreamed yet another dream, and told it to his brothers, and said, “Behold, I have dreamed yet another dream: and behold, the sun and the moon and eleven stars bowed down to me.” [10] He told it to his father and to his brothers. His father rebuked him, and said to him, “What is this dream that you have dreamed? Will I and your mother and your brothers indeed come to bow ourselves down to you to the earth?” [11] His brothers envied him, but his father kept this saying in mind.

[12] His brothers went to feed their father’s flock in Shechem. [13] Israel said to Joseph, “Aren’t your brothers feeding the flock in Shechem? Come, and I will send you to them.” He said to him, “Here I am.”

[14] He said to him, “Go now, see whether it is well with your brothers, and well with the flock; and bring me word again.” So he sent him out of the valley of Hebron, and he came to Shechem. [15] A certain man found him, and behold, he was wandering in the field. The man asked him, “What are you looking for?”

[16] He said, “I am looking for my brothers. Tell me, please, where they are feeding the flock.”

[17] The man said, “They have left here, for I heard them say, ‘Let us go to Dothan.’”

Joseph went after his brothers, and found them in Dothan. [18] They saw him afar off, and before he came near to them, they conspired against him to kill him. [19] They said one to another, “Behold, this dreamer comes. [20] Come now therefore, and let’s kill him, and cast him into one of the pits, and we will say, ‘An evil animal has devoured him.’ We will see what will become of his dreams.”

[21] Reuben heard it, and delivered him out of their hand, and said, “Let’s not take his life.” [22] Reuben said to them, “Shed no blood. Throw him into this pit that is in the wilderness, but lay no hand on him”—that he might deliver him out of their hand, to restore him to his father. [23] It happened, when Joseph came to his brothers, that they stripped Joseph of his coat, the coat of many colors that was on him; [24] and they took him, and threw him into the pit. The pit was empty. There was no water in it.

[25] They sat down to eat bread, and they lifted up their eyes and looked, and saw a caravan of Ishmaelites was coming from Gilead, with their camels bearing spices and balm and myrrh, going to carry it down to Egypt. [26] Judah said to his brothers, “What profit is it if we kill our brother and conceal his blood? [27] Come, and let’s sell him to the Ishmaelites, and not let our hand be on him; for he is our brother, our flesh.” His brothers listened to him. [28] Midianites who were merchants passed by, and they drew and lifted up Joseph out of the pit, and sold Joseph to the Ishmaelites for twenty pieces of silver. They brought Joseph into Egypt.

[29] Reuben returned to the pit; and saw that Joseph wasn’t in the pit; and he tore his clothes. [30] He returned to his brothers, and said, “The child is no more; and I, where will I go?” [31] They took Joseph’s coat, and killed a male goat, and dipped the coat in the blood. [32] They took the coat of many colors, and they brought it to their father, and said, “We have found this. Examine it, now, whether it is your son’s coat or not.”

[33] He recognized it, and said, “It is my son’s coat. An evil animal has devoured him. Joseph is without doubt torn in pieces.” [34] Jacob tore his clothes, and put sackcloth on his waist, and mourned for his son many days. [35] All his sons and all his daughters rose up to comfort him, but he refused to be comforted. He said, “For I will go down to Sheol to my son mourning.” His father wept for him. [36] The Midianites sold him into Egypt to Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh’s, the captain of the guard.

Joseph was favored by his father and this led to trouble.  Add to the mix that he was a dreamer and his dreams seemed to exalt him above everyone else and trouble was the natural result.  His brothers hated him and if it had not been for Reuben, they would have killed him.  As it was, they sold him to traders and concocted a story about his "death".  This hurt his father terribly, but they were not in a position to tell the truth, so the lie had its way.  When we envy what someone has and act on it, nothing good can come of what we do; nothing at all!!!  But God can change things, as can be seen by continued reading in the book of Genesis.  Eventually, Joseph's dreams came true and everyone learned and grew because of these experiences.  For us, its best not to envy what others have, because, if we think about it, we are truly blessed and as a result we should be happy with what we have.  Now, all this makes a great story, but lets focus once again on the picture, the two elephants on the right are obviously wrong... the other one had a nose job...

The hardening of Pharaoh by Mark Copeland

Here's the link... Gary

http://executableoutlines.com/text/exo4_21.htm

Success in SORROW

Oh, how I wish that there was a "painless" diet!!!  I can remember that several times I have lost more than fifty pounds (one time I actually lost over 90) only to have it come back in a few years with a little extra added.  Its enough to make anybody cry!  Yet most of us have been on a diet one time or another and our continued success or failure have undoubtedly been a source of intense concern, perhaps even tears at times.  When we are happy, the world is great, but when that pointer reaches a number that upsets us, then the day is filled with sorrow.  The accompanying guilt seems worse than the actual weight gain and the sense of failure stays with us.  So the topic of sorrow naturally came to mind and with it, this passage.

World English Bible: II Corinthians Chapter 7
[1] Having therefore these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God. [2] Open your hearts to us. We wronged no one. We corrupted no one. We took advantage of no one. [3] I say this not to condemn you, for I have said before, that you are in our hearts to die together and live together. [4] Great is my boldness of speech toward you. Great is my boasting on your behalf. I am filled with comfort. I overflow with joy in all our affliction. [5] For even when we had come into Macedonia, our flesh had no relief, but we were afflicted on every side. Fightings were outside. Fear was inside. [6] Nevertheless, he who comforts the lowly, God, comforted us by the coming of Titus; [7] and not by his coming only, but also by the comfort with which he was comforted in you, while he told us of your longing, your mourning, and your zeal for me; so that I rejoiced still more.

[8] For though I made you sorry with my letter, I do not regret it, though I did regret it. For I see that my letter made you sorry, though just for a while. [9] I now rejoice, not that you were made sorry, but that you were made sorry to repentance. For you were made sorry in a godly way, that you might suffer loss by us in nothing. [10] For godly sorrow works repentance to salvation, which brings no regret. But the sorrow of the world works death. [11] For behold, this same thing, that you were made sorry in a godly way, what earnest care it worked in you. Yes, what defense, indignation, fear, longing, zeal, and vengeance! In everything you demonstrated yourselves to be pure in the matter. [12] So although I wrote to you, I wrote not for his cause that did the wrong, nor for his cause that suffered the wrong, but that your earnest care for us might be revealed in you in the sight of God. [13] Therefore we have been comforted. In our comfort we rejoiced the more exceedingly for the joy of Titus, because his spirit has been refreshed by you all. [14] For if in anything I have boasted to him on your behalf, I was not disappointed. But as we spoke all things to you in truth, so our glorying also which I made before Titus was found to be truth. [15] His affection is more abundantly toward you, while he remembers all of your obedience, how with fear and trembling you received him. [16] I rejoice that in everything I am confident concerning you.

Sometimes we have to do things we dislike for the greater good.  Perhaps it is something like going to the dentist or starting a diet or even informing a friend that they have done something wrong.  Any or all of these things can make us very, very uncomfortable and upset.  But when we see that our efforts are successful, its worth all the pain and more.  When other people "get it" and actually listen and do something about our concerns, what a wonderful feeling it is!!!  Some things (like the dentist or even a diet) may not have permanent effects,  but if someone turns from a sinful lifestyle to please God, then the results are eternal!!!  May we all have the courage of our convictions in all that we do, especially when it comes to helping other get to heaven.  Now, if I only could get a diet that would work for the next twenty years, how happy I would be!!! Humm, on second thought, maybe I could just by a scale that divides my weight by TWO....? 

The excuses of Moses by Mark Copeland

Another lesson to enjoy.... Gary

http://executableoutlines.com/text/exo3_1.htm