5/7/13

From Gary... More interesting than even a raspberry sky




When I was young, there were a series of episodes where I began to increasingly think for myself; to wonder about things, often for hours at a time.  Perhaps it was just a phase, perhaps not.  I doubt if I will ever know with any certainty.  Somehow, I became interested in the sky, as if it contained answers to my deepest longings.  Questions, like "Why am I here", "does life have meaning" and "Will God ever send me someone to love" were but a few of my musings.  So, I continue to look at the sky to this very day, although I have found many answers to my earliest queries.  Somehow, this passage from the book of Acts came into my thinking and it just seems to "fit"; see what you think...

Acts, Chapter 1

  1 The first book I wrote, Theophilus, concerned all that Jesus began both to do and to teach,  2 until the day in which he was received up, after he had given commandment through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen.  3 To these he also showed himself alive after he suffered, by many proofs, appearing to them over a period of forty days, and speaking about God’s Kingdom.  4 Being assembled together with them, he commanded them, “Don’t depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which you heard from me.   5  For John indeed baptized in water, but you will be baptized in the Holy Spirit not many days from now.” 


  6  Therefore when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, are you now restoring the kingdom to Israel?” 



  7  He said to them, “It isn’t for you to know times or seasons which the Father has set within his own authority.   8  But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you. You will be witnesses to me in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the uttermost parts of the earth.” 



  9  When he had said these things, as they were looking, he was taken up, and a cloud received him out of their sight.  10 While they were looking steadfastly into the sky as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white clothing,  11 who also said, “You men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into the sky? This Jesus, who was received up from you into the sky will come back in the same way as you saw him going into the sky.” 


In all my years of sky watching, I have never seen the "Raspberry" sky of this picture.  And over the years, I have looked for every unusual picture I could find.  Every new picture or sight in the sky just adds to the wonder of creation for me; enhances my life in some small way.  So, after all this, it becomes easy to understand why the Apostles continued to stare at the sky. They thought Jesus would come back immediately.  At least I think so.  When this will happen; I have not one clue, but like them, I will keep looking for the day when Jesus comes back to Earth.  As far as how I feel about all this can be summed up in one word--- Maranatha!!!  And I don't give a hoot what the sky looks like at the time!!!

From Jim McGuiggan... Why Not Me?


Why Not Me?

There must have been other women besides Hannah who for one reason or another couldn't bear children. One of them might have heard her story about asking God for a child and getting one. I suppose a woman like that could feel envious but why do we need to put the worst face on it? She might have been genuinely pleased for Hannah but still felt, "Wonder why it isn't me?" While seeing good things happening for other people reminds us that the world is not unrelieved gloom (and that's a good thing to know) it can also provoke us to think, "When's it going to be my turn?" And when we can't come up with satisfying answers to that specific question we're tempted to think that life is "controlled" by two gods, Fortunate and Unfortunate. The "wrong" women get the babies (see who had them in 1 Samuel 1) or have the loyal husbands or are brimful of health and life looks like a lottery. Some sensitive souls tend to think they are being punished for some imagined wrong and that adds pain to their pain. Or maybe it's not a question of having done wrong--they just aren't "good enough" to receive the blessing they realy long for. It's bad enough not to have the blessing but it's worse to live with lousy reasons. Resentment develops more easily when you add silly explanations to the pain these people already have. So it's back to: "Trust God." Ultimately, I'm sure that's the way to go.
But the God who calls us to trust him hasn't left us entirely without reasons to do just that. There are some things in my own life I'd dearly love changed but there are a host of things in my life that fill me with gratitude--things I wouldn't want changed. The pain, the deep disappointment that is there is some areas of my life are offset by all the pleasant and enriching things i enjoy. Where does the list begin and where would it end? If we went to God with our poor hearts breaking and told him that we feel he's doing so much for others and so little for us he might say, "Ah, my poor hurting child, I know you are feeling this loss deeply but you know I haven't left you unblessed. Want to sit here with me and list them?" 
[I've said some things about this in several little books. You might be interested in reading something from those. You can view sample pieces from these books by clicking here.)


©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... He Has Done All Things Well


                          "THE GOSPEL OF MARK"

                 He Has Done All Things Well (7:31-37)

INTRODUCTION

1. I would like for you to ask yourself:  What has Jesus done for
   you...?
   a. Anything?
   b. Something?

2. If Jesus has done anything for you, how would you describe it...?
   a. More than you expected?
   b. Less than you expected?

[If less than expected, keep it mind as we begin reading in Mk 7:31
about Jesus healing a deaf mute...]

I. THE NARRATIVE

   A. THE JOURNEY TO THE SEA OF GALILEE...
      1. Jesus left the region of Tyre and Sidon - Mk 7:31
         a. Where he had healed the daughter of the Syro-Phoenician
            woman
         b. A woman blessed for her faith - Mk 7:24-30
      2. He traveled through the region of Decapolis - Mk 7:31
         a. So called after ten cities in the area, mostly SE of the Sea
            of Galilee
         b. Damascus, Raphana, Hippos, Abila [or Canatha], Gadara,
            Scythopolis, Pella, Dion, Gerasa, and Philadelphia [Amman]
         c. Predominately Gentile and Hellenistic in their culture
         d. Where the man healed of legions of demons proclaimed Christ
            - Mk 5:20
      3. Matthew's gospel adds a few details - Mt 15:29-31
         a. Jesus went to a mountain and sat down
         b. Many lame, blind, mute and maimed were brought and healed
         c. The multitude marveled and glorified the God of Israel
            (these are likely Gentiles)

   B. JESUS HEALS A DEAF MUTE...
      1. People bring a deaf mute to Jesus and beg Him to heal him - Mk 7:32
      2. Aside from the multitude, Jesus begins the healing - Mk 7:33-34
         a. Putting His fingers in the deaf mute's ears, spitting, and
            touching his tongue
         b. Looking to heaven, sighing, and saying "Ephphatha" (Aramaic
            for "Be opened")
      3. The healing is instantaneous - Mk 7:35
         a. His ears are opened
         b. He begins to speak plainly

   C. JESUS' REQUEST AND THE CROWD'S RESPONSE...
      1. He commanded them to tell no one, but they widely proclaim it
         - Mk 7:36; cf. Mk 1:44-45
      2. They are astonished, saying "He has done all things well" - Mk 7:37

[This is a detailed and rather unusual account of one of Jesus' miracles
of healing.  The response of the crowd is also worthy of note.  Allow me
therefore to offer...]

II. SOME OBSERVATIONS

   A. REGARDING THE HEALING...
      1. Jesus may have been using sign language to explain what He was
         doing
      2. The fingers in the ears - "Something will be done for your
         ears...and I will do it."
      3. The touch of the tongue - "Something will be done for your
         tongue...and I will do it."
      4. The spit - His intention was to heal, as saliva was thought to
         have medicinal properties
      5. The look to heaven - indicating His help came from above
      6. The sigh - the sympathizing Jesus, taking the man's condition
         to heart - cf. Isa 53:4
      -- William Hendriksen (Baker's New Testament Commentary)

   B. REGARDING THE DECLARATION...
      1. "He has done all things well"
         a. He astonished those who saw His miracles - Mk 7:37
         b. He astonished those who heard His teachings - Mk 1:22; 6:2
         c. This is before His amazing death, resurrection, and
            ascension to heaven!
      2. Has Jesus done all things well for you?
         a. Given you rest for your soul? - Mt 11:28-30
         b. Saved you from you sins? - Mk 16:15-16
         c. Given you the peace the world cannot give? - Jn 14:27
      3. If not, why not?
         a. Could it be for lack of faith? - cf. Mk 6:5-6
         b. Could it be your heart is restricted? - cf. 2Co 6:11-13
            1) The Corinthians restricted themselves from receiving
               Paul's love
            2) Might we be guilty of doing the same in receiving Jesus'
               love and power?
      4. As God has often asked His people:
         a. "Is anything too hard for the Lord?" - Gen 18:14
         a. "Has the Lord's arm been shortened?" - Num 11:23
         b. "Is My hand shortened at all that it cannot redeem?" - Isa 50:2
         c. "Or have I no power to deliver?" - Isa 50:2
         d. "Is the Spirit of the LORD restricted?" - Mic 2:7
      -- Think about these things, if your spiritual life is vapid!

CONCLUSION

1. Jesus has certainly done all things well...
   a. "He changed sunset into sunrise." - Clement of Alexandria
   b. "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation..." - 2Co 5:17

2. But has He done all things well for you...?
   a. If your spiritual life is insipid, remember His words to the
      Laodiceans - Re 3:14-22
   b. It is most likely you have not been following Jesus as fervently
      as you should

   "What good is having someone who can walk on water if you don't
   follow in his footsteps?" - Author Unknown

Jesus, who has done all things well, stands ready to open your eyes to
see the beauty of His salvation, to open your mouth to proclaim the
glory of His redemption...!



Executable Outlines, Copyright © Mark A. Copeland, 2011

eXTReMe Tracker