6/4/13

From Gary... Trust



As I was doing a little research for today's post, I came across this video, touting the wonders of this new (in 2004) plane.  For some reason, I was reminded of a former co-worker, a chemist named Laurin Linder.  Well over a decade ago, I was informed that I had a massive growth in my chest and expressed my concern about whether I would live or not to Laurin.  He told me NOT TO WORRY ABOUT IT- That God had everything in control.  Then he quoted Psalm 20:7 to me.  I never forgot that quote; you see, I had been trying to get through the situation on my own and he saw right through me.  I needed this... some of you might too....

Psalms, Chapter 20
 1  May Yahweh answer you in the day of trouble.

May the name of the God of Jacob set you up on high,
  2 send you help from the sanctuary,
grant you support from Zion,
  3 remember all your offerings,
and accept your burnt sacrifice.
Selah.
  4 May He grant you your heart’s desire,
and fulfill all your counsel.
  5 We will triumph in your salvation.
In the name of our God, we will set up our banners.
May Yahweh grant all your requests.
  6 Now I know that Yahweh saves his anointed.
He will answer him from his holy heaven,
with the saving strength of his right hand.
  7 Some trust in chariots, and some in horses,
but we trust the name of Yahweh our God.
  8 They are bowed down and fallen,
but we rise up, and stand upright.
  9 Save, Yahweh!
Let the King answer us when we call!


We need to remember who the true God is and in whom we should really place our trust.  I encourage you to look at our money- it still says "IN GOD WE TRUST".  All of us need to practice what it preaches (including those in authority over us) and remember where the genuine power is- 

7 Some trust in chariots, and some in horses,

but we trust the name of Yahweh our God.

From Jim McGuiggan... 2 Cor 10:4: Tearing down forts


2 Cor 10:4: Tearing down forts

"The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ." Paul said that in 2 Corinthians 10:4-5.
His Corinthian critics egged on by Jewish interlopers went the way of the world and thought that good looks, educated speech, loads of personal charisma, visible "success" and having your name up in lights was "really livin'". Paul sniffed at all that as trivia and talked about making war and changing worlds! You mean "war as in bombs and bullets, siege towers and battering rams?" He would have sniffed at that as well. "That's not war! I'm talking about real war where truth attacks lies, where gospel brings down moral and religious walls fifty feet thick and where the Story brings centuries-old evil stories groveling on their knees before Jesus Christ." And listen, he had no time for tiny church squabbles; they were cosmic-sized evils he attacked and galactic foundations he was blowing up.
Is this really what he was doing or is this just more preacher rhetoric? That's what he was doing and that's what he says we're to be engaged in, armed with the gospel of God about Jesus Christ.
Let me tell you again what G.K. Chesterton said about Marcus Aurelius, the Roman Emperor and Stoic. He thought Aurelius was virtuous, sincere, generous and open-minded. He even admired his writings but he said there was something about the scholar-emperor that was lacking. And what was that? "He does not command me to perform the impossible," said Chesterton.
He was nothing like Jesus in this regard. Even his writings had that same, "Now, let's makes sure we don't go to an extreme" tone. No one was stretched. No one was told. "Oh, stop that! That's beneath you. Follow me and I'll give you something to match what you were made for." Chesterton compared the Stoic emperor's words with Christ and said:
The Meditations of Marcus Aurelius.
Yes: he was soliloquising, 
not making something.
Do not the words of Jesus ring
Like nails knocked into a board
In his Father's workshop?

My suspicion is that most vibrant young people would say that the Christ they hear about from churches in general and preachers in particular doesn't command them to do the impossible or believe the incredible. And that's a real shame because the real Christ, the Christ we haven't domesticated does just that! Young people don't need to put up with this and they shouldn't do it. They shouldn't let the bland churches and bored preachers leave them bloodless! They ought to go straight to the words of Christ himself and feel their blood stir. There's nothing anemic about Jesus Christ and if in coming to Christ we find our thinking is tamer, our dreams are more reasonable, our convictions are more moderate then we've come to the wrong Christ!
The real Jesus Christ is a tearer down of worlds and a builder of a new creation. He neither wimps nor whines and goes striding down the centuries looking for people who will risk putting their minds and hearts and bodies and energies in his hands. God help us, by the time some churches and preachers and books are done with us we can't even dream outrageous dreams in the name of Christ. There's no sense in us that we're at war with a world spirit that is anti-God, anti-Christ and anti-life! If we aren't dead when they're done with us we're at least sound asleep and all the happy songs and new worship formats in creation won't keep vibrant young people from a ho-hum existence unless by chance the youthful Christ gate-crashes our "happy hour" worship party.


©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... Our Duty To God And Country, Mark 12:13-17


                          "THE GOSPEL OF MARK"

                 Our Duty To God And Country (12:13-17)

INTRODUCTION

1. Teaching in the temple on Tuesday of the Last Week, we’ve seen...
   a. The authority of Jesus questioned by religious leaders - Mk 11:20-33
   b. The parable of the wicked vinedressers, directed toward the
      religious leaders - Mk 12:1-12

2. Jesus is then approached by Pharisees and Herodians...
   a. Intending to get Him in trouble with the authorities - Mk 12:13;
      Lk 20:20
   b. Who question Him whether one should pay taxes to Caesar - Mk 12:14-15

3. Ever the Master Teacher, Jesus easily dealt with their question...
   a. Seeing through their hypocrisy, He called for a coin - Mk 12:15
   b. He asked whose inscription was on it, and they answered "Caesar’s"
      - Mk 12:16
   c. His reply cause them to marvel - Mk 12:17

4. The reply of Jesus reveals that we have responsibilities to both God
   and country...
   a. There are things that we must render to Caesar (country)
   b. There are things that we must render to God

[What is our duty to God and country?  In this study we shall review
what the Scriptures tell us about our responsibilities as citizens and
as disciples.  We start with...]

I. OUR DUTY TO COUNTRY

   A. PAY TAXES...
      1. This was the point of Jesus in our text - Mk 12:14-17
      2. Paul also taught us to pay taxes - Ro 13:6-7

   B. OBEY LAWS...
      1. We are to submit to the ordinances (laws) of the land - 
         Ro 13:1-5; Tit 3:1
      2. This we do for the Lord’s sake, that we might silence foolish
         men - 1Pe 2:13-16

   C. FEAR AND HONOR...
      1. We are to respect and honor those in positions of authority
         - Ro 13:7
         a. To fear (respect) the king - cf. Pro 24:21
         b. Not to speak evil of our rulers - cf. Exo 22:28; Ac 23:5;
            Tit 3:2; 2Pe 2:10; Jude 8-9
      2. Even as we are to honor all and love the brethren - 1Pe 2:17
      -- Have you noticed that Paul or Peter never had unkind words
         about Nero?

   D. DO GOOD...
      1. We are to be ready for every good work - Tit 3:1
      2. We are to have conduct that is honorable before all - 
         1Pe 2:11-12,15-16

   E. PRAY...
      1. To make supplications, offer prayers, intercessions, and giving
         of thanks - 1Ti 2:1
      2. To pray for kings and all who are in authority - 1Ti 2:1-3

[Christians are but sojourners and pilgrims in this world (1Pe 2:11).
While our true citizenship is in heaven (Ph 3:20), we are to be a
blessing to those earthly countries in which we sojourn.  Fulfill our
God-given obligations, and we will be an asset to any country in which
we live!  Now let’s review...]

II. OUR DUTY TO GOD

   A. LOVE GOD WITH ALL OUR BEING...
      1. Jesus considered this the greatest commandment of the Law  Mt 22:34-38
      2. Being the greatest command, I would suggest this is our
         greatest duty!

   B. OBEY GOD FROM THE HEART...
      1. If we love God, we will keep His commandments - 1Jn 5:3
      2. Jesus taught that keeping His commandments is evidence of true
         love - Jn 14:15,21,23

   C. MAKE GOD OUR PRIORITY...
      1. His will, His rule, His righteousness, should be our first
         priority - Mt 6:33
      2. Not only over our personal concerns, but even over our duty to
         country
         a. When there is a conflict between duty to God and country,
            God must come first
         b. As stated by Peter:  "We ought to obey God rather than men"
            - Ac 5:27-29
      3. This helps to answer questions that often arise regarding the
         Christian’s duty to government
         a. Can a Christian vote?
         b. Can one serve in political office?
         c. Can one serve in the military or other civic duty?
      4. If such duties come at too high a price (i.e., placing country
         before God), a Christian must obey God rather than men
         a. In some countries, the price may be too high, and Christians
            could not serve in political office or exercise certain
            rights as citizens
         b. Other countries may allow for God to take precedence in
            one’s conduct, permitting Christians to participate in such
            things

CONCLUSION

1. Christians ought to be a blessing for any country in which they
   reside...
   a. A source of revenue, with respect for laws, and reverence for
      those in authority
   b. Contributing to the general welfare, through good deeds and
      fervent prayers

2. Christians can be a blessing to their country......
   a. When Christians render first to God what is His due, and then what
      is due the country
   b. When the country respects the priority that must be given God by
      its citizens

While those in authority might not always understand their proper place,
and expect more of their citizens than what is right, may we who are
disciples of Christ never fail to:

   "Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s,
   and to God the things that are God’s."



Executable Outlines, Copyright © Mark A. Copeland, 2011

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