5/6/14

From Jim McGuiggan... A prayer in time of trouble

A prayer in time of trouble

Holy Father, my Ethel is going through another very distressing time and I need to ask your help. Like millions of other chronically ill people she is weary of the struggle and you must know very well how it is for those of us who love her to have to watch it for you love her also. We fully accept that being part of a human family you are working to redeem and glorify means we share in the universal hurt and since we are at peace with you in Jesus Christ we have no quarrel with you and feel no need to defend ourselves against you as though you were our enemy rather than our Holy Father who is very fond of us.

We've not asked for exemption from illness or death or heartache when it comes and we're not asking for it now, only that you would make your loving presence known in a more manifest way that can be felt by two of your emotionally weakened children who at this time are longing for such an assurance. We recognize too that there are countless poor souls who suffer without such a comforting blessing and if some sense of "distance" is to be part of this entire experience then so be it. And if that be the case and we are to have a deeper understanding of the hurt of this whole groaning world that senses that "distance" and your apparent absence, then we pray that you be especially near us so that your peace will guard our hearts in a very difficult time and that not only will we love you still cheerfully and be bound more closely to one another in dependence on each other but that in some way others will be blessed.

The test results will be what they will be and we long to be what we can be so long as we are assured that you are who and what you are. Of that we're sure in light of the Christ and we ask you to help us to maintain that clear vision in our hearts.
ethel and jim mcguiggan


©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, theabidingword.com.

From Nathaniel Nelson... The Mallee’s Tongue: Terrific Temperature-Telling Talent




http://apologeticspress.org/APContent.aspx?category=12&article=1451

The Mallee’s Tongue: Terrific Temperature-Telling Talent

by  Nathaniel Nelson

The modern inventions and innovations of man can be seen in almost every facet of our lives. The thermometer is one fine example of human ingenuity. Parents are familiar with taking their children’s temperature (sometimes quite frequently). Insert a thermometer, and voilĂ ! Several seconds later, the temperature is displayed as a bar of mercury or electronically, and one can read the temperature with ease. Even as we give homage to these fascinating devices, on occasion we tend to remain blind to the equally fascinating design that has been imprinted on the Earth and its creatures by the Great Designer. Take the mallee fowl, for example. Before man ever even thought of creating the simplest of contraptions, this bird was assessing temperature for its unborn babies. As the apostle Paul put it: “God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty” (1 Corinthians 1:27). Man’s conceptions may be mighty, but God has put them to shame with a bird as simple as the mallee fowl.
The Outback of Australia is home to this magnificent bird. The hot temperatures and dry climate do not deter the mallee, though. During its mating season, the male will create for its partner’s eggs a nest that has an average circumference of seventy feet, and is over three feet in height.
In order to make its nest, the male must first dig out a hole in early winter. Over the course of the winter, the mallee will begin to place sticks and other brush inside the hole, forming a canopy of litter across the top. As spring begins, the mallee fowl will cover the debris with a layer of sand to allow for fermentation of the litter beneath the surface. The nest will remain in this state until mating season (autumn). At this point, the nest has been thoroughly warmed by the decomposed waste. The male makes a hole in the top of the mound, where the female then lays a single egg. About a week later, the male will make another hole and the female will lay another egg. This process goes on until there are about eighteen eggs in the nest.
But building a nest is only half the battle. The other half involves temperature maintenance in the mound. This job, once again, is left to the male mallee. Several times a day, the male inserts his beak into the pile of debris and sand. He proceeds to stick out his tongue, which is such a good thermometer that it can measure a temperature change as small as 1/10 of a degree! After assessing the temperature, the male can act accordingly. If the nest is too hot, he can remove some of the sand that is covering the nest. If the nest becomes too cold, then the male can insert sticks to produce more heat, and add sand to insulate the mound from the surroundings. The temperature must be kept at exactly 33 degrees Celsius, and this medium must be maintained to within one degree in order for the unborn chicks to survive while still in the nest.
This scenario gives rise to important questions: (1) How did the mallee fowl “know” to pile sticks and other debris inside of the nest in order to moderate temperature? (2) Why (and how) did a temperature-evaluating device arise (in the form of a tongue)? Tough questions—the answers to which lie in the intricate design of this amazing bird that is attributable to the Great Designer.

REFERENCES

Junor, Lloyd (1998), “The Mallee Fowl,” Whimpey’s Little Desert Tour, [On-line], URL: http://www.aussieoutback.com.au/showcase/whimpy/lowan.html.

From Mark Copeland... The Second Gospel Sermon (Acts 3:1-26)

                     "THE BOOK OF ACTS"

                   The Second Gospel Sermon (3:1-26)

INTRODUCTION

1. In "The First Gospel Sermon", we learned the apostle Peter...
   a. Proclaimed the death, burial, resurrection and exaltation of
      Jesus Christ - Ac 2:22-35
   b. Called for a response of faith, repentance, and baptism for
      remission of sins - Ac 2:36-41 

2. We will now consider "The Second Gospel Sermon", also preached by
   Peter...
   a. Found in chapter three of the book of Acts
   b. Which took place at Solomon's porch in the temple

[Let's begin by reviewing the circumstances that provided the opportunity
for the sermon...]

I. THE SETTING

   A. PETER AND JOHN WENT TO THE TEMPLE...
      1. Christians had been gathering daily in the temple - Ac 2:46
      2. Peter and John arrived at the "hour of prayer, the ninth hour"
         (3 p.m.) - Ac 3:1

   B. MAN LAME FROM BIRTH WAS HEALED...
      1. Who was left daily at the gate of the temple called
         "Beautiful" - Ac 3:2-3
         a. Perhaps the Nicanor Gate made of Corinthian bronze
         b. At the East entrance to the Court of Women
         c. To ask alms from the people entering the temple, who asked
            Peter and John for alms
      2. Peter healed him in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth - Ac 3:4-8
         a. The lame man expected alms, but Peter gave him something
            better silver and gold!
         b. Peter took him by the hand and lifted him up
         c. His feet and ankles received strength, the miracle was
            immediate and total!

   C. A CROWD GATHERED...
      1. Drawn by the scene of the man walking, praising God - Ac 3:9-10
         a. Who was walking, praising God
         b. The people were amazed, wondering, for they knew he had
            been lame from birth
      2. They gathered in the porch called "Solomon's" - Ac 3:11
         a. A colonnaded area along the eastern wall of the temple area
            - ESVSB
         b. With double columns 38 feet tall, spanning 49 feet,
            supporting cedar ceilings - AYBD

[Note the similarity to the events in Acts 2:  a miraculous event
occurred, it attracted the attention of the people.  As before, Peter
used the opportunity to preach the gospel...]

II. THE SERMON

   A. JESUS PROCLAIMED AS MIRACLE EXPLAINED...
      1. The miracle was not by the power or godliness of Peter and
         John - Ac 3:12
      2. It was through faith in God's Servant, Jesus - Ac 3:13-16
         a. Whom the God of their fathers had glorified!
         b. Whom they had delivered up and denied in the presence of
            Pilate!
         c. Whom they denied, asking for a murderer to be released in
            his stead!
         d. Whom they killed, but God raised from the dead and seen by
            eyewitnesses!
         e. Whom Peter describes as the Holy One, the Just, the Prince
            of Life!
      3. Through faith in His name the lame man was healed - Ac 3:16
         a. Note well: it was Peter and John's faith in Jesus, not the
            lame man's faith
         b. For the lame man had not expected a miracle, but silver or
            gold - cf. Ac 3:4-7

   B. REPENTANCE COMMANDED AS IGNORANCE ACKNOWLEDGED...
      1. Peter acknowledges that they and their rulers acted in
         ignorance - Ac 3:17
      2. What occurred was foretold and fulfilled by God - Ac 3:18; cf.
         Ac 2:23
      3. Yet ignorance was no excuse, so they must "repent and be
         converted" - Ac 3:19
         a. Repent - change their minds their minds regarding Jesus and
            their sinful ways
         b  Be converted - turn back to God, which may imply baptism 
            - cf. Ac 2:38; 1Pe 3:21
      4. Reasons to repent and turn to God are given - Ac 3:19-26
         a. That their sins may be blotted out (remitted) - cf. Ac 2:38;
            22:16
         b. That times of refreshing may come from the presence of the
            Lord (possibly referring to the gift of the Spirit)- cf. Ac 2:38; Jn 7:37-39; Ga 4:6; 5:22-23
         c. That God may send Jesus Christ (a reference to His second
            coming) - cf. 2Pe 3:12
            1) Who was preached to them before (via the prophets)
            2) Whom heaven must receive until the times of restoration
               of all things (of which the prophets had also spoken)
         d. Lest they be utterly destroyed
            1) For Moses spoke of this Prophet (Jesus) - cf. Deu 18:15
            2) Those who will not Him, God will require it of them - cf.
               Deu 18:18-19
         e. They were sons of the prophets, and of the covenant God
            made with their fathers
            1) A covenant made with Abraham, to bless the world in his
               seed - Gen 12:3; 22:18
            2) A promise fulfilled by God through His Servant Jesus,
               Whom He raised
               a) Who was sent by God to bless them
               b) To bless them by turning them away from their sins

CONCLUSION

1. The response to "The Second Gospel Sermon" proved two-fold...
      a. A negative response by the religious leaders - Ac 4:1-3
      b. A positive response by many who heard (2000 believed) - Ac 4:4

2. Again we see that gospel preaching involved... 
   a. Proclaiming the death, burial, resurrection and lordship of Jesus
      Christ
   b. Calling on people to respond with repentance (with faith and
      baptism implied)
   c. Offering the remission of sins and refreshing gift of the Spirit

3. We also learn that it included proclaiming...
   a. The character of Jesus (Servant, Holy, Just, Prince of life,
      Christ, Prophet)
   b. The return of Jesus (i.e., His second coming)

How have you responded to the gospel preaching?  In faithful obedience,
or have you been hardening your heart by refusing to obey God's Prophet
and His apostles in faith, repentance and baptism...?

Executable Outlines, Copyright © Mark A. Copeland, 2012

From Gary... History and possibility


A picture from Terri Justice of her son Jesse and daughter Jamie; all dressed up in 19th century western garb. Very nice indeed!!!  Nostalgia for a former time can be a good thing; especially if that era was one of plenty and serenity.  And so my thoughts went to a book of the Bible that I don't think of as much as I should...

Lamentations, Chapter 5 (NASB)

Lam 5:19  You, O LORD, rule forever; Your throne is from generation to generation.
Lam 5:20  Why do You forget us forever? Why do You forsake us so long?
Lam 5:21  Restore us to You, O LORD, that we may be restored; Renew our days as of old,
Lam 5:22  Unless You have utterly rejected us And are exceedingly angry with us.

Jerusalem was destroyed, famine was the rule and depression and discouragement abounded. In times such as this human beings often seek God. And so, even bad circumstances can lead to good actions.  I hope that the U.S. never has to face something like the fate of Jerusalem, but if it does, then this passage will provide hope.  So, let us remember the past and learn from it! And if, along the way we just happen to find beauty, truth and an application for ourselves, then it will have been time well spent!!!

PS - Once again, NICE PICTURE; I especially like her fancy dress!!!