The forgotten vow of Jacob by Mark Copeland

Enjoy the lesson... Gary

http://executableoutlines.com/text/gen35_1.htm

Take my pen, PLEASE?

I collect pens.  I pick them up from every possible source you could think of; friends, relatives, stores of all kinds and anywhere and everywhere I have a chance.  Once I get them, I usually put them in an old coffee cup and stash them somewhere.  Once in while, I raid one of the many cups when I actually NEED a pen.  Giving them away is usually NOT an option.  But, what if someone took one of them and used it.  I wonder how I would feel about THAT?  Hopefully, like Paul felt about his "GOOD NEWS" in the following passage...

WEB: Philippians Chapter 1
[12] Now I desire to have you know, brothers, that the things which happened to me have turned out rather to the progress of the Good News; [13] so that it became evident to the whole palace guard, and to all the rest, that my bonds are in Christ; [14] and that most of the brothers in the Lord, being confident through my bonds, are more abundantly bold to speak the word of God without fear. [15] Some indeed preach Christ even out of envy and strife, and some also out of good will. [16] The former insincerely preach Christ from selfish ambition, thinking that they add affliction to my chains; [17] but the latter out of love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the Good News. [18] What does it matter? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed. I rejoice in this, yes, and will rejoice.

Seems a little odd at first, but Paul's most precious possession was meant to be given away.  This made him happy!!! He didn't care WHY people gave it away, he was just happy that they did!  Why?  Because he knew the blessing in what Christ could do in someone's life and the hope of heaven.  I like the idea so much that maybe I will even change my ways?  As soon as I find these pens in a store, I intend to put some in a cup right next to the front door.  I may even put a little sign on it saying "take one, PLEASE".  No, who am I kidding, I can't do that... I would put a Bible underneath it instead.

The bad bargain of Esau by Mark Copeland

Enjoy...Gary

http://executableoutlines.com/text/gen25_29.htm

POV

What categories apply to you?  Further, are you part of one and part of another?  Do things seem one way to you today and tomorrow, well, not so much!  Face it, its hard to put people into little boxes; we are COMPLICATED BEINGS!!!

To complicate things just a bit more, do you feel the same today as you did 20 or 30 or maybe even 40 years ago????  Probably not!!!  Consider for a moment, the Apostle Paul; now, there is one very complicated fellow.  He grew up in a multi-cultural environment of Rome, Greece and Judaism.  A Pharisee, he became the great proponent of the grace of God and yet at the same time he could write the following chapter...

World English Bible: I Corinthians Chapter 9
[1] Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Haven’t I seen Jesus Christ, our Lord? Aren’t you my work in the Lord? [2] If to others I am not an apostle, yet at least I am to you; for you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord. [3] My defense to those who examine me is this. [4] Have we no right to eat and to drink? [5] Have we no right to take along a wife who is a believer, even as the rest of the apostles, and the brothers of the Lord, and Cephas? [6] Or have only Barnabas and I no right to not work? [7] What soldier ever serves at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard, and doesn’t eat of its fruit? Or who feeds a flock, and doesn’t drink from the flock’s milk? [8] Do I speak these things according to the ways of men? Or doesn’t the law also say the same thing? [9] For it is written in the law of Moses, “You shall not muzzle an ox while it treads out the grain.” Is it for the oxen that God cares, [10] or does he say it assuredly for our sake? Yes, it was written for our sake, because he who plows ought to plow in hope, and he who threshes in hope should partake of his hope. [11] If we sowed to you spiritual things, is it a great thing if we reap your fleshly things? [12] If others partake of this right over you, don’t we yet more? Nevertheless we did not use this right, but we bear all things, that we may cause no hindrance to the Good News of Christ. [13] Don’t you know that those who serve around sacred things eat from the things of the temple, and those who wait on the altar have their portion with the altar? [14] Even so the Lord ordained that those who proclaim the Good News should live from the Good News. [15] But I have used none of these things, and I don’t write these things that it may be done so in my case; for I would rather die, than that anyone should make my boasting void. [16] For if I preach the Good News, I have nothing to boast about; for necessity is laid on me; but woe is to me, if I don’t preach the Good News. [17] For if I do this of my own will, I have a reward. But if not of my own will, I have a stewardship entrusted to me. [18] What then is my reward? That, when I preach the Good News, I may present the Good News of Christ without charge, so as not to abuse my authority in the Good News. [19] For though I was free from all, I brought myself under bondage to all, that I might gain the more. [20] To the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain Jews; to those who are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain those who are under the law; [21] to those who are without law, as without law (not being without law toward God, but under law toward Christ), that I might win those who are without law. [22] To the weak I became as weak, that I might gain the weak. I have become all things to all men, that I may by all means save some. [23] Now I do this for the sake of the Good News, that I may be a joint partaker of it. [24] Don’t you know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run like that, that you may win. [25] Every man who strives in the games exercises self-control in all things. Now they do it to receive a corruptible crown, but we an incorruptible. [26] I therefore run like that, as not uncertainly. I fight like that, as not beating the air, [27] but I beat my body and bring it into submission, lest by any means, after I have preached to others, I myself should be rejected.

Complicated? Without a doubt!  His motivation was heavenly inspired and I believe one of the major factors in his success was his flexibility.  He could empathize with all sorts of people, however complex they could be.  He reached out to bless them with his understanding of what God has done for all of man.  Whether brilliant or dull, rich or poor, wise or stupid and probably a thousand combinations of all the categories in the picture... he found a way to relate and communicate.  Now, I don't mean that Paul was split into multiple personalities, but rather that he tried to really understand where someone else was coming from.  And that is not an easy thing to do.  But, he did it and that's what counts and so should we.  End of lesson.  Or, is the beginning?  I better stop before I have to ask myself who is talking...

The Faith of Abraham by Mark Copeland

 Enjoy the link...Gary

http://executableoutlines.com/text/gen15_6.htm

Not MY COOKIES!!!!

When my kids were little, we all watched Sesame Street together.  Seasame Street taught a lot of useful things and as far as I know, they still must be on TV.  So, when I saw this picture, it brought back a lot of memories.  The phrase "Why not, Daddy...PPPLLLEEEEESSSEEE? keeps coming to my mind, although I am not exactly sure why.  The picture puts the Cookie Monster in an awful situation, because how can he EVER DELETE COOKIES?????? Cookies are the most important thing in "His" life (he was a male, right??).  And I bet he had one huge stash of cookies..... Why?  Because he loved them.  Question: What kind of stash do you have??? Before you answer too quickly, read these few verses from the book of Matthew...

WEB: Matthew Chapter 6
[19] “Don’t lay up treasures for yourselves on the earth, where moth and rust consume, and where thieves break through and steal; [20] but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consume, and where thieves don’t break through and steal; [21] for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

What really matters to you?  What do you think about every day?  Is something specific on your mind at least fifteen times a day, every day?  Guess what... that is what you really love.  That is what you can't get enough of.  That is your treasure!!!  Jesus says not to lay up treasures on Earth, which by implication means to lay them up in HEAVEN.  If your heart yearns to be in heaven and you do everything you can to get there, then your reward will be there too.  I wonder... will there be cookies there?  I guess the next time I do my regular computer maintenance, I will have to be extra careful not to delete my COOKIES!!!!

The choice of lot by Mark Copeland

Enjoy the lesson... Gary

http://executableoutlines.com/text/gen13_10.htm