The Truly Happy Man by Mark Copeland

http://executableoutlines.com/text/ps1_1.htm

A lesson from the first Psalm... Gary

Life in a blender

Now, there is real stress!!!  Any minute this little one could become fish puree!!! Now, I don't mean to downplay the stress in your life; I am sure that at times it is considerable, and sometimes seemingly unbearable.  Normally, though, most of our lives are not in danger.  We have the usual problems; marriage, money, children, responsibilities toward family.  These are normal, but for many in the world there is persecution.  Consider the Coptic Christians in Egypt.  Their churches are destroyed and it is common to hear of physical attacks on their person. It was like that in the first few centuries following too.  Christianity was an illegal religion and therefore one could expect seizure of property, physical abuse and even the possibility of death at any time.  So, with this backdrop we see this writing in the book of Hebrews...

WEB: Hebrews Chapter 10

[24] Let us consider how to provoke one another to love and good works, [25] not forsaking our own assembling together, as the custom of some is, but exhorting one another; and so much the more, as you see the Day approaching. [26] For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remains no more a sacrifice for sins, [27] but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and a fierceness of fire which will devour the adversaries. [28] A man who disregards Moses’ law dies without compassion on the word of two or three witnesses. [29] How much worse punishment, do you think, will he be judged worthy of, who has trodden under foot the Son of God, and has counted the blood of the covenant with which he was sanctified an unholy thing, and has insulted the Spirit of grace? [30] For we know him who said, “Vengeance belongs to me,” says the Lord, “I will repay.” Again, “The Lord will judge his people.” [31] It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. [32] But remember the former days, in which, after you were enlightened, you endured a great struggle with sufferings; [33] partly, being exposed to both reproaches and oppressions; and partly, becoming partakers with those who were treated so. [34] For you both had compassion on me in my chains, and joyfully accepted the plundering of your possessions, knowing that you have for yourselves a better possession and an enduring one in the heavens. [35] Therefore don’t throw away your boldness, which has a great reward. [36] For you need endurance so that, having done the will of God, you may receive the promise.

Think it couldn't happen in the United States of America?  Think again!!!  Our religious freedoms are being eroded.  No prayer in schools, secularism taught in both primary and secondary education and until very recently, the Bible was banned in the military.  It is a small step from these things to either physical or material persecution.  Sounds terrible, doesn't it?  Yet, Christians overcame these obstacles once and if necessary could do it again.  We just need to hold more firmly to the truth and not let anyone make us conform to heathenism.  Living on the edge may be tough, but with Christ we can overcome any problem!!! I hope I never find myself in a life or death situation, but if so, I pray that I might remain steadfast.  After all, I could be the one in the blender...

Expratriate extraordinare by Mark Copeland

http://executableoutlines.com/text/est2_5.htm

A lesson about Mordecai the Jew... Gary

What do you think about all day long....

"What the mind can conceive and believe, it can achieve" was the Amway saying I learned in the 70's.  Selling soap (and related products) was quite an education for me.  I remember the emphasis on reading and thinking certain things, the meetings and most of all the enthusiasm!!!  One of the "tricks to success" was to write your goals on a 3 x 5 card and place it on your refrigerator, your bathroom mirror and anywhere you might see it throughout the day.  You thought of your goals constantly, incessantly, persistently, until you reached them.  Nothing stood in your way, absolutely nothing!!!  If you didn't succeed, you just needed more encouragement!!!  If you still didn't succeed, it was because you didn't believe enough and needed to concentrate more to reach your goals.  No success, try harder!  Well, you get the picture... try, try, try and try some more!!!!  Please don't misunderstand... they have great products, its their priorities that are wrong!!!

Having said that, here is the right set of goals...

World English Bible: Philippians Chapter 3

[1] Finally, my brothers, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you, to me indeed is not tiresome, but for you it is safe. [2] Beware of the dogs, beware of the evil workers, beware of the false circumcision. [3] For we are the circumcision, who worship God in the Spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh; [4] though I myself might have confidence even in the flesh. If any other man thinks that he has confidence in the flesh, I yet more: [5] circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; concerning the law, a Pharisee; [6] concerning zeal, persecuting the assembly; concerning the righteousness which is in the law, found blameless.

[7] However, what things were gain to me, these have I counted loss for Christ. [8] Yes most certainly, and I count all things to be loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus, my Lord, for whom I suffered the loss of all things, and count them nothing but refuse, that I may gain Christ [9] and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own, that which is of the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith; [10] that I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, becoming conformed to his death; [11] if by any means I may attain to the resurrection from the dead. [12] Not that I have already obtained, or am already made perfect; but I press on, if it is so that I may take hold of that for which also I was taken hold of by Christ Jesus.

[13] Brothers, I don’t regard myself as yet having taken hold, but one thing I do. Forgetting the things which are behind, and stretching forward to the things which are before, [14] I press on toward the goal for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. [15] Let us therefore, as many as are perfect, think this way. If in anything you think otherwise, God will also reveal that to you. [16] Nevertheless, to the extent that we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule. Let us be of the same mind. [17] Brothers, be imitators together of me, and note those who walk this way, even as you have us for an example. [18] For many walk, of whom I told you often, and now tell you even weeping, as the enemies of the cross of Christ, [19] whose end is destruction, whose god is the belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who think about earthly things. [20] For our citizenship is in heaven, from where we also wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ; [21] who will change the body of our humiliation to be conformed to the body of his glory, according to the working by which he is able even to subject all things to himself.

We live in an electronic age.  From our youth we are constantly bombarded with advertisements that program us to want more and more and more things.  Our minds are overloaded with this, our houses are full and overflowing and our pocketbooks are empty; we are in debt.  Wrong priority!  Paul had the right idea.  What is of true value is that which will endure beyond 10,000 centuries; life with God!!!  Getting there is costly; leave your pride, your greed, your THINGS at the door!!! Do everything you can to do what Jesus wants you to do.  Sounds simple; its not.  Overcoming the influences of this world is tough... which is why you have to CONCENTRATE ON YOUR GOALS!!!!!  Now would be a good time to focus in on the picture and THINK!!!

Paragon of beauty and virtue by Mark Copeland

http://executableoutlines.com/text/est1_1.htm

One of my all time favorites... Esther... Gary

Written in stone.

Ironic isn't it?  When I think of something written in stone, I think of something permanent.  My first thought when I saw this was of the Cecil B. Demille movie: The Ten Commandments.  Remember Pharaoh saying: so let it be written, so let it be done.  Well, when Pharaoh gave a commandment, it was written in stone.  And if he decided to change history (which was somewhat common in those days) he had his underlings simply chisel out the old and write it anew.  Convenient, isn't it?  Ironic too, because for all their redaction, they too lost all their power and eventually were committed to the Egyptian sands of forgetfulness.  Secondly, I thought of the ten commandments written on stone tablets and then to this passage from the new testament...
 

WEB: II Corinthians Chapter 3

[1] Are we beginning again to commend ourselves? Or do we need, as do some, letters of commendation to you or from you? [2] You are our letter, written in our hearts, known and read by all men; [3] being revealed that you are a letter of Christ, served by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tablets of stone, but in tablets that are hearts of flesh. [4] Such confidence we have through Christ toward God; [5] not that we are sufficient of ourselves, to account anything as from ourselves; but our sufficiency is from God; [6] who also made us sufficient as servants of a new covenant; not of the letter, but of the Spirit. For the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life. [7] But if the service of death, written engraved on stones, came with glory, so that the children of Israel could not look steadfastly on the face of Moses for the glory of his face; which was passing away: [8] won’t service of the Spirit be with much more glory? [9] For if the service of condemnation has glory, the service of righteousness exceeds much more in glory. [10] For most certainly that which has been made glorious has not been made glorious in this respect, by reason of the glory that surpasses. [11] For if that which passes away was with glory, much more that which remains is in glory.

Even the ten commandments passed away.  Oh, there was nothing wrong with them and they are eternal.  The problem was with US.  Human beings just can't keep them perfectly.  So God has written his word on our hearts instead and instead of stone we have life.  

For it is written in the prophet Jeremiah:

WEB: Jeremiah Chapter 31
[31] Behold, the days come, says Yahweh, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah: [32] not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they broke, although I was a husband to them, says Yahweh. [33] But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says Yahweh: I will put my law in their inward parts, and in their heart will I write it; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people: [34] and they shall teach no more every man his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, Know Yahweh; for they shall all know me, from their least to their greatest, says Yahweh: for I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin will I remember no more.

and also in Habakkuk:

WEB: Habakkuk 2:4. Behold, his soul is puffed up. It is not upright in him, but the righteous will live by his faith.

You might say:This is a contradiction.  It isn't at all; The Bible is the continuing story of God bringing man back into fellowship with Him.  God gave commandments which were pure and holy and perfect, but we aren't, so he sent his son for us and now we can be THROUGH HIM.  AND THAT IS WRITTEN IN STONE!!!

The hand of the Lord my God was upon me by Mark Copeland

http://executableoutlines.com/text/ezr7_28.htm

Ezra is the topic and an interesting one too.... Gary