From Gary.... Schadenfreude's boomerang

Schadenfruede: strange word; its meaning is given in the second of the two pictures.  When someone delights in the misfortune of others, then it is called schadenfrude.  The only thing is... when you wish evil upon others, oftentimes, it comes back to you.  When I think of this, I can't help but think of the book of Esther.  The whole book really should be read at one time to totally "get it", but for the sake of brevity, I have chosen some highlights...

Esther, Chapter 2

 19  When the virgins were gathered together the second time, Mordecai was sitting in the king’s gate.  20 Esther had not yet made known her relatives nor her people, as Mordecai had commanded her; for Esther obeyed Mordecai, like she did when she was brought up by him.  21 In those days, while Mordecai was sitting in the king’s gate, two of the king’s eunuchs, Bigthan and Teresh, who were doorkeepers, were angry, and sought to lay hands on the King Ahasuerus.  22 This thing became known to Mordecai, who informed Esther the queen; and Esther informed the king in Mordecai’s name.  23 When this matter was investigated, and it was found to be so, they were both hanged on a tree; and it was written in the book of the chronicles in the king’s presence. 

Esther, Chapter 3

 1 After these things King Ahasuerus promoted Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, and advanced him, and set his seat above all the princes who were with him.  2 All the king’s servants who were in the king’s gate bowed down, and paid homage to Haman; for the king had so commanded concerning him. But Mordecai didn’t bow down or pay him homage.  3 Then the king’s servants, who were in the king’s gate, said to Mordecai, “Why do you disobey the king’s commandment?”  4 Now it came to pass, when they spoke daily to him, and he didn’t listen to them, that they told Haman, to see whether Mordecai’s reason would stand; for he had told them that he was a Jew.  5 When Haman saw that Mordecai didn’t bow down, nor pay him homage, Haman was full of wrath.  6 But he scorned the thought of laying hands on Mordecai alone, for they had made known to him Mordecai’s people. Therefore Haman sought to destroy all the Jews who were throughout the whole kingdom of Ahasuerus, even Mordecai’s people. 

Esther, Chapter 5

 7  Then Esther answered and said, “My petition and my request is this.  8 If I have found favor in the sight of the king, and if it please the king to grant my petition and to perform my request, let the king and Haman come to the banquet that I will prepare for them, and I will do tomorrow as the king has said.” 

  9  Then Haman went out that day joyful and glad of heart, but when Haman saw Mordecai in the king’s gate, that he didn’t stand up nor move for him, he was filled with wrath against Mordecai.  10 Nevertheless Haman restrained himself, and went home. There, he sent and called for his friends and Zeresh his wife.  11 Haman recounted to them the glory of his riches, the multitude of his children, all the things in which the king had promoted him, and how he had advanced him above the princes and servants of the king.  12 Haman also said, “Yes, Esther the queen let no man come in with the king to the banquet that she had prepared but myself; and tomorrow I am also invited by her together with the king.  13 Yet all this avails me nothing, so long as I see Mordecai the Jew sitting at the king’s gate.” 

Esther, Chapter 6

 1 On that night, the king couldn’t sleep. He commanded the book of records of the chronicles to be brought, and they were read to the king.  2 It was found written that Mordecai had told of Bigthana and Teresh, two of the king’s eunuchs, who were doorkeepers, who had tried to lay hands on the King Ahasuerus.  3 The king said, “What honor and dignity has been bestowed on Mordecai for this?” 

Then the king’s servants who attended him said, “Nothing has been done for him.” 

  4  The king said, “Who is in the court?” Now Haman had come into the outer court of the king’s house, to speak to the king about hanging Mordecai on the gallows that he had prepared for him. 

  5  The king’s servants said to him, “Behold, Haman stands in the court.” 

The king said, “Let him come in.”  6 So Haman came in. The king said to him, “What shall be done to the man whom the king delights to honor?” 

Now Haman said in his heart, “Who would the king delight to honor more than myself?”  7 Haman said to the king, “For the man whom the king delights to honor,  8 let royal clothing be brought which the king uses to wear, and the horse that the king rides on, and on the head of which a crown royal is set.  9 Let the clothing and the horse be delivered to the hand of one of the king’s most noble princes, that they may array the man whom the king delights to honor with them, and have him ride on horseback through the city square, and proclaim before him, ‘Thus shall it be done to the man whom the king delights to honor!’” 

  10  Then the king said to Haman, “Hurry and take the clothing and the horse, as you have said, and do this for Mordecai the Jew, who sits at the king’s gate. Let nothing fail of all that you have spoken.” 

Esther, Chapter 7

 3  Then Esther the queen answered, “If I have found favor in your sight, O king, and if it please the king, let my life be given me at my petition, and my people at my request.  4 For we are sold, I and my people, to be destroyed, to be slain, and to perish. But if we had been sold for male and female slaves, I would have held my peace, although the adversary could not have compensated for the king’s loss.” 

  5  Then King Ahasuerus said to Esther the queen, “Who is he, and where is he who dared presume in his heart to do so?” 

  6  Esther said, “An adversary and an enemy, even this wicked Haman!” 

Then Haman was afraid before the king and the queen.  7 The king arose in his wrath from the banquet of wine and went into the palace garden. Haman stood up to make request for his life to Esther the queen; for he saw that there was evil determined against him by the king.  8 Then the king returned out of the palace garden into the place of the banquet of wine; and Haman had fallen on the couch where Esther was. Then the king said, “Will he even assault the queen in front of me in the house?” As the word went out of the king’s mouth, they covered Haman’s face. 

  9  Then Harbonah, one of the eunuchs who were with the king said, “Behold, the gallows fifty cubits high, which Haman has made for Mordecai, who spoke good for the king, is standing at Haman’s house.” 

The king said, “Hang him on it!” 

  10  So they hanged Haman on the gallows that he had prepared for Mordecai. Then was the king’s wrath pacified. 

Esther became queen because of Vashti's pride, Mordecai was almost killed because of it, and Haman was hanged because of its prominence within his heart.  We are just human just human beings; if we are blessed in some way, so be it.  If not, then so what?  Christians are different- one of the ways we should be is how we look at our enemies; Jesus says...

Matthew, Chapter 5

 43  “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor, and hate your enemy.’   44  But I tell you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who mistreat you and persecute you,  45  that you may be children of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the just and the unjust.   46  For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Don’t even the tax collectors do the same?   47  If you only greet your friends, what more do you do than others? Don’t even the tax collectors do the same?   48  Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect. 

The next time you are feeling "full of yourself", remember the following picture and be merciful towards others. Even those who are your enemies.

From Jim McGuiggan... Roman Triumphs and Psalm 68

Roman Triumphs & Psalm 68

The mention of aroma and fragrances and incense in 2 Corinthians 2:14-16 would naturally connect with the image of a Roman triumphal procession, but it would also connect with Israel's experience in the wilderness under Moses. Psalm 68 (67 in the Septuagint), with all its difficulties, does speak of God's leading Israel from Egypt to Sinai through the wilderness in triumph and on to Zion where God is enthroned.

Psalm 68:6 speaks of God leading forth prisoners and then (68:7), "O God when thou wentest forth before thy people, when thou wentest through the wilderness..." The earth shakes and trembles as he leads. 68:17 speaks of his chariots and of leading captivity captive while he rides on in glory to further exaltation. While it's true that Moses was the one God chose to lead Israel from captivity through the wilderness to home, it was really God who did the leading (Numbers 9:17, 23). Isaiah 63:11-14 makes this very clear. That text also makes it clear that the procession through the wilderness is a manifestation of God's glorious power (63:12) by which God got himself glory (63:14). But Psalm 68:7-18 is even more martial in tone.

These texts should perhaps make us think of the use of thriambeuo by Paul in 2 Corinthians 2:14. The words of Psalm 68:24 are vivid. "Your procession has come into view, O God, the procession of my God and King into the sanctuary." From slavery in Egypt through the wilderness wandering into the Zion itself--in all of this God was leading Israel in triumph. See too Psalm 105:37-45. No Roman general demonstrated his power and glory in such a splendid fashion and in such redemptive ways. (Paul's use of the Greek Psalms and Isaiah is extensive in 2 Corinthians.)

In 2 Corinthians 1:23 Paul explained that one of the reasons he had not returned to Corinth was because he did not want to hand out punishment. But he is sensitive to the fact that this might be construed as bullying speech so he hastens to assure them that he isn't their Lord and has no wish to be even though he is God's appointed apostle. This was one of the things Moses was accused of in the Korah, Dathan and Abiram affair of Numbers 16:13-14 when they accused him of acting like a prince over them and claiming complete rule. With that in mind, with the triumph and aroma and then with Moses explicity mentioned in chapter 3 perhaps this gives us grounds for seeing a pattern and drift to Paul's "apology".

©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... Jesus Before The Council (Mk. 14:53-65)

                          "THE GOSPEL OF MARK"

                  Jesus Before The Council (14:53-65)

INTRODUCTION

1. Jesus faced two trials prior to His execution...
   a. The ecclesiastical trial, in three stages
      1) The preliminary hearing before Annas - cf. Jn 18:12-14,19-24
      2) The midnight trial before Caiaphas and the council - Mk 14:53-65
      3) The morning consultation of the council - Mk 15:1
   b. The civil trial, also in three stages
      1) Before Pilate, the Roman governor - Mk 15:2-5
      2) Before Herod, the tetrarch over Galilee - cf. Lk 23:6-12
      3) Before Pilate again - Mk 15:6-15

2. In this lesson we turn our attention to the events of the midnight
   trial...
   a. The main stage of the ecclesiastical trial
   b. Where Jesus appeared before the council (Sanhedrin)

[Turning to Mk 14:53-65, let’s direct our attention to the details of
the trial, starting with...]

I. THE PARTICIPANTS

   A. CAIAPHAS THE HIGH PRIEST... - Mk 14:53
      1. Served for 18 years (18-36 A.D.)
      2. Presided over the council (Sanhedrin)
      3. This meeting occurred at his house - Lk 22:54; Mk 14:54
      4. He had predicted Jesus’ death - Jn 11:49-52
      5. He was involved with the plot from the beginning - Jn 11:53

   B. CHIEF PRIESTS, ELDERS, SCRIBES... - Mk 14:53
      1. Who had plotted to kill Jesus - Mk 14:1
      2. Those who had sent to arrest Jesus - Mk 14:43

   C. MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL... - Mk 14:55
      1. Also known as the Sanhedrin
      2. The supreme ecclesiastical court of the Jews
      3. Possibly including Joseph of Arimathea, even Nicodemus - cf. 

         Mk 15:43; Jn 3:1

   D. FALSE WITNESSESS... - Mk 14:55-56
      1. From whom the chief priests and council sought testimony
      2. But their testimony did not agree

   E. OTHERS PRESENT...
      1. Peter in the courtyard - Mk 14:54
      2. Another disciple, known by the high priest (John?) - cf. Jn 18:15-16
      3. Other servants and officers - cf. Jn 18:18; Mk 14:65

[With the majority present predisposed against Jesus, accusations were
brought against Him...]

II. THE CHARGES

   A. BY FALSE WITNESSES... - Mk 14:57-60
      1. Many bore false witness, but could not agree
      2. Jesus would destroy the temple and build another in three days
         without hands
      3. A false charge, misrepresenting what He taught - cf. Jn 2:19-22
      4. Against which Jesus refused to defend Himself - cf. Isa 53:7

   B. BY THE HIGH PRIEST (CAIAPHAS)... - Mk 14:61-64
      1. In response to the question, "Are you the Christ, the Son of
         the Blessed?"
      2. To which Jesus replied, "I am.  And you will see the Son of Man
         sitting..."
      3. Greatly angering the high priest, who tore his clothes
      4. Leading to the charge of blasphemy, deserving of death

[With the charge of blasphemy against Him, the physical abuse against
Jesus began to intensify...]

III. THE ABUSE

   A. BY MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL... - Mk 14:65
      1. Some began to spit on Jesus
      2. He was blindfolded and beaten
      3. He was mocked to prophesy

   B. BY THE OFFICERS... - Mk 14:65
      1. Struck with the palms of their hands
      2. As foretold by Isaiah - cf. Isa 50:6

CONCLUSION

1. The injustice at this trial is evident...
   a. The false witnesses and physical abuse
   b. Many say the midnight setting made it illegal

2. How difficult it must have been for some who were present...
   a. For fair-minded members of the council (e.g., Joseph and Nicodemus,
      if they were there)
   b. For Peter and John as they witnessed or heard the proceedings take
      place

3. Most importantly, how difficult it must have been for Jesus...
   a. Who knew what was coming - cf. Mk 8:31; 9:31; 10:33-34
   b. Who kept silent when He could have called a legion of angels - cf.
      Mt 26:53

Isaiah prophesied:  "He is despised and rejected by men, A Man of
sorrows and acquainted with grief.  And we hid, as it were, our faces
from Him; He was despised, and we did not esteem Him." (Isa 53:3)

If we had been there, we would have likely been influenced by the
religious leaders.  But knowing what Jesus went on to do and why, may we
resolve never to be ashamed of our Lord...

Executable Outlines, Copyright © Mark A. Copeland, 2011

 

From Gary... Enduring beauty

My grand-daughter Elizabeth took these pictures of Linda's roses and they are beautiful. There is just something about roses (besides being my family name) that is wonderful.  They are soft and have a pleasant odor and just having them around is a feast for the eyes.  However, they DO NOT last forever; their attractiveness fades as they wither and die.  If you look closely at the larger ones in the picture, you will see that the process of decline and decomposition has already begun.  These roses made me reflect on how transient are the things of this world.  How wonderful EVERYTHING seemed when I was young, but now???  I wish there was no decline and death, but sorrowfully, that is not the case.  But what if wishes came true; what then???  Read on and you will see...

1 Peter, Chapter 1

 1 Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the chosen ones who are living as foreigners in the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia,  2 according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in sanctification of the Spirit, that you may obey Jesus Christ and be sprinkled with his blood: Grace to you and peace be multiplied.  3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to his great mercy became our father again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,  4 to an incorruptible and undefiled inheritance that doesn’t fade away, reserved in Heaven for you, 5 who by the power of God are guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.  6 Wherein you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been put to grief in various trials,  7 that the proof of your faith, which is more precious than gold that perishes even though it is tested by fire, may be found to result in praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ—  8 whom not having known you love; in whom, though now you don’t see him, yet believing, you rejoice greatly with joy unspeakable and full of glory—  9 receiving the result of your faith, the salvation of your souls.  10 Concerning this salvation, the prophets sought and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that would come to you,  11 searching for who or what kind of time the Spirit of Christ, which was in them, pointed to, when he predicted the sufferings of Christ, and the glories that would follow them.  12 To them it was revealed, that not to themselves, but to you, they ministered these things, which now have been announced to you through those who preached the Good News to you by the Holy Spirit sent out from heaven; which things angels desire to look into. 

  13  Therefore prepare your minds for action, be sober and set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ—  14 as children of obedience, not conforming yourselves according to your former lusts as in your ignorance,  15 but just as he who called you is holy, you yourselves also be holy in all of your behavior;  16 because it is written, “You shall be holy; for I am holy.”  17 If you call on him as Father, who without respect of persons judges according to each man’s work, pass the time of your living as foreigners here in reverent fear:  18 knowing that you were redeemed, not with corruptible things, with silver or gold, from the useless way of life handed down from your fathers,  19 but with precious blood, as of a faultless and pure lamb, the blood of Christ;  20 who was foreknown indeed before the foundation of the world, but was revealed at the end of times for your sake,  21 who through him are believers in God, who raised him from the dead, and gave him glory; so that your faith and hope might be in God. 

  22  Seeing you have purified your souls in your obedience to the truth through the Spirit in sincere brotherly affection, love one another from the heart fervently:  23 having been born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, through the word of God, which lives and remains forever.  24 For, 

“All flesh is like grass,

and all of man’s glory like the flower in the grass.

The grass withers, and its flower falls;

  25 but the Lord’s word endures forever.”

This is the word of Good News which was preached to you. 

God's word does not fade; it is eternal.  The lives of countless individuals have attested to this fact and are witnesses of the truth.  Most prominent among those is Jesus.  He is the living example of God's word: resurrected, exalted, and providing us with an opportunity to be like him in heaven.  Tell me, have you heard any news today that even is in the same galaxy as that???  Look at the flowers, enjoy and reflect a bit and you will see what I mean.  And then, do yourself a favor.... read the first chapter of 1st Peter again.  Compare the two- one fades, the other does not.  Which one will you choose?

From Jim McGuiggan... Power Perfected In Weakness

Power Perfected In Weakness

The present tense of the verb suggests that the phrase "my power is made perfect in weakness" means God's power continues to be made perfect in weakness. The Greek text has no word answering to "my" but it appears that translators are correct in adding the word.

The text has immediate reference to Paul's own set of circumstances. If Paul wants to faithfully serve God (and he most certainly does) then he is to remember this truth: God's strength has always been and goes on being made perfect in weakness. Paul sees that truth demonstrated in his own labours across the world.

But the central and decisive demonstration of that truth is found in Jesus Christ who was "crucified in weakness" (2 Corinthians 13:4) and in that weakness he defeated all the powers of evil, cruelty and cynicism that led the creation to tear itself away from God and wake up in chaos (compare 

Colossians 2:15).

There is no silly claim here that God lacks "coercive" power. By "coercive" power I mean power that needs no co-operation to gain its object. Coercive power wills it to be so and it is! For example God can speak and non-existent galaxies obey and appear before him. He speaks through Christ and plain water immediately blushes and becomes wine. The power that is made perfect in weakness is another kind of power--but it is power nevertheless. It is non-coercive power. It's the power of love meeting hatred, it's the power of holiness meeting sin and it's the power of reconciling forgiveness meeting the fragmentation of rebellion. It is power that works within the parameters of relationships, respecting their structure and allowing them the possibility of the veto. (This needs further nuancing but I think you get my meaning.)

In the Corinthian context the power that is made perfect in weakness is God's will to redeem those who are too blind to know they need redeemed or are too hard to want to be redeemed. He who wants to rescue such people within the parameters of a relationship must come to them without coercion and the astounding thing is that God wants to do just that. He who would redeem us from our ugliness must love us even in our ugliness.

God seems to have a soft spot for the under-dog and weakness calls out not only his non-coercive power it calls out his coercive power to serve that power that is more costly to exercise.

There was a time when a man's aged body and a woman's barren womb said "no" and God in the power of love said "yes". A nation was enslaved and a mighty pharaoh said "no" to their freedom but God's powerful love said "yes". A restless sea and a brooding wilderness opposed their going home and said "no" and God's holy love said "yes". One day a representative of Rome and leaders of his own people consigned the Messiah to death's keeping and when God came asking for him the grave said "no". But God pounded his great fist on death's door and said an eternal "yes". All of that coercive power in the service of the power of love. Holy love's power that cannot bully its way into our lives is freely offered and is brought to perfection in our weakness.

All this reminds us that God's "coercive" power doesn't exist in isolation but is given its complexion by his "character". The exercises of his coercive power expressed his holy love and faithfulness. It not only makes sense to say that God's holy love determines how his coercive power will be exercised, it is following the biblical witness. A good and holy man will not say, "I am physically very powerful and my power will be the determining factor in all I do." Nor would a holy God even though he is omnipotent.

The passage doesn't say, "Your power is made perfect in weakness." The passage doesn't say, "You are made powerful in weakness." The power lies always with God and because in our weakness we are the place where God's saving power is made fully present we are said to be strong. But we are never said to be able. We hear, "Therefore he is able to save to the uttermost those that come to God by him" Always he and never we.

©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... Peter’s Denial Of Jesus (Mk 14:66-72)

                          "THE GOSPEL OF MARK"

                   Peter’s Denial Of Jesus (14:66-72)

INTRODUCTION

1. Among the things Jesus suffered was the indignity of Peter’s
   denial...
   a. Three times, with increasing intensity, Peter denied knowing Jesus
      - Mk 14:66-72
   b. Peter denied knowing Jesus, despite being with Jesus:
      1) From the beginning of His earthly ministry - Mk 1:16-18
      2) At the healing of his own mother-in-law - Mk 1:29-31
      3) On the Sea of Galilee, walking on the water - Mt 14:22-33
      4) On the mount, seeing Jesus with Moses and Elijah - Mk 9:2-6

2. How did Peter come to deny his Lord and Savior...?
   a. What forces were at work, that led to his cowardly deed?
   b. Might they be forces we face today, encouraging us to do the same?

[From "Peter’s Denial Of Jesus", there are important lessons to be
gleaned.  Indeed, Peter himself can help us to avoid making the mistakes
he made when he writes as one who knows the dangers before us.  For
example, we note first of all that...]

I. PETER WAS BETRAYED BY PRIDE

   A. HE BOASTED HE WOULD NEVER DENY JESUS...
      1. Proudly proclaiming that even if all left Jesus, not him! - Mk 14:27-29
      2. In so doing, Peter took the first step in falling away - Pr 16:18
      3. We can also be overconfident in our service to God - cf. 1Co 10:12

   B. PETER LATER COMMANDED HUMILITY...
      1. To be clothed with humility - 1Pe 5:5
      2. To humble ourselves before God - 1Pe 5:6

[Peter learned the hard way about the danger of pride.  Will we learn
from the mistake of Peter, and value the importance of humility?  Next,
notice that...]

II. PETER WAS BESIEGED BY LAZINESS

   A. HE KEPT FALLING ASLEEP...
      1. At a time when he needed to be watchful - Mk 14:37-42
      2. His laziness therefore led to lack of preparation
      3. The same thing can happen to us!
         a. Without diligent preparation, we too can be unprepared - cf.
            Lk 21:34-36
         b. More often than not, we gradually "drift away" because we
            are too lazy to "give the more earnest heed" - cf. He 2:1-3

   B. PETER LATER ENJOINED DILIGENCE...
      1. Commanding vigilant resistance against the devil - 1Pe 5:8-9
      2. Calling for diligence that we might:
         a. Grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus - 2Pe 1:5,10
         b. Be found in peace, without spot and blameless - 2Pe 3:14

[Do we allow simple laziness to keep us from careful preparation?  Do we
fail to attend services, study God’s Word, or even pray, because of
laziness?  If so, how can we hope to stand up for Jesus when put to the
test?  As we continue, we observe that...]

III. PETER WAS BESET BY COWARDICE

   A. HE FOLLOWED JESUS AT A DISTANCE...
      1. Peter still followed Jesus - Mk 14:54
      2. But now that Jesus was unpopular...
         a. He stays far enough away so not to be identified with Him
         b. He was unprepared to face the challenge of ridicule and
            persecution
      3. Might we be guilty trying to follow Jesus, but with cowardice?
         a. Ashamed to be seen carrying a Bible?
         b. Ashamed to be seen giving thanks?
         c. Ashamed to be seen with other Christians?

   B. PETER LATER EXHORTED GLORIFYING GOD...
      1. Charging us not to be ashamed, but to glorify God - 1Pe 4:16
      2. Thinking not of what things mean to us, but what they mean to
         God! - cf. Mt 5:16

[With cowardice keeping him at a distance from his Lord, Peter was a
prime candidate for succumbing to what came next...]

IV. PETER WAS BELEAGUERED BY WORLDLINESS

   A. HE WAS INFLUENCED BY THE WORLD...
      1. By sitting with the servants of the High Priest, and warming
         himself by their fire - Mk 14:54
      2. Ashamed to be seen with Christ, it was easy to mingle with
         those of the world and enjoy their comforts
      3. But one cannot be "comforted by the fire" of the world, and not
         be "burned"!
         a. E.g., close contact with things that can harm has an effect
            - cf. Pr 6:27-29
         b. So we cannot flirt with the world and walk away untouched
            - 1Co 15:33

   B. PETER LATER CALLED FOR US TO BE OTHERWORLDLY...
      1. To live as sojourners and pilgrims, abstaining from fleshly
         lusts and with honorable conduct among the nations - 1Pe 2:11-12
      2. To look for that new heavens and new earth, being diligent to
         be found by Christ in peace, without spot and blameless - 2Pe 3:13-14

CONCLUSION

1. When Peter concluded his second epistle, he did so with a warning...
   a. To beware lest you fall from your own steadfastness - 2Pe 3:17
   b. To grow in the grace and knowledge of Christ - 2Pe 3:18

2. These admonitions come from one who was well qualified to speak...
   a. For he knew how easy it was to fall through such things as:
      1) Pride
      2) Laziness
      3) Cowardice
      4) Worldliness
   b. But he also knew how one could grow in grace through such things
      as:
      1) Humility
      2) Diligence
      3) Glorifying God
      4) Living as strangers and sojourners

Yes, we know that Peter, though he denied Jesus three times and wept
bitterly, received grace when forgiven by Jesus and permitted to fulfill
his role as an apostle.  If we have been guilty of letting our Lord
down, look to Him for the grace to repent and growth that only He can
bestow...!

Executable Outlines, Copyright © Mark A. Copeland, 2011

 

From Gary.... From Majestic beauty to Eternal Greatness

Astronomy Picture Of The Day Is 18 Years Active

(Click on the above link for info from its creators)

For the past 15 years or so, I have been accessing this website in order to view the wonders of the universe.  Prior to that, I was exposed to the heavens by just going outside and viewing the heavens.  It was there that I realized the wonder of the universe and began to understand that there must be a creator behind all of this splendor.  At this point, Psalm 8 comes to mind...

Psalm 8

  1  Yahweh, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth,
who has set your glory above the heavens!  2 From the lips of babes and infants you have established strength,
because of your adversaries, that you might silence the enemy and the avenger.
  3 When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars, which you have ordained;
  4 what is man, that you think of him?
What is the son of man, that you care for him?
  5 For you have made him a little lower than God,
and crowned him with glory and honor.
  6 You make him ruler over the works of your hands.
You have put all things under his feet:
  7 All sheep and cattle,
yes, and the animals of the field,
  8 The birds of the sky, the fish of the sea,
and whatever passes through the paths of the seas.
  9 Yahweh, our Lord,
how majestic is your name in all the earth!

Since the early 60's I have been thinking of the heavens and searching for an understanding of its creator.  This website has often focused my thinking and reminded me of how insignificant I am- and how great GOD IS!!!  I can only imagine how many of the 1 billion visitors to APOD have thought the same thing!!!  Visit the site when you have opportunity and reflect on the greatness of the Almighty!!!

PS.Here is the link:  

http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/aptree.html