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Issue No.032 December 1, 2006 ; Obedience; Additional Thoughts on Changing the Scripture
#1 · November 25, 2006, 3:57 pm
Posted by: gracepeaceu <gracepeaceu@...>
An e-periodical for spiritual enlightenment,
edification and encouragement
edification and encouragement
Issue No.032 December 1, 2006
gracepeaceu@gmail.com Subscription details in the end
In this issue
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Perspective: Obedience
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Study Note: THE HOLY PLACE
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Brief Article: Additional Thoughts on Changing the Scripture
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Outline: Believer’s attitude towards Christ
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Anecdote: Substitute Soldier
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News & Views 1: Earth warming to cost costal cities!
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News & Views 2: Fish to be finished in forty years!
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Worth Quote: Obedience
Obedience
NTK
One of the outstanding qualities of Joshua as a successful leader was his absolute obedience to the Lord. In the wilderness he learned it from Moses and obeyed him for forty years. He effectively completed every assignments entrusted to him by Moses.
In Joshua chapter 1 the Lord, while encouraging him to take up the leadership as Moses’ successor, reminded him of the importance of complete compliance to the law which he shall meditate day and night. Reading of the word of God is good, no doubt, but not enough. To succeed and prosper he should put those precepts in his practical life.
Listen, what the Lord said, “Only be strong and very courageous, that you may observe to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may prosper wherever you go. This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may obverse to do according to all that is written in it.” Joshua.1:7, 8. Notice how emphatically the Lord reminds Joshua to obey with out going to the right or to the left.
For a Christian believer too there is no other option but obedience for success and prosperity in his ways. Often we take this area for granted due to our familiarity and moderate Christian living. But remember our obedience to God’s word must be total and from the depth of our heart too. Moses the great man of God disobeyed just at one occasion and lost the privilege to enter in to the Promised Land. King Saul obeyed partly and lost the kingdom.
Some one has noticed that there are many motives behind obedience. A slave obeys because he has to –no other way; an employ obeys because he needs to— needs money; a wife obeys because she wants to—looking for more opportunity to express her love.
Our obedience to God should not be merely an effort to fulfil an obligation or a selfish effort to squeeze out things from God’s hands. It should be purely a loving response to His love and kindness with all our heart and mind.
No wonder, referring to the marks of a true Christian, Apostle John presents three levels of obedience in his letter. He says a true Christian will keep the commandments of God, keep His word and walk as He walked. 1John.2:3—6. Not only the plainly written instructions of God, we ought to obey even the heart’s desire of God. Even if something is not explicitly recorded, as we stay close to the Lord we will come to understand the perfect will of the Lord and be able to please His heart. Let this be our prayer, ‘Lord what more shall I do for you?”
The bible says that the Lord reveals His desire step by step. Only after we take one step we get light on the next step. That means if we are disobedient in one area, the Lord may not enlighten us for further obedience. Such a condition deprive us a lot of blessings and accomplishment.
Book of Joshua reveals that the promise of the Almighty was true and reliable. Faithful is He who has promised. As far as we are concerned there is no other short cut for prosperity and victory in Christian life, but to trust and obey.
Study Note
THE HOLY PLACE:
Charles E. Wigg
As the priest entered the Holy Place, a sight of the most exquisite beauty and glory met his eyes, Psalm 29;9 says that in His temple, everything speaks of His glory, so also in the Tabernacle's Holy place, everything spoke of His glory. As the priest looked around he would see the boards, or frames that made the walls of the Tabernacle, covered with pure gold. If they were solid boards, then it would appear as walls of solid gold. If they were frames, then he would see the beautiful curtain, with its figures of cherubim embroidered in threads of pure gold, framed in the frames of pure gold.
If he looked up, he would again see that beautiful curtain, because it formed the ceiling of the Tabernacle. If he looked to the North, he would see the second veil in all its glory, and before it on the right hand, the golden table of shewbread, in the centre, the lovely golden altar, and on the left side, the beautiful golden lamp stand, with its seven golden lamps shedding a soft and flickering light over all, and making all the gold to shine and to sparkle. What a sight it must have been, enough to fill the soul with awe, and the heart with worship, yet all was but a tiny manifestation of the glory of the One whose house it was. Let us now look at each thing in detail, and see what they will teach us.
Brief Article
Additional Thoughts on Changing the Scripture
Shawn Abigail Ottawa, Canada
A recent issue of "Grace and Peace" reminded us that the world would like to change the sacred Scripture. To quote:
In response to an international religious controversy one writer wrote to a news paper, "Why don't you change this age old scriptures'. His argument is, if we can amend the constitution to suit to the present need, why not religious statutes written many centuries ago. He not only called upon that particular community to change their law, but all the faiths to modify the religious rulings to adjust with the modern world. What should be a Christian answer to this logic? Can we change the word of God according to the times? Or do we think that the Bible is irrelevant and illogic for the present age? Christian believers must be clear about these questions lest we be confused by the variety of ideologies.
That people of the world would make such a suggestion is not surprising. Most peoples and most nations have no experience with unchanging truth. The closest most nations come to unchanging truth is their country's Constitution. In many nations, lawmakers and citizens have almost a reverence for their Constitution. But every constitution has an amending formula, but which the constitution can be changed and updated to reflect an unchanging world.
It seems the laws and theories of science are open to frequent revision. Fourty years ago an evolutionist would have thought you a fool if you didn't believe in Darwinian Evolution. Today an evolutionist would think you a fool if you do believe in Darwinian Evoution, for they have a new evolutionary theory called Punctuated Equilibrium which replaces Darwinian Evolution.
So we must not think too poorly of people of this world, because they have no experience with real and unchanging truth. To understand and embrace real truth requires a completely new way of thinking for them. Until they are able to understand real truth, we should not be surprised when they ask us to change our most sacred document, for they are quite willing to make changes to their most sacred documents and ideas.
But if present trends are any indicator, things will get worse. The Post-Modern movement is sweeping through the ranks of young people and educational institutions around the world. Post-modernism denies that there is any truth, or that we can ever know truth. Facts are replaced by feelings. Truth is replaced by experience. There is much more to this movement than we can explore in this short article, but it should be clear that any movement that denies that truth exists will come into conflict with Biblical Christianity.
In response to an international religious controversy one writer wrote to a news paper, "Why don't you change this age old scriptures'. His argument is, if we can amend the constitution to suit to the present need, why not religious statutes written many centuries ago. He not only called upon that particular community to change their law, but all the faiths to modify the religious rulings to adjust with the modern world. What should be a Christian answer to this logic? Can we change the word of God according to the times? Or do we think that the Bible is irrelevant and illogic for the present age? Christian believers must be clear about these questions lest we be confused by the variety of ideologies.
That people of the world would make such a suggestion is not surprising. Most peoples and most nations have no experience with unchanging truth. The closest most nations come to unchanging truth is their country's Constitution. In many nations, lawmakers and citizens have almost a reverence for their Constitution. But every constitution has an amending formula, but which the constitution can be changed and updated to reflect an unchanging world.
It seems the laws and theories of science are open to frequent revision. Fourty years ago an evolutionist would have thought you a fool if you didn't believe in Darwinian Evolution. Today an evolutionist would think you a fool if you do believe in Darwinian Evoution, for they have a new evolutionary theory called Punctuated Equilibrium which replaces Darwinian Evolution.
So we must not think too poorly of people of this world, because they have no experience with real and unchanging truth. To understand and embrace real truth requires a completely new way of thinking for them. Until they are able to understand real truth, we should not be surprised when they ask us to change our most sacred document, for they are quite willing to make changes to their most sacred documents and ideas.
But if present trends are any indicator, things will get worse. The Post-Modern movement is sweeping through the ranks of young people and educational institutions around the world. Post-modernism denies that there is any truth, or that we can ever know truth. Facts are replaced by feelings. Truth is replaced by experience. There is much more to this movement than we can explore in this short article, but it should be clear that any movement that denies that truth exists will come into conflict with Biblical Christianity.
Outline
Believer’s attitude towards Christ
1. Walking with Him—Revelation. Luke.24:15
2. Talking with Him—Fellowship. Luke.9:30
3. Listening to Him—Instruction. Luke 10:39
4. Abiding with Him—Joy & Peace. Kohn 1:39
5. Waiting upon Him—Power. Acts. 4:31
6. Watching for Him—Expectancy. Luke 8:40
Anecdote
Substitute Soldier
During the Second World War, one of the prisoners from the Nazi concentration camp in Poland escaped. The enraged commander announced to the 600 prisoners of the camp that if the escaped prisoner was not found, retribution would be on the lives of ten among them,”
The fugitive was not found. The next day evening, on July 1, 1941, the camp commander Col.Fritsh lined up all the prisoners and began to select ten out of the, calling out ‘You;’ ‘You’ and asking to come forward. One man who was thu7s selected, cried out, “My wife! My poor children!”
When he had chosen ten prisoners and they were lined up to be marched off, one of the other prisoners came forward and offered himself to be taken up in the place of the man who cried out. Though astonished the camp commander accepted the offer of Maximillian Kolbe and spared the other man. Kolbe died a martyr
The fugitive was not found. The next day evening, on July 1, 1941, the camp commander Col.Fritsh lined up all the prisoners and began to select ten out of the, calling out ‘You;’ ‘You’ and asking to come forward. One man who was thu7s selected, cried out, “My wife! My poor children!”
When he had chosen ten prisoners and they were lined up to be marched off, one of the other prisoners came forward and offered himself to be taken up in the place of the man who cried out. Though astonished the camp commander accepted the offer of Maximillian Kolbe and spared the other man. Kolbe died a martyr
News & Views 1
Earth warming to cost costal cities!
According to a recent study by the U.K. government, costal cities all over the world will face increasing risks for coastal surges and flooding as the earth warms by 3 to 4 degrees from mid century.
The 22 cities in the list include New York, Miami, London, St.Petersburg, Mumbai and Kolkata, Tokyo, and Hong Kong etc. “Even if protected, these cities would lie below sea level with a residual risk of flooding like New Orleans today… Rising sea level will result in tens to hundreds of millions more people flooded each year with a warming of 3 or 4 degree Celsius. .” The report said.
Victims do understand the fierceness of a flooding. Yet believers have hope and comfort through His word. Nothing happens by chance, He is on the throne.
The 22 cities in the list include New York, Miami, London, St.Petersburg, Mumbai and Kolkata, Tokyo, and Hong Kong etc. “Even if protected, these cities would lie below sea level with a residual risk of flooding like New Orleans today… Rising sea level will result in tens to hundreds of millions more people flooded each year with a warming of 3 or 4 degree Celsius. .” The report said.
Victims do understand the fierceness of a flooding. Yet believers have hope and comfort through His word. Nothing happens by chance, He is on the throne.
News & Views 2
Fish to be finished in forty years!
A recent study predicts that by 2048 global fish stocks will be collapsed if the current industrial fishing level continues.
Industrial fishing over the last 50 years has been very strong and consistent, going by this trend, the researchers say, “you end with no sea food.”
Between 1950 and 2003, 29 percent of fish and invertebrate fisheries with in all 64 large marine ecosystems world wide had collapsed, 83% of world’s seafood harvest is from these regions.
World leaders try their best to make this world a better place to live in! But the Bible believers know that the world can not just go on like this forever. God has a plan for the entire universe, it must be fulfilled.
Industrial fishing over the last 50 years has been very strong and consistent, going by this trend, the researchers say, “you end with no sea food.”
Between 1950 and 2003, 29 percent of fish and invertebrate fisheries with in all 64 large marine ecosystems world wide had collapsed, 83% of world’s seafood harvest is from these regions.
World leaders try their best to make this world a better place to live in! But the Bible believers know that the world can not just go on like this forever. God has a plan for the entire universe, it must be fulfilled.
Worthy Quotes
Obedience
"“It is much safer to obey than to rule.”
--Thomas a Kempis
--Thomas a Kempis
“The test of progress is obedience.”
--A.E. Brook
--A.E. Brook
To ponder over
Psalm.55:22
"“Cast your burden on the Lord, And He shall sustain you; He shall never permit the righteous to be moved.”
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Edited & Posted by Nelson Thomas Kumaramparampil for the glory of God and for the joy of the saints.