Quote from Forum Archives on August 25, 2004, 5:43 pm

Posted by: info <info@...>

E-pistle

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dr. Curt Scarborough, President FreeWay Foundation August 27, 2004

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

In This Issue:
"My Son, The Prime Minister"
"Things That Defile A Person"
Degree changes at PIAC

"My Son, The Prime Minister"
(Genesis 47:1-31)
I. Concentration: on the events of this chapter
1. Joseph presented five of his brothers to Pharaoh, who officially gave them Goshen and
employed some of them as chief herdsmen over his own livestock, vv. 1-6.
2. Joseph presented his father to Pharaoh, and Israel blessed this Egyptian ruler, vv. 7-10.
3. As the Prime Minister of Egypt, Joseph supplied the people with food during the famine in
exchange for their freedom . . . the Egyptian population (except for the religious leaders)
agreed to become slaves of Pharaoh, and their land and possessions became property of
the state; essentially, they became share-croppers, paying 20% of their crops to Pharaoh,
vv. 13-26.
4. At age 130, Israel entered Egypt, and 17 years later he sensed that his death was near, so
he asked Joseph to bury him back in Canaan, not in Egypt, vv. 27-31.
II. Meditation and Revelation: on the spiritual implications of these events
1. Which brothers did Joseph present to Pharaoh? We do not know, but possibly they were
the four oldest (Reubin, Simeon, Levi, and Judah) and youngest (Benjamin).
2. Israel humbly answered Pharaoh's question about his age, saying that his "few and evil" years
had not attained those of his grandfather, Abraham (175) and his father, Isaac (180), vv. 8-10.
Yet, Israel's "mere" 130 years put him in the position to bless the younger Pharaoh.
3. Here we observe an example of government taxation and of religious exemption to such
taxation, an arrangement which has been a part of the structure of many societies in
many nations over the centuries.
4. It was important to Israel that he be buried in the Promised Land, rather than on foreign
soil . . . "There's no place like home!"
III. Applications: as a Christian, I need to . . .
1. Honor others in my human family, recognizing that regardless of their degree of prominence or
economic position, each of us stands equal before Almighty God, Who created us all.
2. Show proper respect for my local, state, and national government leaders by praying for and
blessing them daily, Romans 14:1-8; I Timothy 2:1-2.
3. Realize that whether I live in a democracy or a dictatorship, it is proper for citizens to pay taxes
to provide needed services, and it is also proper for the government to recognize that important
contribution made by organized religion to the moral, ethical, and spiritual fiber of society by
allowing certain charitable tax exemptions, Matthew 22:17-21.
4. Recognize that my life on earth is very brief, and that my true citizenship is not here but in
heaven, Psalm 99:10, 12; Hebrews 11:13-16.

Things That Defile A Person
(Mark 7:1-37)

I. Concentration: on the contents of this chapter
1. Jesus taught that spiritual defilement is a matter of the heart, vv. 1-20.
2. Jesus listed the evils which come out of a person, vv. 21-23.
3. Jesus healed the daughter of a Syro-Phoenician woman, vv. 24-30.
4. Jesus healed a deaf-mute man, vv. 31-37.

II. Observations: on the idea of spiritual defilement
1. Nothing that ENTERS a man from outside can defile him, vv. 15, 18.
2. Things which COME OUT of him . . . defile, v. 15.
3. DEFILE = to make unclean; to soil; to dirty; to desecrate; to violate the
sanctity of; to profane; to make unholy.
4. Spiritual standing with God is a matter of the heart; not external, physical
activities, vv. 20, 23.

III. Meditation: on the idea of spiritual defilement
1. Evil thoughts (wicked; vicious) 9. Lewdness (obscene; indecent)
2. Adulteries 10. Evil eye (bewitching powers)
3. Fornications 11. Blasphemy (cursing; swearing;
4. Murders taking God's name in vain;
5. Thefts irreverence; impious talk)
6. Covetousness 12. Pride
7. Wickedness 13. Foolishness
8. Deceit

IV. Revelation: on the spiritual implications seen here
1. Jesus always prioritized "HEART" over ritualistic religion.
2. Man was created to be holy, as God is holy, I Peter 1:15-16 . . . but our
hearts are wicked, and they defile us (make us unholy).
3. Jesus listed 13 defiling sins, including attitudes, speech, and actions.
4. Jesus wants us to hear His words of warning, vv. 14, 16.

V. Applications: as a Christian, I need to . . .
1. Guard my "HEART" . . . cultivate spiritual virtues; putting God's will first.
2. Repent, confess, and forsake my wicked, defiling sins.
3. List my specific sins which need forgiveness (not "generic" sin).
4. "HEAR" Jesus . . . which implies asking for and receiving His cleansing.

Pillsbury Institute NCCA Degree Titles
(Effective July 1, 2004)

Christian Master of Arts (C.M.A.)
in (Clinical) Counseling Psychology OR
in (Clinical) Pastoral Counseling OR
in (Clinical) Temperament Therapy

Christian Doctor of Philosophy (C.Ph.D.)
in (Clinical) Counseling Psychology OR
in (Clinical) Pastoral Counseling OR
in (Clinical) Temperament Therapy

Christian Doctor of Psychology (C.Psy.D.)
in (Clinical) Pastoral Counseling OR
in (Clinical) Temperament Therapy (Second Doctorate Only)

NOTE:
The student has the option of whether to include the area of concentration ("In . . . ")
on his or her diploma. This information always will appear on the student transcript.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"People who ask our advice almost never take it. Yet we should never refuse to give it,
upon request, for it often helps to see our own way more clearly."
- Brendan Francis

--
To unsubscribe, send ANY messag