Epistle for May 7, 2004

#1 · May 6, 2004, 5:58 pm

Quote from Forum Archives on May 6, 2004, 5:58 pm
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E-pistle

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

Dr. Curt Scarborough, President FreeWay Foundation May 7, 2004

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

During this second quarter of 2004, we shall continue our studies from Genesis 26-38 and Matthew 14-26.
I plan to continue these studies from my "Personal & Practical" notes for several months.
In This Issue:
"MIZPAH"
"TRUTHS AS BIG AS CAMELS"
Continuing education at PIAC

Mizpah
(Genesis 31:44-55)

I. Concentration: on the parting of Jacob and Laban
1. Jacob's prosperity made him an object of jealousy and envy by Laban's sons, v. 1.
2. Laban's attitude toward Jacob had changed . . . his countenance "was not favorable
toward him as before," v. 2.
3. The Lord told Jacob to return to Canaan, and he conferred with his wives about the
move, vv. 3-13.
4. Rachel and Leah advised Jacob to take their inheritance and leave the country secretly,
vv. 14-21.
II. Meditation: on the final confrontation between Jacob and Laban
1. After three days, Laban heard of Jacob's departure, and he pursued and overtook him within
a week, vv. 22-25.
2. Laban asked "WHY?" . . . alleging that he would have given them a nice "going-away" party,
vv. 26-28.
3. Laban had been told by the Lord not to harm Jacob, v. 29.
4. Laban accused someone in Jacob's party of stealing his household idols; in fact, Rachel had
done so, but was not caught, vv. 30-35.
III. Revelation: on the resolution of this conflict
1. Jacob angrily rebuked Laban for what he believed to be his false accusation about stealing
household gods, vv. 36-37.
2. Jacob also rebuked Laban for the unfair treatment he had given during 20 years of service:
"You have changed my wages ten times," vv. 38-41.
3. Jacob asserted that Laban would have sent him away empty-handed, except for God's
intervention, v. 42.
4. Laban and Jacob made a covenant and erected a stone pillar ("Mizpah" meaning a "heap
of witness") to mark the line between the two men, which they swore never to cross, vv. 43-55.
IV. Applications: as a Christian, I need to . . .
1. Listen with spiritual discernment to receive the Lord's direction for my life and family; wait
for a word of confirmation from others who are personally involved.
2. Discuss all major decisions with other members of the family . . . seeking their insight and advice.
3. Deal immediately with inter-personal problems and disagreements; communicate . . . rather
than storing up frustration for twenty years and then exploding with anger!
4. Realize that God indeed does watch over his people while they are absent one from another
. . . "MIZPAH," v. 49.

Truths As Big As Camels
(Matthew 19:1-30)

I. Concentration: on the contents of this chapter
1. Jesus taught about marriage, divorce, and celebacy, vv. 1-12.
2. Jesus blessed the little children, vv. 13-15.
3. Jesus counseled the rich young ruler to give away everything in order to
have treasure in heaven; Jesus invited him to become a disciple, but the
young man went away sorrowful, vv. 16-22.
4. Jesus used a camel to illustrate that salvation is impossible without God;
He promised rich rewards to those who followed Him, and He stated:
"Many who are first will be last, and the last first," vv. 23-30.

II. Meditation: on two "big as camel" truths in Scriptures
"It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man
to enter the kingdom of God," Matthew 19:24.
1. Dependence upon material possessions, rather than upon God, prevents rich persons
(and poor persons) from entering the kingdom.
2. Riches are not necessarily a sign of God's approval and blessing.
3. Jesus' illustration of the camel and the eye of the needle taught the utter impossibility
of a man's saving himself.
4. Legalistic good works, without a genuine heart conversion, are fruitless . . . impossible
to swallow; blind persons do not perceive the difference between major and minor things
(gnats/camels) in God's sight.

III. Revelation: on the spiritual implications seen in verse 24
1. A Jerusalem gate named "Eye of a Needle" is interpretive fiction; no such gate exists.
2. Liberal scholars here translate "camel" as "rope," and/or they translate "needle's eye"
as "gate" . . . greatly dulling the impact of Jesus' teaching, that salvation is impossible
through a man's good works.
3. If the "needle" were a gate, the camel could unburden itself, get down on its knees, and
squeeze through the narrow door into the city of God.
This is a false picture; salvation is not by works, but by faith!
4. Only God's miraculous power can save a sinner, v. 26.

IV. Applications: as a Christian, I need to . . .
1. Put my faith in God, not in physical things.
2. Accept as truth Jesus' plain, unmistakable words in Scripture.
3. Perceive the difference between minor, physical (gnat-sized) things and major, spiritual
(camel-sized) things.
4. Worship Almighty God as the one and only source of my salvation.

Earn Your M.A. or Ph.D. at Pillsbury Institute;
Become A Licensed Clinical Pastoral Counselor

M.A. in Christian Counseling Psychology (40 credits - $750 down)
Ph.D. in Christian Counseling Psychology (54 credits - $810 down)
Pillsbury Institute of Applied Christianity, St. Louis, offers pastoral counseling training at only $90 per credit hour. National Christian Counselors Association distance learning format allows completion within 12-16 months. Program includes basic and advanced curriculum, clinical supervision, practicums, thesis, NCCA licensure and board certification in your choice of eight counseling specializations.
For additional information, see www.pillsburyinstitute.org or phone toll-free: 1-888-737-3392.
Tuition Fees for 2204
The Board of Directors of the Pillsbury Institute of Applied Christianity has established the following tuition rates, effective January 1, 2004:
Undergraduate tuition: $60 per credit hour
Graduate-level tuition: $90 per credit hour
Ph.D. in Christian Counseling Psychology (54 credit hours) - $4,860
$810 initial payment plus $150 monthly for 27 months
M.A. in Christian Counseling Psychology (40 credit hours) - $3,600
$750 initial payment plus $150 monthly for 19 months
Psy.D. in Clinical Christian Counseling (42 credit hours) - $3,780
$780 initial payment plus $150 monthly for 20 months (SECOND DOCTORATE ONLY)
D.Min. in Biblical Counseling or Spiritual Mentoring (48 credit hours) - $4,320
$720 initial payment plus $150 monthly for 24 months
M.Min. in Biblical Counseling or Spiritual Mentoring (32 credit hours) - $2,880
$630 initial payment plus $150 monthly for 15 months
Bachelor of Biblical Counseling or Biblical Studies (final year: 32 credit hours) - $1,920
$570 initial payment plus $150 monthly for 9 months
Iron-clad Money-back Guarantee
* $50 registration fee will be refunded if the applicant is not accepted as a student.
* Initial payment will be refunded - no questions asked - if the student decides to
withdraw for any reason within 30 days of registration.
* $50 graduation fee will be waived for students who complete their regular tuition
payments ahead of schedule.
NOTICE: Entering students who submit a registration form for a degree program will have 60 days in which to complete the process, including the payment of the initial fee. After 60 days, the entering student who has not completed the process will be placed on inactive status, the registration form will become invalid, and the $50 registration fee will be forfeited.
These tuition fee increases are the first to be implemented since the Pillsbury Institute of Applied Christianity was founded in 1992. However, the costs still remain substantially lower than all other comparable distance learning graduate schools because Pillsbury Institute is owned, controlled and operated by the FreeWay Foundation.
The FreeWay Foundation is a non-profit ministry which provides "practical teaching and training for successful living." The Foundation pays the salaries and benefits of Pillsbury Institute's administration, staff, and faculty members. The Institute is housed at no charge in FreeWay Foundation's spacious modern building on a beautiful 2-acre campus in northwest St. Louis County. Since the overhead costs of the school are minimal, these substantial savings are passed along to the student in the form of lower tuition rates.

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

Have you had a chance to look at our web-site? Please do because we are going to start sending the
E-pistle by giving a link to the web-site that will connect to a link to the E-pistle and you can receive the
same Bible studies. We hope this will be convenient for everyone and will involve less time you need to
spend reading and printing. You will still be able to print it from the web-site and catch up on back issues
if you miss one. The web-site is www.freewayfoundation.org or www.pillsburyinstitute.org Have a look!

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

--
To unsubscribe, send ANY messag

Posted by: info <info@...>

E-pistle

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

Dr. Curt Scarborough, President FreeWay Foundation May 7, 2004

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

During this second quarter of 2004, we shall continue our studies from Genesis 26-38 and Matthew 14-26.
I plan to continue these studies from my "Personal & Practical" notes for several months.
In This Issue:
"MIZPAH"
"TRUTHS AS BIG AS CAMELS"
Continuing education at PIAC

Mizpah
(Genesis 31:44-55)

I. Concentration: on the parting of Jacob and Laban
1. Jacob's prosperity made him an object of jealousy and envy by Laban's sons, v. 1.
2. Laban's attitude toward Jacob had changed . . . his countenance "was not favorable
toward him as before," v. 2.
3. The Lord told Jacob to return to Canaan, and he conferred with his wives about the
move, vv. 3-13.
4. Rachel and Leah advised Jacob to take their inheritance and leave the country secretly,
vv. 14-21.
II. Meditation: on the final confrontation between Jacob and Laban
1. After three days, Laban heard of Jacob's departure, and he pursued and overtook him within
a week, vv. 22-25.
2. Laban asked "WHY?" . . . alleging that he would have given them a nice "going-away" party,
vv. 26-28.
3. Laban had been told by the Lord not to harm Jacob, v. 29.
4. Laban accused someone in Jacob's party of stealing his household idols; in fact, Rachel had
done so, but was not caught, vv. 30-35.
III. Revelation: on the resolution of this conflict
1. Jacob angrily rebuked Laban for what he believed to be his false accusation about stealing
household gods, vv. 36-37.
2. Jacob also rebuked Laban for the unfair treatment he had given during 20 years of service:
"You have changed my wages ten times," vv. 38-41.
3. Jacob asserted that Laban would have sent him away empty-handed, except for God's
intervention, v. 42.
4. Laban and Jacob made a covenant and erected a stone pillar ("Mizpah" meaning a "heap
of witness") to mark the line between the two men, which they swore never to cross, vv. 43-55.
IV. Applications: as a Christian, I need to . . .
1. Listen with spiritual discernment to receive the Lord's direction for my life and family; wait
for a word of confirmation from others who are personally involved.
2. Discuss all major decisions with other members of the family . . . seeking their insight and advice.
3. Deal immediately with inter-personal problems and disagreements; communicate . . . rather
than storing up frustration for twenty years and then exploding with anger!
4. Realize that God indeed does watch over his people while they are absent one from another
. . . "MIZPAH," v. 49.

Truths As Big As Camels
(Matthew 19:1-30)

I. Concentration: on the contents of this chapter
1. Jesus taught about marriage, divorce, and celebacy, vv. 1-12.
2. Jesus blessed the little children, vv. 13-15.
3. Jesus counseled the rich young ruler to give away everything in order to
have treasure in heaven; Jesus invited him to become a disciple, but the
young man went away sorrowful, vv. 16-22.
4. Jesus used a camel to illustrate that salvation is impossible without God;
He promised rich rewards to those who followed Him, and He stated:
"Many who are first will be last, and the last first," vv. 23-30.

II. Meditation: on two "big as camel" truths in Scriptures
"It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man
to enter the kingdom of God," Matthew 19:24.
1. Dependence upon material possessions, rather than upon God, prevents rich persons
(and poor persons) from entering the kingdom.
2. Riches are not necessarily a sign of God's approval and blessing.
3. Jesus' illustration of the camel and the eye of the needle taught the utter impossibility
of a man's saving himself.
4. Legalistic good works, without a genuine heart conversion, are fruitless . . . impossible
to swallow; blind persons do not perceive the difference between major and minor things
(gnats/camels) in God's sight.

III. Revelation: on the spiritual implications seen in verse 24
1. A Jerusalem gate named "Eye of a Needle" is interpretive fiction; no such gate exists.
2. Liberal scholars here translate "camel" as "rope," and/or they translate "needle's eye"
as "gate" . . . greatly dulling the impact of Jesus' teaching, that salvation is impossible
through a man's good works.
3. If the "needle" were a gate, the camel could unburden itself, get down on its knees, and
squeeze through the narrow door into the city of God.
This is a false picture; salvation is not by works, but by faith!
4. Only God's miraculous power can save a sinner, v. 26.

IV. Applications: as a Christian, I need to . . .
1. Put my faith in God, not in physical things.
2. Accept as truth Jesus' plain, unmistakable words in Scripture.
3. Perceive the difference between minor, physical (gnat-sized) things and major, spiritual
(camel-sized) things.
4. Worship Almighty God as the one and only source of my salvation.

Earn Your M.A. or Ph.D. at Pillsbury Institute;
Become A Licensed Clinical Pastoral Counselor

M.A. in Christian Counseling Psychology (40 credits - $750 down)
Ph.D. in Christian Counseling Psychology (54 credits - $810 down)
Pillsbury Institute of Applied Christianity, St. Louis, offers pastoral counseling training at only $90 per credit hour. National Christian Counselors Association distance learning format allows completion within 12-16 months. Program includes basic and advanced curriculum, clinical supervision, practicums, thesis, NCCA licensure and board certification in your choice of eight counseling specializations.
For additional information, see http://www.pillsburyinstitute.org or phone toll-free: 1-888-737-3392.
Tuition Fees for 2204
The Board of Directors of the Pillsbury Institute of Applied Christianity has established the following tuition rates, effective January 1, 2004:
Undergraduate tuition: $60 per credit hour
Graduate-level tuition: $90 per credit hour
Ph.D. in Christian Counseling Psychology (54 credit hours) - $4,860
$810 initial payment plus $150 monthly for 27 months
M.A. in Christian Counseling Psychology (40 credit hours) - $3,600
$750 initial payment plus $150 monthly for 19 months
Psy.D. in Clinical Christian Counseling (42 credit hours) - $3,780
$780 initial payment plus $150 monthly for 20 months (SECOND DOCTORATE ONLY)
D.Min. in Biblical Counseling or Spiritual Mentoring (48 credit hours) - $4,320
$720 initial payment plus $150 monthly for 24 months
M.Min. in Biblical Counseling or Spiritual Mentoring (32 credit hours) - $2,880
$630 initial payment plus $150 monthly for 15 months
Bachelor of Biblical Counseling or Biblical Studies (final year: 32 credit hours) - $1,920
$570 initial payment plus $150 monthly for 9 months
Iron-clad Money-back Guarantee
* $50 registration fee will be refunded if the applicant is not accepted as a student.
* Initial payment will be refunded - no questions asked - if the student decides to
withdraw for any reason within 30 days of registration.
* $50 graduation fee will be waived for students who complete their regular tuition
payments ahead of schedule.
NOTICE: Entering students who submit a registration form for a degree program will have 60 days in which to complete the process, including the payment of the initial fee. After 60 days, the entering student who has not completed the process will be placed on inactive status, the registration form will become invalid, and the $50 registration fee will be forfeited.
These tuition fee increases are the first to be implemented since the Pillsbury Institute of Applied Christianity was founded in 1992. However, the costs still remain substantially lower than all other comparable distance learning graduate schools because Pillsbury Institute is owned, controlled and operated by the FreeWay Foundation.
The FreeWay Foundation is a non-profit ministry which provides "practical teaching and training for successful living." The Foundation pays the salaries and benefits of Pillsbury Institute's administration, staff, and faculty members. The Institute is housed at no charge in FreeWay Foundation's spacious modern building on a beautiful 2-acre campus in northwest St. Louis County. Since the overhead costs of the school are minimal, these substantial savings are passed along to the student in the form of lower tuition rates.

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

Have you had a chance to look at our web-site? Please do because we are going to start sending the
E-pistle by giving a link to the web-site that will connect to a link to the E-pistle and you can receive the
same Bible studies. We hope this will be convenient for everyone and will involve less time you need to
spend reading and printing. You will still be able to print it from the web-site and catch up on back issues
if you miss one. The web-site is http://www.freewayfoundation.org or http://www.pillsburyinstitute.org Have a look!

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

--
To unsubscribe, send ANY messag