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The Church Alphabet — Obedience
Posted in The Church Alphabet
Tagged alphabet, commitment, hillside, hillside laughter, obedience, obey, trust
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Wrestling with Truth — June 17, 2012 — Servant
Useful Outlines on the concept of “Servant’ in the Servant Songs of Isaiah.
| Servant Songs | |||
| Is 42:1-9 | Call | Chosen Servant | Character |
| Is 49:1-7 | Commission | Mission of the Servant | Calling |
| Is 50:4-11 | Commitment | Steadfast Obedient Servant | Work |
| Is 52:12 – 53:13 | Consummation | Suffering Servant | Fate |
| Is 52: 13-15 | The Servant’s Destiny |
| Is 53:1-3 | The Servant’s Career |
| Is 53:4-6 | The Servant’s Sufferings |
| Is 53:7-9 | The Servant’s Submission |
| Is 63:10-12 | The Servant’s Reward |
| ALL | Israel |
| MANY | The Loyal Remnant |
| FEW | God-fearers and Disciples of Jesus |
| ONE | Christ Crucified; The One Individual Servant |
| THE CROSS | |
| CHRIST | JESUS ALONE; Christ Risen |
| FEW | The Apostles; the 120, the 3000, the 5000 |
| MANY | New Testament Church; Vital Christians in All Denominations |
| ALL | Universal Kingdom of God |
Observation: Later in New Testament times, the apostle Philip met an Ethiopian on the road in Gaza and was able to explain to him how Jesus is the fulfillment of this special Servant prophecy of Isaiah. In addition, Philip was able to be God’s servant in this situation. Read the account from Acts below . . .
(Acts 8:27-38 NIV) So he started out, and on his way he met an Ethiopian eunuch, an important official in charge of all the treasury of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians. This man had gone to Jerusalem to worship, {28} and on his way home was sitting in his chariot reading the book of Isaiah the prophet. {29} The Spirit told Philip, “Go to that chariot and stay near it.” {30} Then Philip ran up to the chariot and heard the man reading Isaiah the prophet. “Do you understand what you are reading?” Philip asked. {31} “How can I,” he said, “unless someone explains it to me?” So he invited Philip to come up and sit with him. {32} The eunuch was reading this passage of Scripture: “He was led like a sheep to the slaughter, and as a lamb before the shearer is silent, so he did not open his mouth. {33} In his humiliation he was deprived of justice. Who can speak of his descendants? For his life was taken from the earth.” [quotation from Isaiah 53] {34} The eunuch asked Philip, “Tell me, please, who is the prophet talking about, himself or someone else?” {35} Then Philip began with that very passage of Scripture and told him the good news about Jesus. {36} As they traveled along the road, they came to some water and the eunuch said, “Look, here is water. Why shouldn’t I be baptized?” {37} {38} And he gave orders to stop the chariot. Then both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water and Philip baptized him.
TLT
Serpentine Excitement
I was mowing the lawn and Joyce came out the door with a pan of water, intent upon watering her Christmas cactus on the side front porch. She took a step forward and out of the corner of her eye saw something peculiar in the azalea bush, just inches away from her potted plant. Another look made evident a fat, multi-patterned snake sleeping
peacefully about 18 inches up into her prized azalea bush. In a moment of shock she took steps backwards and fell down, spilling the water over herself, simultaneously yelling to get my attention over the roar of the lawn mower.
With some initial assistance from our mathematician/computer scientist neighbor from across the street, I was able to knock the snake into the ground-cover ivy where I flailed away with a hoe until the snake was sufficient damaged to get it out onto the grass where I severed and dispatched the creature. Sadly the azalea bush was left much the worse for wear and hoeing. Our next-door mathematician neighbor brought his tape measure and we announced that the snake was at least 40 inches long.
I sent a picture of the snake (which Joyce had valiantly secured) to a professor at the University of Kentucky. He assured me that it was a “rat snake; very common and beneficial as its pri
mary food is mice.” This does sadden me since it would be good to have a community benefactor in the ridding of mice but maybe that function will return to being the job of the neighborly cats. On the other hand some of the neighborhood (including Joyce!) are glad to limit the encounters with azalea-climbing serpents.
TLT
THE CHURCH ALPHABET — New
Posted in The Church Alphabet
Tagged beginning, birth, clean sheet, creation, fresh, hillside, laughter, new, start
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THE CHURCH ALPHABET — Much More
Posted in The Church Alphabet
Tagged adequate, God is enough, grace, hebrews, much more, oil, salvation, sin
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THE CHURCH ALPHABET — Light
Posted in The Church Alphabet
Tagged darkness, hillside, Light, no electricity, sputnik
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Wrestling with Truth — May 27, 2012
HOLINESS
Using 2 Chronicles 26 and Isaiah 6, we compared the statements:
“KING UZZIAH DIED” and “I SAW THE LORD” (see Isaiah 6:1)
and made a list of the respective characteristics of UZZIAH and ISAIAH. Uzziah was a successful king who was initially faithful to God and built up the kingdom. He reigned for 52 years. However, he rebelled and violated God’s laws (see 2 Chronicles 26) and was stricken with leprosy. He did not repent.
In contrast, Isaiah encountered God in full recognition and self-awareness of his (Isaiah’s) own sinful and unclean condition. He received forgiveness, was cleansed, and readied himself for service.
We compared aspects of Isaiah’s encounter that EXCLUDED him from fellowship with God and aspects that INCLUDED him within God’s pattern of truth and right living. The cleansing applied to Isaiah’s life in the form of a burning coal from the altar enabled him to be united with God and be cleansed from the sin and uncleanness that separated him from God and His holiness.
Isaiah moral message of cleansing:
(Isa 1:16-20 NIV) wash and make yourselves clean. Take your evil deeds out of my sight! Stop doing wrong, learn to do right! Seek justice, encourage the oppressed. Defend the cause of the fatherless, plead the case of the widow. “Come now, let us reason together,” says the LORD. “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool. If you are willing and obedient, you will eat the best from the land; but if you resist and rebel, you will be devoured by the sword.” For the mouth of the LORD has spoken.
TLT
Wrestling with Truth — May 20, 2012
WISDOM
A few weeks ago, we addressed the six ULTIMATE QUESTIONS. These can be reviewed at QUESTIONS.
Our focus today was on the sixth of these, MORALITY: WHAT IS THE BEST WAY TO LIVE? The special focus was on the concept of WISDOM or the PRACTICAL MORAL LIFE in Proverbs 7-9.
The book of Proverbs can be viewed as a guidebook for right living. It personifies WISDOM and considers such vital and essential attributes as: knowledge, shrewdness, training, good judgment, reflectiveness, right values, prudence, and skill. All of these are in contrast to FOLLY (lack of sense; wickedness) and its attendant dangers.
Proverbs 7 gives us the example of the ROOTS OF FOLLY. The person described:
- Lacks judgment ( see v. 7); demonstrates a life of drifting
- Is led astray (see v. 21); bases decisions upon emotions without sufficient thought; operates on impulse
- Ends in the grave (see v. 27); does not consider the consequences of a decision
INSTEAD, the person is called to live in the context of WISDOM — THE ANSWER IS:
- get committed
- make choices guided by the Word of God
- stop living for the moment and start living in the light of eternity
The concepts of WISDOM (Proverbs, I Corinthians) and LOGOS (see John 1) were considered. The respective uses of personification and anthropomorphism of these two terms was discussed.
The challenge of WISDOM was summarized in the great hymn by B. Mansell Ramsey
Teach me Thy way, O Lord, teach me Thy way!
Thy guiding grace afford, teach me Thy way!
Help me to walk aright, more by faith, less by sight;
Lead me with heav’nly light, teach me Thy way!
When I am sad at heart, teach me Thy way!
When earthly joys depart, teach me Thy way!
In hours of loneliness, in times of dire distress,
In failure or success, teach me Thy way!
When doubts and fears arise, teach me Thy way!
When storms o’erspread the skies, teach me Thy way!
Shine through the cloud and rain, through sorrow, toil and pain;
Make Thou my pathway plain, teach me Thy way!
Long as my life shall last, teach me Thy way!
Where’er my lot be cast, teach me Thy way!
Until the race is run, until the journey’s done,
Until the crown is won, teach me Thy way!
TLT
Posted in Wrestling with Truth
Tagged blessing, discernment, good judgment, hillside, hillsidelaughter, laughter, prudence, skill, wisdom
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Hillside Laughter 