tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27811676254246637722024-02-20T22:07:36.207-06:00Tanakh of the WeekMar Michael Abportushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08596774159407994162noreply@blogger.comBlogger81125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2781167625424663772.post-18970537618370205532015-10-11T00:02:00.000-05:002015-10-11T00:02:04.037-05:0019th Sunday of Gracetide<span style="font-size: large;">Shabbat Shalom brothers and sisters:</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">I am very sorry I have allowed myself to be pulled off the grid so to speak. As many of you know, I have been diagnosed with Parkinson's, and I am sad to say it has really slowed me down, I feel though the need to proclaim the Gospel and to address the ills of the world. I will do my pest to post readings and lives of Saints, and proclaim God's word as long as I am physically able, and I desire your prayers for healing and strenth to do the work that the Lord has called me to do. I am earnest that our children not be led astray.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Currently we are losing a battle. Some of that loss came around 50 years ago as we abandoned marital fidelity. We need to go back to Ephesians and I Peter, and see how they liken marriage to the church. Marriage is the icon of the relationship between Yeshua and the church. Is it any wonder that our children no longer understand the permanent bond between Yeshua and his church, since they so rarely see this relationship between their parents. Where are the Hosaiahs of this world, who are faithful to their wives no matter what?</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Worst, we and the kids have been subject to a study bombardment of brain washing. It started over extramarital sex in the 50s (or maybe even in the 1920s). It was promoted by TV and movies. The world swooned over the adultery of Elizabeth Tailor and others, but continued to go watch them. The Golden Girls promoted prostitution and extra marital sex and we laughed. Sixteen year old kids told their 14 year old sisters on TV that they should already been having sex. TV went from showing married couples living together to unmarried couples having sex together without the bonds of matrimony. It was shameful at one time for a girl to have a child out of wedlock and now it is normal. In all of this, it is the kids who suffer. Girls and some guys who drop out of school to take care of the baby. Society now lets the poor baby get kept by his 12 or 13 year old mother, instead of adopted out to responsible adults because the girl wants to keep the baby, who often becomes her excuse. TV began introducing gay people, first as humerous or sympathetic, and then more and more to the point that many Americans think that homosexuals are between 10 and 50% of the population. Transgenders etc. no longer have psychological persons, but are heroes for ignoring the facts of life. We have come to the point where it is considered to speak the truth about these things. One small study of 167 young men who identified as homosexual showed that 165 of the 167 were sexually molested by an older male before the age of 16. Studies like this are hiden because it does not promote the current brand of political correctness.<br /><br />Even commonn sense is going down the dreain. Houston's new heroe ordiance says that if a man self identifies as a woman, he can use the woman's restroom. How many girls and women really want a guy sharing their bathroom? How many men (especially amomng an increasing number of immature men) aregoing ot take advantage of that law for wrong reasons. John Hopkins reveals that people who have sex change operations still have psychological problems. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Just when will we go back to the Bible. One man, one women in marriage. The man is to treat his wife as his queen, and she to treat her husband as a king. those who have same sex attraction to enter the monastic life, or learn to live with a person of the opposte sex in marriage. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">We Christinas can begin by shunning those Chritians who throw out the Biblical standards. We can continue by refising to watch TV or moveis, or listen to songs that promote extramarital sex. Remember the odl "GIGO." Garbage in, garbage out. I ahve noted that gay guys have an easier time of turning off their same sex attraction if they get rid of porn. <br /><br />Our society today glorifies in sex. Instead of building porn castles, we need t be glorifying the Lord and building prayer castles to Him. God is our king, and if we put anything in his place, he will use it to get our attention so that we come to repentance by admitting we are wrong. So lets read the Bible and proclaim it. God wants the prisoners set free. Today those prisoners are chained by sex and materialis. It is our job to present the Gospel to them.</span>Mar Michael Abportushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08596774159407994162noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2781167625424663772.post-62009408617543618712014-12-05T08:12:00.001-06:002014-12-05T08:12:47.229-06:00The Problem of SinToday, in the United States, we seem to have a real problem with sin.A lot of people are bashing the Bible because they do not like its definition of sin. In the Old Testament, there are several words translated as sin in English. One of them means to miss the mark as in archery. Another means twisted or bent. Both are important meanings of the word. God has a perfect plan for each of us. If we are not walking in that plan, we are sinning. The Bible lists specific sins, but any time we are out of God's will we are sinning.<br />
<br />
The second use in being bent or twisted is important today. In society, we like to take good things and twist them. Food, alcohol, sex, money even are all good things in and of themselves. But we have this habit of twisting them. Gluttony or self starvation, alcoholism, fornication, and greed are all results of twisting something good. This is Satan's favourite sin, when he twists something good.<br />
<br />
What can we do about sin? First we need to recognise it. A good first step is to read the Bible which gives a pretty good list of sin. Remember though, that not all the Tanakh is binding on Christians. The only food laws for Christians is to abstain from eating blood. None of the ritual laws apply to Christians, although knowing them helps us to understand Messiah. Everything in the New Testament though, applies to Christians.<br />
<br />
Today many people are preoccupied with sin. WE don't want to do it, but we seem unable to stop ourselves. On the other hand, there are many who are tempted, but keep themselves from sin. I find the secret to beating sin in our lives is the Sh'ma:<br />
<br />
Hear O Istrael, the Lord your God, the Lord is one.<br />
Love him with all your heart,<br />
with all your mind,<br />
with all your strength<br />
This is the first and great commandment, the second is like unto it.<br />
Lover your neighbour as yourself to obey the law and the prophets. (Mark 12:29-31)<br /><br />So is their sin in your life? Do you love God with all your heart? Is he the most important thing in the world to you? If you really love him, you will hate what he hates, and he hates sin. When we are truly in love with someone or something, we will try and please that person all the time, and look for their benefit.<br /><br />Do we love the Lord with all our mind? Pornography even among Christians and Pastors is a serious problem. What are we looking at? Does it glorify God? And it is not just sex. Many commercials on TV glorify greed, especially the Old Navy commercials where the lady kicks everyone out so she can go buy stuff on sale at Old Navy. Do we really want to teach our kids and ourselves that message? When you see that good looking girl or guy walking down the street, does your mind go straight to sex? When you see that hot car, or nice dress, do you lust for it? The secret is to thank God for it, and throw the focus from the object to God.<br /><br />Do we love the Lord with all our strength? Really, how much do most people really resist sin in their lives. When Clinton had his indiscretion, what was the response? Everyone does it anyway! If that were true, we would really be in trouble. In the first three centuries the church grew by leaps and bounds because "Christians don't do that." Christians took care of the poor and sick. Christians were honest with everyone and stayed away from sexual sin. We need to get out there and exercise those spiritual muscles. WE need to start looking out for our neighbour in truth. Quit buying stuff on Sundays so people can be with their families. Help in the fight against Ebola, in the sex trade, and abuse of children. Truly treat your neighbour the way you would like him to treat you.<br /><br />We are on a slippery slope. Many today want to redefine sin, and have the church participate in it. The fact that so many of our clergy are divorced and remarried is a sign that we no longer accept the Bible. It is time to read it, and apply it to our lives so we may conquer sin with Yeshua.Mar Michael Abportushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08596774159407994162noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2781167625424663772.post-84196185874964629462014-11-24T02:17:00.003-06:002014-11-24T02:17:35.111-06:0023 November: Messiah the King<span style="font-size: large;">This week, instead of concentrating on the Tanakh, we will be concentrating no the Gospel. Since today is the feast of Messiah the King, our lesson was from Mark 11:27-33.</span><br /><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:TargetScreenSize>800x600</o:TargetScreenSize>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]--><br />
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:View>Normal</w:View>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves/>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:DoNotPromoteQF/>
<w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther>
<w:LidThemeAsian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian>
<w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:SnapToGridInCell/>
<w:WrapTextWithPunct/>
<w:UseAsianBreakRules/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/>
<w:EnableOpenTypeKerning/>
<w:DontFlipMirrorIndents/>
<w:OverrideTableStyleHps/>
</w:Compatibility>
<w:BrowserLevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel>
<m:mathPr>
<m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/>
<m:brkBin m:val="before"/>
<m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/>
<m:smallFrac m:val="off"/>
<m:dispDef/>
<m:lMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:rMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/>
<m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/>
<m:intLim m:val="subSup"/>
<m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/>
</m:mathPr></w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="false"
DefSemiHidden="false" DefQFormat="false" DefPriority="99"
LatentStyleCount="371">
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="0" QFormat="true" Name="Normal"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="heading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="heading 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="heading 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="heading 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="heading 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="heading 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="heading 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="heading 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="index 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="index 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="index 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="index 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="index 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="index 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="index 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="index 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="index 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="toc 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="toc 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="toc 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="toc 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="toc 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="toc 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="toc 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="toc 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="toc 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Normal Indent"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="footnote text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="annotation text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="header"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="footer"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="index heading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="35" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="caption"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="table of figures"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="envelope address"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="envelope return"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="footnote reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="annotation reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="line number"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="page number"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="endnote reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="endnote text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="table of authorities"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="macro"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="toa heading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Bullet"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Number"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Bullet 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Bullet 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Bullet 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Bullet 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Number 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Number 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Number 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Number 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="10" QFormat="true" Name="Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Closing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Signature"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="0" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="Default Paragraph Font"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text Indent"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Continue"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Continue 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Continue 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Continue 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Continue 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Message Header"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="11" QFormat="true" Name="Subtitle"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Salutation"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Date"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text First Indent"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text First Indent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Note Heading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text Indent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text Indent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Block Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Hyperlink"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="FollowedHyperlink"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Document Map"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Plain Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="E-mail Signature"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Top of Form"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Bottom of Form"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Normal (Web)"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Acronym"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Address"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Cite"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Code"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Definition"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Keyboard"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Preformatted"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Sample"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Typewriter"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Variable"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Normal Table"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="annotation subject"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="No List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Outline List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Outline List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Outline List 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Simple 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Simple 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Simple 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Classic 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Classic 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Classic 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Classic 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Colorful 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Colorful 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Colorful 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table 3D effects 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table 3D effects 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table 3D effects 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Contemporary"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Elegant"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Professional"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Subtle 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Subtle 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Web 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Web 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Web 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Balloon Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="Table Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Theme"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" Name="Placeholder Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" Name="Revision"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" QFormat="true"
Name="List Paragraph"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" QFormat="true"
Name="Intense Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" QFormat="true"
Name="Subtle Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" QFormat="true"
Name="Intense Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" QFormat="true"
Name="Subtle Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" QFormat="true"
Name="Intense Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="Bibliography"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="41" Name="Plain Table 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="42" Name="Plain Table 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="43" Name="Plain Table 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="44" Name="Plain Table 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="45" Name="Plain Table 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="40" Name="Grid Table Light"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46" Name="Grid Table 1 Light"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51" Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52" Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46" Name="List Table 1 Light"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51" Name="List Table 6 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52" Name="List Table 7 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="List Table 1 Light Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="List Table 6 Colorful Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="List Table 7 Colorful Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="List Table 1 Light Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="List Table 6 Colorful Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="List Table 7 Colorful Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="List Table 1 Light Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="List Table 6 Colorful Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="List Table 7 Colorful Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="List Table 1 Light Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="List Table 6 Colorful Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="List Table 7 Colorful Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="List Table 1 Light Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="List Table 6 Colorful Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="List Table 7 Colorful Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="List Table 1 Light Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="List Table 6 Colorful Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="List Table 7 Colorful Accent 6"/>
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="color: #3d85c6;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">They
returned to Yerushalayim, and as Yeshua was walking in the temple, the chief
priests, the scribes, and the presbyters came to him. They began to ask him,
“By what authority do you do these things? Who gave you the authority to do
such things?”</span></span></div>
<span style="color: #3d85c6;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="color: #3d85c6;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Yeshua
replied, “I will ask you one question. Answer me, and I will tell you by what
authority I do these things. The baptism of Yochanan - was it from heaven, or
from men? Answer me.”</span></span></div>
<span style="color: #3d85c6;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="color: #3d85c6;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">They
debated among themselves, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven’ he will reply, ‘Why
then did you not believe him?’ But dare we say, ‘From</span></span></div>
<span style="color: #3d85c6;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #3d85c6;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">men?’” They feared the people,
for all considered that Yochanan was indeed a prophet. They answered Yeshua,
“We do not know!”</span></span></div>
<span style="color: #3d85c6;">
</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">Yeshua said to them, “Then neither do I tell you by
what authority I do these things.”</span><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"><span style="color: #3d85c6;"> </span> </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">We note the discussion was over the authority of Yeshua.</span> <span style="font-size: large;">Was it from man, from Satan, or God. Yeshua sets a trap for them by asking about Yochanan's (John the Baptist) authority. They find that Yeshua has trapped them, because if they admit the Baptist came from God, Yeshua will ask why they did not listen to and obey him. If they say the Baptist was merely a man with no authority from God, they resist a revolt, for many believed in Yochanan. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Today, our question is not about the authority of the Baptist, but about the authority of scripture, so the question must be asked, "From where does the authority of scripture come?" For the Orthodox Church, the Old Testament is the LXX or Septuagint version. In the New Testament, out of 350 Old Testament quotes, 300 come from the LXX. Most of the quotes in Matthew come from some unkown source, and Matthew or the person who translated Matthew into Greek may have translated it himself. So we accept the LXX as authoritative, because that is the version accepted by the authors of the New Testament. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">The New Testament, on the other hand is very much a work of the church, but not so much a work by the church. The church and New Testament very much developed around each other. For the very early Christians, the Biblical authority was the LXX. Paul tells us this about the Old Testament:<br /><br /></span><span class="text 2Tim-3-14" id="en-NRSVACE-34122"> </span> <span style="color: #3d85c6;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span class="text 2Tim-3-15" id="en-NRSVACE-34123"><sup class="versenum">15 </sup>and
how from childhood you have known the sacred writings that are able to
instruct you for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. </span> <span class="text 2Tim-3-16" id="en-NRSVACE-34124"><sup class="versenum">16 </sup>All scripture is inspired by God and is<sup class="footnote" data-fn="#fen-NRSVACE-34124b" data-link="[<a href="#fen-NRSVACE-34124b" title="See footnote b">b</a>]">[<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2%20Timothy%203&version=NRSVACE#fen-NRSVACE-34124b" title="See footnote b">b</a>]</sup> useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, </span> <span class="text 2Tim-3-17" id="en-NRSVACE-34125"><sup class="versenum">17 </sup>so that everyone who belongs to God may be proficient, equipped for every good work.</span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Now the New Testament had a different development. While the early church had the LXX in writing, it had no overtly Christians texts in writing. What they did have were eyewitnesses to the faith, and when they realised the return of the Lord was not imminent, they began writing things down. Matthew was probably the first, writing his Gospel in Aramaic, possibly as early as 50 A.D., if not earlier. It is said that St. Thomas took a copy of St. Matthew's Gospel in Hebrew (Aramaic) with him to India. Mark was written by John Mark, who if he knew Jesus, did not know him well. He is believed to have been a disciple of Peter. Luke, on the other hand was disciple of Paul, and never met Jesus. John's gospel was more than likely written by the church of Ephesus, based on either John's teachings and or writing, around the year 100</span>. <span style="font-size: large;">Most of the New Testament was written by Paul, who had a vision or visions of the risen Messiah. There are several other books, which may or not have been written by apostles. </span><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br /><span style="font-size: large;">So as the church grows, and apostolic witnesses are dieing out, it needs to develop authoritative books. The originals of these were probably the Gospels of Matthew and Mark, and the Epistles, which were passed around from church to church.</span> <span style="font-size: large;">As I mentioned, the church and New Testament grew around each other. There was no hierarchy in the beginning which said</span> <span style="font-size: large;">these books were legitimate and these weren't. When Constantine called the 1st Counsel of Nicaea, he did not have an agenda as to making Christians worship on Sunday, nor a list of books upholding his theological position. What he did have was a church with much disagreement which was threatening the stability of his empire. Today, it is popular to say that Constantine did have an agenda and that he imposed that agenda on the church. But if one studies history, what we find out instead, that basically, the church did not pick a certain set of books because those books upheld their doctrine, but they chose these books because these books were the ones that were used in the worship of the church. In other words, the church and the books molded each other. Another thing at Nicaea, the recognition of Sunday worship being the primary worship of the church</span>. <span style="font-size: large;">Constantin may have recognised Sunday as a day of rest in his empire, but again, he was merely recognising something already true in the church and going back to the book of acts.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;">So, is God Lord? Is God sovereign? Does he have the power to determine that his will is revealed in scripture? Many people today, especially our youth choose to believe that God is not sovereign, and that most of the New Testament was written by man without God's inspiration. They want to boil Yeshua down to the "historical" Jesus, a wise teacher, with no authority. <br /><br /><br />This is not the Yeshua I worship. The Lord Yeshua I worship is sovereign, over history, over time, over the Bible and the church. If my Lord had intended to promote extra-marital sex, homo-sexual sex, child sacrifice, then he could have picked another group besides the Jews. There were various societies who had these practices. If fact God had some of them exterminated, because he found them to be so evil. <br /><br />The problem today, is most people do not want a sovereign God. They want a God who will permit them to do what they want. They are not interested in God's plan of salvation. They think the great Santa in the sky will give them what they want and will not judge them. No judgement for them, just the worship of self, self gratification, self-righteousness, and self-sufficiency, self which is I, the centre of SIN, the beginning of Idolatry.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br />It is high time that we begin to recognise that Adonai Yeshua is sovereign. He inspired the scriptures which show the saints, warts and all. We are told the scriptures may lead to salvation, and they are useful for correction and training in righteousness. It is time for the CHURCH to return to the Bible. Today the CHURCH is week and fragmented, because many no longer believe in God's sovereignty. We need to recognise that sovereignty, and allow God to rule our lives.</span><br /><br />Mar Michael Abportushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08596774159407994162noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2781167625424663772.post-7605859033084273102014-07-29T12:55:00.001-05:002014-07-29T12:55:55.648-05:00Daniel 9:1-19: A Model PrayerThe Tanakh is full examples to help us to pray and live better lives, to be disciples. Our discipleship brings us to the point where we understand what it truly means to be a disciple. The little passage in 1 or 2 Timothy, when it is describing what the scriptures are and can do, is referring specifically to the Tanakh, or Old Testament.<br /><br />We find a marvelous prayer here by Daniel:<br /><br />Let us note, that Daniel begins his prayer by fasting. <br /><br /> Then he addresses God as the Awesome God who keeps his covenant, recognising who God is.<br />
<br />
Next, he describes who we are, we and our ancestors, who have sinned continually against God.<br /><br />He describes the punishments that God has sent, and asks for God's help, not because there is any reason to forgive us, but because God is merciful<br /><br /><br />And God answers his prayer.<br /><br />If we truly want to be disciples, we need to start with fasting. The western church forgets fasting more and more every year. The church needs to return to regular fasting, and the church needs to return to acknowledging sin. We need to aknowledge our sin of sex outside of marriage and divorce. We must acknowledge our failure in helping our children to be disciples and in not managing our personal and corporate resources in ways that promote the kingdom. Sometimes we lock all this in at Lent and forget to do it the rest of the years. We finish, not because of who we are, but because of who God is, full of mercy, not looking at our sins, but looking at the spilt blood of Messiah. And if we pray single mindedly as James tells us, with the mind of Messiah, he will answer our prayers.Mar Michael Abportushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08596774159407994162noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2781167625424663772.post-39283735713273694422014-06-08T23:29:00.001-05:002014-06-09T00:25:42.963-05:00Pentecost SundayFor our study this week, we are looking the Wisdom of Solomon 1:1-8, <br />
<br />
Wisdom, in this book is usually regarded as the Holy Spirit, and we are given a grave warning. The Holy Spirit will not be with someone who plots evil, who is not disciplined, or participates in deceit. The lesson from Joel today is usually believed to refer to the first Pentecost Sunday, but I believe that from time to time we see manifestations of the Spirit, like the Silesian Children's revival, the time of Meister Eckhart, where the Spirit manifests in power with healings, and where we see people acting like the New Testament Church.<br />
<br />
Indeed, we had one of these manifestations near by at the Episcopal Church of the Redeemer some years back. The pastor of this church had received the Holy Spirit in fullness, and many people came to see what was going on. People were healed, people spoke in tongues, people shared their home and a powerful community was growing up. This all came to an end as sexual scandals by the Rector (chief priest) and elders came to light. As long as the Rector fought these urges, the Holy Spirit transformed that church. But when he allowed himself to dwell on temptation, it over came him, and the Holy Spirit departed. From being a spiritual power house where addicts where healed, where people shared their goods, Church of the Redeemer has dropped into a place where it now shares a building with a Lutheran Church.<br />
<br />
The mission of Jesus was to restore. In our first lesson today, we saw at the tower of Bavel how God confused the languages, because of our pride. On the Jewish day of Pentecost, we saw that about 3000 died for idolatry. In Christian Pentecost, all hear in their own languages, and about 3000 are saved. Those numbers are no accident. Yeshua came to reconcile us with God the Father. To do so, when we receive Yeshua in our baptism, we are filled with the Holy Spirit. We can either allow allow that Spirit to guide us, or we can quench the Holy Spirit by plotting evil, participating in deceit, or by not having discipline. If we want the true power of God, we must allow Him and Him alone to guide our lives. When we are guided by the Holy Spirit, we are filled with power.<br />
<br />
Look around, is your church guided by the Spirit. Do you see mighty acts of power. It is time for all of us to plead that God give us the fullness of the Holy Spirit, and to remove all evil from our lives. God wants to transform us, but we need to be ready to cast evil out of our lives and out of our churches. We can no longer call what is evil good, and what is good evil. God laid down the guidelines for us. Pray, study the word, allow him to transform your life.Mar Michael Abportushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08596774159407994162noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2781167625424663772.post-57473104046182192662014-05-27T23:51:00.000-05:002014-05-27T23:51:00.823-05:0027 May 2014<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:View>Normal</w:View>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:SnapToGridInCell/>
<w:WrapTextWithPunct/>
<w:UseAsianBreakRules/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
</w:Compatibility>
<w:BrowserLevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel>
</w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><br />
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="156">
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0cm;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ansi-language:#0400;
mso-fareast-language:#0400;
mso-bidi-language:#0400;}
</style>
<![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapedefaults v:ext="edit" spidmax="1026"/>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapelayout v:ext="edit">
<o:idmap v:ext="edit" data="1"/>
</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Exodus 16:21-17:7</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="color: black;">When I was growing up in the 60s, most people recognised that Sunday was a day of rest, a Christian Sabbath as it were. Early Christians celebrated the Eucharist on Sunday, because Yeshua rose from the dead on Sunday, and because the Holy Spirit was given on a Sunday. Sunday was regarded as the 8th day of creation, because Yeshua by his death and resurrection made everything new. It was natural then that the day of rest would pass from Saturday to Sunday, and when the Emperor Constantine declared that no work should be done on Sunday, he was basically reflecting what the church was already practicing. </span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="color: black;">The Blue Laws of Texas, today have all but disappeared, and according to several friends of mine who work at grocery stores, Sunday is now the biggest shopping day of the week. The lesson from Exodus indicates that we are to have a day of rest, not only a day of resting in the Lord, but a day of rest, no work, a day that can be spent with the family relaxing. As the blue laws have disappeared we see less unity. I know some Mexican families who go to the park at 11:00 at night, because Dad works 7 days a week, Mom has off Tuesday, and the kids are in school Monday through Friday. Some people claimed the blue laws harmed them, but personally, I see that many things were better when they were in place.<br /><br />Of course I know many of you have to work on Sunday, you no longer have a choice as the forces of secularisation take over. But for those who do have a choice, working on Sunday shows we don't trust the Lord. Over the years, I have found that when I give God my tithe, and my time, he meets my needs. I am not getting rich by any means, but I am blessed with what I need. God was unhappy with those who went out seeking Manna on the Sabbath, because they were demonstrating that they did not trust God to take care of us.<br /><br />Of course the world is against having Sunday off. Somehow it offends them, and they want to make sure everyone has the right to work on Sunday and not have time off with their families. We Christians too, have forgotten that we are to be salt and light to the world, i.e. we are to change it. Laws forbidding work on Sunday go all the way back to Constantine, and all the way back to Alfred the Great among English speaking Christians. Christians have changed countries and the world in the past, and we can do it today. The family and congregations are both hurt because most retail businesses give their employees no choice about working on Sunday. If you tell them you won't work on Sunday, then you won't work. </span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="color: black;">It is time we really looked at our position vis a vis the world. Is the world to run us, or are we to rule the world. Many Christians, especially Calvinists believe we are to remake the world. In the past we as Christians freed slaves, took children out of factories and mines, and abolished sati. The work is not finished. Many women and children to this day are slaves even here in the United States, and we must fight these evils.We need to have confidence that we are in the world to change it. <br /><br />We do that first by changing ourselves.Before Christians run the world, they most run themselves. For example, bearing in mind the words of Jesus about divorce, why is it that there are more divorces among evangelical Christians than the population in general? Why is it that the church's teaching on birth control so changed in the 20th century? Why do more kids get pregnant in the Bible belt? Why are so few people getting married? <br /><br /><br />Could it be because we no longer allow the Holy Spirit in our lives? The Bible tells us the fruits of the spirit are:<br /></span></span></span><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="color: black;"><span class="text Gal-5-22" id="en-NKJV-29185">love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, </span> <span class="text Gal-5-23" id="en-NKJV-29186"><sup class="versenum">23 </sup>gentleness, self-control.<br /><br />Do we see these fruits in Christians any more? What is true love according to the Bible? Helping those in need.</span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="color: black;"><span class="text Gal-5-23" id="en-NKJV-29186">Are we joyful in our life with Christ? Do we find that joy in him and obeying him?<br />Do we truly have the peace or Shalom of God? It comes through obedience. Among those whom I have counselled with besetting sins, many have told me they have no peace, because they know what they are doing is wrong. <br />When someone cuts you off on the freeway, do you respond with a curse, or a blessing?<br />Are we truly kind to one another? (and kindness includes telling someone he is wrong)<br />Do we try and remove all evil from our lives?<br />Do we believe and follow God where ever he leads us? Even if it means not going with the world.<br />Are we gentle with other Christians in correcting and guiding them, and with those outside the church? (remember gentle does NOT mean sugar coating the truth)<br />Do we have self control of our own lives?<br /><br />According to the Lambeth Council of 1930, that very last one is critical. Why is it that the millenials want to strip the Bible down to what Jesus said, instead of using the entire Bible. Yeshua frequently quoted from the Old Testament. Peter in his Second Epistle to Timothy tells us: "</span></span></span></span><span class="text 2Tim-3-16" id="en-NKJV-29870"><sup class="versenum">16 </sup>All Scripture <i>is</i> given by inspiration of God, and <i>is</i> profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, </span> <span class="text 2Tim-3-17" id="en-NKJV-29871"><sup class="versenum">17 </sup>that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.<br /><br />If it was good for the early church, why isn't it good now. I think it is that little word, self control.<br /><br />(BTW, I stand convicted on several items in the fruit of the Spirit. I will aim to change, will you?</span>Mar Michael Abportushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08596774159407994162noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2781167625424663772.post-90647130100944331582014-03-17T00:21:00.001-05:002014-03-17T00:21:12.107-05:0016 March 2014Part of our reading from Baruch today is a model prayer for us, very standard for the Tanach.<br />
<br />
The prayer begins with what God has done. This is not done to remind God what he has done for us, but to remind ourselves and to increase our faith. , "Dear Lord who delivered me from tobacco and alcoholism, who brought me to and from Honduras various times, who kept my boat afloat and me alive through the tropical storm, who gave me my wife and children and grandchildren." Just typing this makes me feel more confident in my prayers.<br /><br />The second part is also a reminder, "who punishes as you told us you would and as you predicted. God warned them over and over and over, keep the Sabbath, do justice, love one another and take care of the widow and orphan. "Dear Lord, I saw some one in need to day and didn't help them out, and I derserve to be punished. <br /><br />If we really want to pray to God, it is important that we start our prayers this way, filling our minds and heart with the things God has done for us, and reminding ourselves that we are sinful and do not deserve a single blessing, but trusting God to have mercy on us.Mar Michael Abportushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08596774159407994162noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2781167625424663772.post-90418375891440659352014-03-10T23:47:00.002-05:002014-03-10T23:47:18.514-05:00First Sunday in Lent: 9 March 2014Today we will concentrate on Baruch. Baruch begins by reading his book
to the king and noble families, who are struck to the heart, There were
four results of the reading, the people wept, fasted, prayed and
collected money to send to Jerusalem for the sacrifice. The people of
Jerusalem are instructed to pray for Nebuchadnezzar and his heir, and to
confess their sins.<br /><br />The confession follows. In the confession,
the people admit that they had sinned against God and deserved to be
punished. They admit not only their own sins, but the sins of their
ancestors in not listening to the law and the prophets, and because of
those sins, they were scattered to the nations.<br /><br />When we pray, we
need to realise there is none who does good, not not one, not without
the power of the Holy Spirit. We also need to remember our ancestors,
and plead the blood of Jesus between their sins and ourselves. We also
need to know that God moves in many amazing ways. The creation of the
Jewish diaspora, the adoption of the Aramaic language from the Indus to
Israel were all factors in the spread of the gospel. When Messianic
Jews fled Jerusalem in 72 A.D., they went to the Jewish Diaspora, in
Cornwall, Ethiopia, Persia, Mesopotamia, Arabia, and even India and
China and spread the Gospel.<br />
<br />
The other lessons point out things for us as well. God has his own
timing. Our timing is always now, but God knows the right time. Could
it be that God allowed the Hebrews to suffer a little more, so they
would not go running back to Egypt at the first sign of trouble?<br />
<br />
The passage from Samuel also raises questions. We often talk about
David's heart, but do we ever talk about Jonathon. Jonathon has a
kingdom to lose to David, but is always David's friend and sometime
protector. Jonathon sees in David the greatness that is needed to bind
together the 12 tribes.<br /><br />I hope each of you is benefiting from
your Lenten discipline. Remember, if you fall, just start over again
the next day. We are building up our spiritual muscles. Be sure and
set goals. and there is nothing wrong with modifying those goals as we
go along. The ultimate goal of Lent, is to become more like Christ.
Mar Michael Abportushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08596774159407994162noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2781167625424663772.post-61520254548410022512014-03-03T00:48:00.001-06:002014-03-03T00:48:44.076-06:003 March 2014This week we continue with preparations for Lent, but will also deal with the Tanach of the week. <br /><br />The lessons this week all focus on the transfigurations of our Adonai, Yeshua. The first lesson, deals with Moshe ascending the mountain to receive the Ten Commandments (<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">Exodus 24:12-18)</span>, while the Prophet is about Eliyahu's experience on the mountain, when he receives his commission (<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">I Kings 19:1-18)</span>. The writing (<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">Job 38:1-41, 40:1-5) follows Job's complaint to God about his circumstances. God responds out of the whirlwind, and basically asks Job, "Where were you when I made the heavens and the earth?" God asks him where he was when God made the heavens and earth, when he set the boundaries of the sea, if he could order nature, if he had been to the bottom of the ocean, if he knew the places of light and darkness, if he knew where rain and snow and lighting come from, if he could control the stars, or could feed the wild animals. God in his questioning is demonstrating that He and He alone had created the Heavens and the Earth. God in essence is revealing to Iyov that he is Sovereign over all creation because he made it, and that since he is sovereign, it is necessary to obey him. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">In the west today, we have troubles with words like sovereign, king, lord and kingdom. We think of a monarchy being something like Great Britain, Spain, Holland, Denmark, <i>etc</i>., where the monarchs are basically figure head monarchs, with very little say in how the country is run. In the time that the book of Job was written, there was no such thing as a constitutional monarch. The monarch was president, congress and supreme court all rolled into one. It is a concept that today we have a hard time understanding, partly because we think such a thing is wrong. We believe in voting, and kicking the guy out if we don't agree with him. We don't seem to understand that God is not an earthly king, but as Creator of the Universe, whose nature is love, Absolute Sovereign. We respond with a false God, the Great Santa Claus in the sky, who gives us what we want when we are good, and not when we are bad and who is too nice to ever punish us. We have lost the point of view, that God's laws are laid out, for us, to help us live a life of holiness that will help us to truly find our purpose in life. We have forgotten the virtues of prayer, fasting and alms giving and replaced them with a self righteousness which grieves God and leads to our own condemnation. We refuse to see punishment for sin as what it was in the Bible, and we refuse to think that the God who punished Israel and Yehuda will do the same for us. It is indeed a slippery slope, when we start ignoring God's commands. Yeshua tells us that the Sabbath was made for man (i.e. for our well being) yet we ignore it today. No Fault divorce (prohibited by Yeshua himself) was placed into practice to keep people from perjuring themselves to get divorced. (I was flabbergasted when I learned this). We have decided that the creator of the universe, who made us is not allowed to have any input into how we run our sexual lives. We forget that God's word tells us that many sins are caused by idolatry, yet we continue to worship the false gods of money and power, and materialism. <br /><br />It is then time for the church to truly recognise that God is King and Sovereign, not only of the Universe, but of our lives. We need to line up our church, our lives, and our society with his word, and not act like it is optional. Our God is a consuming fire, and he is love. As Christians, we need to obey him and proclaim his word to all the world.<br /><br />In addition this is the last Sunday before Lent begins. We have been talking about things to do with Lenten discipline, and have covered study and piety. Today, we will talk about action, to which there are several aspects, the first of which is Apostolic Action, which is proclaiming the Gospel. Before you proclaim the Gospel, you must be in prayer, and know God's word. Secondly we need to have a plan of action. Who are we going to evangelise. Once we know who, we start out praying and fasting for that person. We ask God to give us the opportunity to proclaim the Gospel to that person. Don't worry, he will. And if that person turns the Gospel down, keep praying, you might just be preparing the ground for someone else. Once through your efforts someone comes to Messiah, you need to teach them Christian Discipline, and stick with them at the very least until they are baptised.<br /><br />Action also means holiness of life. If you are going to attract someone to Messiah, then people need to see Messiah in you. It is popular to ask, "What would Jesus do?" Well that is a good question. You, as a Christian may be the only sign of Jesus that some people will see. <br /><br />Action also means stewardship, of money, time, resources. Do you use your time well. Do you frequently spend time with God in prayer and study? Do you regularly help those who need that help? Do you give at least 10% of your money to God, and spend the rest of it in ways that Messiah will approve? Do you share your time, your money, even your home with those in need. That my friends is also action. <br /><br />I would like to invite you all to join us. The Great Service of Forgiveness will be Tuesday at 8:00 P.M. Out Ash Wednesday service will be Wednesday at 6:00 A.M. Hope to see you.<br /><br /><br /></span>Mar Michael Abportushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08596774159407994162noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2781167625424663772.post-11523701588254801392014-02-23T19:48:00.001-06:002014-02-23T19:48:44.000-06:0023 February: 2nd Sunday of ShrovetidThe theme for the 2nd Sunday of Shrovetide, in accordance with our Pre-Lenten activities is prayer, or piety. Piety is a very important in the life of a Christian, and our prayer life, like our study of the Bible will help determine what kind of Christian we are. Piety, in part is a response to reading the written word, but is also a response to the world around us.<br /><br />As with studying the Bible, our goal is to improve our Christian life, by starting where we were. Before we decide what we are going to do for Lent, we need to analyse our lives now, and see where we are.<br /><br />There are at least two aspects of prayer that are all but forgotten in western Christianity outside of the monastery, silence and fasting. Silence should be part of our study, and it should be part of our prayer life. Silence allows us to reflect on our own prayers, and on our readings, and also gives God a chance to talk to us. In today's modern society, our lives are full on noise, TV, radio, telephones, texting, internet and others, and we rarely take time to reflect. We suggest that for every minute you spend reading the Bible, your should spend a minute reflecting on what you read. Likewise, after praying, we should reflect on our prayers and the prayers of others in order to listen to the Lord's voice. After all, he might expect you to be the answer to someone's prayer. In addition, before attending church services, and before praying we should take a bit of time in silence to centre our thoughts on Jesus.<br /><br />Fasting too, as mentioned above is an aspect frequently forgotten in the western church outside of monasteries. Primitive Christians as near as we can tell fasted every Wednesday and Friday, and in my life time members of the Roman Catholic church fasted from midnight till taking communion. <br /><br />How then, should we fast. Here, we are not quite so much doing an exercise to train us for the future, but something for all of Lent. Traditionally, Christians did not eat meat during Lent (not counting Sundays, which are feast days). Shrove Tuesday, also called Fat Tuesday, because that was the day lard was cleaned out of the house (often by making pancakes using the lard), so there would be no meat in the house. We leave it up to your conscience as to how much you would like to fast for Lent. We would hope that once the Fifty Days of Easter are over that all would fast or abstain from meat on Wednesdays and Fridays. <br /><br />We should also look at other aspects of piety, which should include public prayers, private prayers and prayers with your family. We would gladly send materials for use in family and private prayers. Again, look at where your are, and build on that. If your prayer life is non-existent, then start slow. Give yourself a chance to succeed. Too many people lay down a stiff round of daily prayer and are unable to complete it. Remember, public worship is also very important. If you are in a church that practices weekly communion, that should be an important part of your day as well.<br />
<br />
The success of your Lent, will usually have to do with how much you plan in advance.Mar Michael Abportushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08596774159407994162noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2781167625424663772.post-86674838907916867852014-02-17T00:30:00.004-06:002014-02-17T00:32:33.194-06:001st Sunday of Shrovetide: 16 Februar 2014Today is the first Sunday of Shrovetide, often know as Septuagesima Sunday, because it is 70 days before Easter. Shrovetide is still part of the Epiphany season, but we mark the last three Sundays of Epiphany as Shrovetide in preparation for Shrove Tuesday and Lent. In former times many went to the priest to confess their sins and have absolution pronounced (or to be shriven), and the penance that they kept for Lent was assigned to them at this time. For some, this penitence was necesary before being admitted to communion for some grievous sin. Lent was also a time of preparation for those preparing for baptism. Shrovetide, then for us is a time to prepare for confession if we so desire, and a time to think about how we would keep a holy Lent.<br />
<br />
This first Sunday of Shrovetide, then we look at our study habits. All Christian study essentially begins and ends with the Bible, which is our chief source of knowledge. We need to study the Bible on our own and in groups. The more we know it, the more we can use it as a measuring stick. But it is very important to read it in groups as well, so as to benefit from thoughts and insights of others.<br />
<br />
In addition to the Bible, it is a good thing to also be reading the pre-Nicene fathers. Especially the Apostolic fathers knew the New Testament and Old Testament in Greek and actually knew the Apostles. (http://www.tertullian.org/fathers2/)<br />
<br />
<br />
Also it is good to read the history of the church, from the beginning to now, and it is good to understand the early heresies of the early church such as Gnosticism and Arianism. It isn't a bad idea to learn about your own church and churches in the community around you. To top it off, there are many how to books for Christians. Steer away from those promoting the prosperity Gospel (just ask yourself how many apostles died rich men?) and books promoting cheap grace. Yeshua did not die for us to continue on in the same way, but he died that we may be transformed into his image.<br />
<br />
As in everything, be looking at how your study habits may be changed, not only for Lent, but after as well. Many of my habits regarding Church, began in Lent, but continued on after. Whatever you do, in study, prayer and apostolic action should be something you are capable of doing. As in all things, begin with what you already do, and add to it. Don't make it so difficult that you cannot keep to it<br />
<br />
May your Lent help you grow in Messiah. Mar Michael Abportushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08596774159407994162noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2781167625424663772.post-25337081784414812852014-01-28T00:58:00.001-06:002014-01-28T00:59:17.511-06:00The Church CalenderInstead of writing on the Tanach this week, I would like to talk some about the Church year and its seasons. For Christians, since the book of Acts, Sunday is the regular day of worship, and early on Friday and Wednesday were the regular days of fasting. Sadly in the west, fasting appears to have gone out of fashion. Aside from being based on the Civil calender, the church's calender is also based on the lunar calender. Easter, according to western usage is always the first Sunday after the first full Moon following March 21st, which basically puts it on the first Sunday after Passover. Therefore Lent, and Eastertide are determined by the date of Easter Sunday. Eastertide ends on Pentecost Sunday, 7 weeks after Easter, and Lent begins on Ash Wednesday which is forty-five days before Easter.<br />
<br />
The principle feast day of the church is Easter. Other principle feasts are Assentionday, Pentecost Sunday, Trinity Sunday, All Saints Day, Christmas Day and Epiphany. Any of these days take place of Sunday if they so happen to fall on Sunday. Other feasts which may pre-empt Sunday are: The Holy Name and the Presentation. Other feasts of the Lord are: The Annunciation, Holy Cross Day, The Visitation and the Nativity of John the Baptist. Other major feasts are: Feasts of the Apostles, Feasts of Evangelists, St. Mary, mother of Jesus; St. Stephan, the Holy Innocents (Childermas), St. Joseph, St. Mary Magdelene, St. Michael and All Angels, St. James of Jerusalem, and Thanksgiving day. <br />
<br />
The principle fasts are Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. All Fridays of the year outside of the fifty days of Easter and the twelve days of Christmas are considered days of special denial, along with all days of Lent and Advent, excepting Sundays. Sunday is always a feast day and never a day of fasting in honour of the resurrection.<br />
<br />
Advent is the first season of the church year. The word Advent comes from Latin for to come, and in Advent we prepare for the second coming of the Lord, as well as preparing for Christmas. Advent, traditionally is marked by fasting and self-denial. Many people will use an Advent wreath during Advent. The colour of Advent is blue, for the sky from where will come Jesus when he returns again. Advent Sunday, the first Sunday of Lent is always the fourth Sunday before Christmas. <br />
<br />
The second season of the year is Christmas, which begins at Sunset on December 24th. During the twelve days of Christmas, we remember not only the birth of Messiah, but also St. Stephan the first Martyr, the Holy Innocents, John the Evangelist and the Holy Name. Each of these feasts point us toward the incarnation of Messiah, which is by many considered to be the grandest of all miracles, when God became man to pay for our sins. The principle colour of Christmas tide is gold (for the king)<br />
<br />
The Epiphany begins on the sixth of January, and on the day itself we remember the wise men seeking Yeshua. Epiphany means manifestation, and on the day we remember how He was first manifested to the nations, and in the season, how we are to manifest Yeshua to the world. The first Sunday of Epiphany we remember the Baptism of the Lord, and that indeed is one of our four principle feasts for Baptism. The reading for Epiphany tide are concentrating on the miracles of Messiah. Epiphany and the Baptism of the Lord use gold for the king, followed by green (for growth of the church) for the beginning of the season. The last three Sundays of Epiphany tide are Shrove tide, in which we prepare for Lent, by preparing for our confession if we so desire, and planning our spiritual disciplines for Lent. We use purple (preparation) for Shrove tide, except for Transfiguration Sunday which is God. <br />
<br />
Lent begins with the Eve of Ash Wednesday, when we, together or separately confess our private sins. Ash Wednesday is a day when we focus more on our corporate sins as a church and a nation. All of Lent is marked by fasting and other signs of penitence. Traditionally, the presbyters appointed penitential excercised on Shrove Tuesday, when the people confessed their sins. Lent was a time of repentance, of preparing catechumens for baptism, and for restoring fallen church members to full membership. We use an Lenten array for Lent, burlap trimmed with purple. The last week of Lent, Holy Week, we used burgundy trimmed with black to mark the blood of Messiah shed for us. In Holy Week we remember the Events culminating in the crucifixion of Messiah.<br />
<br />
Easter Even, we say adios to the events and celebrate the Queen of Feasts, the Resurrection of our Lord Jesus. The first 8 days of the Great Sabbath are celebrated in gold for the king, and correctly celebrated by daily Eucharist. The rest of Easter tide is white for purity and holiness. The white is replaced by gold on Assention day,a and the last day of the fifty days of Easter is flame red for the fire of the Holy Spirit. Easter too, was a major feast for baptisms, since the catechumens had spent Lent preparing for baptism.<br />
<br />
The next season, known by some as Trinity tide for the first Sunday in it, is a seson where we work on spiritual growth, for the Christian and the church. The colour is green.<br />
<br />
The last season of the years, starting 8 weeks before Christmas is Kingdom tide, in which we prepare to be part of the kingdom, and consider what it means to be part of God's kingdom. Once again, the colour is blue.<br />
<br />
Hopefully this essay is of use in understanding the seasons of the church. Mar Michael Abportushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08596774159407994162noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2781167625424663772.post-81173487499772890872013-07-22T00:32:00.001-05:002013-07-22T00:33:12.372-05:0021 JulySirach always has good sound advice for us, and this week is the same. Sirach often resonate with Jesus the Messiah, as in this week he tells us, what God really wants is obedience, not sacrifice. But as Paul, he tells the importance of giving cheerfully, and most important to remember what we give back to God is very little compared to what he has given us. <br />
<br />
But we are reminded as well, that God will not accept bribes, and will not favour the poor over the rich, but will see that justice is done.The prayers of the righteous will pierce through to heaven, no matter what.<br />
<br />
Our lesson from Judges is a reminder. The Jews were not a monolithic people. Many others came with them through the desert, and during the period of the Judges, language began changing. We see too that the Jews, like u were not perfect people, but that God was preparing them, still causing them to behave as one people in the 400 year time peoriod of the judges where they are knit together by adversity. Mar Michael Abportushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08596774159407994162noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2781167625424663772.post-32391254690847249372013-07-16T00:14:00.001-05:002013-07-16T00:14:56.894-05:0014 June 2013<div class="MsoNormal">
Torah:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Genesis
25:1-33</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Prophet:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Judges<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>11:1-40</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Writing:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Sirach<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span>34:1-26</div>
<br />
<br />
Our first two readings are reminders that God does not see the way man does. In Genesis we rehearse the story of Avra'am down to Yitzhakh and Y'akov. We are reminded that Y'akov was not the first born, but that God had chosen him before he was born. The theme is mentioned again in our readings from Judges, as our hero, Yiftach is the son of a prostitute. We see this theme reported over and over, the choosing of Moshe, of Yosef, of David, none of them the strongest, but all willing to allow God to use them to further his purpose, and indeed God has a purpose for each of us. <br />
<br />
A brief comment on Yiftach's daughter. Some think she was offered in sacrifice, but many believe that she essentially became a temple servant, and would have remained a virgin all of her life.<br /><br />Briefly on Sirach, many things we find in Sirach are reflected in the words of Jesus. Sirach also has much practical advise. We are not to be misled by dreams, unless they are the ones sent by God. How do we know they are sent by Go?. Two ways, a dream sent by God will not be in conflict with the Bible. Secondly, if a dream is sent by God, he will confirm it. We are also told in this lesson that traveling is good for us, and that if we fear the Lord, we shall live. In fact if we truly fear the Lord, then we need have no fear of anything else, for God will protect us.We are then given a strong warning against sin. When we repent, it needs to be a true repentance. When we repent and return to our sin, not even God will listen to our prayers, so our repentance must be serious.Mar Michael Abportushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08596774159407994162noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2781167625424663772.post-63118135259260290632013-06-07T01:15:00.001-05:002013-06-07T01:15:53.710-05:002 June 2013Genesis 20:1-18:<br />
<br />
Today's reading is quite interesting and leaves food for thought. First, we might want to know what was it about Avraham's family that is so important. Avraham marries his half sister, Sarah. His son Yitzhak marries his cousin, Rebekka. Yakov, his son marries his cousins, Rakhel and Leah. Avraham & Sarah, Yitzhak & Rebekka, and Yakov and Rakhel are all ancestors of King David and of our Messiah, Yeshua. (and let us not forget Lot, Avraham's nephew, who also is an ancestor of King David and Yeshua through Ruth.) We note in passing, they are all descendents of Terah, who left the land of Ur to go to Canaan with his family, but got sidetracked in Haran, (Was a familial blessing the result of Terah being willing to leave for Canaan?)<br />
<br />
Now for the story. Avimalekh has taken Avraham's wife, believing her to be Avraham's sister. Yahwey appears to Avimalech in a dream and informs him of what he has done. He also tells Avimalekh that he protects the innocent. In the light of some of the disasters we have had this year, we might wonder if God really protects all the innocent, but, if we seek we shall find answers. In Sirach we are told that God takes some people from this life at a young age, because they will not be able to resist temptation. An interesting thought, because indirectly, it means that we, with God's help CAN resist temptation. The question is whether we will decide to or not. With God, we have the power, but many of us will not fight, and will fall into sin. So be confident. If you are here, with the power of God, you can resist whatever temptation it is. Thirdly, trials, temptations and tribulations build us up as good Christians. <br />
<br />
But the lesson is important as well in what it says about God and Avraham. In this lesson, Avraham doesn't show in particular great trust in God. He is afraid Avimalekh will kill him to take his wife Sarah, and doesn't seem to trust God to take care of the situation. But take care of the situation is exactly what Yahweh does. Not only does God protect Sarah's innocence, but he sends a dream to Avimalekh, and to make sure Avimalekh is listening, he makes every animal and person barren until the situation is taken care of. Now we note, once Sarah is taken, Avraham did nothing to cure the situation, he had total faith in God to work it out and God did. It is important to look at Avraham's relationship with God. Avraham was a man who love and trusted God. He was God's friend, and I often picture Avraham being like Tevya in "Fiddler on the Roof," sharing with God his problems and preoccupations. God was eminently real to him, in a way that he does not seem to be real to most of us. Avraham (and David, and the prophets) knew that the spiritual realm is just as important as the physical realm. Their friendship with God was a true complete friendship, which resulted in blessings. (bear in mind blessings does not mean riches, and can be both spiritual and/or physical. Long term friendship with God, leads us to become more like God. Just as older couples come to resemble each other through years of intimacy, the more we become like God, when we make him a regular part of our lives through studying the word of God, prayer, and obedience to him. <br /><br />Lastly we note Avraham's forgiveness. He prayed for Avimalekh to be healed. How many of us would be so charitable to one who took our spouse from us? Love, prayer for, and taking care of our enemies, is deeply entrenched in the Tanakh and the New Testament. Mar Michael Abportushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08596774159407994162noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2781167625424663772.post-53498353424619856132013-04-07T18:59:00.001-05:002013-04-07T18:59:34.387-05:00Holy Week and Bright WeekIt is not our custom to remember particular saints during Holy Week and Bright Week, so if one of your favourite saints were missed, they will be back next year. Saints that were missed were:<br />
Richard of Chichester (3 April)<br />
Martin Luther King Jr. (4 April)<br />
<br />Mar Michael Abportushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08596774159407994162noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2781167625424663772.post-57208510330145857442013-02-25T02:01:00.000-06:002013-02-25T02:01:37.284-06:002nd Sunday of Lent: Lamentations 2The Book of Lamentations was written about 586 B.C. just after the events he is lamenting, the siege of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar, the destruction of the 1st Temple, the capture of Zedekiah and the exile of the Jerusalem.<br /><br />Each poem shows graphically the destruction, and we are told very clearly that this is God's judgment. Indeed, Nebuchadnezzar, nor Babylon are mentioned by name, according to many a sign to indicate even more that this is a judgement from God. <br />
<br />
It is a dangerous thing to be the chosen people. The Jews were held to a higher standard of behaviour, because until the coming of Messiah, they were to be a blessing to the world around them, but part of the way they were to accomplish this was through holiness of life. We see repeatedly that the prophets call Yehudah and Shomron to repentance over and over, but the people never seem to learn. If anything, after Shomron was detroyed by Assyria, the people of Yehudah should have been quaking in their sandals.<br /><br />The second chapter of Lamentations also throws blame on the prophets, not the real prophets whose preaching is found in the Bible, but those false prophets who tell us all is well, those self same prophets who said nothing when the people were worshiping false gods, were mistreating the poor, and forgetting the importance of fidelity in marriage. <br /><br />Today, Christendom stands at the cross roads. There are some prophets trying to warn us. Our churches have become worldly. We have forgotten the poor, forcing them to work seven days a week for our convenience, making new workers work part time so they can be fired without increasing unemployment taxes, hiring illegals without providing for them a living wage, nor health insurance in order to save money. Sunday is no longer a day of rest, a day of worship, or a day for family, but the most important shopping day of the week. We have forgotten that marriage is the icon of the relationship between Messiah and his church, and reflecting that, 50% of our kids are born out of wedlock. We encourage premarital and extramarital sex, and then tut tut when the kids of such unions are abused and grow up in poverty. God is trying to get our attention. When 9/11 occurred, a few voices cried out, this is a warning from God. But all too many laughed at them. "God doesn't punish nor judge us!" Ask the people of Israel, driven out of their country three times. Ask the Jews of Germany, who according to their own Messianic preachers were driven out for reason of greed. At one time we believed in God, a God who moved mountains, a God who was leading this country. Most Americans and Europeans no longer believe in the true living God. They believe in the Santa Claus god who gives them what they want, but who makes no demands. <br /><br />Well, that is not God. YHWH Shebaot, EL Shadai is the Lord and Judge of the Universe, and when he returns, it will be in judgement. It is time for the USA, Canada, Europe, Australia and New Zealand to repent. The judgement will come soon, unless we repent. Ninevah, that great and evil city was preserved because they repented after Jonah's preaching. We too can be save if we truly repent, that is by treating the poor fairly, by restricting our sexual relationships to the marriage bed, by casting away the evils caused by putting money ahead of people, by casting away our greed. God wants us to take care of each other. He wants justice to flow like water. He wants to see people healed (body, mind and spirit) and reconciled to him, to nature and to one another. When will it happen, or will the judgement come first?Mar Michael Abportushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08596774159407994162noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2781167625424663772.post-19810197516033083462013-01-22T01:04:00.001-06:002013-01-22T01:04:05.524-06:0020 January 2013This Sunday last, the Torah portion was taken from Genesis 6:1-7:24, which is the story of the great flood. For the moment we will pass by the sons of God and daughters of men. Some people believe the sons of God refer to the descendents of Seth and daughters of men the descendents of Cain. Others that the sons of God were spiritual beings like angels. We shall leave this question for the scholars. We are told there were giants, and archeology does up hold that in some areas were some pretty large people, we are not talking about giants like we think of from fairy tales, but people who were around seven plus feet tall. But again, not important to the thrust of the story.<br /><br />What is important is that first, God limits man's life to 120 years old. Second, it is important to note that God regretted making man, because sin was multiplying on earth, and man could only conceive evil. In fact we are told, "all the earth had been corrupted, and was filled with iniquity.<br /><br />And here we see the human condition, we always turn to sin. St. Paul puts it eloquently, "<span class="text Rom-7-14" id="en-CJB-28119"><sup class="versenum">14 </sup>For we know that the <i>Torah</i> is of the Spirit; but as for me, I am bound to the old nature, sold to sin as a slave. </span> <span class="text Rom-7-15" id="en-CJB-28120"><sup class="versenum">15 </sup>I don’t understand my own behavior — I don’t do what I want to do; instead, I do the very thing I hate! </span> <span class="text Rom-7-16" id="en-CJB-28121"><sup class="versenum">16 </sup>Now if I am doing what I don’t want to do, I am agreeing that the <i>Torah</i> is good. </span> <span class="text Rom-7-17" id="en-CJB-28122"><sup class="versenum">17 </sup>But now it is no longer “the real me” doing it, but the sin housed inside me. </span> <span class="text Rom-7-18" id="en-CJB-28123"><sup class="versenum">18 </sup>For
I know that there is nothing good housed inside me — that is, inside my
old nature. I can want what is good, but I can’t do it! </span> <span class="text Rom-7-19" id="en-CJB-28124"><sup class="versenum">19 </sup>For I don’t do the good I want; instead, the evil that I don’t want is what I do! </span> <span class="text Rom-7-20" id="en-CJB-28125"><sup class="versenum">20 </sup>But if I am doing what “the real me” doesn’t want, it is no longer “the real me” doing it but the sin housed inside me. </span> <span class="text Rom-7-21" id="en-CJB-28126"><sup class="versenum">21 </sup>So I find it to be the rule, a kind of perverse “<i>torah</i>,” that although I want to do what is good, evil is right there with me! </span> <span class="text Rom-7-22" id="en-CJB-28127"><sup class="versenum">22 </sup>For in my inner self I completely agree with God’s <i>Torah</i>; </span> <span class="text Rom-7-23" id="en-CJB-28128"><sup class="versenum">23 </sup>but in my various parts, I see a different “<i>torah</i>,” one that battles with the <i>Torah</i> in my mind and makes me a prisoner of sin’s “<i>torah</i>,” which is operating in my various parts. </span> <span class="text Rom-7-24" id="en-CJB-28129"><sup class="versenum">24 </sup>What a miserable creature I am! Who will rescue me from this body bound for death?(Romans 7:14-24)</span><br />
<span class="text Rom-7-24" id="en-CJB-28129"><br /></span>
<span class="text Rom-7-24" id="en-CJB-28129">In other words, sin takes on a life of its own. We know what is write, but we do evil because the sin within us drives us to it. Sin corrupts all creation, not just man. When we try and prove immorality through nature, we are merely relying on something that has already been corrupted by sin. When Noah was 500 year old, sin had been reigning for close to 1600 years, multiplying, growing and twisting all nature.Yahweh despises sin, so he resolved to destroy all humans, animals and reptiles, and does so in the flood, saving only Noah and his family, for Noah had found grace with God. <br /><br />We must realise that sin corrupts nature and man. Sin prevents us from having relationship with God. In God's sight, sin must be destroyed, and so it was, perhaps a million people wiped out in one fell swoop. When will we realise how lethal sin is. Adam and Havah were kicked out of the Garden for sin. Animals were sacrificed to cover their nakedness for their sin. For sin, animals and nature were corrupted. All mankind was wiped out for sin. For sin, the Canaanites had to be destroyed from the land. For sin, only two adults out of 600,000 came to the promised land. For sin, Jesus the Messiah was crucified on the cross for sins he did not commit in order to pay for our sins. <br /><br />For a Christian, it is of great importance that we realise how fatal sin is. The Bible tells us the wages of sin is death. The Bible tells us that many who think they are Christians will be told by the Lord, "</span><br /><span class="text Luke-13-27" id="en-CJB-25559">I don’t know where you’re from. Get away from me, all you workers of wickedness!’ </span> <span class="text Luke-13-28" id="en-CJB-25560"><sup class="versenum">28 </sup>You
will cry and grind your teeth when you see Avraham, Yitz’chak, Ya‘akov
and all the prophets inside the Kingdom of God, but yourselves thrown
outside. (Luke 13:27-8).<br /><br />Sin is deadly, yet today Christians play around with sin. Christians play with porn, we glorify sex, we destroy families by not giving them any time together. We turn our stomachs, sports, homes, cars and children into our Gods. We gripe if the preacher goes more than 10 minutes, yet we have no trouble when the football game goes into overtime. We see people in need, yet ignore them. Adultery abounds. People forced to work without making a living wage. All of this is either sin, or a result of sin, and it is time for us to worry. <br /><br />Will we be slaves of sin, or will we be slaves of Messiah. If we play around with sin, we are likely to end up not following the Lord. It is time to remember, Messiah died on the cross to set us free from sin and death. When we allow him to be in charge, he will give us the power to conquer sin and death. The decision is yours, slave of sin, or slave of Messiah.</span>Mar Michael Abportushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08596774159407994162noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2781167625424663772.post-71940688585166096682012-12-26T00:47:00.000-06:002012-12-26T00:47:09.255-06:0023 December 2012Interestingly enough, the proto gospel shows up in this weeks Tanakh. All the consequences of sin are laid out here clear to see. First, as we read the lesson, we discover that Adam was there. Why on earth didn't he keep Havah from eating the fruit. When YHWH God comes to the garden, he calls out to Adam, where are you? When God asks this question, he doesn't mean literally where are you, but where are you in relationship to me, an excellent question for Advent.<br /><br />Then comes the sad part. YHWH asks Adam if he has been eating the forbidden fruit, and Adam, instead of confessing his sin, lays it at YHWH's door, "the women <i><b>you</b></i> gave me..." When he gets to Havah, she is not much better, as she blames the serpent. I suspect if anyone took the blame willingly, this world would have been very different, but Adam and Havah lead the way, which we all follow of blaming others, including God for our faults. The sin breaks the relationship between man and God (God's Holy Spirit no longer resides in man bringing Adam and Havah to spiritual death. The relationship between Adam and Havah goes down hill, and even his relationship with nature, as he now works by the sweat of his brown, and they are kicked out of Gan Eden, and a Cherub is set to keep them out. <br /><br />The good news is given to Havah. Her descendent (singular) will stomp the servant, which we recognise a being the first prediction of Messiah's birth and ministry. And of course we are celebrating this grand miracle now. Messiah Yeshua has come into the world to save sinners, and to show us the way. <br /><br />Merry Christmas.Mar Michael Abportushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08596774159407994162noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2781167625424663772.post-86655151479184100042012-10-04T14:27:00.002-05:002012-10-04T14:27:45.311-05:004 October 2012: Zechariah 14: 1-21<span style="color: red;"><span class="verse_num">14:1 </span><span class="verse">Behold, the days of the Lord come,
and thy spoils shall be divided in thee. </span><span class="verse_num">2 </span>
<span class="verse">And I will gather all the Gentiles to Jerusalem to war, and the
city shall be taken, and the houses plundered, and the women ravished; and half
of the city shall go forth into captivity, but the rest of my people shall not
be utterly cut off from the city. </span></span><br />
<span style="color: red;"><span class="verse_num">3 </span><span class="verse">And the Lord shall go forth, and fight
with those Gentiles as when he fought in the day of war. </span><span class="verse_num">4
</span><span class="verse">And his feet shall stand in that day on the mount of
Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall
cleave asunder, half of it toward the east and the west, a very great division;
and half the mountain shall lean to the north, and half of it to the south.
</span><span class="verse_num">5 </span><span class="verse">And the valley of my mountains
shall be closed up, and the valley of the mountains shall be joined on to Jasod,
and shall be blocked up as it was blocked up in the days of the earthquake, in
the days of Ozias king of Juda; and the Lord my God shall come, and all the
saints with him. </span><span class="verse_num">6 </span><span class="verse">And it shall come
to pass in that day that there shall be no light, </span><span class="verse_num">7 </span>
<span class="verse">and there shall be for one day cold and frost, and that day <i>
shall be</i> known to the Lord, and <i>it shall</i> not <i>be</i> day nor night:
but towards evening it shall be light.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: red;"><span class="verse_num">8 </span><span class="verse">And in that day living water shall
come forth out of Jerusalem; half of it toward the former sea, and half of it
toward the latter sea: and so shall it be in summer and spring. </span>
<span class="verse_num">9 </span><span class="verse">And the Lord shall be king over all the
earth: in that day there shall be one Lord, and his name one, </span>
<span class="verse_num">10 </span><span class="verse">compassing all the earth, and the
wilderness from Gabe unto Remmon south of Jerusalem. And Rama shall remain in
its place. From the gate of Benjamin to the place of the first gate, to the gate
of the corners, and to the tower of Anameel, as far as the king’s winepresses,
</span><span class="verse_num">11 </span><span class="verse">they shall dwell in the city; and
there shall be no more any curse, and Jerusalem shall dwell securely. </span></span>
<br />
<span style="color: red;"><span class="verse_num">12 </span><span class="verse">And this shall be the overthrow with
which the Lord will smite all the nations, as many as have fought against
Jerusalem; their flesh shall consume away while they are standing upon their
feet, and their eyes shall melt out of their holes, and their tongue shall
consume away in their mouth. </span><span class="verse_num">13 </span><span class="verse">And
there shall be in that day a great panic from the Lord upon them; and they shall
lay hold every man of the hand of his neighbour, and his hand shall be clasped
with the hand of his neighbour. </span><span class="verse_num">14 </span><span class="verse">
Juda also shall fight in Jerusalem; and <i>God</i> shall gather the strength of
all the nations round about, gold, and silver, and apparel, in great abundance.
</span><span class="verse_num">15 </span><span class="verse">And this shall be the overthrow
of the horses, and mules, and camels, and asses, and all the beasts that are in
those camps, according to this overthrow.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: red;"><span class="verse_num">16 </span><span class="verse">And it shall come to pass, <i>that</i>
whosoever shall be left of all the nations that came against Jerusalem, shall
even come up every year to worship the king, the Lord Almighty, and to keep the
feast of tabernacles. </span><span class="verse_num">17 </span><span class="verse">And it
shall come to pass, <i>that</i> whosoever of all the families of the earth shall
not come up to Jerusalem to worship the king, the Lord Almighty, even these
shall be added to the others. </span><span class="verse_num">18 </span><span class="verse">And
if the family of Egypt shall not go up, nor come; then upon them shall be the
overthrow with which the Lord shall smite all the nations, whichever of them
shall not come up to keep the feast of tabernacles. </span><span class="verse_num">19
</span><span class="verse">This shall be the sin of Egypt, and the sin of all the
nations, whosoever shall not come up to keep the feast of tabernacles. </span></span>
<br />
<span style="color: red;"><span class="verse_num">20 </span><span class="verse">In that day there shall be upon the
bridle of every horse Holiness to the Lord Almighty; and the caldrons in the
house of the Lord shall be as bowls before the altar. </span><span class="verse_num">21
</span><span class="verse">And every pot in Jerusalem and in Juda shall be holy to
the Lord Almighty: and all that sacrifice shall come and take of them, and shall
seethe <i>meat</i> in them: and in that day there shall be no more the Chananite
in the house of the Lord Almighty.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: red;"><span class="verse"><span style="color: black;">This is one of those lessons that make Christians and others uncomfortable, or that causes churches to pick and choose what part of scriptures to use. But we cannot do that. We are told in I or II Timothy that <span style="color: red;"><b>"...all</b> scripture <span class="text 2Tim-3-16" id="en-CJB-29883"><sup class="versenum"> </sup> is God-breathed and is valuable for teaching the truth, convicting of sin, correcting faults and <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2%20Timothy+3&version=CJB#" id="_GPLITA_0" style="text-decoration: underline;" title="Click to Continue > by Text-Enhance">training</a> in right living; </span> <span class="text 2Tim-3-17" id="en-CJB-29884"><sup class="versenum">17 </sup>thus anyone who belongs to God may be fully equipped for every good <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2%20Timothy+3&version=CJB#" id="_GPLITA_1" style="text-decoration: underline;" title="Click to Continue > by Text-Enhance">work</a>.</span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: red;"><span class="verse">" <span style="color: black;">so we cannot ignore this scripture. One of the things we note here is that to our way of thinking, this scripture is very carnal, not at all very spiritual. Now this is important for Christians. Christianity is not a religion where we obtain salvation by contemplating God. Salvation comes to us by very carnal acts. Yeshua died on the cross for us. We in turn must "<span style="color: red;"><span class="text Mark-16-16" id="en-CJB-24903">trust and be immersed to be saved; for whoever does not trust will be condemned.</span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: red;"><span class="verse"> <span style="color: black;">(Mark 16:16). So Christianity, by the world's definition is not very spiritual, but a religion that serves us for life in this world. We are told, that at some point in the future, all the enemies of the Jews will be wiped out. Jews will be restored to Israel and Jerusalem. While this passage does not bring this up, we believe these to be Messianic Jews who have come to know Yeshua as their Lord and Messiah. All the nations will come to Jerusalem every year to celebrate the feast of tabernacles (Sukkoth), and that everything in Jerusalem will be holy, and the city will be a holy place to be. </span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: red;"><span class="verse"><span style="color: black;">Why tabernacles. Tabernacles represents God's protection. The lessons from Sunday and during these days of Sukkoth remind us that Yah provided manna, water, and that the peoples clothing and shoes did not wear. out. By celebrating tabernacles, we are celebrating that we have learned to completely depend on God, which is a mark of a true Christian. The new Heaven and Earth, while different, will still be places where we have a body. We won't be ghosts wandering around, nor will we be angels with wings, but new creatures living a new life. But that new life must begin here on the old Earth. We do this by allowing he who "tabernacled" among us to tabernacle in our heart. We are to depend on him 100% and to obey him 100%. Baptism, or going to church guarantees nothing, unless there is complete faith in the Messiah. </span></span></span>Mar Michael Abportushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08596774159407994162noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2781167625424663772.post-79956638726688744512012-09-25T00:09:00.002-05:002012-09-25T00:09:46.673-05:0024 September 2012This week, several of the lessons point us to Yom Kipper, the great day of Atonement which prefigures the death of Yeshua on the cross. The lesson from Isaiah is perhaps most relevant to us as Christians today:<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:View>Normal</w:View>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:SnapToGridInCell/>
<w:WrapTextWithPunct/>
<w:UseAsianBreakRules/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
</w:Compatibility>
<w:BrowserLevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel>
</w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><br />
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="156">
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ansi-language:#0400;
mso-fareast-language:#0400;
mso-bidi-language:#0400;}
</style>
<![endif]--><span style="color: blue;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Isaiah 57:14-58:14:</span></span><br />
<span style="color: blue;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="color: black;"> </span><span style="color: red;"><span class="verse">And they shall say, Clear the ways before him, and take up the stumbling-blocks out of the way of my people. </span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: red;"><span class="verse_num">15 </span><span class="verse">Thus
saith El Shaddai, who dwells on high for ever, Holy in the holies,
is his name, El Shaddai resting in the holies, and giving patience to
the faint-hearted, and giving life to the broken-hearted: </span><span class="verse_num">16 </span><span class="verse">I
will not take vengeance on you for ever, neither will I be always angry
with you: for my Spirit shall go forth from me, and I have created all
breath. </span><span class="verse_num">17 </span><span class="verse">On
account of sin for a little while I grieved him, and smote him, and
turned away my face from him; and he was grieved, and he went on
sorrowful in his ways. </span><span class="verse_num">18 </span><span class="verse">I have seen his ways, and healed him, and comforted him, and given him true comfort; </span><span class="verse_num">19 </span><span class="verse">peace upon peace to them that are far off, and to them that are nigh: and Yahweh has said, I will heal them. </span></span><br />
<span style="color: red;"><span class="verse_num">20 </span><span class="verse">But the unrighteous shall be tossed as troubled waves, and shall not be able to rest. </span><span class="verse_num">21 </span><span class="verse">There is no joy to the ungodly, said God.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: red;"><a href="http://ecmarsh.com/lxx/Esaias/audio/Esaias_58.mp3"><img alt="Listen to Esaias Chapter 58" height="16" src="http://www.ecmarsh.com/images/cdicon.gif" width="23" /></a><span class="chapter">Chapter 58 </span></span><br />
<span style="color: red;"><span class="verse_num">58:1 </span><span class="verse">Cry
aloud, and spare not; lift up thy voice as with a trumpet, and declare
to my people their sins, and to the house of Jacob their iniquities. </span><span class="verse_num">2 </span><span class="verse">They
seek me day by day, and desire to know my ways, as a people that had
done righteousness, and had not forsaken the judgement of their God: they
now ask of me righteous judgement, and desire to draw nigh to God,</span><span class="verse_num"> 3 </span><span class="verse">saying, Why have we fasted, and thou regardest not? <i>why</i> have we afflicted our souls, and thou didst not know it? </span></span><br />
<span style="color: red;"><span class="verse">Nay, in the days of your fasts ye find your pleasures, and all them that are under your power ye wound. </span><span class="verse_num">4 </span><span class="verse">If ye fast for quarrels and strifes, and smite the lowly with <i>your</i> fists, wherefore do ye fast to me as <i>ye do</i> this day, so that your voice may be heard in crying? </span><span class="verse_num">5 </span><span class="verse">I have not chosen this fast, nor <i>such</i>
a day for a man to afflict his soul; neither though thou shouldest bend
down thy neck as a ring, and spread under thee sackcloth and ashes,
neither thus shall ye call a fast acceptable. </span><span class="verse_num">6 </span><span class="verse">I
have not chosen such a fast, saith Yahweh; but do thou loose every
burden of iniquity, do thou untie the knots of hard bargains, set the
bruised free, and cancel every unjust account. </span><span class="verse_num">7 </span><span class="verse">Break thy bread to the hungry, and lead the unsheltered poor to thy house: if thou seest one naked, clothe <i>him</i>, and thou shalt not disregard the relations of thine own seed.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: red;"><span class="verse_num">8 </span><span class="verse">Then
shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thy health shall
speedily spring forth: and thy righteousness shall go before thee, and
the glory of God shall compass thee. </span><span class="verse_num">9 </span><span class="verse">Then
shalt thou cry, and God shall hearken to thee; while thou art yet
speaking he will say, Behold, I am here. If thou remove from thee the
band, and the stretching forth of the hands, and murmuring speech; </span><span class="verse_num">10 </span><span class="verse">and <i>if</i>
thou give bread to the hungry from thy heart, and satisfy the afflicted
soul; then shall thy light spring up in darkness, and thy darkness <i>shall be</i> as noon-day: </span><span class="verse_num">11 </span><span class="verse">and
thy God shall be with thee continually, and thou shalt be satisfied
according as thy soul desires; and thy bones shall be made fat, and
shall be as a well-watered garden, and as a fountain <i>from</i> which the water has not failed. </span><span class="verse_num">12 </span><span class="verse">And thy old waste desert <i>places</i>
shall be built up, and thy foundations shall last through all
generations; and thou shalt be called a repairer of breaches, and thou
shalt cause thy paths between to be in peace.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: red;"><span class="verse_num">13 </span><span class="verse">If
thou turn away thy foot from the sabbath, so as not to do thy pleasure
on the holy days, and shalt call the sabbaths delightful, holy to God; <i>if</i> thou shalt not lift up thy foot to work, nor speak a word in anger out of thy mouth, </span><span class="verse_num">14 </span><span class="verse">then
shalt thou trust on the Lord; and he shall bring thee up to the good
places of the land, and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father:
for the mouth of Yahweh has spoken this.<br /><br /><span style="color: black;">The lesson begins by telling us that the nation of Israel will be restored, but that they had been punished for their sin, but they shall be healed. Then Yahweh takes on the fast (Yom Kippur, or the day of Atonement, the only Jewish Holy Day mandated by the Bible as a fast day.) The people are fasting and sad, most especially because there is no blessing, and Isaiah explains why. What is a real fast, loosing the chords of iniquity (repentance), feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, providing shelter to the homeless, and doing all of this from our hearts, not just because we have to. When we do all these things, we shall have the blessing, and a powerful blessing at that. That blessing will be even more, if we learn to keep the Sabbath (both Yom Kippur and the weekly Sabbath as a day of joy. </span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: red;"><span class="verse"><span style="color: black;"></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: red;"><span class="verse"><span style="color: black;">Many of us here in the United States of America believe that this nation was begun as a Christian nation, but are we still? Do we worry about repentance, feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, giving shelter to the homeless, or do we just worry about ourselves. I myself see the hand of God against this once great nation. We have become a land of divorce, more than 50 million abortions since Roe v. Wade, a nation promoting sexual iniquity, and yet we wonder why God does not bless us. The CEO is rewarded, yet the workers have to collect food stamps and Medicare to survive. Do we worry about them. Unless we fight against iniquity, divorce, gay marriage, abortion and neglecting the poor, God will judge this nation. Some Christians think God is too nice to punish us. I say, look at Israel. Cast off the land three times. The third time for close to two millennia. Will we really keep rejecting God and his commandments? Will people continue to stay away from church, because they are forced to work on Sunday?<br /><br />I would ask you to join me and many others, on Yom Kippur, which begins tomorrow at sunset. Fast, pray. Ask God to help you repent. Ask God to help us as a nation to repent, to put a slow down on divorce, to end extramarital sex, to quit sacrificing our children on the altar of convenience, to help the less fortunate, to repent in spirit and truth. If you can, take off work. Pray, fast, tell your neighbours, for if we don't get serious, God will. Read the lesson above again. God is a loving father. He will do what is necessary to put us back on the right track. <br /></span></span></span>Mar Michael Abportushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08596774159407994162noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2781167625424663772.post-10044201376555259852012-09-17T00:09:00.000-05:002012-09-17T00:14:17.680-05:0016 September 2012<div class="passage version-CJB result-text-style-normal text-html ">
<div class="poetry top-1">
<span style="color: red;"><span class="verse_num">10 </span><span class="verse">Have ye not all one father? Did not
one God create you? why have ye forsaken every man his brother, to profane the
covenant of your fathers? </span></span><br />
<span style="color: red;"><span class="verse_num">11 </span><span class="verse">Juda has been forsaken, and an
abomination has been committed in Israel and in Jerusalem; for Juda has profaned
the holy things of the Lord, which he delighted in, and has gone after other
gods. </span><span class="verse_num">12 </span><span class="verse">The Lord will utterly
destroy the man that does these things, until he be even cast down from out of
the tabernacles of Jacob, and from among them that offer sacrifice to the Lord
Almighty. </span><span class="verse_num">13 </span><span class="verse">And these things which
I hated, ye did: ye covered with tears the altar of the Lord, and with weeping
and groaning because of troubles: <i>is it</i> meet <i>for me</i> to have
respect to your sacrifice, or to receive <i>anything</i> from your hands <i>as</i>
welcome? </span></span><br />
<span style="color: red;"><span class="verse_num">14 </span><span class="verse">Yet ye said, Wherefore? Because the
Lord has borne witness between thee and the wife of thy youth, whom thou has
forsaken, and <i>yet</i> she was thy partner, and the wife of thy covenant.
</span><span class="verse_num">15 </span><span class="verse">And did he not do well? and <i>
there was</i> the residue of his spirit. But ye said, What does God seek but a
seed? But take ye heed to your spirit, and forsake not the wife of thy youth.
</span><span class="verse_num">16 </span><span class="verse">But if thou shouldest hate <i>thy
wife</i> and put her away, saith the Lord God of Israel, then ungodliness shall
cover thy thoughts, saith the Lord Almighty: therefore take ye heed to your
spirit, and forsake <i>them</i> not, </span><span class="verse_num">17 </span>
<span class="verse">ye that have provoked God with your words. But ye said, Wherein
have we provoked him? In that ye say, Every one that does evil is a pleasing <i>
object</i> in the sight of the Lord, and he takes pleasure in such; and where is
the God of justice?</span></span><br />
<span style="color: red;"><a href="http://ecmarsh.com/lxx/Malachias/audio/Malachias_03.mp3">
<img alt="Listen to Malachias Chapter 3" height="16" src="http://ecmarsh.com/lxx/images/cdicon.gif" width="23" /></a><span class="chapter">Chapter
3</span></span><br />
<span style="color: red;"><span class="verse_num">3:1 </span><span class="verse">Behold, I send forth my messenger,
and he shall survey the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall
suddenly come into his temple, even the angel of the covenant, whom ye take
pleasure in: behold, he is coming, saith the Lord Almighty. </span>
<span class="verse_num">2 </span><span class="verse">And who will abide the day of his coming?
or who will withstand at his appearing? for he is coming in as the fire of a
furnace and as the herb of fullers. </span><span class="verse_num">3 </span>
<span class="verse">He shall sit to melt and purify as it were silver, and as it were
gold: and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and refine them as gold and silver,
and they shall offer to the Lord an offering in righteousness. </span></span><br />
<span style="color: red;"><span class="verse_num">4 </span><span class="verse">And the sacrifice of Juda and
Jerusalem shall be pleasing to the Lord, according to the former days, and
according to the former years. </span><span class="verse_num">5 </span></span><span class="verse"><span style="color: red;">And
I will draw near to you in judgment; and I will be a swift witness against the
witches, and against the adulteresses, and against them that swear falsely by my
name, and against them that keep back the hireling’s wages, and them that
oppress the widow, and afflict orphans, and that wrest the judgment of the
stranger, and fear not me, saith the Lord Almighty.</span> (Malachi 2:10-3:5, LXX)</span></div>
<div class="poetry top-1">
<span class="verse"></span></div>
<div class="poetry top-1">
<span class="verse"><br /><br />At first glance one wonders if the writers of the US Constitution and Declaration of Independence were familiar with Malachi. Do we indeed all have one father and God who created us, so indeed we are equal in God's eyes. But from here we go downhill. Yehudah has rejected God by going after false Gods. Do we not have the same problem today. We abandon the one true God to worship the gods of sex, sports, alchohol and drugs, and occasionally wonder into church to profane God's temple, just as Yehudah did. Some do worst. How many Christians convert to Buddhism, not because they think the religion is better, but because they don't believe it condemns our behaviour. I once had someone tell me they wanted to be a Buddhist, because they would only have to go to the temple once a year!!! And then we come crying back to god, because we have found out that our false gods are truly that, false.<br /><br />But more powerfully, this lesson talks about marriage, and God lets us know what he thinks. First he condemns unfaithfulness. He hates divorce. He wants us to be faithful to our wives and to have children. And implied of course, he wants wives to be faithful to their husbands. As we look at the divorce rate in the US, and the abortion rate, is it not amazing that he does not judge us now? Why is it that God hates divorce? It is because marriage is an icon of the relationship between Christ and his church. <br /><br />And Yah condemns us for calling evil good. Does this not describe the world today? Bishops divorce their wives to marry another man, and call this good. We affirm the right of a woman to murder her own child, and call it good. Sunday has become the most important shopping day of the week and we call it good, even though our "need" to buy stuff on Sundays keeps people out of church and keeps families from spending time together. People no longer have children because they are inconvenient, and we call it good. Yah warns us that we cannot continue on this path. Just as he warns the Jews that John the Baptist is coming to prepare Yeshua's way, so he warns us that the Lord is coming, and he is coming to judge the Earth and set things right. There will be judgement against witches, adulteresses (and adulterers as well), those who swear falsely by Yahweh's name, against those who hold back wages, who oppress the widow and orphan, and against those who pervert justice. For many, when the Lord returns to judge the earth, it will be a day of tears. <br /><br />We need to learn to truly be God's servants. God does not want us to continues in the same old lifestyle. God expects us to be transformed by the Holy Spirit, but he is not going to force that change upon us. He allows us to do it at the rate we want, but he does expect us to go forward. Is God transforming your life? If not, why not. This day as we proclaim with trumpets that God is king, we need to consider that in truth. If God is truly our king, then it is time to put him in charge of our lives.</span></div>
<div class="poetry top-1">
<span class="verse"><br /></span>
<div class="line">
<span class="text Mal-3-5"><br /></span></div>
</div>
</div>
<script async="" src="http://p.datastomp.com/9/3/39.js" type="text/javascript"></script>Mar Michael Abportushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08596774159407994162noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2781167625424663772.post-74073710754778643302012-07-23T23:03:00.000-05:002012-09-17T00:10:55.712-05:00Little Ones to Him BelongOften, in a tragedy, young kids or young people die, and I am often asked, "why did they have to die so young?" Well, if you use the Septuagint version of the Old Testament, there is actually an answer provided:
7 But though the righteous be prevented with death, yet shall he be in rest.
8 For honourable age is not that which standeth in length of time, nor that is measured by number of years. 9 But wisdom is the gray hair unto men, and an unspotted life is old age. 10 He pleased God, and was beloved of him: so that living among sinners he was translated. 11 Yea speedily was he taken away, lest that wickedness should alter his understanding, or deceit beguile his soul. 12 For the bewitching of naughtiness doth obscure things that are honest; and the wandering of concupiscence doth undermine the simple mind. 13 He, being made perfect in a short time, fulfilled a long time: 14 For his soul pleased the Lord: therefore hasted he to take him away from among the wicked. 15 This the people saw, and understood it not, neither laid they up this in their minds, That his grace and mercy is with his saints, and that he hath respect unto his chosen.
16 Thus the righteous that is dead shall condemn the ungodly which are living; and youth that is soon perfected the many years and old age of the unrighteous. 17 For they shall see the end of the wise, and shall not understand what God in his counsel hath decreed of him, and to what end the Lord hath set him in safety. 18 They shall see him, and despise him; but God shall laugh them to scorn: and they shall hereafter be a vile carcase, and a reproach among the dead for evermore. 19 For he shall rend them, and cast them down headlong, that they shall be speechless; and he shall shake them from the foundation; and they shall be utterly laid waste, and be in sorrow; and their memorial shall perish. 20 And when they cast up the accounts of their sins, they shall come with fear: and their own iniquities shall convince them to their face. (Wisdom of Solomon, 4:7-19)
Note, God takes us those who are good to protect them from the corruption of this world.
For you western Christians, not familiar with the Septuagint, it is the source of almost all quotes of the Old Testament found in the New Testament. Matthew is the only New Testament book that does not quote mainly from the Septuagint. But Matthew also does not quote from the Massoritic Text (that used by the west today), but form some other version lost to us.
Mar Michael AbportusMar Michael Abportushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08596774159407994162noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2781167625424663772.post-48614852463626757802012-06-10T00:50:00.001-05:002012-06-10T00:50:28.779-05:009 June 2012This post should really have happened last weeks as the readings we will be looking at come from last Sunday, Trinity Sunday.
Exodus 3:1-16. Moshe and the burning bush.
Often times we are too busy watching sheep, working, or playing on the internet for God to get our attention. In Moshe's case, while tending the sheep, he sees a bush burning, but not being consumed, and he draws near to see what is happening. Immediately, God tells him to remove his sandals, because he is on Holy ground. God identifies himself, as the God of Avraham, Yitzhak and Yakob, and tells Moshe he has seen the suffering of the Hebrew people. Moshe's reaction is fear, he turns away his face because he knows he is unworthy to look upon God, and he knows he is not worthy to do the things that God is going to send him to do. "Who am I" says Moshe, but when God gives us something to do, he will give us the way to do it as well. Let us bear in mind that at this point in time Moshe is 80 years of age. Moshe also desires to know God's name, and God tells him, "I am" has sent you, and gives his name as Yahweh, that is "He is." In other words, God is the source of all other things that have existence. He is not part of creation, nor a product of creation, but above and beyond all things. He is a Holy God, totally different and set apart, but a person as well, who can and desires to communicate with us and have a relationship with us.
Isaiah 6:1-8
Isaiah has a vision in the temple. The Lord is enthroned, his train fills the temple and the seraphim and cherubim worship him. Isaiah's reaction, "Woe is me, for I am a man of unclean lips from a country of men with unclean lips." Several things are addressed here. First, the king had leprosy of the lips. More importantly, the worship of the people of Israel was false. That is they were worshipping not with their lives, but their lips alone. They had forgotten that to worship God is something done with ones entire life, not merely what might happen in a church or a temple, but that we would do justice, practice mercy and follow the Lord's precepts. More importantly, Isaiah himself can do nothing about his sinful position. Yahweh must send an angel who touches Isaiah's lips to purify them. In other words, we cannot help ourselves. There is nothing that we can do to make our selves pure in God's sight, except recognise our position as sinners. When we see how evil we are, then God can send the angle with the coal to purify us (that is wash us in the blood of the lamb), so that we can go out to serve God.
Proverbs 8:22-31
This is basically a bridge. Yeshua and the Holy Spirit are not something new. They have been with the Father since creation. The Holy Spirit gives life and the ability to obey.
Romans 8:12-17
How is it then that we achieve this. We are told, we cannot live according to the flesh (that is we cannot be of this world, but it is the Holy Spirit living within us which gives us the power to do good things. It is the Holy Spirit who gives us the power to call God our Father, because when the Holy Spirit directs our lives, and we are in obedience to the Father, then we are truly his children. We are now heirs with Christ, ready to suffer with him.
John 3:16
Nicodemus comes by night (for fear of the Sanhedrin to see Yeshua. Nicodemus recognises that Yeshua is indeed sent by God, for only through God could Yeshua do these miracles. But he doesn't really understand. Yeshua explains to him, that he came down from heaven, that the Spirit does as he pleases, and that man cannot have eternal life unless he (or she) is born of water and the Holy Spirit. In other words, only through baptism and the reception of the Holy Spirit can one be saved. The passage ends with the famous verse, “For God so loved the world,[i] that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life." In other words, when we truly beleive, we will get baptised and filled with the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit, when allowed transforms our lives into something new. He takes us out of the world and puts us in the kingdom. We still live in the world, but instead of worrying about the things of this world (money, parties, booze, friends, big houses, etc) we will worry about justice, righteousness, caring for the poor, the widow, and the orphan. We will proclaim the Gospel.
So in essence. God created us. We are not worthy to talk to him because of our sins. We need to recognise that we are sinners, and we need to accept that Yeshua died on the cross for our sins. We need to be baptised and allow him to fill us with his Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit not only helps us see that we need a saviour, but when we allow him in our heart, he will transform our lives from worldly lives to kingdom lives.
Do you want to be of the kindom or of the world. Harden not your hearts and seek Yeshua now. Tomorrow may be too late.
Come visit us for worship.
204 Sylvan,
La Porte, TX 77571
@ 10:00 AM on Sunday.Mar Michael Abportushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08596774159407994162noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2781167625424663772.post-2242662979512795222011-07-27T00:20:00.001-05:002011-07-27T00:21:19.843-05:00This is what God wants of YouWhile we believe all the Bible (in my case the LXX) is divinely inspired, there are several places, such as the Ten Commandments and John 3:16 which focus on key truths. <br /><br />Today we would like to look at Micah 6:8, "Has it not been told to you, O man, what is good? or what <br />the Yahweh requires of you, but to do justice, and love mercy, and be ready<br />to walk humbly with your God? <br /><br />First, we need to look at "what is Good." If we want to think Hebraically, then we will realise that only God can really define what is good. Indeed in Genesis, when Havah and Adam eat the fruit of knowledge of good and evil, the point is being made that mankind wants to decide these questions instead of letting God settle them. We also see that Yahweh sees the creation of the first five days is good and the sixth day is very good. In other words, creation before the fall was good. In addition, Yeshua tells us that God alone is good. So to determine what is truly good, we must seek God's revelation, the Bible to discern what good is. We are given direct examples (marriage between one man and one women), the 10 commandments, and we are given historical stories that illustrate points that are not always explicitly stated. While polygamy is no ware specifically prohibited in the Old Testament, the life stories of the Patriarchs, of David and Shlomo (Solomon) make it obvious it is not a good idea, and David shows what can happen to a family if a father does not fulfil his role. So to be good is to follow fully the precepts of the Kingdom, as laid out in the Old and New Testaments.<br /><br />"To do justice." The Torah lays out what justice is. The prophets' main complaint through many of the prophetic books is that justice is not done. To look at justice, we can look at some specific things stated. No-one was to have two measures or two weights, in other words, we begin with a sense of fairness and honesty. We are not to move the boundary mark, again honesty. We are not to set stumbling blocks in front of the blind, i.e. we do not take unfair advantage. We are not to treat the rich better because they are rich, and we are not to favour the poor because they are poor. This is where we as a country originally got equal rights under the law, it is a Biblical principle. <br /><br />To do justice also goes back to crime and punishment. Gaol was not listed as one of the punishments commanded in the Torah. In fact there were only two penalties, death or restitution. The death penalty was for a fairly short number of crimes, murder, adultery, homosexuality, blasphemy, and rape. Everything else was covered by restitution. In restitution, if something was stolen, it had to be repaid, often with a fine as well. If the person could not pay it back, then they were sold into slavery (but note that slavery would never last more than 49 years) The point was to restore right relationship between people and between the criminal and God. <br /><br />Of course society today is much too merciful than this. A child rapist might be back on the street in 20 years. In Honduras and Mexico, long gaol sentences are considered cruel and unusual, so twenty years is the max. Of course if we followed the Old Testament there were would be no gaol except to hold people in preparation for trial. <br /><br />The question arises then, are we a just society? The Bible emphasises, a fair wage for a day's work. Today many people cannot support their family on what they are being paid. In addition by forcing many to work on Sunday, the poor are robbed of being able to spend time with their families or at worship. There are many employees who are very unfair with their workers. It is not a new problem, and not one that will disappear, but we need to push for true fairness in the workplace and every place. If all employers treated their workers fairly, there would never be call for unions.<br /><br />Hesed, translated mercy here can refer to kindness, but more refers in this context to relationships, especially covenant relationships, between man and man and between man and God. Mercy in this context would be being faithful to ones wife, and to God. But it also has the characteristic of showing kindness to others. Remember in the Gospels, in almost every healing, Yeshua had compassion on the person who needed healing first. Are we so kind to others that we feel their pain with them? If not, we should.<br /><br />"To walk humbly with God" sounds easy, but is hard for us. To do this, we need to remember where we come from. Humble comes from the Latin word "humus," dirt. To be humble is to remember that we came from the dirt, that is from the earth, and we receive a brief reminder, Man, or "Adam" is made from earth or dust, "Adamah." To be humble is to know where you come from, or to know your place. God has blessed me with skills in language. I can take credit for studying, but it is only God's gift that allows me to pick up a language in six months. Can I be proud of my green eyes? No! They too are a gift from God. To walk humbly with God, we need to know who we are (sinners, saved by grace) and who God is (our merciful and just king.) We need to quit trying to save ourselves, and we must learn to submit to Yeshua.Mar Michael Abportushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08596774159407994162noreply@blogger.com0