Wednesday, February 24, 2016

The Crucifixion Story from Psalm 22

The Crucifixion Story from
Psalm 22

Psalm 22 is describing a pre-view to an event that would not happen for another 1000 years (this is called prophesy).
We see the fulfillment in the Gospels of the New Testament:
Matthew 27, Mark 16, Luke 23, and John 18 and 19 …

A preview to the Cross … Remember the Old Testament saints (Abram, Isaac, David or even Salomon) didn’t understand the concept of the cross, they only understood the concept of a needed sacrifice for sin such as the Goat, Ram, or Sheep.

John the Baptist called him the Lamb of God in John 1:29




    1)We see his suffering
a.   It all began prior to the Cross:
                                                  i.     The scourging with the Cat of 9 tails
                                                ii.     The Crown of Thrones
                                              iii.     The Carrying of the Cross through the city of Jerusalem …
1.   It is believed that the weight of the cross that Jesus carried to his crucifixion was over 300 pounds. The horizontal bar known as the “patibulum” had a weight of between 75 and125 pounds.

The horrifying death of the Cross
No other device has ever been developed to kill that is, as humiliating, painful, and mentally destructive as the CROSS! The Geneva Convention, the ACLU, and even you would never approve of this method of torture and execution. However, the Romans used it on a daily bases around the world, for criminals, terrorist, and those they deemed rebelling against the Roman Empire.
What is interesting is that the Jew’s were appalled by this method of death, and even argued not to have a Jew crucified on the Cross. That was until they wanted Jesus gone, and 1000 years before they did, God already described the events. We find the Jewish leadership and people crying “Crucify HIM, Crucify HIM” in Luke 23:20
b.  His physical pain
                                                  i.     The nails (both hands and feet)
                                                ii.     The lifting and sudden drop into the hole
                                              iii.     When on the cross
1.   When he dropped down/sacked he would suffocate
2.   When he stood up he would rip the hands and feet

c.   His psychological or emotional pain
                                                  i.     Betrayal of Judas
                                                ii.     Rejection of the disciples
                                              iii.     The hatred of the soldiers
                                              iv.     The shame of hanging naked on the cross
                                                v.     The darkness and feeling totally alone
                                              vi.     The bearing of SIN, which he had never known before.
                                           vii.     The forsaking of his father (the Grief)

d.  His spiritual pain
                                                  i.     The turmoil of God’s rejection of not being able look at his own son due to our sin, he was carrying to the grave.

    2) We see the testimony of the saints (vs 25)
a.   People will praise Christ for what he did @ Calvary.
b.   The thief believed and testified of Christ as Lord, in Luke 23:41-42.
c.   Notice the Centurion … in Matthew 27: 54 “This man really was the God’s son” (HCSB)

   3) We hear the repentance of the sinner (vs. 27-28)
a.   People of all generations will trust Christ as Savior!

Question!
Have you thought about what Christ did for you at the Cross?
Have you accepted his love and sacrifice that he provided at the Cross?

Have you made your reservation for a home in Heaven with HIM? 

Mountain of a Man

"Mountain of a Man”

The nation of Israel saw a Mountain of a Man; and was defeated!
However, God has a plan to get the victory

Read the chapter I Samuel Chapter 17 ….

     I.          The enemy  has gathered for battle (vs 1 – 2)
a.     They are loud
b.    They are organized
c.     They have a plan
d.    They have a purpose

One Group our Atheist (Humanism doctrine) … recently read where a group Atheist where going protest outside of the Republican debate, because they feel God should not be a part of the American political system. Despite their failure to read history and understand the emphasis placed on God by our Presidents, here are some of the great quotes by former president;

·       “It is impossible to rightly govern a nation without God and the Bible.”  ~ George Washington;
·       “I consider a decent respect for Christianity among the best recommendations for public service.”  ~ John Adams
·       “The reason that Christianity is the best friend of government is because Christianity is the only religion that changes the heart.”  ~ Thomas Jefferson
·        “We recognize no sovereign but God, and no King but Jesus!”  ~ John Adams;
·       “The rights of man come not from the generosity of the state but from the hand of God.” ~ John F. Kennedy;
·       “You can’t divorce religious belief and public service. . . I’ve never detected any conflict between God’s will and my political duty. If you violate one, you violate the other.”  ~ James (Jimmy) Earl Carter, Jr.
·       “The foundations of our society and our government rest so much on the teachings of the Bible that it would be difficult to support them if faith in these teachings would cease to be practically universal in our country.” ~ Calvin Coolidge[1]

The other groups are religions … That feel it is their mission to stop Christianity from spreading around the world, such as Muslim, and some are false religions that have distorted the faith of millions, such as Hinduisms, Buddhism, and many more worldwide. The irony is this could also include some to the dead/faithless mainline denomination even here in American and around the world.

  II.          The enemy has fear on their side and it champion is larger than life.
(Goliath .. vs. 3 – 7)
Richard Dawkins a famous and self-proclaimed atheist could be consider a Goliath of our day, pastors, church leaders, and Christian in general coward when it comes to debating him.  They look at his credentials, his education, and his personality.
a.     The enemy is a formal and scary
b.    The enemy raised fear in God’s people
                                  i.     In America they are doing this through the legal system
                                ii.     In other parts of the world they are doing it through murder, and other hideous crimes like imprisonment, burning churches, and assaults.

III.          The nation of Israel (the church) didn’t want to challenge the status quoi
a.     Notice even his brothers don’t want him to challenge the status quoi (The Mainline thinking of the old church)
b.    We haven’t done it that way before
                                  i.     The church is frozen in a 1960 and 70’s time warp … It was good enough for grandma and grandpa, mom and dad … It better be good enough for YOU.
c.     We have to have a great warrior stand against him
                                  i.     The church is looking for warrior, instead of looking for a Servant of God

IV.          The youth (David) showed them it time to stand and use their talents
a.     He stood on the word of God
b.    He got five stones (why? No he did thought he would miss, Goliath had 4 brothers and he wanted to be ready)
c.     It is not the maturity (age)  it is the FAITH
d.    He (David) used his talents, the ability to use a sling (primitive but effective weapon)
e.     Noticed it is not the famous that is going to make the greatest impact! It is the willing

Heard a story not sure if it is true, but a great illustration:
A 10 year boy was flying from his Grandparents house, home and was sitting in the very front of 1st class. The gentleman sitting next to him, attempting to be nice asked him what he was reading the young boy replied my Bible I am on the story of Jonah and it is so cool. The gentleman replied I don’t believe the Bible is true, and especially that part about Jesus dying and rising from the grave, or that stuff about Hell. Young boy replied I’m sorry to hear that I do.  The gentleman then replied to believe Jonah going in heaven, and the young boy replied absolutely.  Young boy when I get to heaven I’m to find Jonah and ask him about the Whale, with that the gentlemen replied what if Jonah not in Heaven.  Without missing a beat the young boy replied, well when you get hell you ask him.
Sometimes it takes a child to make an adult speechless!!!!!


   V.          Victory comes to those that move forward in the battle,  and we see David doing that:

a.     I love history and one of my favorite generals to read about is General George Patton Jr … He had some famous quotes and I think that him and David would have got along great.
·       “Infantry must move forward to close with the enemy. It must shoot in order to move…. To halt under fire is folly. To halt under fire and not fire back is suicide. Officers must set the example” – General George Patton Quotes, from “War as I knew it” 1947
·       “You’re never beaten until you admit it.” – General George Patton Jr
·       “It is only by doing things others have not that one can advance.” – General George Patton Jr.


Questions as we close!
What is the Giant of a Man in your life is it finical, a relationship, is doubt?
What is your plan to defeat it, and who can you turn to for help?
Do you have the faith to let God handle it?




[1] Read more: http://www.whatchristianswanttoknow.com/christian-presidential-quotes-22-awesome-sayings/#ixzz3yeY2DFjG

Saturday, August 29, 2015

Tribute to a friend gone to soon:

Tribute to a friend gone to soon: On Thursday August 27, 2015 a Friend, Mentor, and Editor of mine passed away. JOHN (OR AS I KNEW HIM CHARLEY) SROUFE, he was a friend from the day I first met him at Summit Behavioral Healthcare, in November 2004 and that friendship continued from that day until a phone call just days before his passing.  He was that great friend that you would love to run out for lunch and sit at a local park in the old Bronco or truck, and eat, plus my wife was even given the privilege of joining his family for his retirement party from SBH. As a mentor he was there to help with questions about being a substance abuse counselor, or challenge you for that next big project. However, most would not think of his greatest impact was as an awesome editor, of the current 67 workbooks published by Through HIM Ministries Charley edited over 35 of them, this is not including dozens of blogpost, articles, and other projects that came to my mind.


Charley my friend, mentor and editor although we didn’t see eye to eye on politics and religion, but we did agree on encouraging each other to be a great father, an awesome counselor, and challenges each to accomplish the goals that we set. Thank you my friend for the awesome friendship! 

Saturday, June 13, 2015

Study in the Book of Philemon

Study of the Book of Philemon:

The Bible doesn’t happen in a vacuum. View it the context of world history …

·        In 25 AD Han Dynasty Founded - After the death of Wang Mang, Hou Han founded the Eastern Han Dynasty. During this dynasty, which lasted until 220, Buddhism was introduced into China.
·        In 79 AD Mount Vesuvius Explodes-  The eruption destroyed the Roman cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum. Most of the cities' populations managed to flee, but 20,000 inhabitants were killed.

BASIC FACTS:

·        Written by Apostle Paul
·        It is considered one of Paul’s prison letters, written while in Prison in Rome around 61 to 63 A.D.
·        It was written to Philemon, a leader in the Colossian church
·        Key themes of the book are FORGIVENESS AND RECONCILIATION.

BREAKING DOWN THE BOOK:
            1)      Greeting: {Philemon 1:1-3}
a)      Paul a Prisoner (notice no mention of his Apostleship or leadership role)
·   Paul …
·   The Missionary/Evangelist
·    Soul-winner (always bringing people to Christ)
·    Challenger
·    Exhorter
b)      Timothy, our brother
·   There was apparently a very close friendship within this group

            2)      Philemon's character: {Philemon 1:4-7}
a)      Paul saw Philemon as a man of character and faith.
b)      Paul saw him as a man willing to share his faith
c)      Paul saw him as a pastor/church leader (church in your home)
  d)   He meet the qualification of I Timothy 3

       3)    Philemon … The Pastor/Teacher
                a)   The Shepherd
                b)   The Teacher
                c)   The Mentor
                d)   The Soul-winner

4)    The others:
                a)   There is some debate to whom these folks are:
·   Some believe that Apphia was Philemon’s wife, and Archippus his son.

      5)    Onesimus change in character: {Philemon 1:8-20}

·        Very important note here: Onesimus was an escaped (runaway) slave that had stolen from his master: his actions where punishable by beating and even death!
·        Onesimus had an encounter with Paul that resulted in an encounter with Christ and the Holy Spirit, and we see II Corinthians 5:17

      a)   Love’s sake Paul asked: {Philemon 1:8-9}
b)      Asked Philemon for Onesimus who has changed because of Christ: {Philemon 1:10-13}
c)  Onesimus the Christian, servant, & brother even as Paul: {Philemon 1:14-17}
      ·   Wanted to except him as a Brother in Christ … Not the slave he is:
      ·   Except him as a friend
 d)      If Onesimus owes anything, Paul will repay since Philemon owes Paul his Christian life: {Philemon 1:18-20}

          6)    Onesimus … The Convert
                  a)   He was brought to Christ
                  b)   He was taught by his pastor
                  c)   He was strength in his faith by his church family

          7)    Paul's future visit: {Philemon 1:21-22}
                   a)  Paul wanted so bad to return to Colossi and preach and teach
                         (However, he would never get the opportunity)
   
           8)    Benediction: {Philemon 1:23-25}


Church tradition tells us that this former slave, Onesimus, would go on to pastor the church of Ephesus that his friend Paul had founded.



Life Application for Me today!

No matter my condition, Christ will forgive me!
No matter my activities, God can help me change them!
No matter my relationships, God can help me correct them!

Saturday, September 20, 2014

A Biblical Perspective of Suicide

Doug Kutilek is a gentleman that I have the up most respect for. Brother Doug was one of my professors when I attended Baptist Bible College in Springfield, MO back in the early 1980's, he is an awesome Bible Scholar and Teacher.

He recently shared this message in his online newsletter “As I See It”

A Biblical Perspective on Suicide
by Doug Kutilek

Outline of a lesson taught August 17, 2014

Introduction

The recent suicide of comedian/actor/entertainer Robin Williams has given prominence to this often hushed-up topic.

In our day, suicide is all-too-common, among teens, military veterans, older adults, and even among professing evangelical Christians. Just about everyone has a relative, friend or acquaintance who has tried (or succeeded) in ending his own life.

(Suicide is not a new issue that has arisen in our high-stress modern age; Hamlet’s famous “To be or not to be” soliloquy is about possible suicide)

Though Williams had great talent, great fame, a large fortune, the praise of his peers, and more, yet these things (which the world craves) did not bring him peace, contentment, or satisfaction. He also had a recurring long-term drug problem, chronically abused alcohol (such practices usually aggravate any existing mental disorder), had two failed marriages (which cost him $20 million), and repeated bouts with crushing mental depression.

He was raised Episcopalian (which he called “Catholic Lite--with half the guilt”), but showed no evidence of a personal relationship with Christ. He was reportedly recently deeply depressed. So, in hope of ending the mental pain, he took his own life. But, it was an escape, but not a release. He “escaped” from what he perceived as a terrible (but temporary and fixable) present reality for a far worse permanent and unalterable reality.

Why do people attempt suicide--and too often succeed in the process?
--Some who kill themselves are truly insane. They are to be pitied.
--Some commit accidental suicide, through stupid or ill-considered actions.
This includes those who engage in dangerous or destructive activity which results in unintended death, such as binge drinking or use of illicit drugs.

Examples that come to my mind include comedian John Belushi, college basketball great Len Bias [d. 1986], Elvis and others, who essentially committed suicide through drug abuse.

--Some commit “suicide by cop” by provoking a lethal response from police.
--Some are deeply troubled by life events (death of a loved one, divorce, job loss, public shame, relentless ridicule via social media (particularly among teens), or personal guilt) and hope to escape from their circumstances--or from themselves.

Definition--Suicide is the deliberate termination of one’s own life, or soliciting such from another (facilitating such suicides was the “life mission”--or should that be “death mission”?--of the now-dead pathologist-turned-suicide-enabler Jack “the Dripper” Kevorkian)

Bible examples of suicide--seven cases

--Abimelech (son of Gideon)--Judges 9:50-57
--Samson--Judges 16:25-31
--Saul and his armor bearer--I Samuel 31:1-6
--Ahithophel--2 Samuel 17:23
--Zimri, king of Israel--1 Kings 16:15-20
--Judas--Matthew 27:3-5

Suicide is to be distinguished from self-sacrifice for the sake of others (John 15:13).

There are more than a few accounts from Iraq and Afghanistan (and other earlier wars) of soldiers or marines covering a live grenade (or doing something similar) with their own bodies to spare the lives of their comrades in arms. Perhaps most famous of such accounts took place in 480 B. C., at Thermopylae in Greece, when Leonidas and his 300 Spartans assisted by others, undertook what was essentially a “suicide mission” by holding a narrow pass literally at all costs and to the last man against the massive invading Persian army under Xerxes, so that the rest of the Greek army could stage a tactical retreat and regroup for later battle.

Why people commit suicide

First among causes is a fallen, irrational state of mind--

We must never forget that all of man’s being, body as well as soul, is corrupted by sin. As a consequence of the fall and corruption of man, none of us is entirely “rational” and “sane,” though most of us are “functionally sane,” the “walking wounded,” as it were.

Dementia (in varying degrees) is real.

Sometimes there is a genetic pre-disposition toward mental disorders--manic/depression [a.k.a. bi-polar], paranoia, schizophrenia (just as there is a genetic pre-disposition to diabetes, heart disease, breast cancer, etc.).

Sometimes dementia is biological--caused by chemical imbalances, brain tumors.

Sometimes it is caused by drug use, whether legal (prescribed mood- and behavior-altering drugs) or illegal (cocaine, LSD, etc.). One famous-in-its day case involved James Forrestal, Secretary of the Navy and then Secretary of Defense in the 1940s. He suffered deep depression and mental imbalance, which were treated by doctors (who were pledged to “first do no harm”!) with experimental drugs and electric shock, greatly aggravating his condition and eventuating in Forrestal’s suicide by a leaping from an upper floor window of a tall building.

Sometimes there is cultural pressure to deliberately end one’s life.

The Hindu religion taught and practiced “sati” (widow burning--women were actually expected to kill themselves by leaping into the flames of their husbands’ funeral pyres). This utterly appalled English Baptist missionary William Carey who relentlessly worked to end this horrible practice, and ultimately succeeded.

And the Japanese practice of hari-kiri /seppuku to escape “shame” for failure at some task or responsibility is well known. It is all too common for Japanese youth who have done below expectations on standardized exams to kill themselves to escape the shame of their perceived failure.

Misguided religious beliefs can encourage suicide.

I remember the vivid television images from the 1960s of the self-incineration of Buddhist priests in Vietnam and China as an act of protest against government actions.

And then in our own day, we regularly are presented with cases of Moslem suicide bombers, who are led to hope that they will attain heaven and endless sensual pleasures by murdering innocent people in the name of Allah; such are not “martyrs” at all, but first-degree murderers, including murderers of themselves, who are inspired to their evil acts by their Satanic religion.

Some people take their own lives to escape present terrible circumstances (real or imagined) which seem (and may in fact be) unalterable.

Stalin’s wife killed herself in the early 1930s rather than continue to live with that brutal monster from whom she could not otherwise escape.

And some kill themselves to try to escape from guilt (real or imagined).

Judas, filled with regret when he witnessed the evil reality of his betrayal of Jesus for a handful of silver coins, was overwhelmed with the guilt of his actions, and took the “easy” way out.

Bible objections to suicide

1. Self-murder violates the 6th command. God alone gives life; He alone can take it away, or prescribe the circumstances--such as capital punishment for crime, or in self-defense--under which it can be terminated by man.

2. Self-murder defies God’s plan for the individual’s life. It in essence denies that God is in charge of the circumstances of my life.

Suicide is an entirely selfish act; it takes no thought for the pain, grief, sorrow, regret and agony that it causes to others, whether parents, children, spouses, or friends.

Often, suicide is cowardly. Hitler’s suicide by poison and gun (with orders that his body be subsequently burned to ashes) was to escape accountability (and probable torture by Russians) for his dozen year reign of evil. Leader of the German Luftwaffe (air force) Herman Goering, condemned to death during the trials at Nuremberg, took poison the night before his scheduled public execution.

Suicide, as has been well said, is a permanent solution to a temporary problem.
For an unsaved person, it permanently destroys the possibility of repentance and forgiveness. It can never be “undone.” There is no reset button after suicide.

Suicide and salvation

In Ukraine, I was once asked by a student whether a person who commits suicide can go to heaven (the consensus of students was “no.”)

The Roman Catholic Church holds that suicide is a mortal (soul-condemning) sin, one that in the nature of the case cannot be subsequently confessed to a priest and be forgiven. It thereby excludes a person from heaven (and from burial in “hallowed ground”). Of course, this view is premised on the false belief in salvation by works.

According to the Bible, if a person has ever truly repented of his sin and committed his soul to Christ for salvation, nothing can break that bond of salvation, since salvation is solely by God’s unmerited favor. We cannot earn or deserve salvation under any circumstances. God gives it freely, and He keeps us saved, in spite of ourselves, Romans 8:31-39; John 10:27-29.

And just as a Christian, still possessing a sin-nature, has the capacity to commit sins of every other sort (theft, lying, greed, blasphemy, drunkenness, adultery), so, too, he has the capacity to commit murder, including self-murder. Such is a sin, a very serious and grievous sin, and one for which he will give an account at the judgment seat of Christ.

Suicide prevention

Of course, the first step in guarding ourselves against this sin is maintaining a Biblical perspective on life, its Giver, its sacredness, its purpose, its end.

Then, we should avoid the things that often culminate in suicide or are major contributing factors: drugs, alcohol, wrong behavior that creates guilt, being the object of social media abuse (a plague among teens), and such.

Then, what should we do to prevent it in others? Among other things, train your children that this is a sin to be avoided, and that our earthly circumstances are safely in God’s hands. But what should we do if we think someone is depressed, or possibly contemplating suicide? Get involved even if they don’t want you to, intervene, get them immediate help (medical or spiritual) if you cannot provide it personally or don’t know what else to do.
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