The Big Finish 2013

Just a bunch of stuff that I have been accumulating over the last couple weeks, because I have to have exactly 54 posts... because.... well just because... as the quote from Fiddler on the Roof says,  "Tradition!"

So there is a lot of good stuff here, but it will take hours to get through it all, and who has that kind of time??  If you only have a second skip to the end and read the last line.

changing my mind as He reveals to me the object of His Devotion.

embracing me with burning purity.

Both quotes from this poem...

http://isingsoftly.wordpress.com/

Weep, before you whip. Luke 19:41-48

Shane Idelman sermon

Jesus wept over Jerusalem, before he cleansed the temple.

Why don't we love... why do we criticize....

#1 We do not see the need for the diversity of the gifts in the body.

#2 We judge by default - it is part of our sin nature to judge and critique, UNLESS, we crucify the flesh and the desires of love with humility and grace, take your thoughts captive to the obedience of Christ.

#3 Our need to be right. I have to be right and get the last word in. Spurgeon said, we are never so much in danger of being proud as when we think we are being humble.

How to check the motivation of your heart?

A) Will you keep the confrontation to yourself or do you want to tell everybody?

B) Are you a confrontational person?

100. Are you a fault finder? We can develop a critical spirit. It does not exist in the underground church.
     D) Do you submit to authority, that God has ordained over you?

E) Do you need to confront or can you wait on the Lord for clarification? Three are involved, you, the person, and God who already has a plan and is dealing with that person, and is the ONLY one who can change that person.

“In the essentials unity, in the non-essentials liberty, in all things love.” Augustine

Non-essentials – church government, gifts, eschatology, hymns, choruses, be aware that heresy is a weighty thing. Consider the total portrait of ones character, life and extend grace and patience.

Can I “Live with” the idea that eschatology is one of the non-essentials? I think so.

here is what I know 

"If the message, doesn't apply to me.  I am already in, or on the 
fast track to deception."


here is what I know
There is an attack on marriages taking place right now that is
invisible but brutal. Draw near to God, get so close that you are
under the shadow of His wings and stay there.


Never say, “I know how to do this” We need God for everything and He gets all the glory.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pMUDstHBUa0


Love the Lord your God with all your heart with all your mind with all you strength and love your neighbor as yourself.


Genesis 15:12-21 As the sun was setting, Abram fell into a deep sleep, and a thick and dreadful darkness came over him. Then HaShem said to him, "Know for certain that your descendants will be strangers in a country not their own, and they will be enslaved and mistreated four hundred years. But I will punish the nation they serve as slaves, and afterward they will come out with great possessions. You, however, will go to your fathers in peace and be buried at a good old age. In the fourth generation your descendants will come back here, for the sin of the Amorites has not yet reached its full measure." When the sun had set and darkness had fallen, a smoking firepot with a blazing torch appeared and passed between the pieces. On that day HaShem made a covenant with Abram and said, "To your descendants I give this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the Euphrates-- The land of the Kenites, Kenizzites, Kadmonites, Hittites, Perizzites, Rephaites, Amorites, Canaanites, Girgashites and Jebusites."

Zephaniah 1:7 - 2:3 Be silent before the Sovereign HaShem, for the day of HaShem is near. HaShem has prepared a sacrifice; he has consecrated those he has invited On the day of HaShem'S sacrifice I will punish the princes and the king's sons and all those clad in foreign clothes. On that day I will punish all who avoid stepping on the threshold, who fill the temple of their gods with violence and deceit. "On that day," declares HaShem, "a cry will go up from the Fish Gate, wailing from the New Quarter, and a loud crash from the hills. Wail, you who live in the market district; all your merchants will be wiped out, all who trade with silver will be ruined. At that time I will search Jerusalem with lamps and punish those who are complacent, who are like wine left on its dregs, who think, 'HaShem will do nothing, either good or bad.' Their wealth will be plundered, their houses demolished. They will build houses but not live in them; they will plant vineyards but not drink the wine. "The great day of HaShem is near--near and coming quickly. Listen! The cry on the day of HaShem will be bitter, the shouting of the warrior there. That day will be a day of wrath, a day of distress and anguish, a day of trouble and ruin, a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and blackness, A day of shofar and battle cry against the fortified cities and against the corner towers. I will bring distress on the people and they will walk like blind men, because they have sinned against HaShem. Their blood will be poured out like dust and their entrails like filth. Neither their silver nor their gold will be able to save them on the day of HaShem'S wrath. In the fire of his jealousy the whole world will be consumed, for he will make a sudden end of all who live in the earth." Gather together, gather together, O shameful nation, Before the appointed time arrives and that day sweeps on like chaff, before the fierce anger of HaShem comes upon you, before the day of HaShem'S wrath comes upon you. Seek HaShem, all you humble of the land, you who do what he commands. Seek righteousness, seek humility; perhaps you will be sheltered on the day of HaShem'S anger.

This is worth looking at...

http://www.betemunah.org/lordsday.html

this is worth listening to...

http://daltonthomas.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/3-The-Maskilim.mp3

dalton thomas has some very good teachings on David and Peter and what we should do when we have let God down, basically, run TO Him!

Jeremiah 32:

 40 I will make an everlasting covenant with them that I will not turn away from them, to do them good; and I will put the fear of Me in their hearts so that they will not turn away from Me. 41 I will rejoice over them to do them good and will faithfully plant them in this land with all My heart and with all My soul. 42 For thus says the Lord, ‘Just as I brought all this great disaster on this people, so I am going to bring on them all the good that I am promising them.

The result of sin, we cover, fear, hide, blame. The result of being born again, Naked and unashamed, He loves me, He likes me, He delights in me. I am Hepzibah

Reading “Abiding in Christ” by Andrew Murray. It is lining up with what God is doing in my heart right now, taking me back to basics. God loves me, God likes me, He will remind me to keep Him first, He is in me, giving me life, guiding, The Father promises to complete the work, the Spirit is sent to make the presence of Jesus real in my life. He lives, He lives, Christ Jesus lives in me! When I fail Him, I need to run to Him. That is the exact opposite of what you would think. But it is true.

So I guess that is my final thought for 2013 … Run to Him. If you are born again, He lives in you.

Zechariah Bible Study # 11 Chapter 7

Zechariah Bible Study # 11

Zechariah Chapter 7

The Negative Answer

Hearts like Flint - A Call for Justice and Mercy

7 In the fourth year of King Darius, the word of the Lord came to Zechariah on the fourth day of the ninth month,which is Chislev. 2 Now the town of Bethel had sent Sharezer and Regemmelech and their men to seek the favor of the Lord, 3 speaking to the priests who belong to the house of the Lord of hosts, and to the prophets, saying, “Shall I weep in the fifth month and abstain, as I have done these many years?” 4 Then the word of the Lord of hosts came to me, saying, 5 “Say to all the people of the land and to the priests, ‘When you fasted and mourned in the fifth and seventh months these seventy years, was it actually for Me that you fasted? 6 When you eat and drink, do you not eat for yourselves and do you not drink for yourselves? 7 Are not these the words which the Lord proclaimed by the former prophets, when Jerusalem was inhabited and prosperous along with its cities around it, and the Negev and the foothills were inhabited?’”
8 And the word of the Lord came to Zechariah, saying, 9 “Thus says the Lord of hosts, Render true judgments, show kindness and mercy to one another, 10 do not oppress the widow, the fatherless, the sojourner, or the poor, and let none of you devise evil against another in your heart.” 11 But they refused to pay attention and turned a stubborn shoulder and stopped their ears that they might not hear. 12 They made their hearts diamond-hard lest they should hear the law and the words that the Lord of hosts had sent by his Spirit through the former prophets. Therefore great anger came from the Lord of hosts. 13 “As I called, and they would not hear, so they called, and I would not hear,” says the Lord of hosts, 14 “and I scattered them with a whirlwind among all he nations that they had not known. Thus the land they left was desolate, so that no one went to and fro, and the pleasant land was made desolate.” NASB and ESV




Fast forward, two years, from the night of visions that Zechariah was given. Things are going well, the hindrances to completing the rebuilding of the temple had been removed by Darius. So a natural question forms in the minds of people who have continuously observed a fast ever since the destruction of the Temple and the conquering of the land, 70 years of expressing national sorrow, lamenting and commemorating that day, “Should we continue to do this, now that things are 'looking up?'”
It is important that it is mentioned that they came to Jerusalem from Bethel. Bethel was set-up as an alternate 'house of God' (what the name means) when Israel, (made up of 10 tribes chose to separate from, Judah and Benjamin, and the priests of the tribe of Levi, during that days of Solomon's son, Rehoboam) So in coming from Bethel to get answers at Jerusalem that are demonstrating a humility and a willingness to learn from the people inhabiting the city that God has chosen. (A city by the way that is mentioned twice in the Koran, not by name but by inference, and over 800 times in the Bible, by name...hmmm!) On the part of the group from Bethel this demonstrates that they have learned from the judgments of the captivity, that there is no separate destiny for the other 10 tribes and there is no other center of worship.
This is a lesson that God is teaching me VERY clearly at the moment, do not be contentious. Quote from Augustine, “In the essentials, unity, in the non-essentials liberty, in all things love.” Shane Idelman states in a sermon that there are always three parties involved when you are confronting someone, you, that person, and GOD, who is the ONLY one who can change the other person and who already has a loving plan for that change. We need to stop and pray and make sure we are going to the person in the Spirit of God, before, we confront.
The names of these men, do not have meanings related to Jehovah, but to the false gods of Assyrian worship. What David Baron takes this to mean is, like the changing of the names of Daniel and his three friends, these were probably people who had become important in the land of their captivity, but had chosen to return to Israel. They come to ask the priests who are the teachers in Israel and the prophets who speak the words of the Lord.
The fifth month of Av, in the Jewish calendar, and the ninth day, has been the day of terrible judgments on Jewish people throughout history. (From an article on the internet)

“1.The Jews balk, and reject the promised land. 9th of Av, 1313 BC(now commemorated by the Jewish holiday and day of mourning called "Tisha B'Av").

2. The first Holy Temple destroyed. 9th of Av, 586BC.

3. The second Holy Temple destroyed. 9th of Av, 70AD

4. The Romans crushed Bar Kokhba's revolt and destroyed the city of Betar, killing over 100,000 Jews, on July 8, 132 AD (Av 9, 3892 AM). Following the Roman siege of Jerusalem, Roman commander Turnus Rufus plowed the site of the Temple and the surrounding area, in 133 AD.

5. The First Crusade was declared by Pope Urban II on July 20, 1095 (Av 9, 4855 AM), killing 10,000 Jews in its first month and destroying Jewish communities in France and the Rhineland. A grand total of 1.2 million Jews were killed by this crusade that started on the 9th of Av, this crusade killed each and every Jew that they could get a hold of on the way to and back from the promised land.

6. The Jews were expelled from England on July 25, 1290 (Av 9, 5050 AM).

7. The Jews were expelled from France on July 21, 1306 (Av 9, 5066 AM).

8. The Jews were expelled from Spain on August 11, 1492 (Av 9, 5252 AM).

9. On August 1, 1914 (Av 9, 5674 AM), World War I broke out, causing unprecedented devastation across Europe and set the stage for World War II and the Holocaust.

10. On August 2nd, 1941, (Av 9, 5701 AM), SS commander Heinrich Himmler received approval from the Nazi party for "The Final Solution". One year later, to the day, the plan was formally implemented. The final solution was the almost completely successful plan to murder all the Jews in Europe. Almost 50% of the Jews on the face of the earth were captured and killed at that time.”

In our lesson the only day that they were memorializing was the destruction of the first Temple by the Chaldeans. Should we continue to do this now that the new Temple is almost finished. The answer that is given has two parts the negative reply in this chapter and the positive reply in chapter 8. This is given as an authenticate message from God, due to the use of the phrase, “the word of the Lord of hosts came to me.”

What follows is a strong call to repentance, the necessary precursor to the announcement of the blessing of God, just like in the visions. The inclusion of the priests means that they too are being addressed by God as needing repentance. When the ministers sink down to the level of the people, when they are no longer pursuing the standard of God... bad things happen.

Fasting in itself is not a meritorious act. The reference to the seventh month is when the assassination of Gedaliah took place. That act of rebellion against the authority that Nebuchadnezzar had set up, led to the little remnant that he had left in the land, migrating to Egypt out of fear of vengeance. They fasted, they mourned, they lamented and God rejects it all, because even in their fasting and mourning they were centered on themselves they fasted not unto God.

“It was not the outward sign and accompaniment of true sorrow and repentance for sin, but of sorrow for their calamities. They were self-imposed to begin with; and they regarded them, not only as intrinsically meritorious, but as an end in themselves rather than as the means of turning away from self and, all idea of self-merit to the grace of God. And not only in their fasts but also in their feasts there was the same concentration on self and regardlessness of God.” D. Baron

The exhortation from Paul is, “So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” We can only throw ourselves on the mercy of God and ask Him to judge and reveal the motives of our hearts. We do not want to fall into this in our 'religious observances.' Only His Spirit can save us from this. Going all the way back to the words of Samuel to Saul, 1 Samuel 15:22

Samuel said, “Has the LORD as much delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices As in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, And to heed than the fat of rams.

Again and again God makes the point, what is your life saying? Do you show mercy? Do you show kindness? Do you render true judgments? Obviously these are things that require being humble, being led by and filled by the Spirit of God. It is our debt of love and gratitude toward God, that is the fountain head of these actions toward our neighbors.

Do not oppress those who are worse off than you.

Do not think evil against your brother in your heart. The heart is the issue in both testaments, which are actually one united story.

There is an interesting thing that takes place in scripture. The command, “Be not like your fathers.” is side by side with the reminder, “You are no better than your fathers.” Just another reminder to be humble and seek for the Spirit of God to change who we are.

This turning of the “stubborn shoulder” in verse 11 is a word picture of pulling out of the yoke of God. The “stopping of the ears” is a warning that the more you choose to disobey the more you self-harden your own heart. Hebrew 4:7 contains a quote of Psalm 95:71, “Today if you hear His voice, Do not harden your hearts.” The stone mentioned in verse 12 is harder than flint and was known to be able to cut rock. It is altogether hopeless that we could soften this stony heart and make a heart of flesh. That is the work of God, we must cry out for it.

While looking at the Jewish story we must remember the history of Christendom is nothing to boast of either. These solemn words, “and I will not hear” are spoken to cause us to repent. The scattering that follows disobedience is meant to be a reminder and a cause for repentance. The judgment comes as a result of the sin and what should be a pleasant land is made desolate.

Baron summarizes, “You have not yet truly repented of the root cause of your suffering. Your fasting and mourning are in themselves nothing to God so long as they are not the accompaniment of a real sorrow for sin, and a heart-desire to do His will as expressed in His moral law. Take warning, therefore, from the experience of your fathers—who kept on hardening their hearts, until there was no more remedy, and great wrath from God came upon them—lest the same, and something worse yet, happen to you.”  

The Lie - work makes free, Arbeit macht frei

The Lie was over the gate to Auschwitz.

The Lie exists in much of Christianity, and it is a battle for me, not to 'proclaim' it and teach it to my kids.

Our salvation is a free gift, our continuing process of sanctification only flows from the free love given by the Father, paid for by the Son, and made real by a revelation of the Spirit.  

Offenses from other people give rise to bitterness, when I do not know 'whose kid I am.'

 I think I have to rise up and defend myself, when I do not know 'whose kid I am."  

Almighty, eternal, Lord of all the universe has chosen to call me His son.  That is the truth, His choice, His grace, His sacrifice, MAKES FREE!  

Everything else is a lie, whether it is inserted into the beginning, middle or end of your Christian walk it is a lie.

 "My hope isn’t built on my performance but on Jesus’ righteousness.

The flesh is always performance driven and everyday I need to become Cross-centered again and no one needs the Gospel only once, because of all the bad days, we need the Good News of His grace again and again."  Ann Voskamp

Cancer, greed and anger.

I have people that I know and care about who have fought and lost to cancer.  I know people right now being given the "best" cancer treatment.  When I see an article like this... anger rises up and so it is time for a rant, and rant I will.
http://www.nydailynews.com/life-style/health/shock-study-chemotherapy-backfire-cancer-worse-triggering-tumor-growth-article-1.1129897

So the good researchers at Fred Hutchinson Cancer research were doing their job one day and "whoops" one of the methods used to help people actually backfires and hurts them.  So the 'cancer industry' made sure that this very important information was thoroughly disseminated to all the patients and their families currently making decisions on treatment options.  NO.
Well the news outlets picked it up and made it one their top stories, so that people would be informed and better able to participate in planning the treatment of the 5,000 new people who are told, "You have cancer."
every day.  NO.
My good friend whose wife died of cancer hates the word "remission."  I have never talked to him about this sensitive subject, but I wonder if it is because of the false hope of "we got it" that makes the "it's back" so much more bitter and evil.
So, if I am understanding this study correctly, what we use to get the quick and good result at first that raises everyone's hopes and expectations actually secretly causes the "remission."  When the  Doctors load the same gun in the bullet that "helped" the first time it no longer helps and is in fact a primary cause of the remission and spread and resistance of the cancer.
Chemotherapy is a big, temporary, expedient lie that actually makes the cancer bigger and stronger the next time around.
I would think that would be a fairly big "news item" and something that would be included in every patient and their families "vital information" packet as they are making these huge decisions on treatment options. NO it is not.
And my guess is the "WHY?" of why it is not is related to greed, the whore of babylon, Wickedness, mammon.  God have mercy on us!

Zechaiah 12:3 Jerusalem (and facebook)

My wife incited a thread on facebook by mentioning Israel. It was 'great' in that it revealed depth of feeling rarely displayed about anything in this modern culture. It got me to thinking, so I include one comment from the thread and then I will start my comments on the whole matter. (you would have to go to Laura Bean's page on facebook and then scroll down to November 24^th to get the whole thread.)

https://www.facebook.com/chucknlaura?fref=ts&ref=br_tf

(one comment)

“No matter what they do? If they hypothetically decide, tomorrow, to murder every young baby and child in Palestine, would that be okay? Because the Bible says support them. That is the problem with following a rulebook interpreted by humans, because I suspect no good God would support such a thing. Hence, either the bible is wrong, or the human interpretation given me is, because I will not support an evil act no matter who or what entity says to support an evil act. Not to mention, is not the whole idea that if supporting them so that they can bring about the apocalypse? Well I don't want the apocalypse if our actions can bring peace and prevent it. If you are looking forward to the apocalypse you really shouldn't be making decisions about our future because the future doesn't really concern you.”

(My thoughts)

This thread has been beautiful in its diversity. I want to add to it because I respect what has gone before me. A “world view” is evident in every response. Israel and Jerusalem, are guaranteed to bring out strong feelings. When you begin to go deep into these issues, one thing that becomes very clear is that there is a deeper connection between the Jew and Israel, than there is between any other nationality and their home-land. They are deeply inter-twined, it is difficult if not impossible to tell where the state ends and the individual begins. No one can imagine the joy of having a land of their own, after many centuries of exile. The brand new UN voted to give the Jew this land. The holocaust was fresh in every ones minds and this new body whose main charter was to prevent future wars, saw only 'good' in giving this people a land of their own, so that they would never again be the whipping boy of a deranged dictator. Did they handle the Palestinian problem correctly? No. Has any Arab body before or since, helped? No. Did Muhammad teach his followers that it is OK to lie, to make false treaties, to buy time and eventually destroy your enemy...Oh yes he did. (Treaty of Hudaibiya)

At its deepest level this becomes about God's right to choose. He does not choose based on performance, it is all grace. This truth, is a great comfort to the sinner, and a great affront to those who 'think they are well.' The apocalypse happens because God said it would, the Jew does not bring it about, God does. The end result is Peace, true peace, between nations and peoples. There is a cross before the crown...always. Humanity strives for 'peace' but it is the expedient peace that leaves God and His choice out of the equation. We will just educate our selves and eventually, everyone will see that the wise choice is peace and so they will lay down their weapons and stop this silly arguing and killing. That has never happened in history and it will not happen for anything longer than a 3 ½ year period now. The amazing thing is that people who believe in a God who has on His agenda, the apocalypse, are actually the most charitable group in the world. More colleges, hospitals, orphanages and rescue missions are formed and operating under the name of Jesus than all other religions or non-religions combined. There must be more to this picture than we typically see.

Sin, injustice, bribery, money talks, however you want to put it one of the horrors in this world is the lack of true justice. The apocalypse is all about clearing the slate, so that God can keep His promise to rule the nations in truth and justice from His chosen center of the world, Jerusalem. True and good government flowing from a true and good God. The financial “rulers of the world” are shown as being destroyed in the apocalypse even before the armies that array themselves against the purposes of God. So the puppeteers and the puppets will all be brought under the rule of God and the world will witness and live under the one who is called Faithful and True.

The path there is not so pretty. But as for calling it “good or evil” that is up to God, not to us, with our very limited, very finite perspective. I think the path will look something like this. (I don't think for one second I have the whole truth on this and would be interested in any other perspectives that are supported by the amazing word of God.) Zechariah 12:3 is the starting point, because here in this 2,500 year old prophecy is an amazing up-to-the-minute headline from the evening news.

 “It will come about in that day that I will make Jerusalem a heavy stone for all the peoples; all who lift it will be severely injured. And all the nations of the earth will be gathered against it.”

 Words of prophecy this accurate, should cause us to study the Bible.

Currently, the individual who truly deeply converts and grows solidly in their love for God, is a person who has seen the deep depravity of their heart; addicts, and those who have had a true 'dark night of the soul', a time of utter hopelessness in themselves. The Bible is very aware of this principle and speaks of it in numerous places. “When they come to the end of their strength...” then God moves. This principle of God applies to individuals and to His chosen people as a whole.

Israel being chosen comes with a 'down-side.' Because they have been given so much, they are given double for their sins. God's judgment, has been severe throughout their history. Man has over-stepped and gone beyond the intent of God, because Satan is very aware that the way you stop the Kingdom from coming is you stop the people who are to be a light to the other nations. Israel had to be restored to their land, in order for the events of the end times to begin.

The desire for peace is strong and leads to many compromises. A peace covenant that is actually a lie, for no other purpose than to 'buy time' to get strong enough to kill your enemies, is an accepted way of doing business in Islam. A covenant of peace, most likely made from a point where Israel has proven stronger than her enemies, is made. Work on the temple is started. A small time player in that covenant, begins to rise in influence and power. He is assassinated. Satan copies the resurrection of Jesus, by “indwelling” this man's body. The anti-Christ is now on the earth, and he sets out very quickly to accomplish as much death and destruction as he possibly can, because he knows his time is short.

There is no nation that will be the solution to this problem. The anti-christ will actually set up his throne in Jerusalem and when the nations gather to fight him at the end of time, because they are tired of his rule, tired of his control. Jesus will return and end it all before man destroys everything.

The throne of David, is where Jesus will rule from. A promise is a promise, and God is glorified when He keeps these promises, to this people. The proper response of every other nation is, “Your God is the true God show us your God.”

Washing the disciples feet.

An inflated view of self.
Keeps me from loving.
Keeps me from bowing.
Leads me in to sin.

In John 13 Jesus washes the disciples feet.
ALL  of the disciples, including Judas.

I resist the call to lay down my life on
anything but my terms.

I can do "tasks" and "look" a certain way, but
the test is, "Do you love the way Jesus wants you to love?"

Spurgeon and Art Katz on Mark 9:29

"It will make men of you; you will be all the grander and the better servants of God in after years, when your own weakness shall have driven you back upon the divine strength, and you shall have learned to trust, not in man, much less in yourself, but to cast yourself confidently on God."...  "he wants to make us see the greatness of the mercy, so he occupies our thoughts with the greatness of the distress that needs to be relieved, and with this impossibility of that distress being relieved except by his own power and Godhead. That experience does us good, dear friends, does it not? It makes us feel that the mercy, when it does come, will be remarkably precious to us."  "I think also that I may spiritualize this expression now, and say that, when your mind gets into such a condition that you begin to sorrow over a lost soul, when you realize the meaning of that agonizing cry of Jeremiah, "Oh that my head were waters, and mine eyes a fountain of tears, that I might weep day and night for the slain of the daughter of my people!"—it is then that the devil will have to go. When your soul is clothed in sackcloth and ashes, and you go mourning, without the light of the sun, saying, "I could die rather than that soul should die; I could wish myself accursed rather than that soul were accursed; I put myself in the dust before God, even in the dust of self-abasement on account of that soul, that I may win it to Christ," then that sort of devil will have to go out. Starving him out by starving yourself, and making your own spirit wretched and miserable for the poor sinner's sane, you will make that devil find the person untenable any longer as a lodging-place."   Spurgeon from here...    http://www.spurgeon.org/sermons/2454.htm

"This kind cometh not out, except by prayer and fasting"  both of which are acts of self-denial, this kind of devotional prayer (rising early in the morning) is as much an act of self denial of sleep, as fasting is a denial of food and there is something in the wisdom of God that affects issues in the heavenlies, by the act of denial because the powers of the air predicate their entire system not on denial but on gratification; on lust, on greed, on ambition, on satisfaction, on all that is carnal.  God's wisdom is exactly the opposite, relinquishing, yielding, letting go, forsaking,   It is that which brings it into tune with the whole universe as God's act."  Art Katz teaching on Mark 9:29 and quoting P.T. Forsyth on the Soul of Prayer.

Zechariah Bible Study # 10 Zechariah 6:9-15

Zechariah Bible Study # 10

The Crowning of Joshua

Zechariah 6:9-15

9 The word of the Lord also came to me, saying, 10 “Take an offering from the exiles, from Heldai, Tobijah and Jedaiah; and you go the same day and enter the house of Josiah the son of Zephaniah, where they have arrived from Babylon.

The Symbolic Crowns

11 Take silver and gold, make an ornate crown and set it on the head of Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest.12 Then say to him, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts, “Behold, a man whose name is Branch, for He will branch out from where He is; and He will build the temple of the Lord. 13 Yes, it is He who will build the temple of the Lord, and He who will bear the honor and sit and rule on His throne. Thus, He will be a priest on His throne, and the counsel of peace will be between the two offices.”’ 14 Now the crown will become a reminder in the temple of the Lord to Helem, Tobijah, Jedaiah and Hen the son of Zephaniah. 15 Those who are far off will come and build the temple of the Lord.” Then you will know that the Lord of hosts has sent me to you. And it will take place if you completely obey the Lord your God.



The visions have ended and this symbolic transaction foreshadows that will follow the banishment of evil from the land, and the overthrow of world-power in the earth. The crowning of the true King and Priest forever.
Verse 9 - After all the visions the transition to a prophetic word of the Lord is noted.
Verse 10 – People come from Babylon, guys who have settled there and chosen not to return, but who return now with an offering for the Lord's house. These are Jews but are coming from far-off Babylon, so David Baron, relates this section to John 12:20-33. Greeks send a message to Jesus, they want to see Him, but His response is … not easy to figure out. (Read that section)
At the time the Greeks were asking to see Jesus, there was a sign in the temple over the second outer court that read, “No stranger may enter here on pain of death.” The only way that was going to change was for Jesus to go to the cross, and then there would truly be a “house of prayer for all nations.”
Verse 11 – An ornate amazing crown is to be made. The three guys would have had no idea that their offering would be used to make a crown for a powerful symbolic transaction. Joshua as high priest and a member of the tribe of Levi, would have been very aware, that no one in his tribe would ever be wearing the crown of a king, that was reserved for the tribe of Judah.
Verse 12 – The Lord Himself sets out to explain this event. Baron says of verses 12 and 13, “This is one of the most remarkable and precious Messianic prophecies, and there is no plainer prophetic utterance in the whole Old Testament as to the Person of the promised Redeemer, the offices He was to fill, and the mission he was to accomplish. Let us examine the sentence in detail.” “Behold the man.” The sovereign God, put these words on Pilate's lips also, but this crown has no thorns. The Branch, God's chosen symbolic word for His Messiah. Spoken in Isaiah 4:2 “ In that day the Branch of the Lord will be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the earth will be the pride and the adornment of the survivors of Israel.” Again in Jeremiah 23:5 “ In that day the Branch of the Lord will be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the earth will be the pride and the adornment of the survivors of Israel.” and Jeremiah 33:15 “In those days and at that time I will cause a righteous Branch of David to spring forth; and He shall execute justice and righteousness on the earth.” “And He will build the temple of the Lord.” Both the church and the body of Jesus, and the temple that will be built during the millennial reign of Christ on earth. As per usual, the prophetic word has multiple meanings and if we just limit it, to one thing we go down a trail to error and deception.



Verse 13 – The pattern of scripture is repetition for emphasis, it was the Hebrew way of putting an exclamation point on a sentence. So this is going to happen and nothing can stop it, “He will build the temple.” He will be a priest on a throne, both offices combined into one Man. Only one Man can open the seal and only one Man can hold both of these offices. David took the priesthood role, when the ark was returned, he ate the bread that only priests should eat, when he was on the run from Saul. He was not rebuked by God either time, he was a fore-shadowing of Christ. Not in presumption, but at the leading of the Lord. “And the counsel of peace will be between them.” This is an alternate reading of that last part of the verse and it would indicate that our peace is found between the Father and Jesus, the presence of the Holy Spirit, leading and guiding our life, so that we are a man like David who learns from his mistake in using the ox cart, an expedient, what's the easiest way to get it done thing. He learns and studies and goes back and does it the right way the second time. We MUST wait upon the Lord, we MUST seek His ways, we MUST NOT be in such a hurry to “do” that we miss the mind of the Lord.



Verse 14 – Joshua realizing that he was just a symbol or a sign, probably could not wait for them to remove the crown from his head. From there it was kept as a sign in the temple of the Lord. Those who had given the resources to allow it to be made are remembered and the man who opened up his home to these visitors in hospitality is also remembered. No deed, done for God, is small.



Verse 15 – Ahhh the gentiles, “those who are far off” Thank you Jesus, I was 'far off' and YOU brought me to the temple. You have made me one who is part of the building of the temple. Partial fulfillment, and in 'that day' and a further fulfillment as the nations assist the Jews in returning to their land at the start of the millennial reign. “Completely obey” totally impossible under the law, but possible when God pours out His grace on this nation and makes them a truly Holy people, and gives them, as an entire nation, a new heart to follow and obey Him. That was God's promise.
Ezekiel 36:24 For I will take you from among the nations, gather you out of all countries, and bring you into your own land.
Ezekiel 36:25-27
25 Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols. 26 I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. 27 I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them.
Jeremiah 31:31
Behold, the days are coming, says the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah.
How beautiful and how wonderful God’s reassuring words to Israel are. God’s promise of the New Covenant should bring tremendous rejoicing in the heart of every Jew. The New Covenant is the outworking of the Abrahamic Covenant of faith. God will give a new heart and a new spirit to His people to believe in the Seed of Abraham, Jesus Christ.

Ezekiel 36:28-30, 35
28 Then you shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers; you shall be My people, and I will be your God. 29 I will deliver you from all your uncleannesses. I will call for the grain and multiply it, and bring no famine upon you. 30 And I will multiply the fruit of your trees and the increase of your fields, so that you need never again bear the reproach of famine among the nations.

35 So they will say, ‘This land that was desolate has become like the garden of Eden…

Task master

I'm task oriented.  If I see things that need done, part of me could care less, but part of me wants to do them, so I have to choose.
I am blessed because God has given me, His eyes for some people, not for all people, because, i think then i would explode, but for some people.  I pray He would increase my capacity to "catch and release" His love for others.
I am passionate about the truth about the end of time and the God of the Day of the Lord.  Scripture has so much to say about this but we get lost looking at the bark on a specific tree and not seeing the big picture of God's promises and His purpose of restoration of all things.  Acts 3:21.
A friend had a dream recently and was impressed by God that maybe things will be beginning to wrap up in a 11-18 year window of time.
I hope he is right.
I am grateful to God for my wife, my kids, my upbringing, my friends, my job, and anyone who gave their life to preserve the truth of the Bible.
This upcoming generation MUST KNOW THEIR GOD.  Knowledge of the Bible or facts or phrases, or creeds is not going to cut it in the near future.

Arthur Pink nails it!

This is so good, I have nothing to add, and am simply honored to post it on my blog.

All our afflictions are appointed by our loving heavenly Father!

(Arthur Pink)

"I was silent; I would not open my mouth, for You are the one who has done this!" Psalm 39:9

Realizing that it was the chastening hand of God upon him, David refrained from murmuring. It was not the silence of sullenness, but of meekly acquiescing to the rod. When we are in our right minds, we shall have nothing to object against God's dealings with us, or dispute with them. God is sovereign in the acts of His providence--and therefore an important branch of our obedience unto Him lies in suffering His will, as well as in doing His will. That obedience is evidenced by refusing to repine against Him by the utterance of any impatient words. 

Shall vile dust and ashes censure the providential dealings of the Most High God, or impugn His goodness? Let all God's treatment of us be both wondrous and righteous in our eyes. 

"If our hope is in God for a happiness in the eternal world--then we can well afford to reconcile ourselves to all the dispensations of Divine providence concerning this world." (Matthew Henry) 

The consideration that all our afflictions are appointed by our loving heavenly Father, should silence all complaints. It did so with David. He knew they came not by chance, but according to divine appointment. 

After months of acute suffering, and still in agony of body, the last words of John Calvin were, "Lord, You grind me to powder, but it suffices me because it is Your hand."

"God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in his holiness. No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it!" Hebrews 12:10-11 

Foundations

Way back when I first was drawn by God to seek out true worshippers, I was led to "The Fountain of Life" in Kingston, NY, where a group of elders oversaw an amazing little body of Christ.  Dale Rumble was one of the elders there; when I went looking on the internet for him now-a-days, I found out he passed away in 2010, but I was very blessed by this quote, from one of his tracts.  You will be too.
His stuff is available at www.thefountain.org

"I believe that the glory of the end-time church will be greater than that of the early church. Through hurricanes, floods, tornadoes, earthquakes, wars, economic upheaval, etc., the Lord will shake the realms of man to bring him to repentance.

. . . once more in a little while, I am going to shake the heavens and the earth, the sea also and the dry land. I will shake all the nations; and they will come with the wealth of all nations and I will fill this house with glory, says the Lord of hosts. (Haggai 2:6-7)

The church that Jesus returns for will be an overcoming body of believers who have endured great tribulation and persecution. She will be a mature bride clothed with the glory of God.

---

End-time Tribulation

Teaching that Jesus will return and rapture the church before the great tribulation occurs is false. Trials and tribulation are used by God to purify, strengthen and mature His people. Martyrdom is a path to glory.

. . . but we also exult in our tribulation, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope . . . . (Romans 5:3-4)

Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you, which comes upon you for your testing, as though some strange thing were happening to you. (1 Peter 4:12)

. . . for if we died with Him we will also live with Him; if we endure. we will also reign with Him . . . . (2 Timothy 2:11-12)

For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison. (2 Corinthians 4:17)

. . . through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God. (Acts 14:22)

. . . if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him . . . . (Romans 8:17)

Many will be purged, purified and refined, but the wicked will act wickedly; and none of the wicked will understand, but those who have insight will understand. (Daniel 12:10)

And they overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of their testimony, and they did not love their life even when faced with death. (Revelation 12:11)

Then they will deliver you to tribulation, and will kill you, and you shall be hated by all nations because of My name . . . but the one who endures to the end shall be saved. (Matthew 24:9, 23)

The above verses of scripture express God’s agenda to restore the church and to manifest His glory. James expresses our responsibility for this truth.

Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. (James 1:2-4)"

The consolation of Israel

Simeon and Anna were waiting for, praying for, hoping for the consolation of Israel.  JESUS, Yeshua.

How positively amazing is it that RELIGIOUS MAN has chosen to twist the whole thing upside-down and to use replacement theology, preterism, and pre-trib to push Israel to the side

If your theology does not fit into Romans 8-11 it is not the whole truth.  Period.

argumentative

Synonyms: argumentative, combative, contentious, disputatious, quarrelsome,

Weeks ago in a conversation, I was characterized as being argumentative.

In some respects, I have been "wearing" that ever since, wanting God to make it 

clear, if there is an area that needs repentance.  Watching myself to see my

reactions.

Seeing the synonyms... being contentious and quarrelsome are without a doubt

sins and that is a very bad thing.  I feel the weight of that.

So where is the line?  

What topics are worth a 'strong defense' and what ones should be allowed to 

just "go on their way", "no biggee", etc?

I see the need to be a member, an active participant in a local body.

That is not 'optional.'

When I was first saved God dropped me into a body that had a church "set-up"

that included a collegial eldership, of men gifted in various ways by God, who

submitted to one another.  Sunday worship was led by the Spirit of God, with 

'voices' from the congregation, speaking forth words of God, during worship, and

worship leaders who were able to "flow."  When worship began to "slow down"

the elders would gather and see whose "word" for that morning most lined up

with the direction that the Spirit was leading things and that person would be the

one who would bring the message.  Since those early days in the late 1980's early

90's I have never again been a part of such a body.  Church government... is that

worth 'arguing about'?

The day of the Lord is an event spoken of in scripture a ridiculous amount of times, 

it has signs, it has precursor events, on it hinges the end of this age and the beginning

of the millennial reign of Christ... is that worth "arguing about"?

At the end of the age there is going to be a great falling away, many who had

'agape' love will grow cold, it seems to me this would coincide with believing strongly

in a view of the end times that says, "before the great tribulation, Jesus is going to

come back and get me, because He loves me to much to let me go through that"..

If you had your hopes pinned on that and it falls, there is a great danger that you would

fall too.  Is the pre-trib, post-trib debate worth arguing about?

God in total grace has chosen a people and a land, the Jew and Israel.  Preterism says

"No that plan is over"  Replacement theology, says, "No that plan is over" God says, ""While the earth remains, Seed time and harvest, And cold and heat, And summer and winter, And day and night Shall not cease."Genesis 8:22

 23And the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah, saying, 24“Have you not observed what this people have spoken, saying, ‘The two families which the LORD chose, He has rejected them’? Thus they despise My people, no longer are they as a nation in their sight. 25“Thus says the LORD, ‘If My covenant for day and night stand not, and the fixed patterns of heaven and earth I have not established, 26then I would reject the descendants of Jacob and David My servant, not taking from his descendants rulers over the descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. But I will restore their fortunes and will have mercy on them.’”

In light of these two scripture passages is Preterism and Replacement theology worth arguing about?

Romans 8:13,14  for if you are living according to the flesh, you must die; but if by the Spirit you are putting to death the deeds of the body, you will live. 14For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.

I must stop these musing for now.  It is my prayer that I would be living by the Spirit.