Archive for May, 2004
reynaldo reynoso (admin)
For as far back as I can remember it has rained on Memorial Day. I’m not making an uninformed statement that makes inference to God weeping, no such thing. It’s an observation based on the fact that for years my local gathering would try to meet up together in a certain park in New Jersey , only to be met with wet grass, gray skies and a cold breeze. The burgers never cook quite right, the drinks get dirt in them, the preacher is completely impossible to understand with the bad sound system being used?all in all the day is usually a wash.
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reynaldo reynoso
The first time I heard this song, was when my not-yet-wife was performing a special in a gathering down in Pennsylvania. She sang and it sounded like heaven opened up and the angels were giving her backup.
I almost cried
Upon hearing the lyrics I could almost imagine myself nestled up to the foot of the cross, seeing my Lord hanging there on that tree. Realizing that I had no part to play in the work he was doing, in the pinning up of my sins, bearing the stripes of my iniquities.
Amazing
Nearer, still nearer, close to Thy heart,
Draw me, my Savior?so precious Thou art!
Fold me, oh, fold me close to Thy breast.
Shelter me safe in that ?Haven of Rest?;
Shelter me safe in that ?Haven of Rest.?
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We broach today’s subject with our continued reliance on the Lord for guidance and wisdom in our studies.
This portion may very likely be one of the most powerful passages in
scripture delineating the wrath of God and also often misused. It has
been used to show how God hates homosexuality and also used to support
that men can be saved by looking at creation. I’ve seen this portion
used for teaching that the only way to preach the gospel is to start
with creation. It has been used to illustrate the pre-flood conditions
(and subsequently limited to that time period) and a few times I have
seen it used to support homosexual relationships.
I am not supporting these views, simply mentioning them in a
tuning-fork format. Perhaps you have heard the hum of today’s passage
in one of the tone’s mentioned in the previous paragraph. Yet, an
interesting feature about each of these arguments is that they
sometimes focus so wholeheartedly on the point they’re trying to make
that they ignore what the passage is actually saying.
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reynaldo reynoso (admin)
The Purpose of the Letter
- So that you know the truth in opposition to the seducers (2:26), so that your joy may be full (1:4) in understanding that being a believer in the name of the Son of God assures your eternal life (5;13) thus securing your understanding so you stand unashamed before God (2:28).
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Continuing our discussion on the evolution of the Altar, let us remind ourselves what sparked this train of thought. If you remember,
IreneQ quoted someone as underscoring the purpose of the church and the role that worship plays with the following quote:
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reynaldo reynoso (admin)
The Bride eyes not her garment, but her dear Bridegroom?s face;
I will not gaze at glory but on my King of grace.
Not at the crown He giveth but on His pierced hand;
The Lamb is all the glory of Immanuel?s land.
There are so many things that can occupy my time. I?ve noticed that work can take up such a huge portion, as does the work in the local gathering. I spend time studying various books and reading the Word and trying to understand God?s will for my life and for my home. I spend time with my two year old son watching the wonder shimmering in his wide eyes as we come up with a ?new? game?shadow puppets or pretending that we see the sun on a cloud day. I spend time talking with my wife in the wee hours of the evening / morning and spend time in silence with my own thoughts reflecting on something or other.
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Look at the book of First Kings 12:25-33 after the Kingdom has divided. Reheboam, listening to the council of the young men, has raised taxes and increased the burden on the Israelites forcing the predicted split of the kingdom which was promised by God because of Solomon’s sin. Jeroboam, now in charge of the northern kingdom of Israel noticed that the people would inevitably have to go South to worship on the altar at the temple.
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Now, we have two priests, Sons of Aaron (Nadab and Abihu), running up to the altar with what the passage calls ?strange fire?. The Lord consumes them immediately and we are left to examine the nature of their sin (Leviticus 10:1-3).
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Now don’t get me wrong?I am not saying that church has
nothing to do with relationships. The epistles from the previous posts illustrated the point that the local gathering (when functioning correctly) does in turn affect relationships. It is putting things in their proper order that creates the right results in relationships. Using an Old Testament type, let us look at the Altar to shed light on the following statement:
He also said something like, if the church’s doctrine is sound then the method of worship and other stuff like that is really secondary.
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reynaldo reynoso (admin)
Refering to
IreneQ’s
post once more::
?church is all about relationships (something my previous pastor has always said) and that in cell groups you get to build those relationships — and it’s those relationships which will keep you in the church and help you to feel a part of it.
I am forced to examine this idea of basing the local gathering completely on relationships. It is something that many Christians have been falling into as of late, both the churched and the unchurched.
The following overviews reflect the writings of Paul to local gatherings, or churches if you will.
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reynaldo reynoso (admin)
In her post titled ?
Trying it out for size?,
IreneQ made a comment that piqued my interest. Her post has very little to do with the topic at hand, but her mentioning of the following thought is something I’ve seen across the Christian culture, that being:
?church is all about relationships (something my previous pastor has always said) and that in cell groups you get to build those relationships — and it’s those relationships which will keep you in the church and help you to feel a part of it.
He also said something like, if the church’s doctrine is sound then the method of worship and other stuff like that is really secondary. If you go to a church with sound teaching and you cannot worship there then perhaps there is something wrong with YOU and not with that church.
Now, mind you, this is out of the context of her reconciling herself to attend her church with fellow believers?something that I greatly applaud. To be reconciled with each other and continue a walk in love is fulfilling the essence of the law: ?Love your neighbor as yourself?.
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Continuing
our topic at hand we will see three things in particular today: 1)
Edifying each other in the church; 2) What does it mean to not be
ashamed of the gospel of God; and 3) What does it mean when Paul writes
that "The just shall live by faith"?
Still in Paul’s introduction, we start to see the basis for his
letter and yet also the great care he takes in executing the letter to
the Roman believers. We’ll see this great care repeated in the final
chapter, but for now we see the amount of praise and love he has for
the Roman brethren in that their faith is being proclaimed (1:8)
throughout the whole world. Indeed, the fire of the gospel, which was
sparked in Jerusalem , burned outward at such a tremendous rate that
the entire world was set ablaze with the message of good news from God.
Elsewhere Paul mentions that the report of the Roman obedience to the
gospel has reached all ears and this is where he finds great rejoicing
over these brethren?and yet he wrote to them so that they would be wise
in what is good and innocent in what is evil (16:19).
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randy amos
Technically, there is a difference in meaning between the death of Christ and the cross of Christ. This chronicle, with others to follow in the will of the Lord, will attempt to develop these differences to better understand the place of the cross in the wonders of God’s wisdom in man’s salvation.
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reynaldo reynoso (admin)
So many people have expressed their support, their prayers, their thoughts for me and my family. I have truly found it incredibly comforting to be able to share these thoughts and prayers with my wife?they are truly, much appreciated.
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reynaldo reynoso (admin)
This is hard. My heart isn’t fully in it but I had to post this for it encourages myself and perhaps it will encourage others.
Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, “Speak to Aaron and to his sons, saying, ‘Thus you shall bless the sons of Israel . You shall say to them: The LORD bless you, and keep you; The LORD make His face shine on you, And be gracious to you; The LORD lift up His countenance on you, And give you peace.’ “So they shall invoke My name on the sons of Israel , and I then will bless them.” - (Num 6:22-27)
These verses from Numbers are located at the very heart of practical education of the Israelite’s lives. God had spoken to Israel and told them how He wants the troops ordered and who was responsible for carrying what of the tabernacle and what trumpets signified what and how the camp is to be kept clean. All of these extremely practical things and dead smack in the center we find the Aaronic blessing.
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